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Can someone explain why people think getting subsidized phones are a good deal? You're still paying the full price for your $600 iPhone, just having it amortized out for 2 years.
I'm going contract-free this August (currently with T-Mobile actually) so when that time comes I'll give T-Mobile my consideration for a pre-paid plan. It's how much of the rest of the world does it, and it's certainly good enough for me with my $350 "unlocked" (never locked) Nexus 4.
Can someone explain why people think getting subsidized phones are a good deal? You're still paying the full price for your $600 iPhone, just having it amortized out for 2 years.
I'm going contract-free this August (currently with T-Mobile actually) so when that time comes I'll give T-Mobile my consideration for a pre-paid plan. It's how much of the rest of the world does it, and it's certainly good enough for me with my $350 "unlocked" (never locked) Nexus 4.
In my case: unlimited LTE.
In the end it all works out to be the same in the end (possibly less since we have 4 phones).
Can someone explain why people think getting subsidized phones are a good deal? You're still paying the full price for your $600 iPhone, just having it amortized out for 2 years.
I'm going contract-free this August (currently with T-Mobile actually) so when that time comes I'll give T-Mobile my consideration for a pre-paid plan. It's how much of the rest of the world does it, and it's certainly good enough for me with my $350 "unlocked" (never locked) Nexus 4.
People would rather pay 200 bucks a have a higher monthly payment for 2 years, than, say, 600+ and have lower payment.
When you add it all up. What you pay for the phone, plus 24 months worth of payments, prepaid is always cheaper, but you've gotta be willing to drop 600 bucks on a cell phone right then and there, or put it on a credit card or something.
People would rather pay 200 bucks a have a higher monthly payment for 2 years, than, say, 600+ and have lower payment.
When you add it all up. What you pay for the phone, plus 24 months worth of payments, prepaid is always cheaper, but you've gotta be willing to drop 600 bucks on a cell phone right then and there, or put it on a credit card or something.
This isn't really an apples to apples comparison, since none of the prepaid plans gives you the same product (network and data) that the contract plans do.
Tmobiles prepaid was 70 bucks for unlimited everything, and full price for phone, vs 90 bucks a month, with a subsidized phone plan.
The contract saved you say, 250 on a Galaxy S3, but you're paying 240 more per year.
So it's less than $10 difference per month (if you replace a phone every two years, and you buy one of the phones that only has $250 in savings).
Sounds like a bargain to me:
Far better coverage (TMobile doesn't even provide a 4G map, just a 4/3G combined map).
Verizon's LTE network, instead of spotty HSPA +
Tethering/ mobile hotspot (not included in that 70 plan).
If you were to put that $600 phone on a credit card @ 15% you'd have to pay $30 per month in order to pay it off in 24 months, and you'd lose another $100 in interest.
The "G" in 2G, 3G, and 4G stands for "Generation", as in it is the next generation for the particular technology while LTE is for Long Term Evolution. LTE has been around since what, 2009, although not in the U.S. and LTE Advanced has been around for a while, too. Theoretically, LTE is faster, way faster, than 4G...but how many people are actually getting 300 mbps? None. Those on LTE get speeds close to what 4G offers.
You also got to consider that T-Mo and AT&T use HSPA+, which is a different technology than what Verizon or Sprint use, amongst others.
Some would argue that T-Mo and AT&T really have 3.5G, not 4G, but what is the point considering that both 4G networks are pretty fast to begin with.
So it's less than $10 difference per month (if you replace a phone every two years, and you buy one of the phones that only has $250 in savings).
Sounds like a bargain to me:
Far better coverage (TMobile doesn't even provide a 4G map, just a 4/3G combined map).
Verizon's LTE network, instead of spotty HSPA +
Tethering/ mobile hotspot (not included in that 70 plan).
If you were to put that $600 phone on a credit card @ 15% you'd have to pay $30 per month in order to pay it off in 24 months, and you'd lose another $100 in interest.
Both of those are Tmobile. I was just stating the difference between prepaid and contract.
And for me, Tmobile isn't spotty. It's really solid. It's also plenty fast. I don't watch HD movies unless I'm planning on sitting down for a long time, and I'll only do that somewhere I have wifi.
And I don't tether or use mobile hot spot.
If you travel all over the country, and NEED to be able to stream HD things or download upload huge files, and tether your phone, then by all means, go with Verizon.
If you don't, and Tmobile, or hell, sprint, is good in your area, save yourself about 50 bucks a month. I say 50 because the 2gb pittance of data you get with Verizon is, well, a pittance, so you'll have to pay the substantially higher prices for more data.
So it's less than $10 difference per month (if you replace a phone every two years, and you buy one of the phones that only has $250 in savings).
Sounds like a bargain to me:
Far better coverage (TMobile doesn't even provide a 4G map, just a 4/3G combined map).
Verizon's LTE network, instead of spotty HSPA +
Tethering/ mobile hotspot (not included in that 70 plan).
If you were to put that $600 phone on a credit card @ 15% you'd have to pay $30 per month in order to pay it off in 24 months, and you'd lose another $100 in interest.
Yeah, putting it on a credit card and not paying it off immediately is dumb. If you really can't spare $600 (or $350, etc.), then you don't really need the top of the line smartphone. That person should work on an emergency fund or something before shelling out for a cutting edge phone.
T-Mobile has coverage good enough for me (I live in the DC area), and I don't use my phone typically for watching movies. I also like to travel out of the country, so with the Nexus 4 (or any other unlocked phone), you can simply take the SIM card out before leaving and buying a data or phone card abroad. Easy. Verizon and Sprint use CDMA, making this impossible.
I'll concede that someone with different needs than me might be better off getting a contract from Verizon. Someone who lives in a rural or outlying area, and needs to stream HD movies often.
People talk about paying ¨Full Price¨ for their phones ? ? ? ? You might get the phone for FREE with a 2 year contract however look at what that contract costs vs a month to month contract free plan from T-Mobile, Boost Mobile (Sprint) etc. NOTHING IS FREE in this world. All AT&T and Verizon are doing is hiding the cost of your phone within your contract price. LOOK at the T-Mobile plans, so you pay XX amount down and then XX amount per month for the phone for 2 years, then your plan price goes down once the phone is paid for. NOT SO with the others, your plan rate remains HIGH after the 2 yrs and THAT is when AT&T and Verizon offer you a NEW phone at a reduced price for guess what ? ANOTHER two year contract. Just sit back and do the math. You come out way ahead with either buying the phone up front or paying it out over two years and NO contract.
A 2012 JD Powers study showed ALL the companies are loosing ¨Contract¨ customers by the hundreds of thousands each year to the non contract companies. THIS is why T-mobile changed their business model and if it works, I guarantee the big two will follow suit. The CEO of Verizon called Sprint ¨Nuts¨ for allowing its pre paid arm (Boost Mobile) to offer unlimited prepaid for $50.00 a month but 2 yrs later Boost is gaining customers each month.
And think about this, with a no contract plan, you free up your line of credit as it does not show as a monthly debt, something more and more people are finding useful in this screwed up economy.
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