Any Current Customer Discounts?

Am I correct in what I understood from calling Cingular that there are
no discounts/rebates etc. for being an existing customer (on ATTWS), if
I buy a new phone and go to a new plan?

I ask since that is very different from ATTWS where there were offers
over the years to extend plan or buy new phones, etc. And those offers
were different (better) than that offered to brand new customers.

I'm on ATTWS (we have two TDMA phones) and I "need" to get one new phone
since current one is failing after 5+ years. It appears the only options
are GSM which will probably improve service in some of our usage areas
and eliminate service in others. So I'm looking to switch from ATTWS
Digital One-Rate using an old Motorola Startac to Cingular Nation 450
and buy a Motorola v180 phone. I'm not in any contract period with
either of the ATTWS phones.

Thanks for any input.

--
Please send email to: nwhiii at yahoo dot com

---

› See More: Any Current Customer Discounts?

"Norm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Am I correct in what I understood from calling Cingular that there are
> no discounts/rebates etc. for being an existing customer (on ATTWS), if
> I buy a new phone and go to a new plan?
>
> I ask since that is very different from ATTWS where there were offers
> over the years to extend plan or buy new phones, etc. And those offers
> were different (better) than that offered to brand new customers.
>
> I'm on ATTWS (we have two TDMA phones) and I "need" to get one new phone
> since current one is failing after 5+ years. It appears the only options
> are GSM which will probably improve service in some of our usage areas
> and eliminate service in others. So I'm looking to switch from ATTWS
> Digital One-Rate using an old Motorola Startac to Cingular Nation 450
> and buy a Motorola v180 phone. I'm not in any contract period with
> either of the ATTWS phones.
>
> Thanks for any input.
>
> --
> Please send email to: nwhiii at yahoo dot com

You get the same deal as anybody else. You move your number to Cingular,
"upgrade" to the V180 (49.99 less $50 mail in rebate), pay $18 "upgrade fee"
(on your next bill)...all assuming you sign a new 2 yr contract. (for 1 yr;
add 50 bucks to price of phone).

You must change to a Cingular rate plan to do the deal. If you sign a 2 yr,
you are eligible for next upgrade after 21 months. On a 1 yr, you must
complete 11 months. Rate plan can be changed at any time.

Sounds like a deal to me...

Mark

Originally Posted by Mark W. Oots

"Norm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Am I correct in what I understood from calling Cingular that there are
> no discounts/rebates etc. for being an existing customer (on ATTWS), if
> I buy a new phone and go to a new plan?
>
> I ask since that is very different from ATTWS where there were offers
> over the years to extend plan or buy new phones, etc. And those offers
> were different (better) than that offered to brand new customers.
>
> I'm on ATTWS (we have two TDMA phones) and I "need" to get one new phone
> since current one is failing after 5+ years. It appears the only options
> are GSM which will probably improve service in some of our usage areas
> and eliminate service in others. So I'm looking to switch from ATTWS
> Digital One-Rate using an old Motorola Startac to Cingular Nation 450
> and buy a Motorola v180 phone. I'm not in any contract period with
> either of the ATTWS phones.
>
> Thanks for any input.
>
> --
> Please send email to: nwhiii at yahoo dot com

You get the same deal as anybody else. You move your number to Cingular,
"upgrade" to the V180 (49.99 less $50 mail in rebate), pay $18 "upgrade fee"
(on your next bill)...all assuming you sign a new 2 yr contract. (for 1 yr;
add 50 bucks to price of phone).

You must change to a Cingular rate plan to do the deal. If you sign a 2 yr,
you are eligible for next upgrade after 21 months. On a 1 yr, you must
complete 11 months. Rate plan can be changed at any time.

Sounds like a deal to me...

Mark

Mark:

Not a good idea to quote prices, prices vary by location and many stores charge a little more for an upgrade. I can tell you that in the Balt./Wash. market where I work there is not a $50.00 mail in rebate, we have a $20.00 Rebate.

I think it is great to post prices. Why shouldn't I as the customer
know that one region gets a higher rebate? That way when I go into a
local Cingular store, I have more barganing power for what I want.

The days of regional pricing have declined and should be just about
dead in most markets. With the Internet and global sales, customers
have much more power to say "Whay should I have to pay more than
someone else for the same product and service?"

So in conclusion, post all the prices you can, let the consumer be
educated.


On Sat, 19 Feb 2005 16:49:03 -0600, scott14661
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Mark W. Oots Wrote:
>> "Norm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > Am I correct in what I understood from calling Cingular that there
>> are
>> > no discounts/rebates etc. for being an existing customer (on ATTWS),
>> if
>> > I buy a new phone and go to a new plan?
>> >
>> > I ask since that is very different from ATTWS where there were
>> offers
>> > over the years to extend plan or buy new phones, etc. And those
>> offers
>> > were different (better) than that offered to brand new customers.
>> >
>> > I'm on ATTWS (we have two TDMA phones) and I "need" to get one new
>> phone
>> > since current one is failing after 5+ years. It appears the only
>> options
>> > are GSM which will probably improve service in some of our usage
>> areas
>> > and eliminate service in others. So I'm looking to switch from ATTWS
>> > Digital One-Rate using an old Motorola Startac to Cingular Nation
>> 450
>> > and buy a Motorola v180 phone. I'm not in any contract period with
>> > either of the ATTWS phones.
>> >
>> > Thanks for any input.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Please send email to: nwhiii at yahoo dot com
>>
>> You get the same deal as anybody else. You move your number to
>> Cingular,
>> "upgrade" to the V180 (49.99 less $50 mail in rebate), pay $18 "upgrade
>> fee"
>> (on your next bill)...all assuming you sign a new 2 yr contract. (for 1
>> yr;
>> add 50 bucks to price of phone).
>>
>> You must change to a Cingular rate plan to do the deal. If you sign a 2
>> yr,
>> you are eligible for next upgrade after 21 months. On a 1 yr, you must
>> complete 11 months. Rate plan can be changed at any time.
>>
>> Sounds like a deal to me...
>>
>> Mark
>
>Mark:
>
>Not a good idea to quote prices, prices vary by location and many
>stores charge a little more for an upgrade. I can tell you that in the
>Balt./Wash. market where I work there is not a $50.00 mail in rebate, we
>have a $20.00 Rebate.

"Norm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I'm on ATTWS (we have two TDMA phones) and I "need" to get one new phone
> since current one is failing after 5+ years. It appears the only options
> are GSM

Hell, no!

You can buy a TDMA phone on eBay for under 15 Bucks! I've bought several of
them over the past couple of years. My favorite is the Panasonic Versio and
I also have a couple of Ericsson T19LX models.

When you get it, just call Customer Service, tell them you want to change
phone handsets, and give them the ESN of your new phone. They will make the
switch in a couple of minutes, you will NOT have to give up your plan or
change service or sign a new contract or pay an upgrade fee.

eBay also has brand new phones. Just be sure that the phone has an "AWS"
part number, so it will be compatible with the network. Do not buy a phone
set up for SunCom, for example. Check with the seller to be sure it was
formerly connected to the ATTWS network.

I have a couple of brand new spare phones, ready to go in case I damage or
lose my current phone. I have 3 new Versios and they cost $30 apiece--brand
new, never used. I like new phones best.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REPLACE YOUR PHONE BY GETTING IT ONLY FROM CINGULAR. YOU
CAN PROVIDE YOUR OWN EQUIPMENT, AS LONG AS IT IS AT&T COMPATIBLE.

Originally Posted by Scott

I think it is great to post prices. Why shouldn't I as the customer
know that one region gets a higher rebate? That way when I go into a
local Cingular store, I have more barganing power for what I want.

The days of regional pricing have declined and should be just about
dead in most markets. With the Internet and global sales, customers
have much more power to say "Whay should I have to pay more than
someone else for the same product and service?"

So in conclusion, post all the prices you can, let the consumer be
educated.


On Sat, 19 Feb 2005 16:49:03 -0600, scott14661
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Mark W. Oots Wrote:
>> "Norm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > Am I correct in what I understood from calling Cingular that there
>> are
>> > no discounts/rebates etc. for being an existing customer (on ATTWS),
>> if
>> > I buy a new phone and go to a new plan?
>> >
>> > I ask since that is very different from ATTWS where there were
>> offers
>> > over the years to extend plan or buy new phones, etc. And those
>> offers
>> > were different (better) than that offered to brand new customers.
>> >
>> > I'm on ATTWS (we have two TDMA phones) and I "need" to get one new
>> phone
>> > since current one is failing after 5+ years. It appears the only
>> options
>> > are GSM which will probably improve service in some of our usage
>> areas
>> > and eliminate service in others. So I'm looking to switch from ATTWS
>> > Digital One-Rate using an old Motorola Startac to Cingular Nation
>> 450
>> > and buy a Motorola v180 phone. I'm not in any contract period with
>> > either of the ATTWS phones.
>> >
>> > Thanks for any input.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Please send email to: nwhiii at yahoo dot com
>>
>> You get the same deal as anybody else. You move your number to
>> Cingular,
>> "upgrade" to the V180 (49.99 less $50 mail in rebate), pay $18 "upgrade
>> fee"
>> (on your next bill)...all assuming you sign a new 2 yr contract. (for 1
>> yr;
>> add 50 bucks to price of phone).
>>
>> You must change to a Cingular rate plan to do the deal. If you sign a 2
>> yr,
>> you are eligible for next upgrade after 21 months. On a 1 yr, you must
>> complete 11 months. Rate plan can be changed at any time.
>>
>> Sounds like a deal to me...
>>
>> Mark
>
>Mark:
>
>Not a good idea to quote prices, prices vary by location and many
>stores charge a little more for an upgrade. I can tell you that in the
>Balt./Wash. market where I work there is not a $50.00 mail in rebate, we
>have a $20.00 Rebate.

Scott:

For the most part prices are the same across the board for Cingular in every market. However there are exceptions to this. For instance the V180 is the phone being focused on in the Balt./Wash. market, in another market perhaps they are concentrating on another phone. It doesn't mean one area of the country is cheaper than the other, it just means that my market me be cheaper on one particular phone and another market may be cheaper than my market on another. It averages out across the board.

The fact that another market may be offering a higher rebate on a particular phone gives you no more bargaining power. If you came into a store in the Balt/Wash market and said the market in NYC has a $50 rebate. and yours only has a $20, theres nothing that I can do. I can't just make up a rebate to please you. We have set prices based on what Cingular tells my store to charge, we're not going to match another market.

In article <[email protected]>,
scott14661 <[email protected]> wrote:

> Scott Wrote:
> > I think it is great to post prices. Why shouldn't I as the customer
> > know that one region gets a higher rebate? That way when I go into a
> > local Cingular store, I have more barganing power for what I want.
> >
> > The days of regional pricing have declined and should be just about
> > dead in most markets. With the Internet and global sales, customers
> > have much more power to say "Whay should I have to pay more than
> > someone else for the same product and service?"
> >
> > So in conclusion, post all the prices you can, let the consumer be
> > educated.
> >
> >

It's trivial when one goes to www.cingular.com to check prices. You have
to enter your zip code before prices get displayed. So pick a half dozen
zip codes. New York City, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, whatever.

Originally Posted by Jack Zwick

In article <[email protected]>,
scott14661 <[email protected]> wrote:

> Scott Wrote:
> > I think it is great to post prices. Why shouldn't I as the customer
> > know that one region gets a higher rebate? That way when I go into a
> > local Cingular store, I have more barganing power for what I want.
> >
> > The days of regional pricing have declined and should be just about
> > dead in most markets. With the Internet and global sales, customers
> > have much more power to say "Whay should I have to pay more than
> > someone else for the same product and service?"
> >
> > So in conclusion, post all the prices you can, let the consumer be
> > educated.
> >
> >

It's trivial when one goes to www.cingular.com to check prices. You have
to enter your zip code before prices get displayed. So pick a half dozen
zip codes. New York City, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, whatever.

Internet prices are probably the same across the board, though I can't guarantee it. However let's say you live in Chicago, and you type in a Los Angeles zip code and you find LA's price is cheaper on a particular phone, you're phone number would have to be out of the Los Angeles market. And that's if Cingular would even do, my guess is that when you give them your Chicago address, and tell them you want the phone price from a different market, they won't do it. Just speculation though, I don't deal with internet sales.

In article <[email protected]>,
scott14661 <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> Jack Zwick Wrote:
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > scott14661 <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > Scott Wrote:
> > > > I think it is great to post prices. Why shouldn't I as the
> > customer
> > > > know that one region gets a higher rebate? That way when I go into
> > a
> > > > local Cingular store, I have more barganing power for what I want.
> > > >
> > > > The days of regional pricing have declined and should be just
> > about
> > > > dead in most markets. With the Internet and global sales,
> > customers
> > > > have much more power to say "Whay should I have to pay more than
> > > > someone else for the same product and service?"
> > > >
> > > > So in conclusion, post all the prices you can, let the consumer be
> > > > educated.
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> > It's trivial when one goes to www.cingular.com to check prices. You
> > have
> > to enter your zip code before prices get displayed. So pick a half
> > dozen
> > zip codes. New York City, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago,
> > whatever.
>
> Internet prices are probably the same across the board, though I can't
> guarantee it. However let's say you live in Chicago, and you type in a
> Los Angeles zip code and you find LA's price is cheaper on a particular
> phone, you're phone number would have to be out of the Los Angeles
> market. And that's if Cingular would even do, my guess is that when
> you give them your Chicago address, and tell them you want the phone
> price from a different market, they won't do it. Just speculation
> though, I don't deal with internet sales.

The OP just wanted to know so he could attempt to use price
differentials in negotiating, and its trivial to identify the regional
differences.

Originally Posted by Jack Zwick

In article <[email protected]>,
scott14661 <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> Jack Zwick Wrote:
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > scott14661 <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > Scott Wrote:
> > > > I think it is great to post prices. Why shouldn't I as the
> > customer
> > > > know that one region gets a higher rebate? That way when I go into
> > a
> > > > local Cingular store, I have more barganing power for what I want.
> > > >
> > > > The days of regional pricing have declined and should be just
> > about
> > > > dead in most markets. With the Internet and global sales,
> > customers
> > > > have much more power to say "Whay should I have to pay more than
> > > > someone else for the same product and service?"
> > > >
> > > > So in conclusion, post all the prices you can, let the consumer be
> > > > educated.
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> > It's trivial when one goes to www.cingular.com to check prices. You
> > have
> > to enter your zip code before prices get displayed. So pick a half
> > dozen
> > zip codes. New York City, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago,
> > whatever.
>
> Internet prices are probably the same across the board, though I can't
> guarantee it. However let's say you live in Chicago, and you type in a
> Los Angeles zip code and you find LA's price is cheaper on a particular
> phone, you're phone number would have to be out of the Los Angeles
> market. And that's if Cingular would even do, my guess is that when
> you give them your Chicago address, and tell them you want the phone
> price from a different market, they won't do it. Just speculation
> though, I don't deal with internet sales.

The OP just wanted to know so he could attempt to use price
differentials in negotiating, and its trivial to identify the regional
differences.

I understand that. And I'm just saying that it's not a solid tool for negotiating at all.

In article <[email protected]>,
scott14661 <[email protected]> wrote:

> > The OP just wanted to know so he could attempt to use price
> > differentials in negotiating, and its trivial to identify the regional
> > differences.
>
> I understand that. And I'm just saying that it's not a solid tool for
> negotiating at all.

I dont know how good a neotiating tool it might be, but the OP wanted to
know about pricing around the country, and I simply suggested that

+ He could find out himself by using different zipcodes at the website

+ The fact of these differences is evidence that Cingular never
integrated all the different pieces (SNET, bell South. SBC, PacBell,
Houston Cellular, etc) that came together to make Cingular.
And that has zero to do with TDMA.

In article <[email protected]>,
Jack Zwick <[email protected]> wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>,
> scott14661 <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > The OP just wanted to know so he could attempt to use price
> > > differentials in negotiating, and its trivial to identify the regional
> > > differences.
> >
> > I understand that. And I'm just saying that it's not a solid tool for
> > negotiating at all.
>
> I dont know how good a neotiating tool it might be, but the OP wanted to
> know about pricing around the country, and I simply suggested that
>
> + He could find out himself by using different zipcodes at the website
>
> + The fact of these differences is evidence that Cingular never
> integrated all the different pieces (SNET, bell South. SBC, PacBell,
> Houston Cellular, etc) that came together to make Cingular.
> And that has zero to do with TDMA.


OP back. Trying to clarify my question.

I appreciate the input but....

what I wanted to find out was whether the info I got from my call to
Cingular/ATT is correct:

What I heard Cingular/ATT say was:.....That as 5+ year customers we will
get no advantage in phone or plan pricing or terms over what is
currently being offered to brand new customers.

Is that correct?

Thanks.

--
Please send email to: nwhiii at yahoo dot com

In article <[email protected]>,
Norm <[email protected]> wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>,
> Jack Zwick <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > scott14661 <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > > The OP just wanted to know so he could attempt to use price
> > > > differentials in negotiating, and its trivial to identify the regional
> > > > differences.
> > >
> > > I understand that. And I'm just saying that it's not a solid tool for
> > > negotiating at all.
> >
> > I dont know how good a neotiating tool it might be, but the OP wanted to
> > know about pricing around the country, and I simply suggested that
> >
> > + He could find out himself by using different zipcodes at the website
> >
> > + The fact of these differences is evidence that Cingular never
> > integrated all the different pieces (SNET, bell South. SBC, PacBell,
> > Houston Cellular, etc) that came together to make Cingular.
> > And that has zero to do with TDMA.
>
>
> OP back. Trying to clarify my question.
>
> I appreciate the input but....
>
> what I wanted to find out was whether the info I got from my call to
> Cingular/ATT is correct:
>
> What I heard Cingular/ATT say was:.....That as 5+ year customers we will
> get no advantage in phone or plan pricing or terms over what is
> currently being offered to brand new customers.
>
> Is that correct?
>
> Thanks.

Why would they lie? That may be the rule. But again, you go to a Company
owned store, especially at the end of a month and speak to a manager,
you may be able to negotiate better.