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Free incoming calls to all cellular services!!! |
moodswinger
Joined: Dec 10, 2001
Posts: 78
From: New York, USA
PM |
Slam, I beg to differ. Although I agree that roll-over is an extremely useful feature, it is far from being enough to make me change my providers. Here is why:
If you have managed to accrue spare 1300 minutes, each month you are paying for the minutes don't actually need and perhaps would be better off with a less expensive plan. I do not see a purpose of putting minutes in a "bank", even if they do come really cheap. Moreover, your minutes will EXPIRE after 12 months, so eventually you will lose them if you don't use them. I wonder when are you going to use 1300 minutes - unless you start frantically calling everyone and everything on your phone at some point. I, on the other side, do not want to change my calling patterns dramatically just because I do/do not have minutes to spare.
Further, I have free unlimited nigths and weekends and calls to anyone on T-Mobile network (and guess what - most of my friends and relatives are on T-Mobile). Besides, I also get the free internet and data mode and fairly decent international calling and roaming.
On Cingular, you would have to pay for these services a lot more - beginning with detailed billing.
Oh, lest I forget... I got my T610 for FREE + a $150 rebate for 1-yr contract. How much have you cashed in on your phone for a 2-yr agreement?
As you put it nicely... your calls are about 3 cents/minute, mine are 2 cents/minute. You are paying about 50% more than I am, so who is getting screwed? 
Then again, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind having roll-over.
PS. In most parts of the USA, cell phones share the area code with the landlines and you don't have to dial area code in order to dial a cell phone #. Only major metro areas have area codes designated for cell phones (NYC has a couple).
=> RMskater - you are absolutely right with your calculation - 5000 min pretty much means unlimited usage in 99.999% of the cases. "Unlimited" is just a marketing ploy. | |
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slamEVIL
Joined: Aug 14, 2003
Posts: 370
From: San Diego
PM, WWW
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this is fun, it's like "battle of the operators." anyway, @moodswinger, i think you're a little confused about roll-over. not all of the minutes expire after 1 year. by jan 2005, just my unused minutes from jan 2004 will expire. and nobody uses all of their minutes. for example, @rmskater said he gets 300 a month. let's say he uses 250 this month. next month he will have 350 instead of 300 again. then let's say he only uses 250 again. the next month he will have 400. another example would be myself. i was in the hospital/rehab for a month with no cell phone. instead of those minutes going down the drain they were rolled-over. that's why i have so many stored up. and remember, i'm paying 3 cents a minute this month. (which by the way, is more like 30% more rather than 50%.) next month it will be lower. um, internet is free, long distance and roaming are free. i don't know what you mean by detailed billing, 'cause that's free too.
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moodswinger
Joined: Dec 10, 2001
Posts: 78
From: New York, USA
PM |
Let's not make it a war... after all, these carriers cooperate quite well and thanks to their cooperation we both have FREE roaming
I know that rolled over minutes expire month-by-month, but they nevertheless expire.
When I say "internet", I mean GPRS. Is it really free with Cingular? As far as I know, you have to pay $4 for access and additional $7 for 1Mb of data. What about the rates for international calls? All calls to Europe with T-Mobile are 29cents/min.
Believe me, Evil, I have done my homework when my contract was up last month. I could have "rolled over" my numbers to Cingular; instead, I chose to "lose" my numbers and start again with T-Mobile as a new customer... it was simply irresistible. With all the rebates and the profits (I sold one of the phones), cell phone service for my family will be pretty much FREE this year.
But then again... I still wish I had them "roll over" minutes
PS. 3 IS 50% more than 2; 2 is 33%less than 3
[ This Message was edited by: moodswinger on 2004-01-30 20:55 ] |
slamEVIL
Joined: Aug 14, 2003
Posts: 370
From: San Diego
PM, WWW
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yeah you're right, let's not make it a war. real quick, they don't expire month-by-month. but i'm sure you get it right? anyway, to answer your question, cingular has at least 3 different ways of accessing the internet. the one you just mentioned (which is the one i use) is only $7 flat rate. i don't know who told you about the $4 but they're wrong.
that 50% 33% thing you said is so true!  isn't that wierd?
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701
Joined: Nov 26, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Romania
PM, WWW
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Look, they r making things really complicated in the US with the cell comnication.Here is simpler: i have all the incoming things FREE , i also pay only for what i send. More, i have a bonus for incoming calls (the more minutes i get called, they would pay me a certain 0.0...$/min). THIS is really cool 
" They say i'm sick; they`re right, it's called 'Terminal Boredom!' " Follow me on twitter.com/bogramaRead my Symbian UIQ 3.0 reviews at Juvo's |
porterg
Joined: Sep 13, 2002
Posts: 45
From: North Carolina
PM |
Couple things. In regards to unlimited inbound, it is not offered for 1 reason: money. The cost of operations vs. revenue recovery is not that different. People want 2 things: more minutes for the money and coverage. Towers are not cheap to put up, nor to operate. Have to pay people to sell service, service the customers, and service the networks. The revenue margins are not high. You can believe me or not.
5000 N&W doesn't sound as good as unlimited N&W, but the reality is that very few people get even sort of close to 5000. Trust me, I see the billing minutes on ALOT of customers. Most don't even approach 1000 N&W. Besides, LD is included. | |
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Posted: 2004-01-30 20:02
