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C Spire Launching iPhone on November 11th, 'Unlimited' Non-Streaming Data and 500 Minutes for $50

steve2112 said:
They are probably running deep packet inspection and packet shaping on their back-end network. It actually isn't that hard.
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What if I was downloading a large picture? That's not "streaming," but it could be detected as streaming (high res pictures can be up in megabytes, some as large as audio files). And I assume they would white list the app store and iTunes store. And then how about iTunes match?

Really, once you put in exceptions, it gets muddy. Unlimited should be unlimited, as in unlimited. It amazes me that US corporations continually redefining the English language as they see fit.
 
I live in Mississippi. If that streaming limit didn't apply, I'd switch to C-spire. When they were Cellular South, their service was pretty good.
 
MacDarcy said:
No streaming???? LOL.

Thats like...."Here, take these keys to a brand new Porsche....its yours. But um....it has no wheels."

DOH!

What a rip off.
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A better analogy would be, "Here's a Porsche. But you can only use it to drive 2 miles at a time. So if you go anywhere for more than 2 miles, you gotta shut off the engine and restart it every 2 miles."
 
definitely beats my ATT plan. Since I'm on an individual plan on AT&T w/ taxes I'm paying around $100.00. I'd jump on $50 plan in a heartbeat. Perfect for individuals not on a family plan. Some people just want to browse and check emails instead of using data for streams.
 
Looks like a great deal in comparison with the other USA carriers. Maybe a GB-based throttling would be better, but still $50 should look good for americans.
 
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Rot'nApple said:
If you ordered the phone online and called them to activate, do you really have to live in their service area. They are regional after all, yet tout nationwide coverage thanks to partnering with a national carrier. :confused:

Anyone with a thought? I guess I can contact C-Spier direct.
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My thought is that your idea, while clever, isn't going to work. You're SOL if you don't live in the area (or travel there ALL the time). Here's a little nugget taken from the fine print on C Spire's website:

"Customers are required to use 50% of their voice and data usage within the C Spire network area. In the event that more than 50% of customer’s usage is outside of the C Spire network during any billing cycle period (30 to 31 days), C Spire reserves the right to terminate customer’s service, deny customer’s continued use of other carrier’s networks, change customer’s service plan to one imposing additional usage charges for roaming on third party carrier networks, or change customer’s plan as necessary in the discretion of C Spire."
 
Consultant said:
Do you get an iPhone at subsidized price or no contract price?
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No Contract Price :(

But I like to have control over the SIM inside, also i'm 17 to lack the age required to sign a 18month contract. (That's 31 day which I can sign up for).

You could say I paid a mother load for the phone, but then I pay insanely cheap for the contract, so it sorta works out a similar price to what I would pay if I was on 18 month contract.
 
pika2000 said:
What if I was downloading a large picture? That's not "streaming," but it could be detected as streaming (high res pictures can be up in megabytes, some as large as audio files). And I assume they would white list the app store and iTunes store. And then how about iTunes match?

Really, once you put in exceptions, it gets muddy. Unlimited should be unlimited, as in unlimited. It amazes me that US corporations continually redefining the English language as they see fit.
Click to expand...

Here is what C Spire's website says what streaming is (which isn't extremely helpful).
 
I've never heard of this carrier in my life...

I figured the next carriers to get the iPhone in the United States would be US Cellular or Virgin Mobile or something.
 
Rot'nApple said:
If you ordered the phone online and called them to activate, do you really have to live in their service area. They are regional after all, yet tout nationwide coverage thanks to partnering with a national carrier. :confused:

Anyone with a thought? I guess I can contact C-Spier direct.
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/
/
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http://www.cspire.com/shop_and_learn/plans/category_plan_landing.jsp?id=cat320003

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Customers participating in this service must reside in the C Spire Network, which is defined as MS and generally in and surrounding Memphis/West Memphis, AR/nearby West TN, Mobile and Baldwin Counties in AL, and Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties in FL.
Customers are required to use 50% of their voice and data usage within the C Spire network. The C Spire network is defined as the C Spire CDMA network in MS in Memphis/nearby West TN and West Memphis, AR, Mobile/Baldwin Counties in AL and Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties in FL.
Read more
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Rafterman said:
Apple went from AT&T exclusively to this. Everybody's getting the iPhone now. I can just see it, the next to offer the iPhone 4S: "Joe's Phone Company"
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And what's so wrong with that? Makes you feel less special?

I am personally happy when I see people with iPhones, they saw the light lol.
 
pika2000 said:
What if I was downloading a large picture? That's not "streaming," but it could be detected as streaming (high res pictures can be up in megabytes, some as large as audio files). And I assume they would white list the app store and iTunes store. And then how about iTunes match?

Really, once you put in exceptions, it gets muddy. Unlimited should be unlimited, as in unlimited. It amazes me that US corporations continually redefining the English language as they see fit.
Click to expand...

Deep packet inspection can examine the traffic coming across and determine the file type. In addition, you have packet headers defining what type of traffic it is, and ports used. It all is unique to its type of traffic. Check out the wiki on network traffic management. I used to run a system at a previous job called Packeteer. This is also how ISPs can do things like throttle BitTorrent connections and certain other types of traffic. Also, check out the wiki on Traffic Shaping.

kkamann said:
My thought is that your idea, while clever, isn't going to work. You're SOL if you don't live in the area (or travel there ALL the time). Here's a little nugget taken from the fine print on C Spire's website:

"Customers are required to use 50% of their voice and data usage within the C Spire network area. In the event that more than 50% of customer’s usage is outside of the C Spire network during any billing cycle period (30 to 31 days), C Spire reserves the right to terminate customer’s service, deny customer’s continued use of other carrier’s networks, change customer’s service plan to one imposing additional usage charges for roaming on third party carrier networks, or change customer’s plan as necessary in the discretion of C Spire."
Click to expand...

Yeah, a friend of mine had Cellular South and moved out of the home area. He used this fine print to break his contract with them. He kept using his phone in his new area, and after the first month got a little nasty gram. After the second month, the contacted him and told him they were terminating his contract.

And BTW, C Spire is not an MVNO. They have their own spectrum and towers all over the home area but do have roaming agreements with Verizon.

Anyway, I'm not happy with these new plans, but I will probably still stay with them, simply because they suck less than the other carriers.
 
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