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insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN | Why? Why would anyone still be using an analog phone? | |
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Jim Gurd
Premium
join:2000-07-08
Plymouth, MI
 ·Comcast
| Re: Why? said by Boomerang86  :Very few of them have monthly billing; most are OnStar customers or use a credit card for the occasional emergency call. I believe GM contracts exclusively with Verizon to provide service to On Star subscribers so this shouldn't affect them at all. Verizon and Cingular have roaming agreements in place and I doubt this will affect them either because the rates and terms are already set in the contract.
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Correlation does not imply causation. | |
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LinuxJunkie
join:2005-01-19
Cyberspace
| Use a credit card for the occasional emergency call? Heh... sorry, don't mean to crack on you, but the last thing I'd want to have to do when trying to dial 911 is pull out my credit card and enter in the 16 digits along with the expiration date before my call even goes through. | |
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sivran
Long Live The Suite
Premium
join:2003-09-15
Arlington, TX
clubs: | Re: Why? I don't think that's the kind of "emergency call" he meant. | |
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morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000
clubs: | Re: Why? you may want to look into one of those cell antennas that people in the country and on the side of mountains use. sorry, i don't have a link handy.
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no sig | |
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EvelKub
Kitty is crazy
Premium
join:2002-03-17
Phoenix, AZ | Re: Why? »www.wi-ex.com/
These are sold at Fry's, CompUSA, among other places. | |
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R4M0N
Brazilian Soccer Ownz Joo
join:2000-10-04
Glen Allen, VA
·Comcast
| Re: Why? said by TKJunkMail :said by insomniac84 :Why would anyone still be using an analog phone? Good point. Cingular is just taking the steps necessary to phase out old systems and equipment. And they are doing it over several years until early 2008. Some users will just not upgrade unless incented to do so. I have no problem with them wanting to migrate customers, but I think a carrot is better than a stick when you're trying to KEEP those customers.
How about a non-crappy selection of phones that can be swaped for free? They did that once but the phones were't worth the drive to pick them up. That's why we chose to keep the older phone. | |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| Re: Why? said by nixen :If they want to "incent", they should offer a basic phone. I gotta think that a free phone is more cost effective than completely giving up a subscriber. Usually, but not always. Some customers generate so little revenue, that billing and customer service costs exceed the income derived. They may not mind those customers departing to a competitor.
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Join Red Room Forum
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nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA
·Cox HSI
 ·Speakeasy
| Re: Why? said by TKJunkMail :said by nixen :If they want to "incent", they should offer a basic phone. I gotta think that a free phone is more cost effective than completely giving up a subscriber. Usually, but not always. Some customers generate so little revenue, that billing and customer service costs exceed the income derived. They may not mind those customers departing to a competitor. True. You also have to factor in, "how attractive is a company with 16Mn subscribers versus one with 10Mn subscribers" to potential partner program partners, investors, etc.
If they've got their cell plans structured such that a customer using 0 minutes per month is costing them money, then they've got bigger problems than legacy technology.
Lastly, if the 15%:3% posted in another subthread is accurate, the TDMA users are actually providing a small subsidy to Cingular's bottom line.
-tom
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"Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the government's purposes are beneficial. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well meaning but without understanding." -Louis D Brandeis | |
| | | | travelguy
join:1999-09-03
Santa Fe, NM
| said by TKJunkMail :Usually, but not always. Some customers generate so little revenue, that billing and customer service costs exceed the income derived. They may not mind those customers departing to a competitor. Right. What you have to understand is that the cellcos are rated by Wall Street based on their ARPU - Average revenue per unit (subscriber). By dumping subscribers who are pulling their ARPU down, the cellcos get rewarded by Wall Street, even though they have less customers to cover the fixed costs, which is the majority of their business. | |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
·Cox HSI
·AT&T Southwest
| said by TKJunkMail :Some users will just not upgrade unless incented to do so. Well I learned something today  I too thought the meaning of the word "incentive" implied a positive or encouragement to carry out some task. Apparently that's not the case, "incentive" is actually neutral, as is, it can be a positive (the carrot) OR a negative (the big stick) to carry out a task.
So saying Cingular punishes their customers as an incentive to upgrade is actually a correct use of the word, incentive.
But I digress.... I feel they would be better off offering upgrade bonuses before bringing the Punishment out. That just makes customers angry and when they DO upgrade, they will most likely pick a competitor FIRST.
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) | |
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footballdude
Premium
join:2002-08-13
Imperial, MO
| said by insomniac84 :Why would anyone still be using an analog phone? Because when I got a cell phone I took the free phone they offered me instead of paying for a better one. I've been too lazy to go back and upgrade.
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What's certain about Darwinism is that it would take less time for (1) a single-celled organism to evolve into a human being through mutation and natural selection than for (2) Darwinists to admit they have no proof of (1) - Ann Coulter | |
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MeanPeepsSuk
Premium
join:2004-11-21
Muddy Field
clubs:
1 edit | Back in '97, the corporation I worked for got in a deal with AT&T Business Services that provided employees of this company a sign up deal, 'for life' (..cough.. cough.. ). If we signed up, we got our phones for $14.95 monthly. But, you can't break the contract or the 'life' deal is over.
Mind you, since then.. the contract has gone from AT&T business services, to AT&T wireless division to AT&T wireless, now to Cingular (and I guess back to AT&T Wireless soon).. Moving my account along the way.
I broke my phone last year (3rd time since) and to get a new phone, I'd have to go on a GSM phone since "they no longer provide /those/ phones". Which, would end the contract since it was, according to them, a new contract on a new service.
I said, 'F that'.. and got a new TDMA on Ebay and put it on.
Sign me... Waiting for the shoe to fall and checking my mailbox daily.
P.S. TDMA is not analog (it's "Time Division Multiple Access") and works great at least for me. | |
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tnroroc
Let's Rock
join:2001-04-25
Matawan, NJ
| It's also TDMA phones. This advertising is also misleading. I currently have an old TDMA family plan with 2 phones on it with 45 minutes a month for $30 a month. In the 6 years we have had this plan, we hav gone over the 45 minutes probably half a dozen times. We really only use the phones for emergencies.
To upgrade, I will need a newer phones, which could be free, but the minimun family service plan is $59 a month.
So in order to upgrade, we are doubling our monthly cost.
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rok - Enjoy this game called life, nobody is actually keeping score.  | |
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Jerm
join:2000-04-10
Richland, WA | Just FYI... $30/month is super expensive for 2 phones and only 45 minutes a month. You can save even more if you went with prepaid cellular - for people using as few of minutes as you do. | |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
·Cox HSI
·AT&T Southwest
| Re: Just FYI... said by Jerm :$30/month is super expensive for 2 phones and only 45 minutes a month. You can save even more if you went with prepaid cellular - for people using as few of minutes as you do. Depends. I haven't found a true use prepaid system yet. I've looked at a few. The catch I have found with every pre-paid program I have checked into is that your pre-purchased minutes expire on you if you don't use all of them in a certain time period (usually a month), and that you have to use a certain minimum required amount of dollars spent on minutes per time period. In other words, it's not only not so cheap, it can be the biggest ripoff of all.... (Pay for something, never use it, never get it.)
Pre-paid wireless has been a revenue growth sector for awhile now. Many prepaid programs, while avoiding a monthly contract or fixed payment, are actually more profitable over all for the company then ppl with fixed minute plans and heavier usage.
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) | |
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cdru
Go Colts
Premium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
| Re: Just FYI... said by KrK :said by Jerm :$30/month is super expensive for 2 phones and only 45 minutes a month. You can save even more if you went with prepaid cellular - for people using as few of minutes as you do. Depends. I haven't found a true use prepaid system yet. I've looked at a few. The catch I have found with every pre-paid program I have checked into is that your pre-purchased minutes expire on you if you don't use all of them in a certain time period (usually a month), and that you have to use a certain minimum required amount of dollars spent on minutes per time period. You aren't going to find a true prepaid phone system. That phone number your phone gets associated with isn't free. If you only use it in an emergency, you might never use your purchased minutes yet the cellular provider must maintain all the equipment and your account like you were using it constantly. But there are options that would probably suit you fine...
T-Mobile for instance has prepaid cards 30 minutes for $10, 130 minutes for $25, 400 for $50, and 1000 for $100. The minutes don't expire for 30, 90, 90, or 365 days respectively. You are paying $15/line/month for each of your phones. With the $25 plan, you will be paying 8.33/month. Once you reach $100 in any combinations for total purchases per phone, your minutes don't expire for a year after your last purchase, so as long as you add $10 worth of minutes once a year, you are set. Plus you get a 15% bonus on minutes you buy.
In other words, it's not only not so cheap, it can be the biggest ripoff of all.... (Pay for something, never use it, never get it.) Do your 45 minutes roll over from month to month under your $30 plan? Chances are they don't, so it's not that much different.
Pre-paid wireless has been a revenue growth sector for awhile now. Many prepaid programs, while avoiding a monthly contract or fixed payment, are actually more profitable over all for the company then ppl with fixed minute plans and heavier usage. Of course it is, but it works well for those that don't want a contract or don't want to be locked into a contract. My wife has a prepaid phone and uses it mainly for emergencies or quick phone calls to check something, not as a primary form of communication. She might use a hours worth of minutes a month. Buying a $25 every 2 months is cheaper then any cell phone plan I've seen.
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Quis custodiet custodes ipsos? | |
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LilYoda
Feline with squirel personality disorder
Premium
join:2004-09-02
Mountains | T-mobile to go.
Pay $100, you get 1000 minutes, valid for a year | |
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shortckt
Watchen Das Blinken Lights
Premium
join:2000-12-05
Tenant Hell
| said by KrK :Depends. I haven't found a true use prepaid system yet. I've looked at a few. The catch I have found with every pre-paid program I have checked into is that your pre-purchased minutes expire on you if you don't use all of them in a certain time period (usually a month), and that you have to use a certain minimum required amount of dollars spent on minutes per time period. In other words, it's not only not so cheap, it can be the biggest ripoff of all.... (Pay for something, never use it, never get it.) Pre-paid wireless has been a revenue growth sector for awhile now. Many prepaid programs, while avoiding a monthly contract or fixed payment, are actually more profitable over all for the company then ppl with fixed minute plans and heavier usage. I'm on Verizon's prepay and the unused minutes roll over forever as long as I buy more minutes before existing minutes expire. For ex. $15 (the minimum) expires in 30 days, for $30~75 expires in 60 days and I think $100 or over expires in 90 days. Purchases over $15 also have free extra minutes. Nights & weekends are discounted, 1/2 price or something.
The way I see it, at $15/mo that's half what the cheapest Verizon contract would cost me, and I use so few minutes I constantly have a rollover balance of $30~50 on the account. With a contract, the unused minutes would be discarded at the end of the month, and the minimum monthly cost would be double what I pay now. | |
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flybob
@ameritech.net | My mom is a "just want to have one around" user. So I got Virgin Mobile service for her. Yes, you have to keep buying minutes, but the minimum is $20 per THREE months, so only $6.67 per month. And the phone costs as little as $30. | |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
·Cox HSI
·AT&T Southwest
| Re: Why? said by tnroroc :To upgrade, I will need a newer phones, which could be free, but the minimun family service plan is $59 a month. So in order to upgrade, we are doubling our monthly cost. Which really is the point. Pay more. Or if you refuse to pay more... Pay more anyway, with a new penalty.
And that's what it's really all about.
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"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) | |
| | dgoner
Premium
join:2002-03-08
Bourbonnais, IL
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| Don't tell them that.... I went round and round with Cingular about getting new phones yet keeping my family package we had with our old TDMA phones. They insisted their prices have not increased because they now give you MORE minutes. This means absolutely nothing since we have over 4,000 unused roll over minutes for the year so far... The sad part is after shopping around all the providers are doing this with packages for family plans starting at $60 per month and up not including the b.s. fees. The only other option is the pay as you go rip off plans that rape you when you do decide to use the phone. We're thinking of just cancelling the things outright and going back to the stone age. You can keep an old phone in the car for 911 use as they must route that through even if you don't have service. Having worked for a telecommunications equipment manufacturer that supplied these bozo's with their equipment to set up their cell towers I can tell you for a fact they are paying far less in infrastructure cost to set up a new tower today than they did back in the early to mid 90's yet the pricing is going up... | |
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cobra2225
join:2006-01-24
Maceo, KY
| and don't forget another 2 yr.contract,you'd be better off in the long run to pay for a new phone like at walmart,switch
your sims card to the new phone, then you stay on the same plan.i just bought 2 new phones put them sims cards in them
did not have to contact cingular phone works perfect and my bill stays the same. | |
| my2ndhandle
join:2006-07-24
Chattanooga, TN | Because of people like my mom. Some people need a BASIC phone. A big phone with just numbers, # and * keys, and power / send button. | |
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insomniac
Oh Yeah
Premium
join:2002-09-22
Naperville, IL
clubs: | Re: Why? You mean, like one of these with no keypad?
»www.fireflymobile.com/phone/
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If everything seems to be going well, you've obviously overlooked something. | |
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Rob
In Deo speramus, God Bless the USA
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL | My boss bought a $148k dollar car (Mercedes) and it has a phone hookup inside the car that ONLY works with the Motorola V60. | |
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