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Why can't I buy JUST a phone?!?!? |
rdnymllnsktr
Joined: Feb 04, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: California, but now in Plano,
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Referring to my second post, WHY WON'T PHONE COMPANIES (at least AT&T) SELL ME JUST A PHONE? WHY? WHY MUST I BUY SERVICE OR BE REPLACING A PHONE?
What if you were buying a friend a replacement and upgraded phone as birthday present? What the heck?
Ethan
MyPhoneExplorer is the new FMA!  http://www.fjsoft.at/en/downloads.php |
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bart
Joined: Feb 03, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Flanders
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in some country's you can only buy phones sim free and free of any subscribtion. for the us its best to buy a phone online my friend
With Ericsson and Nokia gone: we must keep their spirits alive and buy JOLLA or YOTA |
snap-hiss
Joined: Nov 06, 2002
Posts: 118
From: fair Imladris
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Referring to my second post, WHY WON'T PHONE COMPANIES (at least AT&T) SELL ME JUST A PHONE? WHY? WHY MUST I BUY SERVICE OR BE REPLACING A PHONE?
Phone companies make money on service, not selling phones. In fact, in most cases they lose a lot of money by selling phones to the consumer. That is why service is always attached in the deal. When you buy a phone from a service provider you're almost always getting it for less than what that provider paid the manufactorer for it.
!snap
war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength |
rdnymllnsktr
Joined: Feb 04, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: California, but now in Plano,
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Dear Lord!!!
Is the T616 still worth more than $300? I bought it not too long ago (Jan 04), and I got it for around $325. What the heck? On the site, they sell it for around $200, but that is with service. They really rack their prices up!
Ethan
MyPhoneExplorer is the new FMA! http://www.fjsoft.at/en/downloads.php |
snap-hiss
Joined: Nov 06, 2002
Posts: 118
From: fair Imladris
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You'd be surprised how little profit service providers actually make on their customers. Selling phones direct to the consumer is one of the main reasons that no wireless provider has turned a profit to date in the US.
!snap
war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength |
rdnymllnsktr
Joined: Feb 04, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: California, but now in Plano,
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Wait, what are you saying? In the UK, and other places out of the US, you can't buy a phone from your carrier?
Ethan
MyPhoneExplorer is the new FMA! http://www.fjsoft.at/en/downloads.php |
Evilsummer
Joined: Jan 16, 2002
Posts: 236
From: Gothenburg Sweden
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In Sweden you can buy phones from your operator but you don't have to.. if you don't buy from them you get cheaper service.. eg. mothly fee is less.. so if you buy your phone from them or not doesn't reallyh matters as you get the phone for less but you have to pay a higher mothly fee for lets say 12 moths so it almost always the same price in the long run.. |
Jowi
Joined: Feb 21, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Pilipinas
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Or if u know someone selling their 2nd hand phone,u can buy it.
This message was posted from a T68i |
Tec9
Joined: Dec 21, 2003
Posts: 263
From: UK / Hungary
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in UK we can buy 'offline' phones but they cost very much. P900 is like £700+
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slamEVIL
Joined: Aug 14, 2003
Posts: 370
From: San Diego
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@rdnymllnsktr - i can walk into any cingular store right now and buy a phone with no deals or contracts needed. that must be a at&t thing. you should also check out service centers that aren't operator specific. and check these guys out! i haven't dealt with them yet, but are you seeing those prices?
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moodswinger
Joined: Dec 10, 2001
Posts: 78
From: New York, USA
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@ rdnymllnsktr: As I stated in a different topic - the best way to get your phone is from an independent retailer. Cell service providers are just that - they provide service (and phone on the side), they are not cell phone dealers.
Here in NYC, you can get excellent deals, either with service-trimmed phones (T-Mobile, Cingular) or unaltered SIM-unlocked phones to which the retailer can apply the service provider's rebate (e.g. you can get Siemens SL55 for absolutely free /after rebates/ if you sign a contract).
So, in answer to your question - look for the stores that stock the goods (not AT&T, Cingular, or T-Mobile) and enjoy the luxury of GSM. If you don't have a retailer in your area, I suggest www.no-air-time.com (I seldom make suche recommendations, but since I bought my P900 from them, I can attest that they (1) actually have a store and (2) will not sell you faulty goods.
Cheers!
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grapetonix
Joined: Jun 08, 2003
Posts: 59
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Quote:
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On 2004-02-23 20:20:21, snap-hiss wrote:
You'd be surprised how little profit service providers actually make on their customers. Selling phones direct to the consumer is one of the main reasons that no wireless provider has turned a profit to date in the US.
!snap
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Doesn't surprise me when the cell prices over there, far as I've seen, are so exorbitantly low. When I was in the US I saw GSM deals like "get 3000 anytime minutes/mo. to anywhere for $20 a month"
Here in Sweden, it's basically your choice what to do. But if you want to buy a phone sim-free, it's much better to go to an electro-dealer than a Service Provider store. |
Vlammetje
Joined: Mar 01, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Den Haag
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Absolutely. Go to a store that sells PHONES with optional plans, rather than a service provider that sells CONTRACTS with optional phones 
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Posted: 2004-02-23 16:09
