Contracts. Why?

DevilsPGD wrote:
> In message <[email protected]> "Richard B. Gilbert"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Yeah, but sooner or later you need a new phone. . . .
>
> So buy one at full price if you prefer. As it turns out, with many
> phones the discount is higher then the early termination penalty, so
> you really can't lose.
>
And, do remember that the phone has a resale value in some market,
somewhere. If you keep your phone in good condition, hold onto the box,
manual and accessories that came with it, you'll likely get more on the used
market than you paid for it. I have done this many times over the past
several years. They go fast too.

---

› See More: Contracts. Why?

On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 03:11:19 -0500, "Carl" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>And, do remember that the phone has a resale value in some market,
>somewhere.

Anyone want to buy a non-GPS Kyocera 2235 from 2002? I've got a couple.

When you sell the phone? Who wants a used cell phone with older technology
when they can get a new phone subsidized by Verizon. BTW, if you are not
going to change providers anyway, who cares about a contract?

Vito


"Carl" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
>> News wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> LHA wrote:
>>>
>>>> If the cellular companies provided the service and support that
>>>> their customers desire and deserve, they would NOT need to lock us
>>>> in with long, expensive contracts. Why do we tolerate it?
>>>>
>>>> Discuss...
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Huh? I've been month to month for more than eight years.
>>
>> Yeah, but sooner or later you need a new phone. . . .
>>
> Yep. But I bought mine rather than lock into a contract. It cost me a
> couple
> of hundred dollars to be free of the yoke. I'll get much of it back if
> and
> when I sell the phone. I learned that awhile ago. Meantime, technology
> changes are happening too quickly these days for me to want to be locked
> in.
>
>
>
>

Buy 2 or 3 phones. Dang I hardly use 1. What do you need 2 or 3 phones
for. A backup? Geez. Being without a phone for a few hours must be like
death. Get a life.

Vito


"Fred C. Dobbs" <noone> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Richard B. Gilbert" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> News wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> LHA wrote:
>>>
>>>> If the cellular companies provided the service and support that their
>>>> customers desire and deserve, they would NOT need to lock us in with
>>>> long, expensive contracts. Why do we tolerate it?
>>>>
>>>> Discuss...
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Huh? I've been month to month for more than eight years.
>>
>> Yeah, but sooner or later you need a new phone. . . .
>>
> ...and he'll jump on Ebay, pick up a nice used one (or buy 2 or 3 so he
> has a backup) and he's good to go. Been doing that for years.....and saved
> a ton.
>
>

My sentiment exactly. Useful for fishing weights.

Vito


"Bob Scheurle" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 03:11:19 -0500, "Carl" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>>And, do remember that the phone has a resale value in some market,
>>somewhere.
>
> Anyone want to buy a non-GPS Kyocera 2235 from 2002? I've got a couple.
>
>

(Superfluous carrier-specific newsgroups once again trimmed from
Newsgroups line.)

"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <[email protected]> writes:
>That's my point. A couple of $50 phones, and nowhere near the income
>stream Verizon planned for those puppies.

Perhaps, but volume is an issue. The more phones of a particular model
they manufacture, the lower the costs are. Therefore, if they can't
sell enough of them at a high profit margin, it is their advantage to
sell some of the phones at a much lower profit margin, for the sake of
driving up the number sold.

--
Help stop the genocide in Darfur!
http://www.genocideintervention.net/

(Superfluous carrier-specific groups removed from Newsgroups line.)

"Uncle_vito" <[email protected]> writes:
>When you sell the phone? Who wants a used cell phone with older technology
>when they can get a new phone subsidized by Verizon.

Apparently a lot of people, because when the phones are put up for sale
on eBay or whatever, they sell quickly.

Not everybody feels the need to own the newest technology. As long as
it's still compatible with the carrier's network, an old phone is fine
for many people, and if they can save money by buying a used phone and
using a cheap prepaid service instead of a service with a monthly fee,
why shouldn't they?

--
Help stop the genocide in Darfur!
http://www.genocideintervention.net/

(Superfluous carrier-specific newsgroups removed from Newsgroups line.)

"Uncle_vito" <[email protected]> writes:
> Buy 2 or 3 phones. Dang I hardly use 1.

And yet you spend time reading cellular newsgroups on Usenet? How odd.

--
Help stop the genocide in Darfur!
http://www.genocideintervention.net/

In alt.cellular.t-mobile Bert Hyman <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> When you initially contract with a provider, they usually provide a
> phone at no or reduced cost. Similarly, if you renew your contract, you
> can usually get a new phone at no or reduced cost.
>

Sprint PCS and others, will not allow you to activate a phone [that you
purchased elsewhere .. perhaps used] on a new account without a contract.
THAT IS WRONG! They have no investment stake in you if you provide your own
phone. For instance, if you buy a "clear" Sprint PCS phone, used, off of Ebay
and create a new account with Sprint [you are a new customer], they FORCE you
into a one or two year contract in spite of the fact they put exactly zero
investment dollars into subsidation, which is what they claim these contracts
are required for.

> With no contract, you'd be expected to bring your own phone or pay the
> retail price.
>

Yes, that is the way it should be, but that is not the way it is with some
providers. I am not sure if T-Mobile does it this way or not, but I know
Sprint PCS will rope you in [with a noose] to their contract.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse

America is the country where you buy a lifetime
supply of aspirin for one dollar, and use it up in two weeks.

In alt.cellular.t-mobile DevilsPGD <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Personally, I'm not stressing about the early termination penalty when
> bringing my own phone, instead I am planning to just take the free
> phone, sell it, and pocket the cash.
>
> If I pay out the contract, I won't be as far behind. If not, I win.

The problem here is that their is a "glut" of these "free" phones on Ebay and
other sources, so their price is actually artificially deflated. I tend to
doubt you will get $150-$200 in return for the "free phone" to cover the cost
of the early termination fee.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse

America is the country where you buy a lifetime
supply of aspirin for one dollar, and use it up in two weeks.

In alt.cellular.t-mobile News <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Huh? I've been month to month for more than eight years.

But ... you used to be under contract. If you go back far enough and have an
old enough plan, it is possible you bought an unsubsidized phone without
contract and still retain the plan, eh? Airtouch did this in the old Analog
brick and bag phone days ... but then Verizon bought them ;-)

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse

America is the country where you buy a lifetime
supply of aspirin for one dollar, and use it up in two weeks.

In alt.cellular.t-mobile Uncle_vito <[email protected]> wrote:
> When you sell the phone? Who wants a used cell phone with older technology
> when they can get a new phone subsidized by Verizon. BTW, if you are not
> going to change providers anyway, who cares about a contract?
>

The companies primary use for it beyond subsidizing the phones is to prevent
churn. That is why you often see "retail - $150" at Sprint PCS for instance as
the price for a new customer. They subsidize your phone by [at least] $150.
Of course, they make the early termination fee even higher and that difference
might be called a "churn inhibitor".

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse

America is the country where you buy a lifetime
supply of aspirin for one dollar, and use it up in two weeks.

Sorry, but what are the strings? The $175 cancellation policy doesn't
really bother me if I was going to be with them already and they paid for my
phone.

Now if I was planning on leaving them that would be another story. Seems
the phone user needs to have a plan and stick with it. If they are going to
stay with Verizon anyway over the 1-2 year period, the 'strings' are not
really strings.

However, if you hate your cell phone company, then you will have a you go
your way and I will go my way attitude where your buy your phone off ebay
and you have no 'contract' with Verizon. I can relat to that also.

Seems like two ways to go.

Vito


"Elmo P. Shagnasty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Uncle_vito" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Who wants a used cell phone with older technology
>> when they can get a new phone subsidized by Verizon.
>
> Because the subsidy from Verizon comes with strings attached, strings
> that the buyer doesn't want to be part of?
>
> Can you grasp the concept of all this?
>
> So the buyer can spend more money for a new phone without strings, or
> less money for an older phone without strings.
>
>

Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:
> In alt.cellular.t-mobile News <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Huh? I've been month to month for more than eight years.
>
>
> But ... you used to be under contract. If you go back far enough and have an
> old enough plan, it is possible you bought an unsubsidized phone without
> contract and still retain the plan, eh? Airtouch did this in the old Analog
> brick and bag phone days ... but then Verizon bought them ;-)
>

Nope.

SIMs acquired directly from Omnipoint, Voicestream and T-Mobile.

Phones directly from Ericsson and HP.

Things change. Most often not coincident with contract expiration.



Uncle_vito wrote:

> Sorry, but what are the strings? The $175 cancellation policy doesn't
> really bother me if I was going to be with them already and they paid for my
> phone.
>
> Now if I was planning on leaving them that would be another story. Seems
> the phone user needs to have a plan and stick with it. If they are going to
> stay with Verizon anyway over the 1-2 year period, the 'strings' are not
> really strings.
>
> However, if you hate your cell phone company, then you will have a you go
> your way and I will go my way attitude where your buy your phone off ebay
> and you have no 'contract' with Verizon. I can relat to that also.
>
> Seems like two ways to go.
>
> Vito
>
>
> "Elmo P. Shagnasty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>In article <[email protected]>,
>>"Uncle_vito" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Who wants a used cell phone with older technology
>>>when they can get a new phone subsidized by Verizon.
>>
>>Because the subsidy from Verizon comes with strings attached, strings
>>that the buyer doesn't want to be part of?
>>
>>Can you grasp the concept of all this?
>>
>>So the buyer can spend more money for a new phone without strings, or
>>less money for an older phone without strings.
>>