Verizon CEO Laughs Off Wireless Price War'We think our customers are going to look for a little more than just price' ( old news - 06:28PM Tuesday Feb 26 2008) tags: prices · business · wireless · telco · Verizon Wireless BroadbandMany news outlets got very excited about Verizon's (and subsequently AT&T and T-Mobile's) decision to offer unlimited wireless calling for $100 and up, insisting that the move would result in a wireless industry price-war. That's not happening, according to Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg. The CEO told investors at the Merrill Lynch Communication Services Forum this morning that the industry giant isn't all that into this whole "competing on price" thing: "I don't think we have to chase price. We don't have to and we never have. We think our customers are going to look for a little more than just price," said Seidenberg, noting that his company's superior wireless network will allow Verizon to not lower its rates should another carrier undercut them in price. "Until someone does something that proves that what we've done doesn't work, why would we do anything different? Once again, we were the first." Technically they were responding to news that Sprint was planning an unlimited tier of their own, but hey -- whatever. We weren't particularly impressed with Verizon's pricing for the tiers, which only really saves a user money if they're an epic conversationalist and pushing in excess of 2,000 minutes monthly. Most of the bubbly media enthusiasm over Verizon's move falled to mention their new tiers and data plans are jam packed with data overages.
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- Verizon To Double Smartphone ETFs?
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Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ
clubs:
| Re: Verizon never competed on price Granted, what everyone fails to mention is that the providers generally sign roaming contracts with one another, so that sprint phone may have actually worked on Verizon's network if your friend did a PRL update (if ever).
As it stands right now, I can force-roam my 30/month Sprint SERO phone on Verizon and use the same "gold-standard" network (which honestly is underwhelming for me) and EvDo 3G data, for cheaper.
The FCC is going to change the laws regarding what information if any the carriers are forced to report on what specifically the PRLs contain, as well as street-level signal quality data that fits industry-wide specification. We're talking street level SNR data instead of worthless three-gradation (excellent good poor) maps. As soon as we get that, we can stop having anecdotal "my network is better than yours because of X" arguments and really sit down and figure out who is better where. Nobody is best everywhere, and the sooner that's public domain information, the better. As far as I'm concerned, anecdotal evidence is pointless, it's why I did my own site-survey in the areas I care about (work, home, frequent places) by flashing the PRLs of all the CDMA carriers on my old XV6700 HTC Apache (while using my HTC Mogul as my live phone). It's a sad state when the customer has to do this to get the nitty gritty on what "best," "great," and "good," mean on the provider signal-map.
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GOLFnSUN
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ | Re: Verizon never competed on price Wasn't there a thread a while ago where carriers(and I don't know if Sprint does this) were dropping users who roamed too much? | |
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Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ
clubs:
| Re: Verizon never competed on price There was one rather heinous example where Sprint was dropping some people who were roaming overseas too much (they were soldiers if memory serves me), but I'm not concerned in the least.
At the very least, Sprint doesn't have transparent bitcaps on data usage like Verizon does. I tether my phone every day to whatever I want, I've done way more traffic than should be humanly possible over my HTC Mogul. 
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"Some people never see the light till it shines thru bullet holes." -Bruce Cockburn
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| | | | RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
 ·AT&T Midwest
| You'll see that in just about every contract. Use more than "most" of your minutes outside your home market and they can (1) terminate the account, (2) charge per-minute/kilobyte fees and/or (3) switch you to a more expensive plan.
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jgkolt
Premium
join:2004-02-21
Lakewood, OH
clubs:
| it all depends on your area. usually verizon was pretty good but then i switched to t mobile since i couldnt get any coverage at my new place and tmobile was the only one. so it all depends on your area.
now verizon did copy sprint and offer the plan setting a price used before for unlimited. Att copied then tmobile. They have higher margins on data so they upped the overage charges and they compensate and make a killing.
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| | jammmin
join:2000-12-14
Upper Marlboro, MD
| said by GOLFnSUN  :Their ace in the hole as far as I am concerned is their network coverage. Living in the Mid-Atlantic region, their network coverage was always way better than AT&T(nee Cingular), Sprint, and T-Mobile. I initially tried AT&T, and their coverage in the areas I frequented was horrible. A friend had Sprint and complained constantly. And my sister and her family had T-Mobile(my nephew worked for them) and they constantly were dropping calls. So, when the time came, Verizon was the only reasonable choice. A cheap plan is worthless if the calls are being dropped. I echo those sentiments | |
| | itguy05
join:2005-06-17
Camp Hill, PA
| quote:
Their ace in the hole as far as I am concerned is their network coverage. Living in the Mid-Atlantic region, their network coverage was always way better than AT&T(nee Cingular), Sprint, and T-Mobile.
I live in the same region (PA) and visit N. NJ quite often. AT&T's network is superior to Verizon's. I know - I have both - AT&T personally and Verizon for work. AT&T has better call quality and drops less often than Verizon.... Try holding a call on the PA turnpike from Harrisburg to Philly on Verizon. You WILL drop at least once, usually twice. On AT&T I can yap the whole way...
Verizon does have great marketing though - say your the best long enough and people will blindly believe you. | |
| | | rgillis70
Premium
join:2002-12-30
Herndon, VA | Re: Verizon never competed on price sans the tunnel of course...  | |
| 
PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium
join:2005-01-03 | The war IS on As I've said before, the wireless price war IS on. The wireless companies are fighting to see just how high they can raise their prices and still keep customers. So far, nobody is winning. | |
| | nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD
 ·Comcast
1 edit | Re: The war IS on said by PolarBear :As I've said before, the wireless price war IS on. The wireless companies are fighting to see just how high they can raise their prices and still keep customers. So far, nobody is winning. no truer words were ever spoken.
after my 2yr contract ran out about 6 months ago, I considered getting another contract but with a less expensive plan. I figured in 2 yrs prices must be cheaper, right? Nope. I could either get less minutes and pay about the same, some carriers a little higher; or same minutes (approx.) for a higher price.
cell service HAS NOT gotten cheaper over the last 2.5 yrs.
the company has a good retention policy: the second my contract ran out, I got a 15% discount on what I was paying.
forgot to mention: text plans also went up in price over that period. | |
| | | jebba2005
join:2005-01-13
Portland, ME
·Great Works Internet
·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: The war IS on My bill has dropped $10 every 2 years for the last 6 as my plan has improved. Dropped from 50 to 40 switching from US Cellular to ATT, gained rollover and free mobile to mobile. Dropped from 40 to 30 switching to Sprint, gained unlimited text and data. All the plans had almost exactly the same base minutes with nights and weekends. | |
| | lefty1
join:2002-10-25
Clay, NY
1 edit | said by PolarBear :As I've said before, the wireless price war IS on. The price war is not on. Customers are ignoring the new price plans in droves. According to some friends I have in the business, they just get an occasional call from someone wanting to know if they can add additional lines to an unlimited calling plan for 9.99 a month. And when they find it don't work that way, they hang up.
The wireless companies are fighting to see just how high they can raise their prices and still keep customers. So far, nobody is winning. Well, there are no non-profit cell-phone carriers that I know of, if that's what you mean. But all of the major carriers are losers. Their service is one thing; it works for you or it doesn't. But all of their customer service is based on horribly unrealistic concepts of what constitutes customer service, so the best you can hope for is that you get a good, knowledgeable rep when you call. And the way they pay and treat their employees, that's a real crap-shoot. Customer service is all about being polite and meeting your metrics. Whether or not the customer is helped is a non-factor. Just apologize to the customer and be polite while you dump them on another department that can't help them either. Where they get transferred to doesn't matter, as long as you are polite and get them off the phone in x-number of seconds. | |
| | | rahvin112
join:2002-05-24
Sandy, UT
| Re: The "war" is already over Sprint is going to have to lower prices to stop churn and increase their customers many of whom are disaffected by previous experiences. If it doesn't trigger a price war it's going to hurt subscriber numbers at all the other providers. My guess is V and ATT will resist price changes for a month or two after sprint drops prices but will eventually have to lower them as well to stop the loss of subscribers.
The cellular market is highly competitive and highly profitable, a ripe market for price wars. So far all the national providers have been complicit in raising prices because they have all been gaining subscribers until recently. Now that one of the top 3 (Sprint) is starting to hurt that will change, especially given that the total number of national subscribers is not growing at the rate it was and the only way to sustain growth is to steal subscribers from the other providers. Those conditions are what is required to start a price war, so V can deny it all they want but once it starts they will participate or their stock will drop more than it will because of the price war. | |
| | | 
OSUGoose
join:2007-12-27
Columbus, OH
clubs: | Re: The "war" is already over Lower to keep? no. They still get that couple hundredhow dare you leave us fee when u break contract.
Attrack new customers? Yes but for some so unhappy with their old provider, anything resembeling them being better will snag them. | |
| SilverSurfer
join:2007-08-19
| Same Shit Different Name From what I've seen, there isn't any single wireless carrier standing out from the herd. In terms of price/quality, they're all the same. Maybe you save pennies here and there, but essentially, you pay for clones whose service varies depending on how much you bitch. | |
| | | lvlorpheus
join:2008-02-17
Eureka Springs, AR | Re: Sprint may have them all beat... I called, and they told me it was just select areas. Needless to say my area or state for that matter is not 1 of them. | |
| 
ninjatutle
Premium
join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA
1 edit | Crazy Ivan He's trying to sink the whole ship  | |
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OSUGoose
join:2007-12-27
Columbus, OH
clubs: | Re: Crazy Ivan Not sink, Verizon was allways know as the BMV of wireless services while sprent was the Geo metro (to steal a line out of comcast's book). | |
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tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Saint Clair Shores, MI
1 edit | Re: Crazy Ivan said by OSUGoose :Not sink, Verizon was allways know as the BMV of wireless services while sprent was the Geo metro (to steal a line out of comcast's book). Last time I looked at consumer reports.. BMW's didn't fare too well. Maybe you should try another car?  | |
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ninjatutle
Premium
join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| said by OSUGoose :Not sink, Verizon was allways know as the BMV of wireless services while sprent was the Geo metro (to steal a line out of comcast's book). Is thire somathing wrung weth yoar KB? | |
| 
Seven1
join:2002-07-24
Lexington, KY
·Insight Communicat..
| CellularOne This whole unlimited thing isn't entirely new. Over a year ago I got my ex-girlfriend a phone through CellOne that was on a plan where any calls made from a tower in this state were unlimited, for $50 per month. When you think about it, for the majority of us, how often do you leave your home state? Also, I distinctly remember seeing another plan they had like it for nationwide unlimited and it was $100 per month. It really was put to the test with her too. I recall one bill that showed she used over 7000 minutes, and they never said a thing. And the times that we left the state, we simply set her phone to forward calls to mine, which cost nothing extra. Oh, forgot to mention, no charges for roaming either (although, you never see that anymore anyway), and they seem to have really great coverage in this state. | |
| | Doug135
join:2008-01-12
Laredo, TX
clubs:
·AT&T Southwest
| Re: CellularOne Seven1 ]When you think about it, for the majority of us, how often do you leave your home state?That's true, just about most major carries offer free roaming, or i read my TOS wrong. I currently have the AT&T family plan with 700 minutes, i've got three lines and rarely use over 500 mins and that's we call a ton of people a lot. right now, i have unlimited text and net for all three lines. also, i have my land line, internet, and of course my cell phones with AT&T and its all 250 a month. i'd rather pay that then pay that same amount for three cell lines that don't include unlimited texting or net. | |
| rfreese
join:2007-05-29
Tallahassee, FL
·Embarq
| Including unlimited text I only heard today that T-mobile had joined the fray. Their $99 unlimited plan inludes text and picture messaging, I think that beats the other two? Text is where the mobile bill can get out of hand.
Not that I can afford a hundred dollar cell bill! I'm staying with my cheapie 300 minutes with TMO because with the extra 500 minutes for call forward conditional that they give you but don't advertise, I can get by for $37 a month. | |
| DarnellP
join:2004-10-12
Las Vegas, NV
| Rumor There's a persistent rumor that Sprint is planning to undercut VZW and AT&T by $30 and offer unlimited for $69.99. Supposedly it will be announced the week of 3/9/08.
I imagine due to recent customer losses Sprint has to try and be radical. Their brand name is so tarnished, some of it deservedly so and some it not, that they do have to compete on price. If this price plan does come to fruition and they market it heavily and get some desirable handsets, it could be a home run for them. | |
| | 
cork1958
Cork
join:2000-02-26
Fruitport, MI
·Verizon Online DSL
·Charter Pipeline
| whoever thought Who ever thought this would result in a price war is obviously more clueless than possibly imaginable.
Actually,
It could be considered a price war. A war to see how many idiots are willing to pay $100 a month for a phone!! Ridiculous!!
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| questionable
join:2005-10-18
Phoenix, AZ
·Qwest.net
| Verizon Here is the problem that verizon has done IMHO. They made IN calling and then made unlimited...
I look at my records and bill I pay about 130 a month for 1400 min for 2 phones plus unlimited text on both and VZ Navigation(True GPS) on one
I look at my mins and noticed that in calling Min are close to 1900(combined day and night/weekends) while my billable mins are only 600. I got rid of my landline. So i raised my mins just in case situations. | |
| 
kool371
@rr.com
| There is a cell company that beats most plans Although I like verizon for their coverage I will never switch to the unlimited plan unless the really lower the price. I am on a family plan with my brother he is the account holder and we have the 700 min plan that runs us around $80 or so and we split the bill so I pay about $40 and get 350 mins. I did once use more than 350 but I am usually able to stay below as most calls are to other verizon phones or placed at night.
There is a cell company out there that offers a unlimited package for everything but I think there is a charge for roaming at like 39cents but most plans include a set amount of mins for roaming. The company is Cricket they started up last year. Plans range $35-60 and there is no contract involved. if I was not on a family plan I probably would have switched from verizon to cricket. The reason being I use to have a verizon inpulse plan and now I see they have jacked those fees up for what I had I was paying a dollar a day for access with free nights. but now they have jacked up the price.
Verizon pre pay plans are now
INpulse Core:
Daily Access
(only on days used) 99¢
Unlimited Calling
(mobile to mobile) Unlimited
Night Minutes
(9:01 pm - 5:59 am) 10¢
Per-Minute Rate
(for all other calls 6:00am - 9:00pm) 10¢
Text Messaging
Per message sent/received 10¢
INpulse Plus:
Daily Access
(only on days used) $1.99
Unlimited Calling
(mobile to mobile) Unlimited
Night Minutes
(9:01 pm - 5:59 am) Unlimited
Per-Minute Rate
(for all other calls 6:00am - 9:00pm) 5¢
Text Messaging
Per message sent/received 5¢
InPulse Power:
Daily Access
(only on days used) $2.99
Unlimited Calling
(mobile to mobile) Unlimited
Night Minutes
(9:01 pm - 5:59 am) Unlimited
Per-Minute Rate
(for all other calls 6:00am - 9:00pm) 2¢
Text Messaging
Per message sent/received 2¢
I cant remember but I think I was paying 5cents per min for non in calling. if I still had the pre pay plan and they changed it on me so I no longer had free nights when I first did for 99 cents I would switch to cricket with no 2nd thoughts. as I would be dumb not to b/c if I am gona pay $2 a day just for unlimited in calling and free nights at about $50 a month not including the extra for the minutes during the day and any texts I send or get or ringtones ect. with cricket you cant get a lot more for $60 or less.
One of the better looking cricket plans is
Cricket Connect
With the Cricket Connect $50 plan, you can use your phone everyday, anytime and your monthly bill will always be predictable.
The Cricket Connect $50.00 Plan includes:
UNLIMITED: anytime minutes
UNLIMITED: US long distance (excluding Alaska)
UNLIMITED: coverage in all Cricket calling areas
UNLIMITED: 411 directory assistance
UNLIMITED: mobile web access
FREE text & picture messaging | |
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kool371
@rr.com
| There is a cell company that beats most VZ plans Although I like verizon for their coverage I will never switch to the umlimteed plan unnless the realy lower the price. I am on a family plan with my brother he is the account holder and we have the 700 min plan that runs us around $80 or so and we split the bill so I pay about $40 and get 350 mins. I did once use more than 350 but I am usualy able to stay below as most calls are to other verizon phones or placed at night.
Tjere is a cell company out there that offers a unlimted package for everything but I think there is a charge for roaming at like 39cents but most plans include a set amount of mins for roaming. The company is Cricket they started up last year. Plans range $35-60 and there is no contract involved. if I was not on a family plan I probly wouldf have switched from verizon to cricket. The reason being I use to have a verizon inpuls plan and now I see they have jacked those fees up for what I had I was paying a dollar a day for access with free nights. but now they have jacked up the price.
Verizon pre pay plans are now
INpulse Core:
Daily Access
(only on days used) 99¢
Unlimited Calling
(mobile to mobile) Unlimited
Night Minutes
(9:01 pm - 5:59 am) 10¢
Per-Minute Rate
(for all other calls 6:00am - 9:00pm) 10¢
Text Messaging
Per message sent/received 10¢
INpulse Plus:
Daily Access
(only on days used) $1.99
Unlimited Calling
(mobile to mobile) Unlimited
Night Minutes
(9:01 pm - 5:59 am) Unlimited
Per-Minute Rate
(for all other calls 6:00am - 9:00pm) 5¢
Text Messaging
Per message sent/received 5¢
InPulse Power:
Daily Access
(only on days used) $2.99
Unlimited Calling
(mobile to mobile) Unlimited
Night Minutes
(9:01 pm - 5:59 am) Unlimited
Per-Minute Rate
(for all other calls 6:00am - 9:00pm) 2¢
Text Messaging
Per message sent/received 2¢
I cant remember but I think I was paying 5cents per min for non in calling. if I still had the pre pay plan and they changed it on me so I no longer had free nights when I first did for 99 cents I would switch to cricket with no 2nd thoughts. as I would be dumb not to b/c if I am gona pay $2 a day just for unlimted in calling and free nights at about $50 a month not including the extra for the minutes during the day and any texts I send or get or ringtones ect. with cricket you cant get a lot more for $60 or less.
One of the better looking cricket plans is
Cricket Connect
With the Cricket Connect $50 plan, you can use your phone everyday, anytime and your monthly bill will always be predictable.
The Cricket Connect $50.00 Plan includes:
UNLIMITED: anytime minutes
UNLIMITED: US long distance (excluding Alaska)
UNLIMITED: coverage in all Cricket calling areas
UNLIMITED: 411 directory assistance
UNLIMITED: mobile web access
FREE text & picture messaging | |
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kool371
@rr.com | sry for postng twice sorry about posting twice I posted the 1st one about 2hrs ago and kept checking and it still had not appeared so I reposted and then the both were there. | |
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Verizon never competed on price
·
They have you by the calls.
Yes your wireless service provider has you by the calls. I was forced to drop a 2000 Minute plan from Sprint and switch to a 700 Minute plan from Verizon when I moved. Sprint did not provide a signal at my new home. I now pay more for less features and fewer minutes. The pricing to compare with when looking at the value of a flat rate service is Metro PCS. For $35.00 per month you get unlimited voice service. A package loaded with features costs $50.00 per month. The only disadvantage with Metro PCS is the cost for off network roaming, which is listed at $0.49 to $0.79 per minute. See I told you they have you by the calls.