Posty? Trav? Birddog?

[Buckrub]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/verizon-will-drop-phone-contracts-end-discounted-phones/ar-BBluR6B

I know this wasn't y'all's baliwick, but geez. This is unfortunately where it's headed though. ATT has tried for years to go to some kind of convoluted contract where you are financing your phone.

Long ago, they did as I predicted (no, you goobers won't remember that! :)) and stopped even counting minutes or LD........and just bill on 'data' (as if minutes are not data, but that's another issue) usage.

I honestly don't mind this........BUT, if they are not going to subsidize the phones, then the monthly 'flat rate' for data usage (with 'free' LD and talk thrown in) needs to be cut in about half. $100-$200 to use a phone is nuts.

But this is no doubt the way it's going to go.................

[Trav]

I saw that the other day, they really have no choice but to do away with contracts because that is the way everybody else is going. Nobody wants to be locked in to a contract but companies can't eat 50% of the cost of $400 smart phones. I agree about the cost it's gotten crazy but a lot of folks will pay it. I am just glad I get 50% discount on my plan and 35% discount on hardware and accessories. They actually just ran a promo for employees giving us $200 towards any iPhone so I upgraded to a 6+ and it cost me $40.

[Captain]

I saw that the other day, they really have no choice but to do away with contracts because that is the way everybody else is going. Nobody wants to be locked in to a contract but companies can't eat 50% of the cost of $400 smart phones. I agree about the cost it's gotten crazy but a lot of folks will pay it. I am just glad I get 50% discount on my plan and 35% discount on hardware and accessories. They actually just ran a promo for employees giving us $200 towards any iPhone so I upgraded to a 6+ and it cost me $40.
Bite me. I bought Cheryl a 6+ for her birthday last October and it was north of 700 bucks.

[Buckrub]

Well, again...................do away with subsidies, fine.........but reduce the monthly bill to compensate. Wireless guys want both worlds. Give one up!

[Thumper]

Lynn and I both traded our iPhone 4's when the 6's came out. Verizon gave us $200/phone trade-in and our new iPhone 6's cost us $199 (with contract) so we actually came out $2 ahead! But, we opted for the 6-plus for an extra $99/phone, so we got TWO iPhone 6 Plus' for $196. Heck, the phones we traded weren't worth what they gave us for them. Sure, we had to renew the contract, but it really makes no difference as we've had the same carrier for 26 years (since August 1989)! It started as GTE, then Altel bought 'em out, then Verizon bought Altel (I think that was the order). Heck, they've changed names almost as often as my bank, but I've never changed banks OR cell phone carriers!

[Buckrub]

Well you can't do that again. Next phone purchase is full price.......no more $199.........

[Thumper]

Gettin' as bad as buying an airline ticket these days.

[BarryBobPosthole]

The top three wireless carriers are former regulated monopolies in the local POTS service arena. Nobody should be surprised when they aquire market share that they act like they do, its ingrained in their DNA.

They follow each other's moves like kids playing ring around the rosy.

It'll get them out of the equipment business. If there's a market for subsidized equipment and somebody offers a cheaper service, then somebody will do it. I doubt there is though. This just means you bring your own shit to the party. And actually its better. This should lead to easier equipment portability from one carrier to another. All subsidizing equipment did was to try to reduce customer churn. If customers churn because of this, they'll do something else.

BKB

[Nandy]

(The top three wireless carriers)They follow each other's moves like kids playing ring around the rosy.
BKB

You got that right!!!

[BarryBobPosthole]

it'll be interesting to see what happens to the hardware churn rate now that the phones have to carry their own freight, rate wise. It OUGHT to force phone makers to get more competitive with offerings. OTOH, when you think about the courting that went on to lure Apple to release their iPhone products when it was exclusively AT&Ts, its a complete turnaround. My team worked a year building backbone network before we rolled out iPhone on Verizon Wireless. Now I guess they are betting there won't be another transformation like the iPhone caused.

BKB