I thought it was to stop people from getting a subsidised phone then cancelling the service and selling the phone for profit.
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AT&T Faces Initial Setback in Verizon Ad Spat, Rolls Out Response Ad
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I thought it was to stop people from getting a subsidised phone then cancelling the service and selling the phone for profit.
Here is what cnet thinks why they did it. http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-10401929-266.html?tag=TOCmoreStories.0
They advertise they have over 100,000 applications available and then at the end they show a couple of Samsungs that can't even use the applications? People better read the fine print or they will be upset when they buy their Samsung and can't download the advertised applications.
At least one U.S. Senator thinks otherwise. Senator Klobuchar (MN) is urging the FCC to review the Verizon Wireless early termination fee.
“These fees are anti-consumer and anti-competitive and they bear little to no relationship to the cost of the handset device” said Klobuchar, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee. To read her full complaint go here:
http://klobuchar.senate.gov/newsreleases_detail.cfm?id=319787&
I agree with her assessment. The rate increase is anti-competitive and should be placed under scrutiny.
Well if the Samsung device running the newer Touchwiz ui(doesn't matter what OS it uses), have a Touchwiz widget store where you can get some apps. Its not 100,000, but I guess its better than nothing. But, yeah you do have a valid point.
Then I suggest you look into what an unsubsidized phone costs. Most good smartphones are easily 400+ new. I'm no fan of being tied into contracts, but the higher ETF actually does make sense here.
So you bought two new phones and upped your rate plan...gee, wonder why they were so nice to you???
I think I'll pass on your suggestion and just avoid carriers that have doubled their early termination fee. Oh, I guess that is just Verizon. No loss.
Seriously, the ETF is way off and deserves to be scrutinized. And they aren't exactly giving away the expensive smart phones. They are subsidizing them.. the consumer still pays a portion of the cost.
Do you even understand how the system works? If Verizon gives you a $500 phone for, say $200, and you cancel your service a month into the contract, they have to make up the difference in cost on the phone. The ETF is still prorated...they also doubled the ETF takedown from $5 to $10 a month.
If you don't like system, that's fine...I honestly don't care. But why bother to state an opinion if you're just going to assume what's right/wrong without bothering to find out how the system works?
I do understand how it works but thanks for the simple explanation.
Who are you? Mini-me?
I'm curious, then--what's your complaint? If you understand how the carrier wants to cover their costs on subsidized phones, and the math clearly works out accordingly, then what's there to complain about? Sure, it'd be nice if they were in the business of giving away hardware--but surely you don't expect this?
The basic point is that the previous ETF of $150 was set back when most people were buying much simpler/basic devices--and unless you buy a smartphone, it's still the ETF that they'll put on your plan. Doesn't it stand to reason that when the higher the carrier subsidy, the higher the ETF?
AT&T would be better served to invest in better service instead...
If this add indicates what AT&T considers to be most important to the subscriber, this is sad.
I love the iPhone, but I do not have one because I cannot reasonably justify leaving Verizon to get it. I used to have AT&T some time ago. The reason I left AT&T was because their coverage and service sucked. I have been with Verizon for several years now and their 3G service is much better (using friend's AT&T phone for reference), but most important when using a PHONE is that I get coverage everywhere, and the audio quality, connection quality, and overall satisfaction is superior - Verizon's service is far superior to that AT&T.
I love when these service providers try to take questionable legal action against the competition for presenting their weaknesses to the public, when they know full well that if they weren't true, or the weaknesses were on the other hand, they would be exploiting them in the very same manner.
Truthfully, if Apple really wanted to boost their sales, they would find a way to make the iPhone available to Verizon and other service providers. If Verizon had the iPhone, I would have one. Otherwise, at this point, it looks like my next phone will be an Android based phone.
If this add indicates what AT&T considers to be most important to the subscriber, this is sad.
I love the iPhone, but I do not have one because I cannot reasonably justify leaving Verizon to get it. I used to have AT&T some time ago. The reason I left AT&T was because their coverage and service sucked. I have been with Verizon for several years now and their 3G service is much better (using friend's AT&T phone for reference), but most important when using a PHONE is that I get coverage everywhere, and the audio quality, connection quality, and overall satisfaction is superior - Verizon's service is far superior to that AT&T.
I love when these service providers try to take questionable legal action against the competition for presenting their weaknesses to the public, when they know full well that if they weren't true, or the weaknesses were on the other hand, they would be exploiting them in the very same manner.
Truthfully, if Apple really wanted to boost their sales, they would find a way to make the iPhone available to Verizon and other service providers. If Verizon had the iPhone, I would have one. Otherwise, at this point, it looks like my next phone will be an Android based phone.
I have had both Verizon and AT&T. I have had very few dropped calls with either service. I moved from Verizon to AT&T because AT&T had the iPhone and for me it was far superior to my Verizon Blackberry. No regrets at all.
The iPhone interface, browser and integration with iPod/iTunes are fantastic.
