Smartphone talk

[sjduffers]

You don't get service on that phone that you kept after the 2 years by any chance, right? In effect, you are not upgrading, you are starting over with a new phone (perhaps porting an old phone number to a new phone), on a new plan and have on top of it an installment payment plan for the new hardware. Is the new plan more expensive than the old plan (more features, minutes, etc... limited vs unlimited)? I would inquire to your carrier as to why the new plan is more expensive than the old one. It does not seem right, indeed.

[legitimatebeef]

Are you saying you turned in a phone for which the contract was up (more than 2 years) on which you were paying $100 month and replaced it with a new one and now you are paying $120 a month for the next 2 years, and not just for one month (eg upgrade fee)?

Kinda, yes. I didn't "turn in" any phone, I kept the phone we bought over 2 years ago. But we got a new phone under this new plan scheme and now our monthly payment is the same plus the $20 hardware charge on top for the next 24 months.

And regarding setup fees - I had to pay full sales tax on this new phone on day of delivery (about ~48 bucks) plus the added "upgrade charges" etc will roll into my next month's payment which will total be about $170.

SO -- to me I'm getting nothing more but paying higher cost.

Do you remember if you paid anything up front for the old phone? I think that's how they used to do it--pay a couple hundred up front and the rest gets spread over your monthly bill for the length of the 2 yrs or whatever. (They'd make you think you were paying a "discount" price ). Whereas these days they seem to take no down payment on the fone itself, making the mortgage payment if you will come out a little higher. Maybe? The "upgrade charge" sounds like BS. Is that like an "activation fee"?

[jfurr]

Yeah guys, here's the whole thing. I know that in the "old way" when I paid whatever for the iPhone that the rest of the charges were hidden in the monthly access charges.

So that's why now when I payed full price for the new phone that my question is why is the monthly access charge for service the same? Shouldn't it be reduced since I'm no longer paying the device charge *hidden in the monthly service fees*?

Old way (rounded/simple numbers for clarification):
phone discount price $50
Monthly charges $100 for plan
x 24 mos = $2450

New way:
0 down + $20 "upgrade fee"
monthly charges $100+20 = $120 for plan + payment on device
x 24 mos = $2900

$450 more. I'm fucking tired of talking about it

[Duke of Hazards]

I don't know, man. But since everyone is virtually dependent on a smartphone these days, two things have happened.

Devices are getting more powerful and more expensive ($700-$850 is not uncommon for top tier new devices) and the plans include more (higher data amounts, unlimited texting, etc).

People are more willing to pay a higher percentage of their disposable income on their smartphones than in 2010 because we simply use them and depend on them more. The market's moved with it. That's my take.

[jasonfish11]

But since everyone is virtually dependent on a smartphone these days...

I told my wife that next time we upgrade I'm going to a dumb phone. I'm kind of tired of always having the internet at my fingers. I find it more of a frustration than a benefit.

Also outside of my smart phone I have plenty of access to the internet. So I dont really need it when laying in bed before I go to sleep.

[jfurr]

Does anyone understand what my argument is here? It isn't about the cost of the phone.

If I had been paying a high price for my plan before, because it included a padding to offset the "discount" I got on the device – then, why now that I am paying for the device separately us my exact same plan cost the same?

[legitimatebeef]

Jfurr, are you with Verizon? They charge a lot those fuckers.

[sjduffers]

I think I expressed clearly that I understand what you are saying after clarifying your situation (although there is at least one question you didn't answer) and I told you to take your concern to your carrier: you do have a point, but asking for its rectification here is not going to do anything whereas talking to your carrier might.

[jfurr]

I think I expressed clearly that I understand what you are saying after clarifying your situation (although there is at least one question you didn't answer) and I told you to take your concern to your carrier: you do have a point, but asking for its rectification here is not going to do anything whereas talking to your carrier might.

Thanks for the understanding, SJD

I forget what question I didn't answer. I just appreciate the forum to let me rant.

So, end of the day, I'm not going to battle AT&T over the twenty bucks, because as I did more research, looks like we are on an older grandfathered plan that is a good deal compared to if we changed to a current selection, so I'm gonna let this dog lie.

[jfurr]

Does anyone understand what my argument is here?

Shoulda said "besides sjduffers"

[Duke of Hazards]

AT&T is the devil.

[Coda1850]

So I don't think I got anyone to give the Nexus 6P a go. I bought 1 for my wife a year ago... she loves it but had to get used to the [sweet, sweet] 5.7" display. I liked it so much I got one. It gets away with the big time display because it is so slim.

Fyi - you can still grab 'em & they're still fucking awesome. Or just overpay for a different phone that is not as good, whatever.
---
The reason I'm posting is because it's that time of year. Google is releasing their 2 models again. This time both will be mfg'd by HTC. Short YT vid. here from a great tech reviewer, MKBHD. Check it out. Maybe Doug grabs one of these? They seem up his alley. (named the Marlin & Sailfish!)

You'll have to ignore his stupid fucking shirt or at least I had to. That shirt bothered me for some reason.

[MattF]

I just "upgraded" to the Galaxy S7. The guy at Best Buy has a 6P and he said the S7 is better...I dunno, but I like mine so far except for not being able to replace the battery.

[Duke of Hazards]

I had the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6. Then, when Google released the 5x and 6p, they sold them directly, rather than have them sold through the carrier stores. Well, with my plan, I had to switch, so I got a Galaxy S7 edge, which is a fine phone, but unfortunately, you get all the bloatware and most importantly, I lost the ability to use my phone as a mobile hotspot (well, for free, that is). The Nexus does this natively and since there's no carrier installed bullshit, they can't lock it out and make you pay for it like they do with the other phones. I didn't realize that until I got the Samsung. I'm pondering dropping the carrier phone plan and just buying an unlocked Nexus device next time.

[legitimatebeef]

Just got an iphone se, brand new in sealed box, off ebay for like two hundred bux. Pop in the SIM card from my old piece of shit and wah-lah. New, activated phone and didn't have to go anywhere near a stupid AT&T store. You go into buy a charger or something trivial like that and they treat it like you are buying an automobile, all kinds of paperwork and questions and shit, and then they will call you the next day, asking "how was your AT&T store experience?" I almost cannot believe I was able to switch/upgrade phones with this kind of ease.

THANKS OBAMA

[Coda1850]

Obama reference

[legitimatebeef]

Obama reference

triggered

[Coda1850]

Just got ur msg. That's cute. Happy early Trump Day, beef.

Phone of the year - OnePlus 6T. I bought one for myself & the wife. Great phone. I highly recommend it. Or you can pay double & keep financing ur phones... if you're into that sort of thing.

[legitimatebeef]

Ooh shots fired everybody. All you non-OnePlus havin' wanksters.

[bkuehn1952]

What is a OnePlus 6T?

[jasonfish11]

What is a OnePlus 6T?

7T?

[srogers13]

What is a OnePlus 6T?

7T?

or 6U?

[MattF]

We upgraded our phones on Saturday. The boy and Minister for War and Finance got Pixel 3's and I got the 3XL...digging it so far.

[jasonfish11]

I got the 3XL...digging it so far.

I love mine, that call screening is awesome. It's fun to do to your wife too and see how she responds.

[MattF]

I got the 3XL...digging it so far.

I love mine, that call screening is awesome. It's fun to do to your wife too and see how she responds.