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AT&T to Raise Early Termination Fee for iPhone and Other Smartphones to $325

MagnusVonMagnum said:
I think it will backfire. People will leave in DROVES to get away from scum like that. Some people have to terminate contracts due to financial concerns. With that kind of fee, you might as well just pre-pay your entire contract with AT&T on Day 1.
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So they can go to even more expensive scum like Verizon with their higher ETF? :rolleyes:
 
shanmugam said:
1) Advertise the iPhones with out contract
2) make the contract less iPhones available on the launch day
3) sell the contract less phones much cheaper (i mean reasonable)
4) contract less data plan like iPad
5) let the carrier decide whatever the price of the iPhone based on customer's monthly plan (say if a person pays $120 per month, let the iPhone be free with 2 year contract, if you pay $75 per month iPhone costs $199 or whatsoever)
6) make iPhone available even with out data plan (remember not everyone requires data plan just a phone + ipod +wifi)

i think apple needs to do lots of work (do not think it is ATT's problem)

iPhone and Apple changed how the industry played by requiring mandatory data plan and 2 year commitment.

btw, i own the iPhone also...
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1- Yeah make it more visible
2-Probably get robbed from grey marketers, that's why they restrict until after new year
3- No contract = No subsidy. Apple's margins would take a hit.
5- Problem here is - you can drop your plan down after you buy it. $120. AT&T doesn't know if change to less minutes package. But- AT&T does take that into consideration for upgrades. If bill is $100, full discount 1 yr:: $80 bill ~1.5 or so. And, if you drop down from $100 to $75 after buying, then the upgrade eligibility date gets pushed out. Vice Versa, if change to a higher bill.

iPhone with out a data plan is not an iPhone, it would be practically worthless. And it would cost $600. All your suggestions are doable but you have to realize the upfront cost will sky rocket.
 
rjohnstone said:
I'm aware of that.
AT&T has no contract options for less money as well.

With T-Mobile, you do sacrifice the data speeds for the $20 per month savings. You also lose some features like VVM for example.
I could see it being a viable option if you're not a heavy data user.
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Yes, you're right, particularly for people who have good access to WiFi in the places where they primarily use the iPhone (home, work, school), and especially if you use Google Voice (voicemail, SMS).
 
kyleh613 said:
This coming from a half wit who used an Obama analogy (an incorrect one at that). Are you for real?

Either way, congratulations, you are a ****ing moron. None of this has anything to do with why cellphone companies force termination fee's on you, or 2 year contracts.

And the FCC doesn't regulate ****, because the cellphone companies pay vast amounts of money to make sure they don't. In the end of the day it is all about making as much money as possible.
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It is a great analogy. The person before wanted government control to stop corporations from imposing early termination fees. I'm sorry your butthurt, because I used your the person you obviously have a slobbering lover fest over in my example.

The FCC does regulate. You need to present facts instead of conjecture. Do you have proof they launder money for control over... OMG .. wait for it... over charging high ETFs!? You sound like a ****ing moron. If they are going to manipulate the FCC it's not going to be over ETFs.
 
In the UK, this is how the iPhone works:

Options:

1) Buy the iPhone on contract. We have 18 and 24 month contracts. If you want a 3GS, here is what can happen:

£30 a month - 18 months contract.
iPhone 3GS 16GB - £179
100 minutes, unlimited texts
Unlimited Data and Wi-Fi

If you were to go for this plan on 24 months, you'd get £5 knocked off.

This is just one of the data plans.

2) Buy an iPhone on eBay or directly off O2 on Pay and Go. This will cost £449 for the 3G S which is ridiculous. Of course, if you pick an iPhone up off eBay then it's fine.
Then what you do is sign up to an O2 Simplicity plan (SIM only). You can get these plans in one month and 12 month deals. You won't get an iPhone though. For 300 minutes, unlimited texts, visual voicemail, unlimited data & wifi, it's £20/$29.

3) Go on O2 Business. This is what I'm currently on but with a stupid BlackBerry. The great thing is that it's a 24 month contract but you can upgrade every 12 months if you keep the existing 24 month tariff going for another two years. I pay £30/$43 and I get 600 mins and unlimited texts & unlimited data and wifi. Not only is O2's customer service good, but their coverage is great aswell.

Would you US users prefer if AT&T ran something like O2's network services/similar allowances/plans/term lengths?

Plus - our tethering is quite cheap too :)
 
Meeh

shanmugam said:
1) Advertise the iPhones with out contract
2) make the contract less iPhones available on the launch day
3) sell the contract less phones much cheaper (i mean reasonable)
4) contract less data plan like iPad
5) let the carrier decide whatever the price of the iPhone based on customer's monthly plan (say if a person pays $120 per month, let the iPhone be free with 2 year contract, if you pay $75 per month iPhone costs $199 or whatsoever)
6) make iPhone available even with out data plan (remember not everyone requires data plan just a phone + ipod +wifi)
7) more service providers

i think apple needs to do lots of work (do not think it is ATT's problem)

iPhone and Apple changed how the industry played by requiring mandatory data plan and 2 year commitment.

btw, i own the iPhone also...
Click to expand...

Some of what you list is nice, but it won't happen. Does not sound like elements in a profitable business model. Especially not one from Apple!
 
AHoles

Ralph Delavega is lying through his teeth and ******** his pants. Of course they know their service is ******! And I would love to see the news in coming months of the mass exodus to verizon(if in fact the phone for it is released soon) and the look on their faces would be priceless.
 
Quick question.

I am thinking about buying an iPhone 4G without a contract. Does that mean my monthly payments are going to be smaller? I'm use to paying for a contract deal. Where can I read up about this?
 
theelysium said:
Some of what you list is nice, but it won't happen. Does not sound like elements in a profitable business model. Especially not one from Apple!
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so it is apple who has problem not ATT right ;)

btw, other than USA the iphone and data plans are cheaper in the other parts of the world (i mean lots of flexibility in terms of price for iPhone as well as the plan prices)

i cannot talk for every country, singapore is one example (i lived there before and friends told me and i can see the prices on the websites)
 
WOW! When I read the title, my head backed off the screen like :eek:!

AT&T, is sooooo GREEDY!

Verizon, PLEASE, get the iPhone!
 
kyleh613 said:
Cellphone companies in the U.S. seriously need to be forced into providing month to month cell phone plans. The rest of the world has this, the U.S. is the only one that doesn't. It's total crap.
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Yes, but what would you rather do???

iPhone w/ 2yr $200 :: no contract $600.
Save $400 w/ contract --ETF $325.

So, would you rather save $400 and face Max $325 to leave, or Pay $400 more for no ETF?

It definitely made sense to sign contract with the ETF @ 175 and your receive a $400 discount
 
Abyssgh0st said:
Wonder if this is because of an imminent Verizon iPhone later this year? (Not June, but later).
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may be June 2011 - may be preemptive strike by the ATT to the people switching to VZ next year ... VZ is no saint either they have more $350 ETF than ATT $325

If apple has guts they will change the mobile industry but they would not because that is where the $$$ is
 
LoL, haven't even read any of the responses........ Just saw the title and hit reply. Let me guess....... there is going to be about 500 or so "That's BS, AT&T sucks" posts. Don't like it go to another carrier..... oh wait, not Verizon! Now to go and read all the boo hoo posts!
 
Looks like AT&T is getting scared with the Verizon iPhone on the horizon. This should be interesting when or if released. If so, i'll be picking one up on release day.
 
rkswat said:
LoL, haven't even read any of the responses........ Just saw the title and hit reply. Let me guess....... there is going to be about 500 or so "That's BS, AT&T sucks" posts. Don't like it go to another carrier..... oh wait, not Verizon! Now to go and read all the boo hoo posts!
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Yep, This thread is a mess. You would think from some of the post's that ATT had the higher ETF. LOL But it's verizon that does. :D
 
Just ignore AT&T's employee of the month

theelysium said:
Thus I corrected it - you douche.
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Couldn't agree with you more on the douche comment. I was rolling my eyes when I saw Calderone's extraneous post to you. Just ignore him. From reading his posts throughout this thread, he either works for, or is in bed with, AT&T. I can appreciate a logical debate from both sides, but Calderone appears to be taking legitimate criticism of his beloved a little to personally, and has now resorted to malevolent posts.
 
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