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Data doesn't slow down on the unlimited plans through Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T unless the network is severely congested, and even then, those paying for the top tier plan (about the same price before autopay and workplace discounts) still get priority over everyone else except for those on a FirstNet network (built with AT&T).

I find it hard to believe the vast majority of users are making international calls, so that situation doesn't apply to 99% of the account holders out there.

Accounts from the "big three" are under one person's name, so it's nearly impossible to implement "cuts" because multiple people are under the same account but live in different households.

Oh, and the cheap carriers thrive off of the towers built by the "big three" so if they "big three" really wanted to, they would stop leasing towers to decrease competition.
You missed the point they were making entirely.

They were simply saying not everyone is on a family plan with their friends and family because “one bad apple” makes that annoying.

Could I save a lot bundling with my family? Sure, but now I have to chase them all down for payment at bill time. I’d rather not.

This is the point they were making.
 
This is an OK deal but T-Mobile coverage is limited which make it not so compelling.
How is this an OK deal?

You pay $100/month for a plan you could get for half and on top of that you pay installments on your phone and then trade it in after 1 year, lose your installments and start paying installments on a new phone.

You could just buy the phone yourself, the $350-400 loss when selling after 1 year is about $150 less than the 12 installments combined. Now you get a standalone plan for $50/month and you've saved $750/year for the same plan and hardware.
 
Sure, and have fun with a lack of priority during busy times of the day, and dealing with customer service reps from the Philippines when you call. I'm also willing to bet you don't get 100 GB of hotspot usage availability every month. I can also guarantee one of two things -- either you don't have unlimited data, or your cell phone carrier advertises "unlimited" data, but will cut off your service when you reach a certain threshold because you "broke their ToS." You get what you pay for... What is considered "nuts" to you, is actually a premium version of cell phone service if someone only has one line to pay for (most have 3-4 lines per account).

How much do you spend on your car payment every month... $500? $600? $700? -- $100 is nothing for a service you use/rely on basically 24/7/365.

Irony of this is I was on AT&T and their CS reps are based in the Philippines. I switched to Spectrum which operates as a Verizon MVNO and support is 100% US based. For $30 you get 20GB of high speed data. For $40 you get 30GB of data plus HD streaming. Talk & Text is of course unlimited. $10 allows you to add an LTE wearable like Apple Watch. Granted there is data throttling after those caps and Hotspot is limited to 5GB but Wifi is everywhere and I never go over those limits.

I also see much faster speeds on Spectrums Verizon network over what I had with AT&T or T-Mobile. Spectrum/Verizon LTE is generally faster than ATT and Tmobile plus when I am in an area with 5GUW it absolutely crushes the competition by 5-10 fold. I had Sprint, T-Mobile, and most recently AT&T for a combined total of over 20 years. I have never been so happy with both service and price with my current setup. I have never run out of Data or experienced throttling if anything speed and reliability is overall better.

I was previously paying AT&T about $125 a month for their top tier truly unlimited plan with a wearable and iPad. I realized that I never used much more than 15GB of month of phone data and generally only 3-4GB a month on the iPad. Put the iPad on a Boostmobile plan for 5GB a month and it only costs $5 a month after bill credits for the same AT&T service. My Current setup has me paying only $45 a month when previously I was paying $125 a month to keep the same devices connected with similair usage.

Unless you have no Home and or work internet most people don't need truly unlimited data. I guess big wireless might suit those who want to forgo a home internet bill and Hotspot their life through tethering. Or If one work out of car or remotely at worksite locations.

Shop around and actually try some of these MVNOs out you may very well be surprised with the service and how livable things can be. Mint was my first MVNO and they were great but Spectrum suited my needs best and they have great support. I also use BoostMobile and I would say they are overall one of the cheapest and a great option for an iPad or for use as a second line. Visible and Red Pocket also have great deals on phones with low short term commitments and cheap plans.
 
This sound similar to Samsung Flex that is offered in my country. After doing some research and calculation on Samsung Flex, it doesn't make much sense.
 
Only if iPhones exploded and became worthless after 2 years would this be a good deal. If you kept the phone for a year longer you'd be able to sell it for a good amount, here you are just throwing away that ~$500 every year to lease a phone that gets marginal yearly upgrades.
 
I use Apple's upgrade plan, which includes AppleCare (which I've actually used). We have the unlimited plan through ATT (which includes a Max subscription), and for my spouse and I, it's ~$160. This allows us to upgrade every year. It's essentially leasing a phone, but I'm okay with that. It's the only tech we upgrade.
 
We have come full circle. Now the plan pricing slowly goes up and starts getting the price of the phone included in the plan itself. Who still remembers $200 subsidized iPhones?
 
…what a chore having to re-set up all your accounts and passwords and MFA services that disconnect even when you restore from a backup of your old phone. Every single year!
 
Wow. I pay $110/mo for TWO lines on TMo right now (albeit my 12Pros are paid off now). Even when I was paying them off my bill was only $160ish. Now I’m trying to make longer upgrade cycles, not shorter ones. Wrong move TMo. Give me a 2 free iPhones (one per line) every 2 years and make the bill sub-$160 and I’m good.
I pay 160 a month for T-MOBILE for 2 iPhones (14PM/12Pro) 2 AW’s and 2 iPads. I don’t need to spend anymore. Lol
 
I am with T-Mo. Have for many years now 3 unlimited lines for $100 per month, if we stay below 2GB per month per line, I can end up paying $80. Think I will stick with this plan.
 
I have absolutely no reason to spend $100 for my phone bill. Considering innovation in the smart phone space has been dwindling since 2018, getting a new iPhone every year is no longer enticing enough. Not to mention the chore of transferring apps and data every year. Who really wants to go through all that?
Let me introduce you to a little thing called iCloud backups. It’ll change your life :)
 
Sounds like I will be going back to switching carriers every 2 years. I’ll make my own best deal thank you.
 
I buy the top of the line iPhone and keep it for 5 years. I give the my old one to my Dad when I upgrade and he gets another 5 years out of it. Upgrading every year seems excessive.
For this to be true I am assuming you’ve done it at least twice.

So you’re using an iPhone X and your dad is on an iPhone 5 in 2023? Which means prior to that you were on an iPhone 5 and your dad was on the original iPhone in 2017?
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Pinkyyy 💜🍎
It's basically the same as Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program, but worse. At least with iUP, you can have any plan you want.
 
Sure, and have fun with a lack of priority during busy times of the day, and dealing with customer service reps from the Philippines when you call. I'm also willing to bet you don't get 100 GB of hotspot usage availability every month. I can also guarantee one of two things -- either you don't have unlimited data, or your cell phone carrier advertises "unlimited" data, but will cut off your service when you reach a certain threshold because you "broke their ToS." You get what you pay for... What is considered "nuts" to you, is actually a premium version of cell phone service if someone only has one line to pay for (most have 3-4 lines per account).

How much do you spend on your car payment every month... $500? $600? $700? -- $100 is nothing for a service you use/rely on basically 24/7/365.

I've never been deprioritized, nor have I needed to call customer service since I've had T-Mobile service (2015ish). My total data usage has never went over 5gb and I use my phone a lot, but mostly texting and calls...data is a distant 3rd on my priority list.

Different plans for different people. Most don't need or have any use for 100gb hotspot, even if a few do. Most don't need unlimited data., and most don't need premium service. I don't stream video or audio, I don't use social media and I don't play any games.

Speaking of premium service, my work phone (SE 2022) is on a high-priority Verizon plan as I'm on-call in trauma medicine, and half the time I can't complete a call when home or get an email to load on it. I'll grab my T-Mobile prepaid and it works fine...and I live in the absolute middle of nowhere. They both work fine when at work; a downtown hospital.
 
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