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- 12-03-2007, 10:20 PM #1P.SchumanGuest
My son is out looking at different cell plans so he can get a smartphone..
However, I've warned him - for budgeting purposes - that the real monthly
cost
is not just the detailed voice and/or data plan,
but it also includes the local TAXES.
Looking at some of my old Sprint bills,
it looks like a $39 plan had about $7.50 added in taxes = 20%
So - what do you see on your bill as far as actual plan cost vs added taxes
?
› See More: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
- 12-03-2007, 11:28 PM #2LarryGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
"P.Schuman" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> Looking at some of my old Sprint bills,
> it looks like a $39 plan had about $7.50 added in taxes = 20%
>
> So - what do you see on your bill as far as actual plan cost vs
added
> taxes ?
>
>
Alltel in South Carolina, here. The $39 plan is over $47 after
the bureaucrats get their cuts. Every fiefdom wants some. It's
obscene. There'll be more taxes, now with the additional $25/mo
EVDO data added to that. $64/mo will total over $75.
I justify it by not having an AT&T landline at home, which I
consider obsolete. I'll never figure why someone with a
SELLphone they're paying so much for has another drain on their
funds with a useless landline with even MORE stupid addon
charges, like "long distance", a throwback into the 1930's.
People are stupid.
Larry
--
Isn't it ironic that the same ISPs that are telling you
you're downloads threaten their networks......
.....are testing 100Gbps TV to sell on the SAME systems?
http://tinyurl.com/27qx3v
- 12-04-2007, 04:07 AM #3Patrick CGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
We use prepaid, buy 1000 minutes at a time for $100 and only pay sales tax
on that (less we find refill card on EBay). We live in Illinois and our
local sales taxes are 7%. The minutes last a year then are rollable if you
don't use them. Of course we don't use that many minutes to begin with and
the prepaid phone selection isn't that great. We have 2 non camera phones
and a Sidekick II I only use for 10 days every 3 months ($10 a crack) when
we go on vacation so we don't have to lug the laptop around.
"P.Schuman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My son is out looking at different cell plans so he can get a smartphone..
> However, I've warned him - for budgeting purposes - that the real monthly
> cost
> is not just the detailed voice and/or data plan,
> but it also includes the local TAXES.
>
> Looking at some of my old Sprint bills,
> it looks like a $39 plan had about $7.50 added in taxes = 20%
>
> So - what do you see on your bill as far as actual plan cost vs added
> taxes ?
>
- 12-04-2007, 06:38 AM #4P.SchumanGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
wonder which prepaid you are using ?
We have our son on Virgin Mobile right now....
but he's starting to eat up the minutes
It seemed the best at 90 day interval for adding funds.
"Patrick C" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> We use prepaid, buy 1000 minutes at a time for $100 and only pay sales tax
> on that (less we find refill card on EBay). We live in Illinois and our
> local sales taxes are 7%. The minutes last a year then are rollable if you
> don't use them. Of course we don't use that many minutes to begin with and
> the prepaid phone selection isn't that great. We have 2 non camera phones
> and a Sidekick II I only use for 10 days every 3 months ($10 a crack) when
> we go on vacation so we don't have to lug the laptop around.
>
> "P.Schuman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > My son is out looking at different cell plans so he can get a smartphone..
> > However, I've warned him - for budgeting purposes - that the real monthly
> > cost
> > is not just the detailed voice and/or data plan,
> > but it also includes the local TAXES.
> >
> > Looking at some of my old Sprint bills,
> > it looks like a $39 plan had about $7.50 added in taxes = 20%
> >
> > So - what do you see on your bill as far as actual plan cost vs added
> > taxes ?
> >
>
- 12-04-2007, 06:44 AM #5WoolyGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
Larry wrote:
> I justify it by not having an AT&T landline at home, which I
> consider obsolete. I'll never figure why someone with a
> SELLphone they're paying so much for has another drain on their
> funds with a useless landline with even MORE stupid addon
> charges, like "long distance", a throwback into the 1930's.
Because it's a lot easier for a child to find the phone mom drills him
to use in an emergency when the phone is *always* attached to the
kitchen wall, and because the landline will *always* accurately report
its number and location to the 911 center, unlike cellphones.
- 12-04-2007, 07:07 AM #6LarryGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
-= Hawk =- <[email protected]> wrote in
news:438al31sqhhflald6ta2ug3d3455k4mtq2@news-server:
> On Tue, 04 Dec 2007 05:28:03 +0000, Larry <[email protected]>
scribbled:
>
>>"P.Schuman" <[email protected]> wrote in
>>news:[email protected]:
>>
>>> Looking at some of my old Sprint bills,
>>> it looks like a $39 plan had about $7.50 added in taxes = 20%
>>>
>>> So - what do you see on your bill as far as actual plan cost
vs
>>added
>>> taxes ?
>>>
>>>
>>Alltel in South Carolina, here. The $39 plan is over $47 after
>>the bureaucrats get their cuts. Every fiefdom wants some.
It's
>>obscene. There'll be more taxes, now with the additional
$25/mo
>>EVDO data added to that. $64/mo will total over $75.
>>
>>I justify it by not having an AT&T landline at home, which I
>>consider obsolete. I'll never figure why someone with a
>>SELLphone they're paying so much for has another drain on their
>>funds with a useless landline with even MORE stupid addon
>>charges, like "long distance", a throwback into the 1930's.
>>
>>People are stupid.
>
> 2004, hurricane Frances (or Jeanne, your choice) makes
landfall a few
> miles south of here. My neighbors couldn't get a cell phone
call out for
> four days or more. Towers down, overloaded circuits, joy! On
the other
> hand my 'obsolete', 'useless landline' a 'throwback to the
1930's'
> survived both hurricane strikes and we were able to make calls.
Hell, I
> called my insurance company and made our initial insurance
claim during
> the height of the storm. You go on staring dumbly at "No
Signal" I'll be
> talking to my family around the country... Anyone you want me
to call
> for you, Tech-boi?
>
>
In 1989, around midnight, I stood in the street outside a
friend's wrecked home we were staying at, staring up at the stars
through the center of the eye, talking on AMPS with my bagphone
to my friend's family in Ohio to tell them we were ok, but the
house had moved 3" away from the garage, cracking the wall. We'd
been huddled in the bathroom for hours wondering if it would ever
be over. Whole pine trees were flying horizontally down the
street, lit up by the falling electrical power system it took
months to rebuild.
I guess I was lucky the old bagphone still worked. Of course,
that was on 800 Mhz AMPS with real transmitters and a better
system than PCS.
My family is all dead. Do you think your landline can call them?
Larry
--
Isn't it ironic that the same ISPs that are telling you
you're downloads threaten their networks......
.....are testing 100Gbps TV to sell on the SAME systems?
http://tinyurl.com/27qx3v
- 12-04-2007, 07:11 AM #7LarryGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
Wooly <nobody@nunya> wrote in news:47554baa$0$2365
[email protected]:
> Larry wrote:
>
>> I justify it by not having an AT&T landline at home, which I
>> consider obsolete. I'll never figure why someone with a
>> SELLphone they're paying so much for has another drain on
their
>> funds with a useless landline with even MORE stupid addon
>> charges, like "long distance", a throwback into the 1930's.
>
> Because it's a lot easier for a child to find the phone mom
drills him
> to use in an emergency when the phone is *always* attached to
the
> kitchen wall, and because the landline will *always* accurately
report
> its number and location to the 911 center, unlike cellphones.
>
Hmm....If a child is that young, shouldn't it be with its parents
or a trusted adult? If a child is 12, these days, the child has
his/her own phone and knows much more about its use (and hacking)
than all the adults in the house, combined.
As to 911, the SELLphone in the child's pocket is accessible,
from anywhere the child is located.....not just if the child is
trapped against the kitchen wall where the wall phone is located.
The kitchen phone won't help the child on her way home from
school or at the store or at the neighbor's house locked up by
the pedophile daddy of her friend, will it?
Larry
--
Isn't it ironic that the same ISPs that are telling you
you're downloads threaten their networks......
.....are testing 100Gbps TV to sell on the SAME systems?
http://tinyurl.com/27qx3v
- 12-04-2007, 07:18 AM #8Bill KearneyGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
> 2004, hurricane Frances (or Jeanne, your choice) makes landfall a few
> miles south of here. My neighbors couldn't get a cell phone call out for
> four days or more. Towers down, overloaded circuits, joy! On the other
> hand my 'obsolete', 'useless landline' a 'throwback to the 1930's'
> survived both hurricane strikes and we were able to make calls. Hell, I
> called my insurance company and made our initial insurance claim during
> the height of the storm. You go on staring dumbly at "No Signal" I'll be
> talking to my family around the country... Anyone you want me to call
> for you, Tech-boi?
Tech-boi? What're you, a child?
Land lines are great, unless said hurricane topples the house, the lines or
the central office.
- 12-04-2007, 07:49 AM #9Patrick CGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
T-Mobile
"P.Schuman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> wonder which prepaid you are using ?
> We have our son on Virgin Mobile right now....
> but he's starting to eat up the minutes
> It seemed the best at 90 day interval for adding funds.
>
> "Patrick C" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> We use prepaid, buy 1000 minutes at a time for $100 and only pay sales
>> tax
>> on that (less we find refill card on EBay). We live in Illinois and our
>> local sales taxes are 7%. The minutes last a year then are rollable if
>> you
>> don't use them. Of course we don't use that many minutes to begin with
>> and
>> the prepaid phone selection isn't that great. We have 2 non camera
>> phones
>> and a Sidekick II I only use for 10 days every 3 months ($10 a crack)
>> when
>> we go on vacation so we don't have to lug the laptop around.
>>
>> "P.Schuman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>> > My son is out looking at different cell plans so he can get a
>> > smartphone..
>> > However, I've warned him - for budgeting purposes - that the real
>> > monthly
>> > cost
>> > is not just the detailed voice and/or data plan,
>> > but it also includes the local TAXES.
>> >
>> > Looking at some of my old Sprint bills,
>> > it looks like a $39 plan had about $7.50 added in taxes = 20%
>> >
>> > So - what do you see on your bill as far as actual plan cost vs added
>> > taxes ?
>> >
>>
>
>
- 12-04-2007, 08:30 AM #10WoolyGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
Larry wrote:
>
> Hmm....If a child is that young, shouldn't it be with its parents
> or a trusted adult? If a child is 12, these days, the child has
> his/her own phone and knows much more about its use (and hacking)
> than all the adults in the house, combined.
A child can pick up the phone, dial 911 and say "my mom has diabetes and
I can't wake her up". That's much easier to do when the phone isn't a
moving target, and there are only three buttons to push.
Be snyde and ignorant all you want - if you had kids or medical
conditions or both you might have a little more appreciation for a
hardwired phone.
> As to 911, the SELLphone in the child's pocket is accessible,
> from anywhere the child is located.....not just if the child is
> trapped against the kitchen wall where the wall phone is located.
> The kitchen phone won't help the child on her way home from
> school or at the store or at the neighbor's house locked up by
> the pedophile daddy of her friend, will it?
You obviously don't have children. Show me one who remembers his
pencil, his homework, his lunchbox and his jacket every morning and I
might agree that's a kid who is responsible enough to own a cellphone.
Until you prove to me that you're talking about MY kid I'll continue to
be a responsible parent by knowing his friends, his friends' parents,
his hangouts, his hobbies and his habits - all of which goes a whole lot
farther toward keeping a kid safe than a gadget in his pocket.
- 12-04-2007, 09:07 AM #11Ben SkverskyGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
My $39.99 monthly bill totals out at $47.79. I'm with T-Mobile in
Pennsylvania.
"P.Schuman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My son is out looking at different cell plans so he can get a smartphone..
> However, I've warned him - for budgeting purposes - that the real monthly
> cost
> is not just the detailed voice and/or data plan,
> but it also includes the local TAXES.
>
> Looking at some of my old Sprint bills,
> it looks like a $39 plan had about $7.50 added in taxes = 20%
>
> So - what do you see on your bill as far as actual plan cost vs added
> taxes ?
>
- 12-04-2007, 11:59 AM #12SMS 斯蒂文• 夏Guest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
P.Schuman wrote:
> My son is out looking at different cell plans so he can get a smartphone..
> However, I've warned him - for budgeting purposes - that the real monthly
> cost
> is not just the detailed voice and/or data plan,
> but it also includes the local TAXES.
>
> Looking at some of my old Sprint bills,
> it looks like a $39 plan had about $7.50 added in taxes = 20%
>
> So - what do you see on your bill as far as actual plan cost vs added taxes
It's not just government imposed taxes, it's the garbage fees that the
carrier adds-on to be able to appear to offer lower rates than they
actually do.
Does he want a SmartPhone to be able to use it primarily with WiFi, or
does he also want to use the 3G network where it starts to get really
expensive.
There are so many variables in choosing a "SmartPhone."
-If voice coverage is an issue then get Verizon
-If 3G coverage is an issue then get Sprint or Verizon
-If Wi-Fi is sufficient and 3G isn't needed, an unlocked iPhone used on
T-Mobile prepaid at 10¢/minute may be the best deal. The next iPhone
will have 3G, so it's worth waiting if he wants an iPhone for use with
the AT&T data network.
-Will he have a landline phone to be able to use a monthly cell plan
with less minutes? It's often amusing to see people give up their
landline which typically has a cost of under $20, and end up with an
$80/month cell phone bill, versus a $40/per month bill, plus also
spending $50/month on broadband from the cable company versus
$20-30/month for DSL.
When you look at the big picture, a low-cost cell phone plan plus a
landline with something like OneSuite or Talkloop ends up being a _lot_
less expensive if you have the discipline to minimize your cell phone
use. With PagePlus now down to 5.7¢/minute, $40 buys you more than 700
minutes.
- 12-04-2007, 03:31 PM #13SMSGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
On Dec 3, 9:28 pm, Larry <[email protected]> wrote:
<snip>
> I justify it by not having an AT&T landline at home, which I
> consider obsolete. I'll never figure why someone with a
> SELLphone they're paying so much for has another drain on their
> funds with a useless landline with even MORE stupid addon
> charges, like "long distance", a throwback into the 1930's.
>
> People are stupid.
You need to learn to look at the big picture. There are many reasons
to retain a landline that you don't understand.
1. DSL is generally much cheaper than broadband cable, and naked DSL
is usually no cheaper than a landline plus DSL.
2. Using a landline allows you to select a lower cost cellular plan
with fewer peak minutes. Usually the savings more than offset the cost
of the landline.
3. A landline is better for 911 service. You can achieve the same
results by registering a physical address on a service like Vonage or
Voicestick (but not with Skype), but these services can cost as much
as a standard landline and they require expensive broadband service
anyway. If you have kids or elderly people in the house then you don't
want to rely on a cell phone in an emergency.
4. In natural disasters, the cell phone network is often unavailable
because towers have been knocked out, or the system is unable to cope
with the capacity demands. Even a recent minor earthquake in
California caused capacity issues with all the carriers (the trick was
to set your phone to AMPS only, but this trick won't work for much
longer).
5. If you need to do FAXing, you can't do it with Vonage unless you
pay an extra fee. Faxing doesn't work with Voicestick most of the
time. One workaround to this is to use a PC faxing service, but these
can be somewhat of a pain in the butt to use, and they are not free
for sending. I use Faxaway on the occasions that I need to send a FAX
outside my LATA.
6. With a long distance service such as OneSuite, it's cheaper to make
international calls, without using up your peak cell phone minutes for
the call. You _never_ want to call internationally on your cell phone
(you can use OneSuite from your cell phone as well, but you're paying
twice if you're using peak minutes and having to get a plan with more
minutes).
7. Alarm systems often need a landline.
8. Satellite TV boxes need a landline, and satellite TV service is
much cheaper than cable TV service.
The important thing to remember with a landline is that you don't
really need all those stupid add-ons like 3 way calling, call-waiting,
caller-ID, voice-mail, etc. You can even go to measured-rate service
and save more.
- 12-04-2007, 04:04 PM #14LarryGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
-= Hawk =- <[email protected]> wrote in
news:jiral3pgd0pjm9k9mir1cni7dfjb8oqn83@news-server:
> On Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:07:14 +0000, Larry <[email protected]>
scribbled:
>
>>My family is all dead. Do you think your landline can call
them?
>
> Are you always this much of an asshole or are you extra special
bitter
> becuase of the holidays? Don't bother letting me know, I really
don't
> give a ****.
>
>
Wha'd I say?? It's true! They're all dead! It's not my fault
they're dead! Most died in their 80's!
Geez....
Larry
--
Isn't it ironic that the same ISPs that are telling you
you're downloads threaten their networks......
.....are testing 100Gbps TV to sell on the SAME systems?
http://tinyurl.com/27qx3v
- 12-04-2007, 04:07 PM #15LarryGuest
Re: basic cellular bill + added taxes ?
Wooly <nobody@nunya> wrote in news:4755647f$0$2314
[email protected]:
> You obviously don't have children. Show me one who remembers
his
> pencil, his homework, his lunchbox and his jacket every morning
and I
> might agree that's a kid who is responsible enough to own a
cellphone.
> Until you prove to me that you're talking about MY kid I'll
continue to
> be a responsible parent by knowing his friends, his friends'
parents,
> his hangouts, his hobbies and his habits - all of which goes a
whole lot
> farther toward keeping a kid safe than a gadget in his pocket.
>
The modern kid will lose everything EXCEPT his video game and
SELLphone. My kids all grown and gone, she's 38. She lost
everything...it's a blonde thing...including a LOT of boyfriends.
But lose the COMMUNICATIONS link to the boyfriends? Uh-uh..
Larry
--
Isn't it ironic that the same ISPs that are telling you
you're downloads threaten their networks......
.....are testing 100Gbps TV to sell on the SAME systems?
http://tinyurl.com/27qx3v
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