NeoandGeo
join:2003-05-10
Harrison, TN | .
Terrible pricing as always |
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powerspec88
Premium
join:2007-03-11
Harrisonville, MO | I don't get it.
Why would anyone buy a netbook for ~200$ and pay 40-60$ a month for 2 years? And to top it off, have a data cap. |
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dcdeadbeat
join:2008-10-07
Washington, DC
 ·Covad Communications
| the math just does not add up on this deal
Why would anyone in their right mind go for this deal? It's not like they are giving the netbook away free. They are still charging $200 for the notebook and then $60 (actually with taxes and fees it is more like $73 in my state) a month for only a small amount of bandwidth. So in my state that would be $1752 for the bandwidth plus $200 for the netbook. So basically $1952 for a nebook worth $400.
And to make it worse, you can only you that expensive $60/month bandwidth on that machine. So if you are like me an also have a full sized laptop, then let's double that bill.
No way....I will stick with tacking the sim card out of my iphone and putting it a wireless usb adapter from AT&T. That way I am only paying for mobile internet access for one device, not three.
Oh wait...you can't do that on Verizon as they don't use sim cards. So it is AT&T for me. |
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cableties
Premium
join:2005-01-27
 ·Verizon FIOS
| reply to powerspec88
Re: I don't get it.
So Verizon can make $1159, plus over-limit use, and $50 from those that don't send the rebate in!
Heck, I got a DellMini9, put OS X on it (hackintosh) and use the free wifi access points.
Verizon wouldn't do anything unless it made them a profit (but don't tell the FTC or PUC they make a profit...)
Verizon=Underpants Gnomes!
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Weeeeeeee! |
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Bob61571
join:2008-08-08
Washington, IL | Costs too much
Monthly charges are so high, that this current offer will eventually fall flat on its face.
Give it 6 months or so, and Verizon will either lower the fees, or get rid of the plan. |
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Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL
 ·Comcast
·Embarq
|  Who owns what?
Who owns the data stored on the hard drive in the Netbook? What happen if you stop paying for broadband service? Will the ISP hold your data hostage like some Russian extortionist? That is what I would be concerned with with renting a subsidized Netbook. |
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xenophon
join:2007-09-17
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| reply to NeoandGeo
A trap
It's a trap to tie your computer to a carrier. Just pay the extra $100 for a netbook and add a card for any carrier or tether to phone.
I have an Acer netbook and just tether to my Treo for the regular $15/month Sprint data account using PDANet. And they don't seem to be enforcing the 5GB limit. |
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glinc
join:2009-04-07
New York, NY | hehe
it'll be interesting to see if you can buy insurance for $5/month and how will the warranty work on these netbooks =P |
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dcdeadbeat
join:2008-10-07
Washington, DC
·Covad Communications
| reply to Mr Matt
Re: Who owns what?
said by Mr Matt  : Who owns the data stored on the hard drive in the Netbook? What happen if you stop paying for broadband service? Will the ISP hold your data hostage like some Russian extortionist? That is what I would be concerned with with renting a subsidized Netbook. I don't think this example works as well. It is no different than a subsidized cell phone. Verizon would not own your contact list. And since you physically would have the laptop, you could just reinstall Windows or Linux. But they probably would send the collection people after you for the funds for the contract. |
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wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY
·Verizon FIOS
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·RoadRunner Cable
 ·BroadVoice
| Pricing is very bad...
I have mentioned multiple times that these subsidized netbooks are a good deal for people that are already on the market for a new computer AND a data card, however this deal stinks. $250 for the netbook ($50 mail in rebate that comes 5 months later doesnt count) is awful. At least ATT is offering them for $99. I dont see this getting much traction until they lower the price. |
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Gbcue
E.I.T.
Premium
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA
clubs: 
·T-Mobile US
·Skype
 ·Dreamhost
·Comcast
·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to powerspec88
Re: I don't get it.
said by powerspec88 :Why would anyone buy a netbook for ~200$ and pay 40-60$ a month for 2 years? And to top it off, have a data cap. Same goes for *any* phone. You can either buy it with a subsidy or buy them without. Take for instance iPhone, costs $599.99/$699.99 to purchase w/o contract. Offer it up for $199.99 with a 2 year contract. |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
1 edit | said by Gbcue :said by powerspec88 :Why would anyone buy a netbook for ~200$ and pay 40-60$ a month for 2 years? And to top it off, have a data cap. Same goes for *any* phone. You can either buy it with a subsidy or buy them without. Take for instance iPhone, costs $599.99/$699.99 to purchase w/o contract. Offer it up for $199.99 with a 2 year contract. the difference is one assumes you will want to use the internet on the computer and 5 GB per month and $51 per GB overage doesn't cut it. Whether I buy a phone or get the subsidy my calls cost the same. Using internet through cable or DSL is significantly cheaper.
Let's see pay $700 laptop without a contract pay about $50 a month for 10 Mbps internet from Charter and have a 100 GB cap. OR pay $200 for it pay $60 for a measly 5 GB cap and $51 per GB overage. $10 saving a month for 2 years is $240. So the real difference is $260 and to me having 95 extra GB per month and 10X the speed and no insane overage charge is worth the extra $11 per month. |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| reply to wifi4milez
Re: Pricing is very bad...
said by wifi4milez :I have mentioned multiple times that these subsidized netbooks are a good deal for people that are already on the market for a new computer AND a data card, however this deal stinks. $250 for the netbook ($50 mail in rebate that comes 5 months later doesnt count) is awful. At least ATT is offering them for $99. I dont see this getting much traction until they lower the price. The price of the computer isn't the issue. Even the price of the plan isn't really the issue either. It's the cap and the overage fee. Verizon thinks because it lowered the extremely insane price of $256 per GB to the plain insane price of $51 per GB they are doing us a favor. |
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wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY
·Verizon FIOS
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·RoadRunner Cable
·BroadVoice
| said by BF69 :said by wifi4milez :I have mentioned multiple times that these subsidized netbooks are a good deal for people that are already on the market for a new computer AND a data card, however this deal stinks. $250 for the netbook ($50 mail in rebate that comes 5 months later doesnt count) is awful. At least ATT is offering them for $99. I dont see this getting much traction until they lower the price. The price of the computer isn't the issue. Even the price of the plan isn't really the issue either. It's the cap and the overage fee. Verizon thinks because it lowered the extremely insane price of $256 per GB to the plain insane price of $51 per GB they are doing us a favor. I suspect the 5GB plan will be fine for the vast majority of users. Keep in mind that most people dont use anywhere near that amount of data on their home connections, and this is meant as secondary device.
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When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat.
-Ronald Reagan-
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Millenniumle
join:2007-11-11
Fredonia, NY | reply to dcdeadbeat
Re: the math just does not add up on this deal
That's an excellent point to remember. You can only use the service on this device. |
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iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO | reply to wifi4milez
Re: Pricing is very bad...
$12 per GB on the regular plan allotment is still insane. Cable companies would love to have that type of margin... |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| reply to wifi4milez
said by wifi4milez :said by BF69 :said by wifi4milez :I have mentioned multiple times that these subsidized netbooks are a good deal for people that are already on the market for a new computer AND a data card, however this deal stinks. $250 for the netbook ($50 mail in rebate that comes 5 months later doesnt count) is awful. At least ATT is offering them for $99. I dont see this getting much traction until they lower the price. The price of the computer isn't the issue. Even the price of the plan isn't really the issue either. It's the cap and the overage fee. Verizon thinks because it lowered the extremely insane price of $256 per GB to the plain insane price of $51 per GB they are doing us a favor. I suspect the 5GB plan will be fine for the vast majority of users. Keep in mind that most people dont use anywhere near that amount of data on their home connections, and this is meant as secondary device. bullshit. I'm not a "heavy" user and I can certianly use 5 GB in less than a week. That's not counting the other connections in the house.
vast majority? Yes people in the boonies who only have dial-up and are DESPERATE for broadband should be satisfied with 5 GB. Yeah ok. If you live in areas that have broadband you have no use for this. WHY would I use this? Why should I pay as much as I'm paying for 20 Mbps when I can use that connection for my laptop? And my cap is 250 GB. This deal is clearly only for those that don't have other access ot broadband but Verizon is too stupid to realize that. And you defend thier stupid marketing. Doesn't matter who it's meant for or what it's meant for you CAN NOT reasonably and logically justify 5 GB a month and $51 per GB overage. there is no defending that. |
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wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY
·Verizon FIOS
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·RoadRunner Cable
·BroadVoice
| said by BF69 :Doesn't matter who it's meant for or what it's meant for you CAN NOT reasonably and logically justify 5 GB a month and $51 per GB overage. there is no defending that. Take it easy, I never said nobody would go over that limit. Clearly the people who visit this site have far greater usage than "regular" people. However, there have been many studies that show 'most' people use less than 5GB per month. Those are the studies the cable co's and telco's use to justify their caps.
I am not arguing that 5GB is fair, I am just saying that as a secondary connection (which is what its meant for) its fine for the majority of people. Keep in mind that regardless of how you feel about caps, there is a legitimate reason they exist on today's wireless networks.
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When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat.
-Ronald Reagan-
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fenix_jn
join:2006-12-28
Miami, FL | reply to glinc
Re: hehe
Insurance is usually not offered for smartphones, I guess the same will apply for these netbooks. |
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ScottJr
join:2001-10-10
Charles Town, WV
·FrontierNet Intern..
| reply to BF69
Re: I don't get it.
AND this is not a $700 laptop. It is a netbook that really is only worth about $250. This is the other thing AT&T is banking on. How many people will think they are getting a full blown laptop for $200 (after rebate) and think they are walking away with a great deal? Then they get it and it is not so functional. I know folks on this site get it, but there are going to be a lot of suckers.
Buyer beware! |
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