Originally Posted by tekhna

Of course. No question. But Apple could absorb all of those costs and still make piles and piles of money with their phones priced as they are now, and do something good for our country.

A few extra bucks>>>>>>>something good for your country in corporate & stockholder eyes.

Maybe if phones stopped getting subsidized data prices would fall. Because:
1) Carrier isn't $300 in the hole when they start with you
2) People who can't afford smartphones (which is a large fraction of users) won't be able to purchase them. This will reduce data usage.

I wish they would stop subsidizing. Then people would learn the true value of these devices. No more 10 year olds with iPhones. (trust me, it happens more than you think)

Originally Posted by con247

A few extra bucks>>>>>>>something good for your country in corporate & stockholder eyes.

Maybe if phones stopped getting subsidized data prices would fall. Because:
1) Carrier isn't $300 in the hole when they start with you
2) People who can't afford smartphones (which is a large fraction of users) won't be able to purchase them. This will reduce data usage.

I wish they would stop subsidizing. Then people would learn the true value of these devices. No more 10 year olds with iPhones. (trust me, it happens more than you think)

Right, but then that's a moral argument. And I am arguing that profit is morally problematic in certain instances. This isn't a new argument. It's as old as Aristotle.

Yeah, I agree. Death to the carrier subsidy model. I'd rather pay up front for my phone and pay less on my bill.

Originally Posted by con247

A few extra bucks>>>>>>>something good for your country in corporate & stockholder eyes.

Maybe if phones stopped getting subsidized data prices would fall. Because:
1) Carrier isn't $300 in the hole when they start with you
2) People who can't afford smartphones (which is a large fraction of users) won't be able to purchase them. This will reduce data usage.

I wish they would stop subsidizing. Then people would learn the true value of these devices. No more 10 year olds with iPhones. (trust me, it happens more than you think)

But carrier subsidys are the reason that we get locked into contracts that is why they will never get rid of them

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Originally Posted by ijustwantmydock

But carrier subsidys are the reason that we get locked into contracts that is why they will never get rid of them

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I'm not sure, I think carriers are starting to think of them as a liability too. Sprint could conceivably go bankrupt if they don't sell enough iPhones.

Originally Posted by 1454

Yep, labor costs are *typically* a companies biggest liability. Not to mention, half of our fellow americans have the typical "I'm to good to do that" mentality. Or "I'm worth more than that". Each equally as bad. If you are assembling hardware, you shouldn't make more than 2/hr, and you can practically train a monkey to do that. And eventually the tech that you are assembling will take your job anyway.

Have you ever done any 2M work? Grabbing a soldering iron and globbing solder on a board isn't soldering. It takes alot of time and patience to master that. Believe me I know. I was certified once upon a time and that was just for Micro work, never mind Mini, that is whole other ball game.

Originally Posted by liqwidzero

I hate to say it, but with the pricing of data and no other worthy unlimited data plans, I'm almost ready to go back to a flip phone and just cutting out that extra money.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using XDA

It is an interesting idea. Flip phones and tablets, use wifi only... Maybe we are heading that way. But then of course, wifi use in public places would increase and businesses would start charging for access... A vicious cycle.

Originally Posted by MotoDj

i wonder what kind of loop holes we'll find...


i think i could upgrade other lines, then switch the sims out - 2 lines on my account dont want smartphones, only downside is the ETF fees, which is fine, i plan on using verizon for more than 2 years...

im usually use under a gig, but 3 months i've been over 10 from roms and watching tv shows... (3 months out of 3 years! under .5gig almost every other month, hell, last month i hit 2.8 gig without downloading anything at all, just words with friends almost non stop and maybe 5 apps

i dont consider myself a power user, nor do i abuse any data - but losing unlimited is one more straw thats gonna break my camels back
lol

i agree, i miss my flip phone, if i lose unlimited, i'll give up my smartphone no problem -
but leaving verizon??? heck, i might as well buy a CB radio, other providers here are junk outside of city limits

interesting idea, but pretty sure that won't work. When you sign up for that new phone, they are going to put that line on a tiered data plan. Not sure they will let that line get switched right away to a non-data line. Maybe they will.

Originally Posted by con247

It would be difficult to predict the exponential growth of data use on mobile devices. I am on a 4GB tiered plan. Since I pay $7.50/GB for 4GB and then $10/GB after that, I wish others would pay the same. Someone who pays $30 an d uses 95GB is costing verizon money and I am the one paying for that. I think the data should cost a set amount per GB and you pay for what you use. It isn't my problem that Verizon 4G is the only way to get internet at your house. That is fine if you need to use it, but pay for it.

Agree with most of this. But I do think that 10gb across the board is a more reasonable limit, even if it costs a little more.

Originally Posted by tekhna

I'm still confused as to why we as customers give a **** about whether Verizon makes a profit or not.

Because if they don't turn a profit, they don't expand. Look at sprint and wimax. When was the last time they opened a new market?

Originally Posted by con247

That is why it needs to pay per use per GB. Or, have rollover on the tiered plan.

Roll over would be nice. I really need to look at my plan. Might be time to drop texting and use google voice, just like alot of y'all do. Might be able to get away with 700min as well, but then I would lose the 10 free numbers...

Originally Posted by con247

A few extra bucks>>>>>>>something good for your country in corporate & stockholder eyes.

Maybe if phones stopped getting subsidized data prices would fall. Because:
1) Carrier isn't $300 in the hole when they start with you
2) People who can't afford smartphones (which is a large fraction of users) won't be able to purchase them. This will reduce data usage.

I wish they would stop subsidizing. Then people would learn the true value of these devices. No more 10 year olds with iPhones. (trust me, it happens more than you think)

Guess my kids and their dinc2's would irritate you then. Carriers offer subsidies to lock in subscribers which is what they are after. If you can get someone on a 2 year contract, then that is good for business.
Wouldn't hurt my feelings if this happened, but I think it would probably kill smartphones. People would get the cheap flip phones and buy 200 dollar tablets instead.

I don't know that it would kill smart phones. I think you would see a serious reduction in prices across the board for smartphones as now they will actually have to lower their prices to still move phones. You will see them drop to a 300ish price off contract IMO to match their tablet brethren. You will also see the lesser spec market increase in market share. Also, I would be willing to bet you would see a major reduction in data prices as the carriers will now have to compete on a greater level to get your business. JMO, and unverifiable.

I am in favor of pay per use systems with included rollover data/time/etc. I'm a heavy (read : VERY) user of data. No, I don't replace my home internet with my phone's data. But I do use it a whole hell of a lot when out on the town (I'm a law student, so that is most of the time). This includes tethering and whatnot.

I've been a loyal Verizon customer for more than 10 years. While I am saddened by the (apparent) death of unlimited data plans. I'm not really surprised. I'm keeping my unlimited for as long as I can. I don't mind paying MSRP for a phone. That's just fine as long as I don't have a contract.

I don't see very many customers rage quitting from Verizon or any other carrier that they like over this.

All that being said : I am in favor of pay per GB use rate structures, as long as they have some sort of rollover. And as long as I deem the pricing fair. I'm fairly familiar with data access costs on the infrastructure end, so I have a good gauge on fair price.