They have 3 year contracts over there right?
I think that about qualifies as the biggest rip off of all time.
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They have 3 year contracts over there right?
I think that about qualifies as the biggest rip off of all time.
Flee AT&T customers to VW. Flee! Take off some network congestion, competition may force AT&T's hand in improving their structure, I can keep my unlimited plan, 9,000+ rollover minutes on my 450/plan, data+voice and use it internationally. Flee my children, flee! 
but they have healthcare...
Can't an email from a smartphone with no txt plan be sent to someone who has txt messaging but not a smartphone, saving money?
but they have healthcare...
Can't an email from a smartphone with no txt plan be sent to someone who has txt messaging but not a smartphone, saving money?
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I always thought myself and my fellow Canadians had had the worst plans on earth.
Anyone who say that the USA is big and the network cost lots because of the size you look at a map of Canada. Bigger then the USA with 1/10 th the population.
I pay 80$ a month for
300 minutes nation wide, Evenings after 5 pm free, weekends free , unlimited incoming, 6 Gigs data (tethering included), Unlimted text, CID , voice mail.
Anyone who say that the USA is big and the network cost lots because of the size you look at a map of Canada. Bigger then the USA with 1/10 th the population.
I pay 80$ a month for
300 minutes nation wide, Evenings after 5 pm free, weekends free , unlimited incoming, 6 Gigs data (tethering included), Unlimted text, CID , voice mail.
Just commenting on your location - I'm sure you are aware of the Apple Store in Des Moines, and there are other Apple Authorized Retailers. iTech in Cedar Falls in the one closest to me.
Well -- not there now... what does that mean? I'm hoping it means that the prices were wrong or that there is going to be some packages offered. What about family plans? My wife and I are going to buying two of these things at the same time in June.
Right now, we pay about $120 a month for two lines/two iPhones -- granted we're on EDGE, but I don't really want to jump up a ton for new service.
Right now, we pay about $120 a month for two lines/two iPhones -- granted we're on EDGE, but I don't really want to jump up a ton for new service.
its all relative.
we get paid more in the UK.
the reason why its a lot cheaper over here is because there are so many more carriers (competition).
You are on Edge but likely paying for 3g.
Do you have discounted rated because of the service area coverage?
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)
It's interesting to see people from Europe say how us Americans are getting ripped off and how much it must suck to have to pay X amount of dollars for the iPhone. Actually it doesn't suck. None of us have to have the iPhone, it is our choice. We also have a lot more after tax dollars (percentage-wise) to spend on things like iPhones, WiFi's, and GeeBee's. Our highest tax bracket is about 39%. What's yours? Please do not feel bad for us.
It's interesting to see people from Europe say how us Americans are getting ripped off and how much it must suck to have to pay X amount of dollars for the iPhone. Actually it doesn't suck. None of us have to have the iPhone, it is our choice. We also have a lot more after tax dollars (percentage-wise) to spend on things like iPhones, WiFi's, and GeeBee's. Our highest tax bracket is about 39%. What's yours? Please do not feel bad for us.
If you think so don't check italian contacts.... the only 1 with good data, calls and sms are 3. A contract like that in italy would be awesome. With Tim to have an equivalent you spend like 60-70 not $
Wow, you Americans are getting screwed and throwing money out the window.
You guys are actually willing to pay $70 - $100 per month for a phone? That's just absurd.
And then you wonder why American private debt is so high. I mean that adds up to over a $1000 a year.
But even with your additional "after tax dollars to spend" you guys are becoming a nation of debt, on both the private and public level. I guess as long as you're not complaining about your personal debt then go ahead and spend $1000+ on a phone each year. All these responses on Americans getting screwed is not an attempt to to change your spending habit, but simply an attempt to understand why Americans are willing to pay that much. I guess it's just a clash of two different ideologies that will not be resolved, especially not on this blog.
You guys are actually willing to pay $70 - $100 per month for a phone? That's just absurd.
And then you wonder why American private debt is so high. I mean that adds up to over a $1000 a year.
But even with your additional "after tax dollars to spend" you guys are becoming a nation of debt, on both the private and public level. I guess as long as you're not complaining about your personal debt then go ahead and spend $1000+ on a phone each year. All these responses on Americans getting screwed is not an attempt to to change your spending habit, but simply an attempt to understand why Americans are willing to pay that much. I guess it's just a clash of two different ideologies that will not be resolved, especially not on this blog.
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+1 a sane person, jay
KISS principle.
Buy what you need, not what you want or your neighbor has (Can afford or not)
Say huh? Who has that kind of discipline? I need my info now even if it's info overload.
Check who twittered what, anybody write on my wall etc.etc.?
Who really will die if they don't have it now and instead a little later?
Plenty of alternatives, here is just one:
Boost = prepaid card use the phone in emergencies only. Everything else can wait until I am at my MBP at work or home.
While I have an iphone and enjoy it's LUXURY many times I don't pick up calls or answer texts. I'll get back to everybody on MY TIME.
You wouldn't want to be in my social network. (I don't do social)
LUXURY is called LUXURY for a reason and it means you pay $$$$$ as it is unnecessary!
It's all about land mass and population density. Do the math. Japan should be about the cheapest place in the world to implement a wireless mobile network. There is a tiny piece of land and tons of potential customers living on the small bit of available land. The UK should be about the same. A relatively small area of land with a relatively large population of people.
If Verizon or AT&T just had to cover New York State or Florida, I'm sure their plans would be cheaper. But even California with its large population has a large area of land that is inland that is less densely populated than the areas closer to the coast. It only gets more difficult to provide coverage in the mid-west. More towers to cover a smaller group of customers translates into higher costs for everyone.
So the next time you are driving down a long highway with no major cities in site for miles and miles and your mobile phone shows 4 bars of service, then you need to tell yourself "ahhhh.... this is why I am paying so much."
EDIT: It is also why AT&T's stupid commercials saying they cover "98% of Americans" are really annoying. If they aren't going to cover those more remote areas, it should translate into savings for their customers, since that last 2% is the most expensive. Verizon's coverage map certainly covers more of the remote areas, that is one advantage I will give to them. Being an AT&T customer for 10 years though, I don't buy the "you can't make a phone call" crap. Every mobile phone service has dead spots, but where I live, AT&T coverage is fantastic and data speeds are great; I have been to parts of the country where AT&T coverage is horrible though (generally in the less populated regions).
EDIT: I am really interested in what Chinese mobile plans cost. China has a large population, a small percentage of which can afford a smartphone and the service, and there is a very large land area to cover with certain areas being very sparsely populated, while others are very densely populated.
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Let's face it, this is a prime example of collusion. In other words, AT&T and Verizon can both decide to charge the same for same services and they will both get an ample user-base. It's not in the interest of either company to compete with the other if you can keep prices high.
But at least you guys are getting rid of the monopoly, currently still held by AT&T.
But wait, the US has a free market and embraces capitalism. Right.........
But at least you guys are getting rid of the monopoly, currently still held by AT&T.
But wait, the US has a free market and embraces capitalism. Right.........
A lot of the complaints I see about AT&T coverage seem to be from people living in New York and San Francisco. I don't think low population density is really an issue for them.
No doubt I don't want a cell tower in my back yard.
And I think most who actually own homes don't want them either.
And I think most who actually own homes don't want them either.
NO!
But if I were to want an iPhone in the States, I would have to buy it from AT&T. The US is the last remaining country on this planet to get rid of the single-carrier iphone. It just doesn't make sense. Such business practice in Europe would not do well with the European Trade Commission. And especially since the iPhone is essentially an American product, and America embraces capitalism, it would seem to make sense that the iphone would, in its home country, be available by more than one carrier.
But I guess this is all history because Verizon is set to finally bring an end to the AT&T monopoly.
Keep in mind the population distribution though. Canada has a ton of surface area, but the actual populated area is a fraction of that. Kind of like a lot of the states on the west side of the US.
You look at say, Rogers, and they hug the borders closely where all the population is. There are a couple provinces that get almost no coverage at all from them.