News outlets, especially tech outlets, love hyperbole and talking about things getting more expensive. Let's look at how things are going in the mobile space and the market in general: LTE is here and coming to the most popular phone, iPhone in the next month or so. 3G coverage has spread beautifully to the point where losing signal is synonymous with losing 3G. It's great to see how the cell companies have spread their data to be available in more places at reasonable speed. One thing that isn't...
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Lately, I've been getting pretty steamed over the policies that Verizon, my current carrier, have been putting in place to milk more money out of their customers. The most recent changes include a $30 phone upgrade fee and getting rid of unlimited data plans which really rustled my jimmies. It's coming to the point where I'm seriously considering finding a cheaper option even though my contract is still well over a year before it ends. After reading an article by Android and Me, "7 reasons to...
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Would it be good deal for Apple to buy Sprint? I mean, Apple has $75 billion in cash and could get Sprint for about $12-15 Billion. Then Apple could offer unified data service for all their products. So if you have a MacBook, iPhone and/or iPad you could have just one plan. Who would jump carriers if you could have an unlimited data plan for all your devices for $50 to $100 a month. I figure if you pay full boat for the Apple devices then the service should be about $50 a month, $100 wold...
According to this Article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240529702034... it is revealed that Sprint has commited to purchasing a little over 30 million iPhones in the next few years. This translates to be about a $20 billion deal. Given that Sprint has not been a profitable company since 2006, they are literally mortgaging their future by betting the house! Sprint always had great wireless service/plans but in the past their customer...
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The folks over at Wired have gotten their hands on an interesting Department of Justice document from August 2010 called "Retention Periods of Major Cellular Service Providers" that details how long they hold onto your data: this includes subscriber info, cell and text message details, IP sessions, and so on. Wired has helpfully created some easy-to-read infographics to lay it all out: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/09/cellular-customer-data/ As a T-Mobile customer it concerns me that they...
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Do you have a sweet smartphone? Are you on Sprint and eyeing another carrier before your contract is up? Be prepared to pay a $350 early termination fee, starting September 9th. I realize the necessity for carriers to do this, considering how little they sell the phones for under contract. It still burns though! Via: http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/31/sprint-bumps-ea...
It would give them the type of control they seek and if they all went in Verizon and AT&Tmobile couldn't afford to refuse to sell their phones and tablets in retaliation.
As I'm sure you've heard by now T-Mobile USA is getting bought out by AT&T. According to the press release that means that T-Mobile is going away in about 1 year. Anybody who stays will become part of AT&T. So I ask are you going to switch to Verizon, Sprint or a regional; or stay with AT&T? Personalty I thing Verizon will be getting my money as soon as they come out with an LTE phone I like. Though the EVO 3D may tempt me mighty in the mean time.
Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T (rumored, not official yet) are making some pricing changes that look cost prohibitive to their customers or taking away some discount offers that they've offered for years to keep customers. Usually when these types of pricing changes go into affect for one carrier, the rest follow. It's like clockwork. Here are the details of AT&T's purported pricing changes:...
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On me, I have a Virgin Mobile Novatel Mifi 2200 (which piggy backs on Sprint's network) and my jailbroken iPhone 4 (obviously using AT&T's somewhat notorious service). I've been working via my laptop all morning and afternoon, and some things I've noticed: 1. Outside of the Bay Area, AT&T coverage is as good, if not better than Sprint. 2. Outside of the Bay Area, AT&T speeds are DAMN fast. I've stopped using the MiFi for my internet access because I was...
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Originally published in the gdgt newsletter, sign up at http://gdgt.com/newsletter/ It looks like sooner or later we're going to witness the end of unlimited wireless data plans here in the States. They had a good run, but all indications are that eventually all of the major US wireless carriers are going to follow AT&T's lead and institute data caps of some kind. I'm not sure anyone is super happy about this, most people like the idea of being able to surf the web, watch online...
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The rumor mill is saying that this could mean WP7 CDMA support is "right around the corner," at least for Sprint. http://wpcentral.com/cdma-htc-7-pro-clears-fcc-rel...
Anyone know if it's possible to basically buy this phone outright from Sprint and then sign up for some sort of pay as you go plan? I'm assuming this won't really work, and most pay as you go plans that I've seen really suck.
after arguing w/ them for the past week, i'm singing this news from the mountain top http://www.phonenews.com/sprint-to-increase-per-li... (disclaimer: i'm sure there will be people voicing their dissenting opinions on customer service and phone service. you're all welcome to your opinion. this post, however, is being directed to people who are dissatisfied with Sprint for whatever reason)
According to telegraph.co.uk T-Mobile USA's parent company Deutsche Telekom is eyeing Spring Nextel for a reported 10+ Billion dollars. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/me... Is this smart for america's cell phone market? Will magenta and yellow get along? Thoughts...
Sprint Just announced a new everything plan. The plan cost 70 dollars each month and gives you unlimited dat, sms, mms, and the kicker: unlimited calling to ANY phone, even phones on other carriers. This is a first for the industry. Will it draw new customers? I am on Verizon but may switch to sprint after this announcement. My girlfriend is on Verizon and therefore I could call her as much as I wold like with out overage charges if I was on Sprint. The only problem: she would get charged for...
With Sprint exclusively getting the Palm Pre and it now looking as if they will get the HTC Hero I think it would be a great idea for them to offer a plan that would allow you to switch phones mid-plan if a new Sprint exclusive phone comes out. This is a service I would be happy to pay an extra $600 - $700 a year extra for, maybe more. Even if this was limited to two or three times a year I would do it. Exchange my current exclusive phone for the newest one. Would this be something of interest...
Okay, so I currently have the good fortune of not having to pay for my own cellphone. I am on a Simply Everything Family plan so I really want a phone that makes good use of it. In September my phone will be at its 2year contract renewal, thus, I get a deep discount on a new phone. I have am currently using the Blackberry Curve and have come to really love the Blackberry OS. My question is this: Should I go with the Blackberry Tour, the Palm Pre, or hold out and see what kind of Android phone...
Last week, C.W. Nevius, a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, wrote an editorial on how to potentially curb smart-phone thieves. He argued that some carriers in foreign countries (e.g., Australia) will actually block mobile phones from their networks if reported stolen. (See: http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-12-03/bay-area/30473599_1_phone-companies-smart-phone-phone-thefts) From the SF Chronicle: Australia uses something akin to a serial number, basically a 15-digit fingerprint found on ...
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I have verizon now but I don't have a data plan, however i am paying 10 bucks a month for unlimited texting. My plan ends at the end of December and I want a smartphone. Being a college student I would love to save money and Verizon's unlimited data plan is 30 bucks a month and stops at 2GB (i hear rumors of 4GB now). However I was searching on the internet and found out that Sprint has great smartphones and their unlimited data plan is not just actually unlimited(no cutoff mark or slowing you...
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I recall in the Samsung Unpacked event, it was mentioned that the new Dialer app had tighter integration with Google Voice. It would be awesome if that integration was as a result of Verizon integrating with Google Voice as Sprint does. Any thoughts/ideas?
I'm hoping to move to a new carrier within the next few months, and I'm really considering Sprint. AT&T it automatically out for me, as 1. I don't trust AT&T coverage AT ALL. 2. AT&T generally isn't great in my area. Verizon is good, but some of their plans are a bit too expensive for my tastes. So I looked to Sprint. I want Windows Phone, and the only here is the Arrive. The Arrive isn't by definition old, it launches earlier this year, and has the usual specs for a Windows Phone...
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Is it growing pains due to the influx of new Sprint subscribers? Server issues? iPhone limitations? Deliberate on the part of Sprint? Can it be fixed and when? Currently getting 150-200 k down, which is significantly less than I was getting on my old AT&T 3GS.
So I waited to get an EVO last year until September bc I was hearing rumors about a sprint iPhone coming in December/ January but I was tired with my old phone so I pulled the trigger on the EVO. I wanted to upgrade to the 4s but I don't have an upgrade available until July 2012. Anyone been able to talk their way into an upgrade with sprint or should I cancel my line and open a new one so that I can get an iPhone? Thanks!
Given that they are now getting the iPhone, they have a good partnership with Android going, and they are the only carrier to still have unlimited data plans for their phones, will this entice more people to switch?
I would think the addition of the 3rd largest carrier in the US would be a bigger deal to announce than just an afterthought. It didn't even merit the Sprint logo on a slide! Is this because Apple simply didn't want to piss off the big 2?
Also, how is it like 8 hours after the event and still not even an iPhone mention on Sprint's site either?
I live in the Denver area and currently have service with Verizon. The coverage is decent but I've read that the touted 14mbps will only work on ATT's GSM network. Would you switch? I just found a few posts covering this question: http://9to5mac.com/2011/10/04/iphone-4s-will-be-faster-only-on-att-unlimited-on-sprint-but-maybe-not-interchangeable/ http://parislemon.com/post/11054327513/the-carrier-question I will probably end up going with Sprint to save some money each month. And it will be nice not...
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The only big feature with AT&T is the ability to have a call and do other tasks on the iPhone at the same time; will Sprint iPhones be able to do this?
I'm thinking of getting Sprint version iPhone 4S. I want to know if I can use it as hot spot, if yes will the phone has built in software or do I need to jailbreak it?
Currently I'm a member of my parents' AT&T Family Plan. I moved to the bay area a few months ago but it's cheaper for me to pay them for my share of the family plan than to start my own plan. However, the news that the iPhone 5/4S may be coming to Sprint got me thinking that I could open my own plan (with the added benefit of getting the new-contract price on a new iPhone 5), and potentially also take advantage of Sprint's unlimited data plans and 4G coverage (if the new iPhone supports it)....
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So I'm on Sprint currently, and they have announced that they're killing unlimited data use through their hotspot add-on plan, which I use. It's a major bummer, because I specifically opted for that option as it would let me use data freely without worrying about the 5gb cap that other carriers and other plans have. (I don't go crazy with it, but I do go over 5gb often) And now I'm right back where I started, with a cap. They won't even be grandfathering in users like myself who signed a...
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I have the European GSM HTC Touch Pro2. Understandably, I need(ed) my phone to be instantly available to me, rather than in some fancy-but-arduous case inside my pocket. So, the phone has gained some rather heavy (scuffs on plastic mostly) cosmetic damage. I would like to change the housing (y'know, the casing/shell (not some external one. the actual housing)). like changing the case of your computer) for this phone (despite it no longer being my primary phone), but the best seller I have come...
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