Moving Away From SIM Cards

[Snn5]

No time soon of course, but interesting.

http://www.droid-life.com/2015/07/16/report-apple-and-samsung-may-help-mobile-industry-kill-the-sim-...

[mama23dogs]

The idea that American cell phones will be able to work on all carriers is what I am hoping for most.  Apple is already ahead of the game with the iPhone 6/6+.  Google nexus 6 is also capable of working on all carriers.

one plus one, and the expected one plus two.

[Snn5]

I'm kinda of a fan for "Choose your own phone and go with the carrier that's a best fit coverage and price-wise."  All these exclusive phones and devices that might give one carrier more popularity, at least as long as that one phone is popular, kind of narrows down a customers choice who wants the coverage of this carrier but the phone with that carrier.

[Snn5]

Some may say that it's all part of the competition game, but I say carriers should be based on what it is they really sell....service.  I don't see Dodge pushing and promoting Texaco gas and I don't see Shell Gas pushing Ford....(well, I do see a lot of Fords being pushed, mainly by humans, but that's a different story.)

[mama23dogs]

Agree, agree, agree!  100 %

I am convinced we are headed the right direction to get there.  But the growing pains to get there are annoying. 

A lot of customers just want a "free" phone. 

ATT is pushing the envelope, and may push customers out the door.

recent changes:

In the past 2 weeks ATT stopped 2 year contracts in ALL stores.  The only way to upgrade or start a new 2 year contract is if you receive your phone by mail.

As of August 1 the activation or upgrade fee is going up to $45.  New lines of service with BYOD and upgrades with Next financing will be $15. 

These  fees always annoy customers.  The $15 fee is not cool.

[Snn5]

Well, they lose a little revenue on the BYOD, BUT, if they are going to cut in-store contracts, let's make it across the board and uniform.  Them doing that is like Early Edge vs Edge.  Folks get confused and inconvenienced.

[mama23dogs]

This kinda does that... They are pushing everyone to Next financing.  Older customers, on older plans, are not happy.

[Snn5]

Blaarrggg....slow down the new-low/mid-range-phone-every-month / new-flagship-every-6-months cycle, get all the phones on all the networks "possible" and let the carriers battle it out with the plans.  Fewer phones means better training and more uniform support and development.  Focusing on plans means focusing on network improvements.

[mama23dogs]

Agree. Customers are focused on acquiring the next, newest shiny device.

Separating phones from service is the only way I see improvement.