For those who prefer to spread their data amongst multiple users, such as a small business with its workers or a family under the same plan, US Cellular has announced that shared data plans are now available. The plans span data ranges from 1GB to 10GB, with different types of devices having different monthly device […]
Starting October 25th, new AT&T customers have an option between shared data plans and…shared data plans. Existing users will be able to keep whatever plan they currently have; AT&T won’t shunt you off. But anybody who’s switching over now is going to have pick a share plan. No ifs ands or buts. [Engadget]
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Using your smartphone abroad sucks, or rather, it’s just annoying. You wish you had your phone to talk to home, but it’s complicated. Maybe you’ve figured it out so that it doesn’t cost you a fortune (lucky you!) but most of us haven’t. Beginning October 31st, T-Mobile will be offering free text and data in 100 different countries to customers on its Simple Choice plans.
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By using Google Voice, a T-Mobile prepaid plan, and a handy communications app, you can get your mobile plan costs down to $30 per month.
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Over the weekend, Verizon, which famously executed unlimited data plans last year, had a software glitch that allowed customers to upgrade their phone and keep their grandfathered unlimited data plans. Most of us probably didn’t take advantage. Which means you’ll have to shell out full, unsubsidized prices for your next phone to stay unlimited on Big Red. And since the iPhone 5S just came out, we’re wondering what you folks did. Did you pay up to keep your unlimited data plans or did you hand over that bountiful perk back to Verizon?
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It would appear that the European commission has decided that it’s not good for the greater cross-section of the public for roaming charges to exist – so says a leaked draft of legislation shown off this week. This information comes from the Guardian where they say they’ve got their hands on this proposed bit of […]
After AT&T made the move first, Verizon is following suit. Big Red announced that they’re now offering a 500MB monthly data plan for a lower cost of $40 per month. This is tier is added onto Verizon’s Share Everything plan, so you’ll still be paying $40 per month for each smartphone on your account on […]
While companies like T-Mobile and AT&T aim to lead the way with new and improved ways of being transparent with smartphone customers, Verizon Edge (introduced today) brings big red into the fold. This “flexible equipment payment plan” allows users who would otherwise have had to pay a relatively large fee to switch from one phone to another on the same payment plan to upgrade instead inside 6 months. This after having spread the cost of the phone over 24 months and paying off at least 50% of the phone in the first place.
It’s rather simple, really – Verizon is cutting the contracts out of smartphone sales. This plan appears to be really, really similar to what T-Mobile began offering earlier this year, aiming to expand the number of choices consumers have in how they pay for their phone. While any phone that’s “subsidized” by the mobile carrier it works with, the cost remains – if you pay $199 for a smartphone that’s $599 “off-contract”, the additional cost is rolled in to your 2-year contract monthly payments, whether you can see them or not.
“Here’s how it works: Choose the phone you want and sign up for a month-to-month service plan, it’s as easy as that. The full retail price of the phone will be divided over 24 months and you’ll pay the first month at the time of purchase. If you want to upgrade after 6 months, just pay off 50% of the full retail price of the phone and you can choose a new phone and start all over again.
There are no long-term service contracts, finance charges or upgrade fees with Verizon Edge. Every six months, as long as 50 percent of the cost of the phone has been paid, you can upgrade to the newest basic or smartphone available.” – David Samberg for Verizon
This all comes not long after both Verizon and AT&T pushed their upgrade time requirements to 24 months, one after the other.
Have a read of our looks as T-Mobile “Jump” article for more information on the carrier’s efforts to allow switching of smartphones while their Uncarrier plans lead the way with up-front and clear pricing on the hardware itself, in the first place.
Meanwhile AT&T’s latest efforts include Yearly updates and device trade-ins. T-Mobile quickly responded to AT&T’s announcement of their “Next plan” earlier this week with a declaration that it was “all wrong.” We’ll be expecting something similar from the carrier now that Verizon has revealed something similar.
Verizon Edge brings “flexible equipment payment plan” to battle T-Mobile is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.
When you sit down and read the rules involved in the current web of oddities known as smartphone contracts, it’s easy to find surprisingly complex ins and outs. T-Mobile has suggested several times over the past several months that they will be aiming to take an axe to tradition, making way for their own, much more “consumer friendly” rules. Here with what they’re calling “Jump”, T-Mobile says they’ll be turning the upgrade process on its head, allowing consumers to upgrade from their current smartphone to a new phone with the same prices a new customer would pay.
Of course it makes sense – if you’ve got a T-Mobile phone with one of their current new-age plans, you’re not paying a subsidized price for a smartphone. You pay an up-front cost then a monthly cost to pay off the rest of the smartphone. While other carriers include this monthly cost in with the data and voice plans they’re attached to, T-Mobile shows the cost clearly, this cost disappearing once the phone is payed off.
When “Jump” is brought to the market, the obvious becomes true.
Switching from one phone to another with T-Mobile will cost the same as it very well should, sensibly, given the company’s current rule set.
Once you want a new phone, you pay T-Mobile for the phone, the same cost you’d pay if you were a new customer. If you were a new customer, you’d pay X amount then Y per month until the device is paid for in full. With AT&T and Verizon, to give two fine examples, there are two approaches:
Approach 1. A new customer gets the cost of the device as advertised, X amount attached to a 2-year contract with Y cost rolled in on the monthly data cost.
Approach 2. A customer that’s currently inside a 2-year contract, currently under contract as they are, must pay an additional cost to get out of that first contract and into another – the full “unsubsidized” price of the new smartphone, that is.
With T-Mobile there’s also a cost you may want to consider: the cost of the first phone. No matter what you do, once you’ve been locked in with the phone you’re purchasing, you’re still responsible for the full cost of the phone. I
f you’re switching over to a new phone and still intend on only paying T-Mobile for one line of service, the original phone must still be paid for in full. Switching to a new device still means you’re paying the full cost of the phone (though the final cost may be ever-so-slightly different from AT&T or Verizon’s “unsubsidized” price) – so there’s no good reason for T-Mobile to penalize you for wanting to jump in on another purchase, is there?
Also note – this upgrade system only works twice per year, so if you’re planning on upgrading every time you see a new device – think again!
T-Mobile “JUMP” unlimited upgrades and what it means for consumers is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Mobile phone contracts provide a relatively easy way to get a shiny new smartphone, however there are also those who already have a capable device on hand that prefer to go the no-contract route. That being the case, it looks like Verizon Wireless has recently bumped the data allowances on their prepaid 3G smartphone plans. There are two plans available and they are priced from $60 per month.
These plans were originally announced back on February 1st and at that time they came with options for either 500MB or 2GB of data. In the data-centric world that we currently live in, 2GB may be low for some and 500MB may even cause you to limit your smartphone usage. With that in mind, Verizon has bumped the allowances to 2GB and 4GB.
Specifically, the $60 plan has 2GB and the $70 plan has 4GB. Each of these plans also offer unlimited talk and text messaging. And for those keeping track, while the data has increased, the price of the plans has remained the same. Customers who are already signed up will see the new data allowance immediately.
Otherwise, new customers choosing these plans will have to wait until June 6th to see the 2GB ($60) and 4GB ($70) limits go in effect. Seems the better option here may be the 4GB plan, after all that is only a $10 per month increase and it offers double the data. Of course, for some 2GB may be enough to feel comfortable and not have to worry about going over.
Aside from Verizon upping the data, AT&T has also recently announced Aio Wireless. While the AT&T offering isn’t available in all markets just yet, it does seem to be one worth watching. For now Aio Wireless is available in Orlando, Tampa and Houston. The Aio smartphone plans begin at $55 per month and offer unlimited calling and messaging as well as 2GB of data. In other words, they seem to be fairly close in price to the Verizon prepaid options.
SOURCE: Verizon Wireless
Verizon increases prepaid data limits for 3G phones is written by Robert Nelson & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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