Government Changes Laws Regarding Locked Devices
Yipee?
Why not just make it plain and simple.
Not allow carriers to lock their phones period!
Not allow carriers to lock their phones period!
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No thank you, I don't want to have to pay $700 for a cell phone, the subsidy lock and contract system works quite well for the vast majority of customers. Get rid of that, and you'll see a rapid depletion of the mobile phone industry as everyone either cancels their contract because they can't afford to buy a new phone or learns how to get by without the latest advanced smartphone and uses $20 prepaid devices for everything.
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There is no "deal" when you buy a subsidized phone.
Take AT&T for instance: if you buy a subsidized smartphone (iPhone, etc), they force you into paying $30/month for a data plan for 2 years. That's $720! Then they make you pay a discounted rate: $199.99 for the current Blackberry Bold or HTC Tilt. Then they force you to pay a monthly fee for things like navigation. That phone is costing you close to $1,000 not including your caller minutes and text messaging. Then they often block the cell phones features like tethering and wifi.
You can buy the Nokia X6 for about $300 and put an AT&T sim in it and it works great. If you want unlimited data, you just pay $15/month. If you don't want data you don't have to get it. You can swi...
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Take AT&T for instance: if you buy a subsidized smartphone (iPhone, etc), they force you into paying $30/month for a data plan for 2 years. That's $720! Then they make you pay a discounted rate: $199.99 for the current Blackberry Bold or HTC Tilt. Then they force you to pay a monthly fee for things like navigation. That phone is costing you close to $1,000 not including your caller minutes and text messaging. Then they often block the cell phones features like tethering and wifi.
You can buy the Nokia X6 for about $300 and put an AT&T sim in it and it works great. If you want unlimited data, you just pay $15/month. If you don't want data you don't have to get it. You can swi...
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cecampbell said:...
There is no "deal" when you buy a subsidized phone.
Take AT&T for instance: if you buy a subsidized smartphone (iPhone, etc), they force you into paying $30/month for a data plan for 2 years. That's $720! Then they make you pay a discounted rate: $199.99 for the current Blackberry Bold or HTC Tilt. Then they force you to pay a monthly fee for things like navigation. That phone is costing you close to $1,000 not including your caller minutes and text messaging. Then they often block the cell phones features like tethering and wifi.
You can buy the Nokia X6 for about $300 and put an AT&T sim in it and it works great. If you want unlimited data, you just pay $15/month. If you don't want data y
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I stand corrected. When I was shopping for a new phone about 2 weeks ago, all of the smartphones had a caption that said: requires $30 data plan. Now they say requires $15 dollar data plan.
Upon further investigation, that $15 data plan is for up to 200 MB of data and does not include tethering.
my $15 data plan is unlimited and I can tether my X6 as much as I want. If you want to tether your Blackberry you have to get the $25 data pro, which gives you up to 2 GB/month andyou need to pay an extra $20/month for tethering.
Regarding the navigation, like all unlocked nokia's, the X6 has free voice guided navigation.
Finally, who would wast $199 on a Blackberry Bold if you're going to limit yourself to 450 talk minutes and 200 MB ...
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Upon further investigation, that $15 data plan is for up to 200 MB of data and does not include tethering.
my $15 data plan is unlimited and I can tether my X6 as much as I want. If you want to tether your Blackberry you have to get the $25 data pro, which gives you up to 2 GB/month andyou need to pay an extra $20/month for tethering.
Regarding the navigation, like all unlocked nokia's, the X6 has free voice guided navigation.
Finally, who would wast $199 on a Blackberry Bold if you're going to limit yourself to 450 talk minutes and 200 MB ...
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If that works for you, then awesome.
But some ppl are constantly surrounded by WiFi during a normal day, so 200 MBs works for them.
And I have a blackberry and only have 450 minutes. I dont talk alot but I email and text like mofo. So those 450 mins works for me...
But some ppl are constantly surrounded by WiFi during a normal day, so 200 MBs works for them.
And I have a blackberry and only have 450 minutes. I dont talk alot but I email and text like mofo. So those 450 mins works for me...
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cecampbell said:
Upon further investigation, that $15 data plan is for up to 200 MB of data and does not include tethering.
my $15 data plan is unlimited and I can tether my X6 as much as I want.
It's the same $15 data plan... $15/mo for 200 MB (does not include tethering) ... just because the phone has built in functionality to tether does not mean it is included in the package... and to that, you could tether without the carrier knowing on ANY smartphone.
cecampbell said:Regarding the navigation, like all unlocked nokia's, the X6 has free voice guided navigation.
But, that's just a feature of the phone. What if they had a locked Nokia X6 for sale @ $100 vs unlocke...
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It's not the same data plan. A smartphone has two options 200 MB for $15 or 2 GB for $25. A non-smartphone or (in this case) factory unlocked smartphone can get unlimited data for $15.
I'm not a particularly heavy data user but my typcial data ranges from 500 MB to 1 GB per month. That does not include wifi usage when I'm at work or at home. Therefore if I had a subsidized phone I would certainly need the $25 plan and if I were a road warrior I would probably exceed the 2 GB per month.
On the tethering, that feature is locked on AT&T subsidized phones. They only unlock it if you get the $25 plan and pay an extra $20 for tethering. I can do it on my phone and I'm still only paying $15 unlimited... not $45!
Regarding that navi...
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I'm not a particularly heavy data user but my typcial data ranges from 500 MB to 1 GB per month. That does not include wifi usage when I'm at work or at home. Therefore if I had a subsidized phone I would certainly need the $25 plan and if I were a road warrior I would probably exceed the 2 GB per month.
On the tethering, that feature is locked on AT&T subsidized phones. They only unlock it if you get the $25 plan and pay an extra $20 for tethering. I can do it on my phone and I'm still only paying $15 unlimited... not $45!
Regarding that navi...
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But, not everyone wants a Nokia X6.
Say I want a Blackberry Bold (because I just love Blackberry). There isn't a price difference when it comes to the service plan for a locked vs unlocked one.
You're argument is that you can find an unlocked phone that:
1) Slips past AT&Ts system requiring it to be marked as a smartphone for smartphone data pricing.
2) Has features built into it that other smartphones don't.
But, like I said... what about those people who WANT a Bold? They're better off paying a subsidized price, bypassing the lock on the tethered modem, and finding an alternative application for navigation (not AT&Ts solution).
Say I want a Blackberry Bold (because I just love Blackberry). There isn't a price difference when it comes to the service plan for a locked vs unlocked one.
You're argument is that you can find an unlocked phone that:
1) Slips past AT&Ts system requiring it to be marked as a smartphone for smartphone data pricing.
2) Has features built into it that other smartphones don't.
But, like I said... what about those people who WANT a Bold? They're better off paying a subsidized price, bypassing the lock on the tethered modem, and finding an alternative application for navigation (not AT&Ts solution).
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I have unlocked many T-Mobile and AT&T(formerly AT&T Wireless and Cingular) phones for years and have never spent the amount of money you guys are talking about.
I get the option to add international SIMS, and have the option of the carrier of my choice.
If I have to shell out a little bit more money for the phone it is worth it.
I get the option to add international SIMS, and have the option of the carrier of my choice.
If I have to shell out a little bit more money for the phone it is worth it.
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Your statement confused me so can you elaborate? It sounds like you saying that it's possible to get a subsidized smartphone without being forced into a 2 year commitment and the required smartphone dataplan? Also, when you say that you have to shell out a little more money, are you talking about the higher no-commitment price? Because I know you can get better deals on factory unlocked phones than those no-committment prices that AT&T et al advertise.
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You can go to hundreds of sites. I research a lot of phones here and on cnet. Cnet can give you a list of stores along with prices. I would usually start at cnet, but then check the prices at the manufacturers website, amazon and dell(who now sell unlocked phones).
You can also find good or like new phones on craigslist.
The thing to keep in mind is that some phones are not available unlocked. But then again, a lot more phones are available unlocked than locked. Some manufacturers use different model numbers for the locked and unlocked versions of a phone... typically they disable some good features on the locked phones.
You can also find good or like new phones on craigslist.
The thing to keep in mind is that some phones are not available unlocked. But then again, a lot more phones are available unlocked than locked. Some manufacturers use different model numbers for the locked and unlocked versions of a phone... typically they disable some good features on the locked phones.
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cecampbell said:
typically they disable some good features on the locked phones.
Really? Like what?
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Let's see... wifi, tethering, GPS, the ability to install apps just to name a few common features that are disabled.
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I'm still confused; in your earlier post you said you have unlocked many t-mobile and AT&T phones. But here you're saying you buy factory unlocked phones. If it's the later, I do agree that it is better to buy factory unlocked phones and that it cost more upfront but saves you in the long run.
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This forum is closed.
