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I might be wrong in saying this but from what I can see - Mobile Phone Carriers have the "Prepaid" option for the typical "Low Income & Bad Credit" Crowd. Although some of those uses can be "younger folks" the majority of the cases is that a person going for a "Pre Paid" service has horrible credit and cant control thier finances. They would need a HUGE deposit after a credit check and run a very high risk of running up a $600.00 phone bill and not being able to pay it back.

I would hate to see Apple iPhone be branded as a "Pre Paid 7-11 Track Phone" for the Low Income/Bad Credit Folks. :eek:

I dont see the Motorolla "Q" smart phone or the "Blackjack" smart phone branded as "Pay-as-you-go Food Stamp Plans". :rolleyes:

Im my opinion at&t needs to cut the Bull S*&% and just offer a unlimited Cell/Data plan for like $99.99 and call it a day. No minutes to worry about - everything unlimted - Hell, I would pay $149.99 for that service.

Please dont let every Tom, Dick and Harry off the street with a FICO score of 350 get an iPhone with a "Pay-as-you-go Food Stamp Plan" :mad:

Next we will have special rates for anyone on Welfare to buy a New BMW.:rolleyes:

Wow, you were the jerk off driver I was behind this morning, weaving your beemer all over the road, talking away on your phone all the while, stopping only to punch in your all too important lunch dates on your calendar. Thanks, I've seen the light now, I was really worried, I pay so much on my high interest loan to drive my focus, the banks wouldn't lend me anything because of my credit rating, in fact my interest is so high I can't afford insurance so I was trying to be so careful around your beautiful BMW. I've spent the whole day worrying about collection agencies calling my pay as you go phone, I mean as you say, I couldn't get one on a contract for the above stated reasons, but thanks, I have seen the future, I'm really looking forward to the welfare BMW's, I won't have to steal my next one off a jack-ass like you.

Some of us enjoy the freedom of a pay as you go phone, sometimes unlocking them so we can use them on a variety of carriers throughout the world. Clearly, you think yourself better than most, go ahead and pay your 149.99 unlimited user fee, drive your '97 325, if the phone were cheaper you could afford better ride and back the f*** off everyone else who sees the logic in this concept.
 
If this were true, this might be good for me. My family has a pay as you go phone (forget which kind) where you have to pay $20 every 90 days or buy more minutes when empty, whichever comes first. Right now, we have like $40 on it. That shows how much I use a cell phone. So something like that would be kinda good if it weren't for having to add $20 every 90 days. I'd have to see what the plans are like before I get an iPhone.

As for not subsidizing the cost, whatever. I work @ an elementary school so maybe I can get a discount that way.
 
No, it's not. Unlocking, however, is legal. And the operator is required to supply the unlock code to you after a year, but only if you ask for it (At least in the netherlands)

I was not precise there, I admit. If the provider has to provide you with means to unlock the phone, then it is illegal to lock a phone in such a way that it cannot easily be unlocked, which could be described as that in effect it is illegal to lock it.
That is assuming there is no one-year period. I thought it did not exist, but maybe most operators just waive it only and that is how I got my impression.
 
I just don't see how they can offer cheaper voice/data plan for contract customers? Would that not be illegal to charge Iphone customers 1 price and other smart phone customers another?
 
Pay as you go is brilliant. Apple gets their money for the physical phone no matter what the plan. And this lets people who have phones on carriers other than AT&T still buy the phone, put it on pay as you go, and they can use the thing for an iPod, and on WiFi as much as they want.

But did you all know that on the non-unlimited data plans AT&T has been charging $0.01 PER KILOBYTE? Think about it. This adds up like nobody's business, and on an iPhone that thing will suck up data faster than a tick on Dracula! $$ KA-CHING!!!! $$ Stick to WiFi, pay-as-u-go crowd!

It gives everyone the option of getting the phone even if they are contracted with another carrier, plus AT$T gives huge incentive to switch from pay as you go to a regular plan ASAP.

Finally hacker types can get a pay as you go phone, unlock it, and use it on their GSM carrier of choice. Will Apple care? Not really, maybe they lose a few ongoing contract kickback bucks, but they will be making plenty of cash off selling the physical phone regardless. No way the thing costs $500 to build! -Mike from myallo.com
 
Just buy a $100 PIN and your minutes will last 12 months, plus CINGY usually gives you extra minutes and bonus minutes as well. No, contracts about 9.2 cents a minute, free mobile to mobile calling, free wi-fi, GSM world phone, ipod, portable media player...can't wait, CANT WAIT!!!!!! only problem on pre-paids is no insurance but you can't get insurance anyhow on PDAs so, here is hoping for Apple Care.
 
(1) Not sure about where you live - but here in the USA - thats a great price for unlimitted.

(2) Some people work for a living and will use the :apple: iPhone for Business. 1000 minutes isnt Jack Sh&%t buddy. :rolleyes:

Exactly, if you're paying that much for a phone you better use it all the time. It's funny to hear people saying this "sometimes you just need a webbrowser" stuff. I mean, do you, really?
 
Wow, you were the jerk off driver I was behind this morning, weaving your beemer all over the road, talking away on your phone all the while, stopping only to punch in your all too important lunch dates on your calendar. Thanks, I've seen the light now, I was really worried, I pay so much on my high interest loan to drive my focus, the banks wouldn't lend me anything because of my credit rating, in fact my interest is so high I can't afford insurance so I was trying to be so careful around your beautiful BMW. I've spent the whole day worrying about collection agencies calling my pay as you go phone, I mean as you say, I couldn't get one on a contract for the above stated reasons, but thanks, I have seen the future, I'm really looking forward to the welfare BMW's, I won't have to steal my next one off a jack-ass like you.

Some of us enjoy the freedom of a pay as you go phone, sometimes unlocking them so we can use them on a variety of carriers throughout the world. Clearly, you think yourself better than most, go ahead and pay your 149.99 unlimited user fee, drive your '97 325, if the phone were cheaper you could afford better ride and back the f*** off everyone else who sees the logic in this concept.

Are you serious? You own 2 expensive macs and 3 ipods and you can't manage to get yourself in financial shape??
 
tat, why are you such an elitist regarding a PHONE? There are plenty of other opportunities in society to be a pompous ass and flaunt your wealth. Maybe you can take your money and start your own mvno with a tough screening process and a required interview to filter out the "welfare crowd". If someone wants the iphone and can afford it (according to their standards), they will buy it despite your opinion.
 
you can't get insurance anyhow on PDAs so, here is hoping for Apple Care.

Not True. I have the Moto "Q" Smart Phone and have Insurance.
I have used it 3 times to replace my Smart Phone.

Once for dropping in a toliet. Another time for leaving it on the roof of my car and driving off, and last getting soaked in a rain storm at a concert in Miami. :cool:
 
Its just a phone, who cares who has it. Apple is just another company trying to make every little cent they can. So is AT&T,
by the way bmw's suck
my chevy will take any german piece of -----
and look sexy doing it.
 
Im sorry to see that you contradict yourself. You say: Apple is still positioning this as a premium product:eek: "Premuim Anything" in this World is never intended for the "Pay-as-you-go" Crowd. ;)

I was talking about something entirely different. I was referring to AT&T subsidizing the phone from $500 to $300. The only thing I said that was tangentially related to "the pay-as-you-go crowd" was that people who make it a point to be snobs regarding their income are generally compensating for other less attractive qualities.

If you'd like to respond to my statement, it will do you no good to take something I wrote out of context and compare it to something I didn't write, and then tell me I'm contradicting myself. You've got plenty of other people here who are disagreeing with you, why not focus on what somebody is ACTUALLY writing?
 
Exactly, if you're paying that much for a phone you better use it all the time. It's funny to hear people saying this "sometimes you just need a webbrowser" stuff. I mean, do you, really?

carrying a phone to look something up on the off chance you stop in a wifi hotspot is a lot easier than carrying a laptop. Its like id take my laptop, cos its got all my music on it, and i can plug head phones in to it. that iPod doesnt have nearly enough features to make it suffice as an mp3 player.
 
I might be wrong in saying this but from what I can see - Mobile Phone Carriers have the "Prepaid" option for the typical "Low Income & Bad Credit" Crowd. Although some of those uses can be "younger folks" the majority of the cases is that a person going for a "Pre Paid" service has horrible credit and cant control thier finances. They would need a HUGE deposit after a credit check and run a very high risk of running up a $600.00 phone bill and not being able to pay it back.

I would hate to see Apple iPhone be branded as a "Pre Paid 7-11 Track Phone" for the Low Income/Bad Credit Folks. :eek:

I dont see the Motorolla "Q" smart phone or the "Blackjack" smart phone branded as "Pay-as-you-go Food Stamp Plans". :rolleyes:

Im my opinion at&t needs to cut the Bull S*&% and just offer a unlimited Cell/Data plan for like $99.99 and call it a day. No minutes to worry about - everything unlimted - Hell, I would pay $149.99 for that service.

Please dont let every Tom, Dick and Harry off the street with a FICO score of 350 get an iPhone with a "Pay-as-you-go Food Stamp Plan" :mad:

Next we will have special rates for anyone on Welfare to buy a New BMW.:rolleyes:

What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
 
Are you serious? You own 2 expensive macs and 3 ipods and you can't manage to get yourself in financial shape??

they're stolen, it's the only way to get ahead with a credit rating like mine :)

It was merely a response to an individual who clearly consider's themselves far more deserving of a position of superiority than most, and yes, I currently have an unlocked Samsung 807 that I have on a pay as you go plan both here and in the UK, I frequently work in Europe and don't enjoy coming home to a phone bill for a phone gone unused for a couple months at a time.
 
What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

I think we should all just come to the understanding that this person relies on his income to show the world how great and wonderful he is, and he was planning on using the iPhone as his next material possession to show the poor people that he is much better than them. Now if they can get iPhones, his phone may still have all the physical qualities, but he's buying it as a status symbol - and status symbols lose their value when poor people can buy them.

Some of us don't need to lean on our bank balances to feel like we're worth something. Let's just be happy we have that, and use our ignore lists as we see fit.
 
This would be interesting....clearly. It would allow people who want the iPhone as Wi-Fi/iPod/PDA to buy it also.....witch might be a good things.


Intersting,but I can't make any plan yet...once all the data is out I'll be able to consider it.
 
I think we should all just come to the understanding that this person relies on his income to show the world how great and wonderful he is, and he was planning on using the iPhone as his next material possession to show the poor people that he is much better than them. Now if they can get iPhones, his phone may still have all the physical qualities, but he's buying it as a status symbol - and status symbols lose their value when poor people can buy them.

Some of us don't need to lean on our bank balances to feel like we're worth something. Let's just be happy we have that, and use our ignore lists as we see fit.

Very well put.
 
Now lets get real here folks! Come on! We all know those plans are for people that have HORRIBLE Credit. Its so bad that the phone company would rather have the money UP FRONT than trust you to pay them later.

Simply put - Most people on those plans have NO choice. Those phones are branded as such. PERIOD.

True that. Mad pre-pay up by the projects.
 
I personally would love a pay as you go plan. This has nothing to do with my credit. I do not need 1000 minutes a month. I have 450 plan right now that I only use half of. For me, a pay as you go option would be fantastic. The only reason I am in a 450 a month plan and not a 200 minute plan is because I don't want to use all my minutes and then go over my limit and be screwed over by an insane phone bill. :mad: I wouldn't be wasting money on minutes that I do not even use. Most of my calls are mobile to mobile or weekend minutes which are all free. I like the idea that att/cingular might be giving people options.
 
You know what? I would get an iPhone just for the video/music/photos and nifty touch screen features... maybe even for the 2MB camera. I would however still make and receive the same amount of calls as I do on my Tracfone. That's about 10 units/minutes a week. So for about 30 bucks I'm good to go for about 3 months. If I knew for certain that there was a phoneless WIFi enabled iPod around the corner I would get one of those. But then I would have to cart around 2 things. So for me this has nothing to do with credit/bad credit, and everything to do with common sense. Pay As You Go looks like a winner to me. It's the pricing of that supposed plan that will have any bearing on my decision. For example: $599 for the phone, and 40$ for 120 minutes of (limited usage but with video/music/photos, or $599 for the phone, and $60 every month for 2 years (of mostly unused calls/internet access and all that other stuff.) JM2C.
 
For everyone who whines and complains that poor people have the same opportunities to the luxuries of those of fortune: buy a Zune so you don't have to be like the rest. Clearly those with ignorant or elitist attitudes will always find place in the cleerly superior M$. See Balmer.

As for the BMW of the mp3 world comment:

http://www.trekstor.de/en/products/detail_mp3.php?pid=46&cat=0

The iPod is ubiquitous like the creation of the Model-T. The perfect effecient form factor. Look up more expensive things then mp3 players and phones if you want to make everyone else think you are blessed by midas' touch. That's why they created silly luxury brands to make ridiculous items that you can't afford. Like Gold plated plasma TV's and crystal greyhound statues.

Lighten up all, you seem like you are uptight from iPhone Prerelease Anxiety!
 
You know what? I would get an iPhone just for the video/music/photos and nifty touch screen features... maybe even for the 2MB camera. I would however still make and receive the same amount of calls as I do on my Tracfone. That's about 10 units/minutes a week. So for about 30 bucks I'm good to go for about 3 months. If I knew for certain that there was a phoneless WIFi enabled iPod around the corner I would get one of those. But then I would have to cart around 2 things. So for me this has nothing to do with credit/bad credit, and everything to do with common sense. Pay As You Go looks like a winner to me. It's the pricing of that supposed plan that will have any bearing on my decision. For example: $599 for the phone, and 40$ for 120 minutes of (limited usage but with video/music/photos, or $599 for the phone, and $60 every month for 2 years (of mostly unused calls/internet access and all that other stuff.) JM2C.

You know what you just made me think of? I wonder if Apple couldn't change the model we're used to with wireless phones! They did it with the iTMS, didn't they?
 
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