If you really want to save on your phone bill and your not a high volume talker.
1: Google Voice
2: MagicJack
3: TracPhone: uses AT&T networks! (look for the special with free double minutes over the life of the phone)
Keep a netbook in your car or purse and a list of nearby wifi locations.
You only pay for what you use on the no contract phone, yearly fee for the MagicJack is $20. With the Magicjack hooked up like a regular phone to a desktop or stationary laptop machine it's rather easy to use than grabbing the cell every time, especially since you know it's a free call.
Slow months on the cell can be as low as $10, high use can be around $40
Some carriers are now offering Android phones with unlimited voice and limited data for only $45 a month. MetroPCS for one according to what I hear.
Google Voice gives you a number that calls all your phones, or customizable depending upon the callers.
There are plenty of prepaid carriers in the U.S. offering what I feel is quite the sweet spot for many people. It's 1200 minutes of talk/1200 texts and 50 megs of data for $30.
Also there is an app for iPhone called Free Wifi Finder which will save a database to the phone for use when you don't have data and need to find wifi.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cmf2
Data caps exist for a reason. If you pay pay 2 GB, you should be able to use 2GB. Tethering should always be allowed and it should always be free on any plan that features a data cap.
Agreed 100%. This is like your television conent provider complaining that you access the HD on your DVR too much.
Quote:
Originally Posted by solipsism
At 90GB over AT&T?s network last month I think I at least owe an apology to AT&T users. I can?t help but think that us few users tethering despite their contract explicitly disallowing it is part of the reason for carriers dropping unlimited data plans.
The reality is that AT&T could easily do what Tmobile is now doing and that is slow the data rate at which you can access the network above 5 GB. You're plan would still be "unlimited" but now of course at the slower rate, you couldn't hog all the bandwidth. I'm really shocked AT&T hasn't done this since they are now at a competitive disadvantage compared to all other carriers.
As said in the article AT&T has capped the or even tiered the data plans so users who consume the most pay the most. If Apple or Google we taxed for data usage then all consumers would then have to bear the burden of the increased cost. This recommendation is like all gas stations having a weekly charge for gas so those of us who just drive around town would pay the same as the Hummer driving salesman, and everyone cries unfair!!! So who should our phone plans be based on that same logic. The Consumer uses it the consumer should pay for it.
As for comments about Android phones consuming way more bandwidth than even the iPhone 4, it's as Steve Jobs says welcome to the world where FLASH lives. If you have a CPU monitor on your desktop, activate it and watch how all your resources are consumed once you visit a site containing flash; processor load almost doubles, memory usage increases dramatically and the network activity pegs the meter. And you wonder why Apple kept flash from it's small footprint mobile devices. All that activity also translates into increased powerdrain and shorter battery uptime.
So Carriers modify your business model and cut executive bonuses this year and offer stock options instead and take that boatload of cash and invest in the infrastructure or if your can't take the heat get out of the kitchen.
We have built all the beautiful highways to connect us together. But now, there are so many cars on our highways, it has resulted in total gridlock.
Without you, our highways would never have been used. However, you'll have to pay us $100 for every car you build so we can continue to maintain our roads. We understand that it is not your fault. We also understand that it would make sense to not charge you for the mess, but perhaps the drivers that use the roads.
But we here at the executive branches march by the beat of our own drums!
The people using the bandwidth should pay for the bandwidth, end of story.
If Apple makes devices that use more bandwidth, then the customers who use those devices on the network should pay more for their bandwidth usage, not Apple.
If it's legitimate bandwidth usage by the device, then then customer should expect to pay more. If Apple manufactured a faulty device that used more bandwidth than necessary to accomplish a task, then the free market will take care of the matter?less customers will purchase that device, and Apple will have an incentive to improve its product.
More and more it looks like Apple is amassing its multi-billionn dollar cash hoard just in case it has to buy one of the wireless carriers. I'm betting it's AT&T.
All they have to do is charge customers by the megabyte of usage and consumers will adjust their usage. They can then fiddle around with the price until they get bandwidth supply and demand in equilibrium.
As soon as I switched to AT&T's $15, 200 MB data plan, I made big changes in my usage. Most significantly, I turned off push e-mail, and made sure to do most of my e-mail synching when in wi-fi areas. It turns out that there are a lot of things that I don't absolutely have to do RIGHT NOW that I can postpone until I have wi-fi (like take a picture and then send it later, rather than immediately).
Does nobody understand economics?
I am not going to limit the use of my phone so I can save $15 a month...
The reality is that AT&T could easily do what Tmobile is now doing and that is slow the data rate at which you can access the network above 5 GB. You're plan would still be "unlimited" but now of course at the slower rate, you couldn't hog all the bandwidth. I'm really shocked AT&T hasn't done this since they are now at a competitive disadvantage compared to all other carriers.
Your example is exactly what I?m talking about. There are more than one way your data can be unlimited or limited. It can be the amount of data, the speed of the data compared to the network?s capabilities, and the time when the data can be accessed. All three of these can be limited by the carrier.
If we want truly unlimited data that also makes no consideration for tethering, how much more are people willing to pay for that 2GB if the result is that more people will maximize their data usage per month? If a law was passed that made tethering a free requirement for all smartphones in the US carriers would people be happy paying $45 for that same 2GB?
Note that AT&T?s capped plans have made their monthly rates cheaper because they are paying for a lot less potential data usage. To have this price skyrocket past what it was for unlimited data with the iPhone 3G and 3GS just to get tethering that most probably wouldn?t utilize seems counterproductive and bad for the consumer.
I am just wondering would anyone else like to see Apple become a telecom.
I was just thinking provided that the network was great and coverage was good at the best of any out there today. I wouldnt mind if apple had its own network and if you wanted an iphone you get the apple phone service. And since Apple is in the business of selling hardware it would run the telecom as it runs iTunes which is charge people what it costs to maintain and upgrade the network. The only profit motivation would be to make money off selling iphones and ipads.
I guess the only realistic way of doing this is to buy AT&T, fix its network issues (and no dont tell me its not fixable. its just not fixable with the investment that AT&T is willing to put in it now vs moving to LTE), disallow any other new phones from the telecom, and slowly phase out anyone with contract that doesnt have an iphone to move to another network.
But then again you would have to do this on every market or every LARGE market where iphone sales numbers warrent a telecom otherwise keep working with the local company.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fabsgwu
Someone needs to remind the carriers that they are now in the business of serving up data. Put up or shut up.
Are these people [Telcos] full of brass balls or what?
They steal $200 Billion over decades from the Taxpayers on promises/assurances of full fiber build out and now they want Apple to foot the bill?
Unfortunately, in the US at least, there is a near duopoly on a supply constrained product in huge demand-- cellular bandwidth. That makes AT&T and Verizon into monsters, for the time being.
You should get down on your knees and thank god that we are not Europe --- which their regulator just said it's perfectly ok if their carrier to block voip traffic.
Unfortunately, in the US at least, there is a near duopoly on a supply constrained product in huge demand-- cellular bandwidth. That makes AT&T and Verizon into monsters, for the time being.
But it is still a thousand times better than the other countries.
Japan and South Korea --- their top wireless carriers own more than 50% of the market share.
You won't see a single industrialized country with a top carrier owning so little market share as Verizon Wireless. The top carriers in the industrialized world are mostly owning high 30's to low 40's in market share percentage. Verizon Wireless owns something like 32%.
Thats kind of like thanking the rapist for using a condom. Unfortunately they have so much lobbying power that they will keep making laws that benefit them.
Quote:
You should get down on your knees and thank god that we are not Europe --- which their regulator just said it's perfectly ok if their carrier to block voip traffic.
Comments
It's called meeting market demand.
If you really want to save on your phone bill and your not a high volume talker.
1: Google Voice
2: MagicJack
3: TracPhone: uses AT&T networks! (look for the special with free double minutes over the life of the phone)
Keep a netbook in your car or purse and a list of nearby wifi locations.
You only pay for what you use on the no contract phone, yearly fee for the MagicJack is $20. With the Magicjack hooked up like a regular phone to a desktop or stationary laptop machine it's rather easy to use than grabbing the cell every time, especially since you know it's a free call.
Slow months on the cell can be as low as $10, high use can be around $40
Some carriers are now offering Android phones with unlimited voice and limited data for only $45 a month. MetroPCS for one according to what I hear.
Google Voice gives you a number that calls all your phones, or customizable depending upon the callers.
There are plenty of prepaid carriers in the U.S. offering what I feel is quite the sweet spot for many people. It's 1200 minutes of talk/1200 texts and 50 megs of data for $30.
Also there is an app for iPhone called Free Wifi Finder which will save a database to the phone for use when you don't have data and need to find wifi.
Data caps exist for a reason. If you pay pay 2 GB, you should be able to use 2GB. Tethering should always be allowed and it should always be free on any plan that features a data cap.
Agreed 100%. This is like your television conent provider complaining that you access the HD on your DVR too much.
At 90GB over AT&T?s network last month I think I at least owe an apology to AT&T users. I can?t help but think that us few users tethering despite their contract explicitly disallowing it is part of the reason for carriers dropping unlimited data plans.
The reality is that AT&T could easily do what Tmobile is now doing and that is slow the data rate at which you can access the network above 5 GB. You're plan would still be "unlimited" but now of course at the slower rate, you couldn't hog all the bandwidth. I'm really shocked AT&T hasn't done this since they are now at a competitive disadvantage compared to all other carriers.
Apology accepted. It's about time someone took responsibility.
I'm sorry too......and I want General Motors to help pay for the gas in my gas guzzling car they built.
As for comments about Android phones consuming way more bandwidth than even the iPhone 4, it's as Steve Jobs says welcome to the world where FLASH lives. If you have a CPU monitor on your desktop, activate it and watch how all your resources are consumed once you visit a site containing flash; processor load almost doubles, memory usage increases dramatically and the network activity pegs the meter. And you wonder why Apple kept flash from it's small footprint mobile devices. All that activity also translates into increased powerdrain and shorter battery uptime.
So Carriers modify your business model and cut executive bonuses this year and offer stock options instead and take that boatload of cash and invest in the infrastructure or if your can't take the heat get out of the kitchen.
We have built all the beautiful highways to connect us together. But now, there are so many cars on our highways, it has resulted in total gridlock.
Without you, our highways would never have been used. However, you'll have to pay us $100 for every car you build so we can continue to maintain our roads. We understand that it is not your fault. We also understand that it would make sense to not charge you for the mess, but perhaps the drivers that use the roads.
But we here at the executive branches march by the beat of our own drums!
Have a nice day!
U.S. Government.
The people using the bandwidth should pay for the bandwidth, end of story.
If Apple makes devices that use more bandwidth, then the customers who use those devices on the network should pay more for their bandwidth usage, not Apple.
If it's legitimate bandwidth usage by the device, then then customer should expect to pay more. If Apple manufactured a faulty device that used more bandwidth than necessary to accomplish a task, then the free market will take care of the matter?less customers will purchase that device, and Apple will have an incentive to improve its product.
QFT
Nice virgen post!
Another load of BS from carriers.
All they have to do is charge customers by the megabyte of usage and consumers will adjust their usage. They can then fiddle around with the price until they get bandwidth supply and demand in equilibrium.
As soon as I switched to AT&T's $15, 200 MB data plan, I made big changes in my usage. Most significantly, I turned off push e-mail, and made sure to do most of my e-mail synching when in wi-fi areas. It turns out that there are a lot of things that I don't absolutely have to do RIGHT NOW that I can postpone until I have wi-fi (like take a picture and then send it later, rather than immediately).
Does nobody understand economics?
I am not going to limit the use of my phone so I can save $15 a month...
The reality is that AT&T could easily do what Tmobile is now doing and that is slow the data rate at which you can access the network above 5 GB. You're plan would still be "unlimited" but now of course at the slower rate, you couldn't hog all the bandwidth. I'm really shocked AT&T hasn't done this since they are now at a competitive disadvantage compared to all other carriers.
Your example is exactly what I?m talking about. There are more than one way your data can be unlimited or limited. It can be the amount of data, the speed of the data compared to the network?s capabilities, and the time when the data can be accessed. All three of these can be limited by the carrier.
If we want truly unlimited data that also makes no consideration for tethering, how much more are people willing to pay for that 2GB if the result is that more people will maximize their data usage per month? If a law was passed that made tethering a free requirement for all smartphones in the US carriers would people be happy paying $45 for that same 2GB?
Note that AT&T?s capped plans have made their monthly rates cheaper because they are paying for a lot less potential data usage. To have this price skyrocket past what it was for unlimited data with the iPhone 3G and 3GS just to get tethering that most probably wouldn?t utilize seems counterproductive and bad for the consumer.
I?m sorry.
Are these people [Telcos] full of brass balls or what?
They steal $200 Billion over decades from the Taxpayers on promises/assurances of full fiber build out and now they want Apple to foot the bill?
I was just thinking provided that the network was great and coverage was good at the best of any out there today. I wouldnt mind if apple had its own network and if you wanted an iphone you get the apple phone service. And since Apple is in the business of selling hardware it would run the telecom as it runs iTunes which is charge people what it costs to maintain and upgrade the network. The only profit motivation would be to make money off selling iphones and ipads.
I guess the only realistic way of doing this is to buy AT&T, fix its network issues (and no dont tell me its not fixable. its just not fixable with the investment that AT&T is willing to put in it now vs moving to LTE), disallow any other new phones from the telecom, and slowly phase out anyone with contract that doesnt have an iphone to move to another network.
But then again you would have to do this on every market or every LARGE market where iphone sales numbers warrent a telecom otherwise keep working with the local company.
Someone needs to remind the carriers that they are now in the business of serving up data. Put up or shut up.
Are these people [Telcos] full of brass balls or what?
They steal $200 Billion over decades from the Taxpayers on promises/assurances of full fiber build out and now they want Apple to foot the bill?
Unfortunately, in the US at least, there is a near duopoly on a supply constrained product in huge demand-- cellular bandwidth. That makes AT&T and Verizon into monsters, for the time being.
Are these people [Telcos] full of brass balls or what?
They steal $200 Billion over decades from the Taxpayers on promises/assurances of full fiber build out and now they want Apple to foot the bill?
What are you talking about? The US is 4 years AHEAD of Europe in FTTH deployment.
http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=172028
You should get down on your knees and thank god that we are not Europe --- which their regulator just said it's perfectly ok if their carrier to block voip traffic.
Unfortunately, in the US at least, there is a near duopoly on a supply constrained product in huge demand-- cellular bandwidth. That makes AT&T and Verizon into monsters, for the time being.
But it is still a thousand times better than the other countries.
Japan and South Korea --- their top wireless carriers own more than 50% of the market share.
You won't see a single industrialized country with a top carrier owning so little market share as Verizon Wireless. The top carriers in the industrialized world are mostly owning high 30's to low 40's in market share percentage. Verizon Wireless owns something like 32%.
You should get down on your knees and thank god that we are not Europe --- which their regulator just said it's perfectly ok if their carrier to block voip traffic.
Google should pay because the Android OS allows tethering easily. The cell phone carriers can not disable it.
no. you should pay for your bandwidth usage.
ford doesn't pay oil company because of how much gas you use do they? you pay.