Re: TOTAL RIPOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $39 EXTRA charge for UNWANTED FEATURES!!!
daddyd302
Newbie

Well you can pay full price and pay any plan you want. You can also leave when you want. You want the discount, you gotta pay for the extras, they want to charge. The only thing I think is a rip off is them charging for visual voicemail when most companys give it free with your package.

0 Likes
Re: TOTAL RIPOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $39 EXTRA charge for UNWANTED FEATURES!!!
supitsmike
Specialist - Level 2

I have a glaring question for all those who are in despair about the data plan thing:

 

Why would you buy a phone, that is not only advertised to do things online, but has an operating system which goes hand-in-hand to send you push notifications for your phone? In case you weren't aware, let me tell you about the few things that come with the territory:

 

Without a data plan, you can't access the market.

Without a data plan, you can't recieve updates from the market.

Without a data plan, you won't get push notifications.

Without a data plan, you can't use your e-mail.

Without a data plan, you can't use Google Maps, Navigator, anything correlating to those services (which are free).

Without a data plan, you couldn't even install updates to your phone from Google (Wifi or not).

 

 

The last argument alone is enough for you to make two easy decisions: You either get a regular, 'dumbphone' without all the goodies or you suck it up and pay for the data plan which you'll eventually find to be much easier for your life then not having one.

 

 

0 Likes
Re: TOTAL RIPOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $39 EXTRA charge for UNWANTED FEATURES!!!
old_man-58
Newbie

Not sure why someone would buy an internet ready, high end, "super duper" wow my socks off phone, and not expect to pay for connectivity.

 

Are you sure you would not be a lot happier with just a Cell Phone that does TXT messaging, no wait you have to pay for text messages.

 

Me and my DROID are having an experience, it is worth the cost, I am even sending Texts to my wife's Eris while she is sitting next to me watching a movie. I can get Popcorn just by ordering....:smileyvery-happy:

 

 

0 Likes
Re: TOTAL RIPOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $39 EXTRA charge for UNWANTED FEATURES!!!
Zehan
Contributor - Level 2
It's so funny how people complain about having to pay for their services. It's like getting a car and complaining that they have to pay for gas. Ahh, consumers.
0 Likes
Re: TOTAL RIPOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $39 EXTRA charge for UNWANTED FEATURES!!!
bkfist
Specialist - Level 1

 


supitsmike wrote:

I have a glaring question for all those who are in despair about the data plan thing:

 

Why would you buy a phone, that is not only advertised to do things online, but has an operating system which goes hand-in-hand to send you push notifications for your phone? In case you weren't aware, let me tell you about the few things that come with the territory:

 

Without a data plan, you can't access the market.

Without a data plan, you can't recieve updates from the market.

Without a data plan, you won't get push notifications.

Without a data plan, you can't use your e-mail.

Without a data plan, you can't use Google Maps, Navigator, anything correlating to those services (which are free).

Without a data plan, you couldn't even install updates to your phone from Google (Wifi or not).

 


 

Umm, Mike, although I agree with you *totally* in the spirit of what you are saying, I do have to say that I have a "decommissioned" Sprint Hero sitting here beside me, everything is deactivated except the WiFi and except the obvious function of making actual phone calls, everything works perfectly with just the WiFi connection. I can install, update, get Google Mail notifications, can add/modify contacts (Haven't tried Sprint navigation or TV, (NFL and NASCAR have been long removed) - and I'm not going to since those are services provided by sprint, and I'm not "entitled" to use it since I am no longer a Sprint customer...)

 

I can't say if "OTA" updates would work or not, however when I applied my update originally (while I was a Sprint customer) it did it over the WiFi also, so I at least *suspect* that were another update to come out, I would *likely* be able to apply it should I want to do so, also within hours of any OTA release the update.zip file would either be available from an official site, or at the very least one of the developer forums.  Not that I would apply an official release to my Hero anyway, but I could if I wanted to and one were available.

 

If one wants to run Android and doesn't want to have to pay for a data plan, go look at the Barnes & Noble Nook, or any number of netbooks available now with Android running on them, and get yourself an inexpensive "Feature phone" to make your calls with, just don't expect Verizon or any other carrier to subsidize $400+ on a phone and not have a method to recoup some of that subsidy through (some may say) over-priced data charges. 

 

I'm actually OK with the data charges, as long as Verizon doesn't pull an AT&T on us and pocket *all* the money gained without continuing to expand it's data network to accommodate the increased traffic that will be generated as more and more Android devices are added to the network.

 

Competition from smaller innovative companies like T-Mobile with their new non-subsidized plan rates will help to keep the actual cost of the data plans in check for the rest of us.  I hope anyways :smileyhappy:

 

0 Likes
Re: TOTAL RIPOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $39 EXTRA charge for UNWANTED FEATURES!!!
supitsmike
Specialist - Level 2

bkfist wrote:

 


supitsmike wrote:

I have a glaring question for all those who are in despair about the data plan thing:

 

Why would you buy a phone, that is not only advertised to do things online, but has an operating system which goes hand-in-hand to send you push notifications for your phone? In case you weren't aware, let me tell you about the few things that come with the territory:

 

Without a data plan, you can't access the market.

Without a data plan, you can't recieve updates from the market.

Without a data plan, you won't get push notifications.

Without a data plan, you can't use your e-mail.

Without a data plan, you can't use Google Maps, Navigator, anything correlating to those services (which are free).

Without a data plan, you couldn't even install updates to your phone from Google (Wifi or not).

 


 

Umm, Mike, although I agree with you *totally* in the spirit of what you are saying, I do have to say that I have a "decommissioned" Sprint Hero sitting here beside me, everything is deactivated except the WiFi and except the obvious function of making actual phone calls, everything works perfectly with just the WiFi connection. I can install, update, get Google Mail notifications, can add/modify contacts (Haven't tried Sprint navigation or TV, (NFL and NASCAR have been long removed) - and I'm not going to since those are services provided by sprint, and I'm not "entitled" to use it since I am no longer a Sprint customer...)

 

I can't say if "OTA" updates would work or not, however when I applied my update originally (while I was a Sprint customer) it did it over the WiFi also, so I at least *suspect* that were another update to come out, I would *likely* be able to apply it should I want to do so, also within hours of any OTA release the update.zip file would either be available from an official site, or at the very least one of the developer forums.  Not that I would apply an official release to my Hero anyway, but I could if I wanted to and one were available.

 

If one wants to run Android and doesn't want to have to pay for a data plan, go look at the Barnes & Noble Nook, or any number of netbooks available now with Android running on them, and get yourself an inexpensive "Feature phone" to make your calls with, just don't expect Verizon or any other carrier to subsidize $400+ on a phone and not have a method to recoup some of that subsidy through (some may say) over-priced data charges. 

 

I'm actually OK with the data charges, as long as Verizon doesn't pull an AT&T on us and pocket *all* the money gained without continuing to expand it's data network to accommodate the increased traffic that will be generated as more and more Android devices are added to the network.

 

Competition from smaller innovative companies like T-Mobile with their new non-subsidized plan rates will help to keep the actual cost of the data plans in check for the rest of us.  I hope anyways :smileyhappy:

 


 

 

My other provider T-Mobile won't allow OTA updates when Wi-Fi is enabled (or at least all three times in my experiences) -- it could be a factor of CDMA vs.GSM, I really wouldn't know. However, most OTA updates are supplied by the carriers themselves -- which require direct connection to their 3G network.

 

Completely agree with you on the whole comparison to AT&T. I really don't see a reason why when they have made literally -- millions of dollars on the iPhone alone that their service is still poor throughout the country. Verizon has their fair (and when I say fair I'm being modest) share of money. I don't think they'll echo the same problem, though.

0 Likes
Re: TOTAL RIPOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $39 EXTRA charge for UNWANTED FEATURES!!!
bkfist
Specialist - Level 1

Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge a company making money, not even obscene amounts of it, as long as they are providing me with what I am paying for.  :smileyhappy:

 

Also, my comment about T-Mobile being innovative isn't a slam on Verizon in any way.  It's just a fact when you're #1 like Verizon, you tend to stick with what has worked for you in the past, and when you're #4 of the "Big 4" you can take more risks to try to improve your position in the market.  Charging a lower rate for plans where the carrier doesn't have to subsidize the phone isn't new at all, it's just new to the US. scene (I'm not saying some po-dunk or regional carrier hasn't been doing this before here, but none of the nation-wide carriers have..  In Europe, it's the norm to buy your phone unlocked for the best price you can find, then pick your carrier based on coverage, reliability, price etc..)

 

I'm happy Verizon has opened up, at least for the Android devices, but to be honest, the reason I absolutely loathed my previous carrier of 15 years (excluding the 2 months with Sprint and lack of coverage in my home town.) was the fact they do exactly what VZW apparently still does on non-Android phones and that is disabling features on the phone and "reselling" limited access to those features to their customers. (GPS on my Blackberry to be exact with US Cellular)  I paid for those features to be built into my phone, and I'll be darned if I will put up with someone disabling them.  Maybe VZW doesn't disable GPS on some of their other phones, I'm not sure, I didn't check their current policy on those, since I was only interested in Android.  I had experience with Palm, wasn't going to go there, and too many rumors about Microsoft possibly buying RIM to even consider another Blackberry device, as I refuse to support Microsoft with *my* money in any way, shape, or form.  I used the same BB device for almost 4 years (Held together with duct tape and "gorilla glue"), just waiting for a carrier, ANY carrier that I could port my number to, to get an Android device.  I wasn't going to risk being locked into my contract with US Cellular for even 1 day longer than I had to be, hence my stint with Sprint for a couple of months... I was the first one in the door at the closest Sprint store to get off US Cellular the day they released the Hero.

 

I'm more than willing to spend extra money, for extra service, be that extended coverage, or better products, or simply products that are not from  one of my (own, personal) list of "boycotted" companies.  (Which the fastest ways to get on that list is to lie to me or spam me.)

 

0 Likes
Re: TOTAL RIPOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $39 EXTRA charge for UNWANTED FEATURES!!!
nedaroth
Enthusiast - Level 3

Might not be a bad idea for a carrier to offer a semi-smart phone that supported apps that did not need the 3G Internet - kind of an advanced PDA/phone.  I'll bet that there would be a market for that.  You would only pay for a phone plan. Connecting to home or office WiFi networks would not involve the carrier at all so there should not a charge for that or even an awareness by the carrier that Wifi network access was in progress.

 

 

They do it.s called the iphone lmao

 

 

I love how you guys take the troll bait and the OP is long gone.

0 Likes
Re: TOTAL RIPOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $39 EXTRA charge for UNWANTED FEATURES!!!
PPC_Dude
Contributor - Level 2

 


nedaroth wrote:

Might not be a bad idea for a carrier to offer a semi-smart phone that supported apps that did not need the 3G Internet - kind of an advanced PDA/phone.  I'll bet that there would be a market for that.  You would only pay for a phone plan. Connecting to home or office WiFi networks would not involve the carrier at all so there should not a charge for that or even an awareness by the carrier that Wifi network access was in progress.

 

 

They do it.s called the iphone lmao

 

 

I love how you guys take the troll bait and the OP is long gone.


 

I was under the impression that AT&T is now requiring a data plan for all of its smartphones now too.  Is that not the case?  Or are you saying that the Iphone is only a semi-smartphone?

 

0 Likes
Re: TOTAL RIPOFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $39 EXTRA charge for UNWANTED FEATURES!!!
supitsmike
Specialist - Level 2

bkfist wrote:

Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge a company making money, not even obscene amounts of it, as long as they are providing me with what I am paying for.  :smileyhappy:

 

Also, my comment about T-Mobile being innovative isn't a slam on Verizon in any way.  It's just a fact when you're #1 like Verizon, you tend to stick with what has worked for you in the past, and when you're #4 of the "Big 4" you can take more risks to try to improve your position in the market.  Charging a lower rate for plans where the carrier doesn't have to subsidize the phone isn't new at all, it's just new to the US. scene (I'm not saying some po-dunk or regional carrier hasn't been doing this before here, but none of the nation-wide carriers have..  In Europe, it's the norm to buy your phone unlocked for the best price you can find, then pick your carrier based on coverage, reliability, price etc..)

 

I'm happy Verizon has opened up, at least for the Android devices, but to be honest, the reason I absolutely loathed my previous carrier of 15 years (excluding the 2 months with Sprint and lack of coverage in my home town.) was the fact they do exactly what VZW apparently still does on non-Android phones and that is disabling features on the phone and "reselling" limited access to those features to their customers. (GPS on my Blackberry to be exact with US Cellular)  I paid for those features to be built into my phone, and I'll be darned if I will put up with someone disabling them.  Maybe VZW doesn't disable GPS on some of their other phones, I'm not sure, I didn't check their current policy on those, since I was only interested in Android.  I had experience with Palm, wasn't going to go there, and too many rumors about Microsoft possibly buying RIM to even consider another Blackberry device, as I refuse to support Microsoft with *my* money in any way, shape, or form.  I used the same BB device for almost 4 years (Held together with duct tape and "gorilla glue"), just waiting for a carrier, ANY carrier that I could port my number to, to get an Android device.  I wasn't going to risk being locked into my contract with US Cellular for even 1 day longer than I had to be, hence my stint with Sprint for a couple of months... I was the first one in the door at the closest Sprint store to get off US Cellular the day they released the Hero.

 

I'm more than willing to spend extra money, for extra service, be that extended coverage, or better products, or simply products that are not from  one of my (own, personal) list of "boycotted" companies.  (Which the fastest ways to get on that list is to lie to me or spam me.)

 


Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to come off as "Hey I'm responding to point my finger at you because of this, this, and this." Sorry. I think the point of the OP's thread was basically to stress how he/she really didn't want extra features, that are practically essential to the phone (I.e. Data). Though oen thing that Verizon is notorious for is basically chopping everything that a phone can do, and selling them seperatly as if VZW were the ones really coming up with the technology to do it.

 

Though I'm not going to you, I've been extremely happy with Verizon. I get coverage everywhere, literally, everywhere. And have been on 1x I think once in the month that I've been with this Droid. I too, am perfectly fine with paying extra for coverage/better products as long as it's worth it.

 

Though I wish I could add security at any point. That'd be nice :smileysad:

0 Likes