Carrier pricing (US)

[maflynn]

Back when the subsidized model was being fazed out, and the carriers were promoting their financing , they promised lower prices, which was the case for a little while.

Are we entering a new era of carriers increasing the prices, now that the subsidized model is dead? I home the competitors, like T-Mo will keep the others from just raising the prices

I was looking to switch to VZW this fall, I could save some money switching from ATT and VZW, but it would have meant giving up my unlimited plan that ATT offered direct-tv customers. VZW Coverage is better for me, where I travel, but the price delta is smaller and its basically not worth it at this point.

 

[willmtaylor]

Back when the subsidized model was being fazed out, and the carriers were promoting their financing , they promised lower prices, which was the case for a little while.

Are we entering a new era of carriers increasing the prices, now that the subsidized model is dead? I home the competitors, like T-Mo will keep the others from just raising the prices

I was looking to switch to VZW this fall, I could save some money switching from ATT and VZW, but it would have meant giving up my unlimited plan that ATT offered direct-tv customers. VZW Coverage is better for me, where I travel, but the price delta is smaller and its basically not worth it at this point.

Carriers definitely don't like making it easy to make apples-to-apples comparisons.

I've noticed furniture stores doing this very thing. Back in "the day," if I paid cash, I got a discount. However, now most everyone does in house financing and actually prefers this over cas, as it gives them the ability to keep prices high for them but in "affordable" monthly payments. :-/

RE: ATT "unlimited" though, it's not really an unlimited plan; it's a 22GB plan with throttling. Right? If that helps compare to VZW.

 

[Channan]

Carriers definitely don't like making it easy to make apples-to-apples comparisons.

I've noticed furniture stores doing this very thing. Back in "the day," if I paid cash, I got a discount. However, now most everyone does in house financing and actually prefers this over cas, as it gives them the ability to keep prices high for them but in "affordable" monthly payments. :-/

RE: ATT "unlimited" though, it's not really an unlimited plan; it's a 22GB plan with throttling. Right? If that helps compare to VZW.

Nope. It's unlimited with potential throttling after 22GB. You're de-prioritized after 22GB, so if you happen to be in an area with network congestion, then you're throttled. Otherwise, you can use 100+GB and still get full speeds.

 

[maflynn]

RE: ATT "unlimited" though, it's not really an unlimited plan; it's a 22GB plan with throttling. Right? If that helps compare to VZW.

You're not charged more money for exceeding the quota, so its still unlimited. In comparing VZW, I would be looking at a lower quota then 22GB.

I'm not unhappy with ATT, but I definitely prefer VZW.

 

[Channan]

You're not charged more money for exceeding the quota, so its still unlimited. In comparing VZW, I would be looking at a lower quota then 22GB.

I'm not unhappy with ATT, but I definitely prefer VZW.

Read my comment above yours. Not necessarily throttled after 22GB. But if you're just worried about overages, Verizon just announced unlimited throttled data on some of their plans after you hit your limit, though unlike AT&T's unlimited plan, you're definitely throttled at that point.

 

[willmtaylor]

Read my comment above yours. Not necessarily throttled after 22GB. But if you're just worried about overages, Verizon just announced unlimited throttled data on some of their plans after you hit your limit, though unlike AT&T's unlimited plan, you're definitely throttled at that point.

Which is what I was getting at. I'd take a look at VZW's 24GB plan for comparison.

The VZW plan IS more expensive $110 for data + phone access charges, and ATT's is a steal at $60 for data + line access charges.

However, with the ATT "Unlimited" plan, one MUST have DirecTV AND tethering/hot spot is prohibited. A deal breaker for many.

 

[Channan]

Which is what I was getting at. I'd take a look at VZW's 24GB plan for comparison.

The VZW plan IS more expensive $110 for data + phone access charges, and ATT's is a steal at $60 for data + line access charges.

However, with the ATT "Unlimited" plan, one MUST have DirecTV AND tethering/hot spot is prohibited. A deal breaker for many.

Well you could always get the cheapest DirecTV option even if you don't use it to get unlimited on AT&T. But if you already have DirecTV, then you might as well get unlimited data.

No hotspot on phones blows, but for some reason it is enabled on unlimited tablet plans. But AT&T still should have at least given a few GBs for hotspot like T-Mobile does on their unlimited plans.

 

[maflynn]

Which is what I was getting at. I'd take a look at VZW's 24GB plan for comparison.

I'm not using 22GB of my unlimited plan, why would I select that option from VZW. It made more sense economically for me to select the unlimited plan with ATT, since I now have my two kids, but I'd not need to select such a high quota on VZW.

No hotspot on phones blows,

Agreed, I don't use my hotspot too often (or at least I never did before going to the unlimited plan), but the loss has impacted me a few times.

 

[willmtaylor]

I'm not using 22GB of my unlimited plan, why would I select that option from VZW. It made more sense economically for me to select the unlimited plan with ATT, since I now have my two kids, but I'd not need to select such a high quota on VZW.

Agreed, I don't use my hotspot too often (or at least I never did before going to the unlimited plan), but the loss has impacted me a few times.

I also have two kiddos and no use for a plan that high. As I said in my original reply though, just trying to get an like-for-like comparison for one's hard-earned money: VZW's 24GB plan is most similar to ATT's soft cap of 22GB.

Hot spot is one of those options that I too rarely need day-to-day, but when I need it (for traveling or in an emergency), I REALLY need it.

Finally, most folks have some form of FAN discount, and I believe the ATT/DirecTV combo would in ineligible. The Verizon packages could be lowered by 15-20% with an employee discount though. (I save 18% through my employer.)

 

[Newtons Apple]

Back when the subsidized model was being fazed out, and the carriers were promoting their financing , they promised lower prices, which was the case for a little while.

Are we entering a new era of carriers increasing the prices, now that the subsidized model is dead? I home the competitors, like T-Mo will keep the others from just raising the prices

I was looking to switch to VZW this fall, I could save some money switching from ATT and VZW, but it would have meant giving up my unlimited plan that ATT offered direct-tv customers. VZW Coverage is better for me, where I travel, but the price delta is smaller and its basically not worth it at this point.

Everything is going up. They will charge what ever they can get by with.