itbusinessedge.com— This week, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said that unlimited data plans for the iPhone "are not a long-term solution" and that the carrier could switch to a tiered pricing system as early as this summer.
Mar 3, 2011View in Crawl 4
The only thing that lasts anymore is Corporate Greed.
Remember the days of Well made USA products? Warranties 10 to 20 years. Decent interest on your banked money?
Well that happy period of time is over. the CEO's need their 435 x the regular workers pay Plus the Bonuses. Stockholders wives need yet another Lexus..
Decent interest? If you plan your retirement strategy around a Bank's Savings Account Interest, you are planning to fail. It is ALWAYS below the Prime Rate which means it usually is below the rate of inflation as well.
Also do you know what happens to corporations that don't make money? They go out of business. Good CEO's that consistently make mostly right decisions are worth a lot of money. How much did Bill Gates or Steve Jobs make over the course of their herald ship of their companies? Are you saying they weren't worth it?
Most businesses don't have that kind of option. While I don't necessarily agree with the bailouts under Bush and Obama, I understand why they happened and the reasoning behind them.
As an example, look at Apple. Late 90s and they were probably just a year or two from going out of business. They were able to innovate (through ideas like the iMac, OS X, the iPod, and iTunes) their way back and are now one of the most sucessful companies on the planet. Most other companies when faced with that kind of death spiral don't make it.
And no, the 150 million of non-voting stock that Microsoft bought made no difference to the financial well-being of Apple which was losing billions. It DID however give Apple some time (in consumer confidence that they weren't going out of business) to re-group. More important was that MS agreed to update MS Office for the Mac and the end of the lawsuits between the two companies that Apple was going to lose anyway.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
Look I am not saying a corporation should not make money 100 or even 150% profits are fine but 350% 500% profits? and your one of the only few games in town?
Seriously Profit is one thing Gouging your customers is something else.
Savings account were NEVER good investments. They are a great hedge for unexpected emergencies. If you're planning for your retirement, you don't just rely on a Bank's savings accounts.
Yes, some corporations DO lose money from time to time but if they don't have any way to get back into the red, or if they just borrow to keep the company going without making any profit, they go out of business. Companies that don't make a profit go out of business eventually or get bought up for whatever intellectual property they have.
Since I was born in 1960, just how old are you that you remember this amazing time of living out your retirement on just your savings?
Since I was born in 1960, I know interest rates were much higher at one time. Not like now where money is free. People retired with their pensions. Like your mom and dad did. You know? So don't tell me how it is. You used to be able to put money away and actually have it grow at a good rate. Not since 401Ks and that is the issue isn't it.
There are many companies that don't make money. I don't think you are paying attention. There are companies that never made money that still exist today. So don't try to bulls**t me!
Pensions AREN'T savings accounts. And if you look at the number of pensions funds that have failed through theft or poor management, they aren't always 100% safe either.
Many times the payout on pensions aren't able to keep up with inflation either. The point is even back then, people with sense diversified their future incomes. They didn't put all their eggs in one basket. They would have a house that could be sold usually at a profit that would suppliment their income or savings bonds or some other type of money growth scheme.
How come we never herd of corporate employees going to pound me in the ass prison? You say poor management, I say they were all robbed. The money was there, they just stole it and spent. Just like they are doing now. We need to round them up and put them in prison. This will make pensions viable. I still have a pension. It will be there when I'm ready. The company I got it from is still solvent and didn't rob the pensions to keep afloat. The whole thing is contracts are broken with the average citizen and not the criminals that rob them. It is really that simple.
This is a recent problem. You say savings were never a good investment. I told you that you were full of s**t. There's a link. I'm sure you will find a reason that it is not right.
Also, there are many cases where companies have not made money and were still being invested in and thought to be good. Recently I can name a s**tload of dot coms that were not making money and still were floating on investment. You call it whatever you want. They were spending and not making money. I don't know how f**king clear you want it. This has happened throughout history of business in the last century.
Dude, I really don't have time to educate. How about you think about this for a while. I got s**t to do!
Saying that the rate of saving in the US is at it's lowest point ever not the same as saying it's a good investment or that it's a sound policy for putting all your retirement eggs in. Which is what you said in the beginning and what I said was nonsense. Your link doesn't mean crap except to say that a lot of people aren't saving money. No s**t? Really?
As to your second point this is what I said...
"Yes, some corporations DO lose money from time to time but if they don't have any way to get back into the red, or if they just borrow to keep the company going without making any profit, they go out of business. Companies that don't make a profit go out of business eventually or get bought up for whatever intellectual property they have."
You call it floating on investment now, but your original statement was that some corporation exist that don't make money. Again, no s**t sherlock, but the eventual goal is to MAKE MONEY. For a corporation to make money is not a bad thing. The ones that don't, die or are bought up. As far as your "dot-coms" go, there were a lot of those in the 90s too that didn't make money and spent investment capital like it was going out of style. Know where MOST of those are now? Gone and forgotten along with all the money invested.
Again, give an example of a corporation that has never made money and wasn't designed to be a non-profit that still exists today from say (since you mentioned the last century) 1960.
In order to educate you have to have a point. So far you haven't had one worth s**t.
I'll reply to some of the other nonsence you've spouted here.
IF a corporate employee was involved (along with management) in a scheme to defraud a pension fund, then they would go to jail too. And yes, there have been low-rank employees involved in fraud schemes as well as management. Greed has no class lines.
If you had read what I said you wouldn't have replied as you did ie: "You say poor management, I say they were all robbed."
I said theft or poor management. Get your eyes checked.
IF a pension fund has been stolen from (the who doesn't matter, the money is gone) then even IF you catch who did it, unless they still have the money (most times they either don't or claim they don't) or if the pension fund is insured (most aren't), then the money can't be recovered and the pensioners are screwed. Putting the thief in prison won't magically return the money and it's ludicrous to claim it will (as you did). This applies to your pension as well. If your pension is doing well, congrats, you have good managers for now. All it takes is one however and you're f**ked then too.
They did not get put in prison. They did rob people. If you use the money like it was in a general fund the company should have been completely dissolved and then the money should have been given to the people that had their pension robbed. This save the company bologna is just that. I said that there are companies that never made money. You made my point for me. There were and are companies that never made money. You want to say that there has never been a company that existed that never made money. YES THERE HAS. Yes they never stayed around but dumb asses like you invested in them didn't they?
If you died tomorrow and I said there was a retard named macparrot that said stupid s**t you would say that there never was a f**k head like that.
The reason people had savings accounts was because the INTEREST RATE WAS HIGHER. Banks paid more than 1% f**k head. If you don't have more than a grade school understanding of math then don't talk to me.
You must be one of the most annoyingly stupid people I've had the displeasure of commenting with on Digg.
You change the argument when you've obviously lost and willingly forget either what I said or even what you yourself said in a previous comment to keep from saying three very simple words. What words were those that you are incapable of saying?
"I was wrong"
Again, savings accounts interest rates are NEVER about the Prime Rate and are almost never higher than inflation. That makes them a stupid way to save for your retirement. I don't care if you agree with me or really anything else you say from this point on. The very air you breathe is a waste since someone's egg-sucking dog could be using it instead. Enjoy your life of mediocrity
I don't know about that.
Maybe in Korea - could be a totally different infrastructure or a smaller percentage of the population - not to mention a smaller population and physical infrastructure to begin with.
But even in Korea, I'm sure that usage is growing, while the backbone of the network becomes increasingly strained with growth. It's inherent.
Growth is never sustainable without corresponding investment, and that's not free, and potentially not profitable unless growth rates continue as projected.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
No, there isn't a single location I have been to with less than full bars. Even on the country side in the middle of nowhere. I get full HSPA+ in the subway as well as at the DMZ and even on the islands of Jeju and Dokdo.
They just connect the data towers to the internet lines, and it's not a problem with the fastest internet and highest user penetration in the world (so no, you are wrong about a smaller percentage of the population by a long shot).
You seem to keep making excuses instead of wondering why the hell rates keep going UP!
@corn
Hong Kong and Japan are just as far ahead of the US when it comes to wireless internet, hell the UK has it better than us, and Japan is about as long as the US is wide, UK/Europe is also huge.
The issue was US telcos took govt subsidies in years past meant for network upgrades and pocketed them instead of investing in infrastructure and now they are going to make the consumer eat the cost to do the upgrades.
Most people in Korea live in Urban areas where less investment is needed for the infrastructure which is why its so cheap over there. If you go to the suburbs, they might offer unlimited plans there but essentially the massive amount of people in urban areas are subsidizing the lower profits/losses in this areas.
Rates going up? Its simple supply and demand, the telecommunications networks probably aren't investing enough, or the investment they have put in hasn't matured to the operational stage yet, so until more capacity is added to the network prices are going to go up as demand goes up.
I suspect that if you wait for the iPhone 5 you'll have a limited data plan. If you sign up now, and get the iPhone 4, you'll be grandfathered in on the unlimited plan and will have unlimited data at least for the first 2 years of your contract.
Actually it's not. When Verizon announced this, they said it would be offered for a very short time. I'm surprised they didn't end the offer after a month or so. Unlimited data, while awesome, is costly, so I'm not surprised they wouldn't offer this forever.
It is if they removed the unlimited data for people who already signed up on it on a contract. The article doesn't specify whether or not that is the case. For the sake of my previous comment I will assume that is the case.
Excuse me, but transferring BITS across a network, even a cellular one, is insanely cheap. Verizon has joined the circus of "we want all you money" and it is going to get them sued. This IS a bait and switch.
They better not try to do ANYTHING with my unlimited plan.
Sorry, but adding data/bandwidth might be insanely cheap if they only had 1 or 2 customers. But multiply it millions of times and it is insanely expensive.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
Out of curiosity, does anyone have any numbers on average data usage between say, a droid user and an iphone user? I'm wondering if the iphone generally uses more data, or if this is just a scam to get iphone users to spend more money.
I really hope the same tiered system isn't passed on to android users as well.
First you lose unlimited data and no one complains. Next you will have pay per megabyte plus pay for streaming video, music, download.and I bet people still won’t complain.
Verizon really does have some of the best coverage.
And i have no complaints with them beyond that service is great love the phone i have and the 3g speeds are very nice add that to teathering to my laptop and i'm very happy with it. I just hate having to drop so much cash into their services :(
But how will they stay competative if they don't offer unlimited data? Their competitors already offer it and would have a huge advantage.
And I'm sure their competitors won't give up on that advantage and withdraw unlimted data plans, because they would become just as uncompetative as Verizon.
Nope, the only way that this could work out well for Verizon is if their competitors followed suit making themselves un-competative. Why you might even say, anti-competative - and I just can't figure out why all of these companies would choose to make anti-competative decisions.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
Does 3G have a mechanism to throttle data on the device... but controlled by the carrier?
For example, can Verizon send a message do your device saying
"slow down traffic to 10 kb/s" or something like that.
This is not like normal IP where you can control usage at a router or switch. The mere act of the device trying to send data is taking up bandwidth on the airwaves... and that is the precious part.
I personally think all plans should be unlimited... we should just be throttled accordingly when congestion occurs. People pay more... they will be the last to be throttled when congestion happens.
Makes sense and keeps bills constant and carrier concerns about congestion happy.
I don't think Verizon is really interested in getting you to use less data bandwidth; like ATT, I think they are just interested in charging you MORE for it. Tiered plans, to me, are just a giant price increase disguised as "choice."
Scamper, no, they cannot legally throttle data yet. They're attempting to get legislation passed, but mobile internet is still covered by net neutrality.
"We're still not selling as many iPhones as we thought, even with this extra temptation, so we're done bending over backwards.
"If people want to buy an Android phone they can, if they want to buy an iPhone they can. Our business isn't to help Steve Jobs sell iPhones.
"His magic worked on us - we can see now how people get pulled in by the hype - but there's no reason for us, Verizon, to steer people into an iPhone over any other smartphone."
T-Mobile's 5GB then throttle to EDGE plan works really well, at least for me. Verizon should consider something like it, but I guess there's no additional profit to be made.
Well I still have unlimited 3G with ATT for $30 a month. I have no plans to drop it and I haven't heard any hits that ATT will cut me off any time soon.
My cousin had unlimited and then he went to the 2GB plan, but recently he asked ATT and they let him go back to the unlimited plan so yeah, it doesn't seem like it's going away.
Douchebaggery. My HTC Incredible and my unlimited plan are quite happily married. What happens when the Netflix app for Android is finally released? I mean, if you're gonna up the price, at least continue offering a theoretical "unlimited plan" around or a lil higher than what it is currently. Don't do what AT&T did...
I guess eventually people will start relying on wifi hotspots & home/office networks a lil' more than they do now. Maybe that's how Verizon wants it?
For some reason, there are a s**t ton of people on here sympathizing with the phone companies. GIVE ME A f**kING BREAK. The number of people that are high bandwidth users are an extremely small % compared to the number of people who barely use anything. All of these phone companies are making so much money. If they get a phone call and are asked "can you hear me now", they reply with "NO I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE SOUND OF ME ROLLING IN ALL THIS MONEY".
I remember reading an article about a year ago saying text prices are inflated by 10000%. Quit sympathizing with corporate America for being lazy and not wanting to upgrade infrastructure. I love the US, but we need to get our s**t together when it comes to advancing technology.
Seriously... right now many jobs are moving over seas but it's only a matter of time before Americans move abroad for better living conditions, jobs and services. Corporate greed is destroying this country.
Well, I've been paying $10/month for unlimited data. When Sprint was running that plan for 69.99 I told Verizon I was gonna go to them and get that, but they [Verizon] offered it to me. So, if this goes away then it means I can leave my contract, right? Are they allowing us to be grandaddied in?
i dont see how its possible for a network provider to sustain unlimited data and still profit or not cause congestion. i dont know how people use more than 500mb of 3g phone data anyway. i struggle to hit 250mb a month and thats with s**t speeds of up to 20KB/s
It's simple profit greed. This "free market" concept that people tout just keeps failing the consumer. Companies don't strive to innovate and outshine the others, instead they offer the exact same kind of service at the exact same kinds of pricing and they spend all of their money on marketing to fool the consumer into thinking there's an actual difference.
Case in point: Verizon Wireless, AT&T Wireless. VZW started out with unlimited data, AT&T did not have unlimited data, but had the iPhone. VZW gets the iPhone and then yanks away the unlimited data.
Isn't it funny that unlimited minutes/texting for both companies runs you $69.99. Granted the tiered data pricing for VZW isn't out yet, but what do you think the odds of it matching AT&T's pricing will be?
American companies don't compete anymore. It's all marketing and it's sad.
hackiewackieMar 3, 2011
In other words, it would've been a "long term strategy" if it'd worked
wesgilMar 3, 2011
It's a pity
bobosmitorMar 3, 2011
I guess unlimited data was too good to last.
mrteflonMar 4, 2011
The only thing that lasts anymore is Corporate Greed.
Remember the days of Well made USA products? Warranties 10 to 20 years. Decent interest on your banked money?
Well that happy period of time is over. the CEO's need their 435 x the regular workers pay Plus the Bonuses. Stockholders wives need yet another Lexus..
corneljeMar 4, 2011
Business are in the business of making money, and always have been. Given the chance, you would buy your wife another Lexus.
macparrotMar 4, 2011
Decent interest? If you plan your retirement strategy around a Bank's Savings Account Interest, you are planning to fail. It is ALWAYS below the Prime Rate which means it usually is below the rate of inflation as well.
Also do you know what happens to corporations that don't make money? They go out of business. Good CEO's that consistently make mostly right decisions are worth a lot of money. How much did Bill Gates or Steve Jobs make over the course of their herald ship of their companies? Are you saying they weren't worth it?
mixxoMar 4, 2011
"Also do you know what happens to corporations that don't make money? They go out of business."
Not when we have the government & tax payer money to bail them out.......
macparrotMar 4, 2011
Most businesses don't have that kind of option. While I don't necessarily agree with the bailouts under Bush and Obama, I understand why they happened and the reasoning behind them.
As an example, look at Apple. Late 90s and they were probably just a year or two from going out of business. They were able to innovate (through ideas like the iMac, OS X, the iPod, and iTunes) their way back and are now one of the most sucessful companies on the planet. Most other companies when faced with that kind of death spiral don't make it.
And no, the 150 million of non-voting stock that Microsoft bought made no difference to the financial well-being of Apple which was losing billions. It DID however give Apple some time (in consumer confidence that they weren't going out of business) to re-group. More important was that MS agreed to update MS Office for the Mac and the end of the lawsuits between the two companies that Apple was going to lose anyway.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
mrteflonMar 4, 2011
Look I am not saying a corporation should not make money 100 or even 150% profits are fine but 350% 500% profits? and your one of the only few games in town?
Seriously Profit is one thing Gouging your customers is something else.
Closed AccountMar 4, 2011
Savings used to be a good investment. You are too young to remember.
Corporations lose money all the time and are still corporations, children.
macparrotMar 4, 2011
Savings account were NEVER good investments. They are a great hedge for unexpected emergencies. If you're planning for your retirement, you don't just rely on a Bank's savings accounts.
Yes, some corporations DO lose money from time to time but if they don't have any way to get back into the red, or if they just borrow to keep the company going without making any profit, they go out of business. Companies that don't make a profit go out of business eventually or get bought up for whatever intellectual property they have.
Since I was born in 1960, just how old are you that you remember this amazing time of living out your retirement on just your savings?
Closed AccountMar 4, 2011
Since I was born in 1960, I know interest rates were much higher at one time. Not like now where money is free. People retired with their pensions. Like your mom and dad did. You know? So don't tell me how it is. You used to be able to put money away and actually have it grow at a good rate. Not since 401Ks and that is the issue isn't it.
There are many companies that don't make money. I don't think you are paying attention. There are companies that never made money that still exist today. So don't try to bulls**t me!
macparrotMar 4, 2011
Not trying to. Can you name any companies that exist that have never made any money? Companies, not non-profit organizations
macparrotMar 4, 2011
Pensions AREN'T savings accounts. And if you look at the number of pensions funds that have failed through theft or poor management, they aren't always 100% safe either.
Many times the payout on pensions aren't able to keep up with inflation either. The point is even back then, people with sense diversified their future incomes. They didn't put all their eggs in one basket. They would have a house that could be sold usually at a profit that would suppliment their income or savings bonds or some other type of money growth scheme.
Closed AccountMar 5, 2011
How come we never herd of corporate employees going to pound me in the ass prison? You say poor management, I say they were all robbed. The money was there, they just stole it and spent. Just like they are doing now. We need to round them up and put them in prison. This will make pensions viable. I still have a pension. It will be there when I'm ready. The company I got it from is still solvent and didn't rob the pensions to keep afloat. The whole thing is contracts are broken with the average citizen and not the criminals that rob them. It is really that simple.
Closed AccountMar 5, 2011
http://wallstreetpit.com/13428-total-us-savings-rate-lowest-in-recorded-history
This is a recent problem. You say savings were never a good investment. I told you that you were full of s**t. There's a link. I'm sure you will find a reason that it is not right.
Also, there are many cases where companies have not made money and were still being invested in and thought to be good. Recently I can name a s**tload of dot coms that were not making money and still were floating on investment. You call it whatever you want. They were spending and not making money. I don't know how f**king clear you want it. This has happened throughout history of business in the last century.
Dude, I really don't have time to educate. How about you think about this for a while. I got s**t to do!
macparrotMar 5, 2011
Saying that the rate of saving in the US is at it's lowest point ever not the same as saying it's a good investment or that it's a sound policy for putting all your retirement eggs in. Which is what you said in the beginning and what I said was nonsense. Your link doesn't mean crap except to say that a lot of people aren't saving money. No s**t? Really?
As to your second point this is what I said...
"Yes, some corporations DO lose money from time to time but if they don't have any way to get back into the red, or if they just borrow to keep the company going without making any profit, they go out of business. Companies that don't make a profit go out of business eventually or get bought up for whatever intellectual property they have."
You call it floating on investment now, but your original statement was that some corporation exist that don't make money. Again, no s**t sherlock, but the eventual goal is to MAKE MONEY. For a corporation to make money is not a bad thing. The ones that don't, die or are bought up. As far as your "dot-coms" go, there were a lot of those in the 90s too that didn't make money and spent investment capital like it was going out of style. Know where MOST of those are now? Gone and forgotten along with all the money invested.
Again, give an example of a corporation that has never made money and wasn't designed to be a non-profit that still exists today from say (since you mentioned the last century) 1960.
In order to educate you have to have a point. So far you haven't had one worth s**t.
macparrotMar 5, 2011
I'll reply to some of the other nonsence you've spouted here.
IF a corporate employee was involved (along with management) in a scheme to defraud a pension fund, then they would go to jail too. And yes, there have been low-rank employees involved in fraud schemes as well as management. Greed has no class lines.
If you had read what I said you wouldn't have replied as you did ie: "You say poor management, I say they were all robbed."
I said theft or poor management. Get your eyes checked.
IF a pension fund has been stolen from (the who doesn't matter, the money is gone) then even IF you catch who did it, unless they still have the money (most times they either don't or claim they don't) or if the pension fund is insured (most aren't), then the money can't be recovered and the pensioners are screwed. Putting the thief in prison won't magically return the money and it's ludicrous to claim it will (as you did). This applies to your pension as well. If your pension is doing well, congrats, you have good managers for now. All it takes is one however and you're f**ked then too.
Closed AccountMar 5, 2011
They did not get put in prison. They did rob people. If you use the money like it was in a general fund the company should have been completely dissolved and then the money should have been given to the people that had their pension robbed. This save the company bologna is just that. I said that there are companies that never made money. You made my point for me. There were and are companies that never made money. You want to say that there has never been a company that existed that never made money. YES THERE HAS. Yes they never stayed around but dumb asses like you invested in them didn't they?
If you died tomorrow and I said there was a retard named macparrot that said stupid s**t you would say that there never was a f**k head like that.
Closed AccountMar 5, 2011
Investing in a savings account:
The reason people had savings accounts was because the INTEREST RATE WAS HIGHER. Banks paid more than 1% f**k head. If you don't have more than a grade school understanding of math then don't talk to me.
macparrotMar 6, 2011
You must be one of the most annoyingly stupid people I've had the displeasure of commenting with on Digg.
You change the argument when you've obviously lost and willingly forget either what I said or even what you yourself said in a previous comment to keep from saying three very simple words. What words were those that you are incapable of saying?
"I was wrong"
Again, savings accounts interest rates are NEVER about the Prime Rate and are almost never higher than inflation. That makes them a stupid way to save for your retirement. I don't care if you agree with me or really anything else you say from this point on. The very air you breathe is a waste since someone's egg-sucking dog could be using it instead. Enjoy your life of mediocrity
Closed AccountMar 6, 2011
What is an S-Corp?
rufiohoMar 3, 2011
Booo! This is no good! :(
wjappeMar 3, 2011
Unlimited Data and unlimited profit are not compatible, what do you suppose they picked?
Closed AccountMar 3, 2011
bulls**t, data gets cheaper and cheaper by the day
I get unlimited data right now in Korea for a fraction of the cost, and they make hand over fist.
geolemonMar 3, 2011
I don't know about that.
Maybe in Korea - could be a totally different infrastructure or a smaller percentage of the population - not to mention a smaller population and physical infrastructure to begin with.
But even in Korea, I'm sure that usage is growing, while the backbone of the network becomes increasingly strained with growth. It's inherent.
Growth is never sustainable without corresponding investment, and that's not free, and potentially not profitable unless growth rates continue as projected.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
Closed AccountMar 3, 2011
No, there isn't a single location I have been to with less than full bars. Even on the country side in the middle of nowhere. I get full HSPA+ in the subway as well as at the DMZ and even on the islands of Jeju and Dokdo.
They just connect the data towers to the internet lines, and it's not a problem with the fastest internet and highest user penetration in the world (so no, you are wrong about a smaller percentage of the population by a long shot).
You seem to keep making excuses instead of wondering why the hell rates keep going UP!
SK Telecom unlimited data plan, look it up.
corneljeMar 4, 2011
South Korea is the size of Indiana. Much less infrastructure required.
fragger56Mar 4, 2011
@corn
Hong Kong and Japan are just as far ahead of the US when it comes to wireless internet, hell the UK has it better than us, and Japan is about as long as the US is wide, UK/Europe is also huge.
The issue was US telcos took govt subsidies in years past meant for network upgrades and pocketed them instead of investing in infrastructure and now they are going to make the consumer eat the cost to do the upgrades.
immunofortMar 4, 2011
Most people in Korea live in Urban areas where less investment is needed for the infrastructure which is why its so cheap over there. If you go to the suburbs, they might offer unlimited plans there but essentially the massive amount of people in urban areas are subsidizing the lower profits/losses in this areas.
Rates going up? Its simple supply and demand, the telecommunications networks probably aren't investing enough, or the investment they have put in hasn't matured to the operational stage yet, so until more capacity is added to the network prices are going to go up as demand goes up.
Closed AccountMar 4, 2011
Uh no, they are re-hauling the entire system right now. They do so every year and a half right now.
Please educate yourself. Don't make assumptions.
Schweppesale2Mar 4, 2011
This is America.
We go with the gut, that's where the truth lies :P
macparrotMar 4, 2011
How much would it cost to "re-haul" the system in South Korea as compared to a country the size of the US?
You're assuming the costs would be similar and they're not
immunofortMar 5, 2011
When did I ever say that they never re-haul the entire system?
I said that investment is needed for infrastructure, and that to infrastructure is cheap there because of the high population density.
Please learn to analyze text properly. Don't make assumptions.
kesk2006Mar 3, 2011
This is a lame move. iPhone brings out the worst in every carrier.
illeagleuturnMar 3, 2011
So if you've got it now, you're grandfathered in and they can't force something else upon you? Limited plans would be for new accounts?
jugglingjonMar 3, 2011
That's how it is for AT&T
texanrudeboyMar 3, 2011
If they try to just send them a $300 bill for early termination.
david4041Mar 4, 2011
I suspect that if you wait for the iPhone 5 you'll have a limited data plan. If you sign up now, and get the iPhone 4, you'll be grandfathered in on the unlimited plan and will have unlimited data at least for the first 2 years of your contract.
FPSmotoMar 3, 2011
Good thing I have Sprint because they have been expressing their views about unlimited data for their smart phones recently.
professorzuMar 3, 2011
They as a company just won't last much longer.
Schweppesale2Mar 4, 2011
Dude, Sprint is pretty good. At least here in NJ.
spazattack5000Mar 3, 2011
That's a good old fashioned bait and switch right there.
metalliheadMar 3, 2011
Actually it's not. When Verizon announced this, they said it would be offered for a very short time. I'm surprised they didn't end the offer after a month or so. Unlimited data, while awesome, is costly, so I'm not surprised they wouldn't offer this forever.
spazattack5000Mar 3, 2011
It is if they removed the unlimited data for people who already signed up on it on a contract. The article doesn't specify whether or not that is the case. For the sake of my previous comment I will assume that is the case.
cawpinMar 4, 2011
"while awesome, is costly"
Excuse me, but transferring BITS across a network, even a cellular one, is insanely cheap. Verizon has joined the circus of "we want all you money" and it is going to get them sued. This IS a bait and switch.
They better not try to do ANYTHING with my unlimited plan.
Schweppesale2Mar 4, 2011
*cough* Net Neuwhat? *cough cough*
Ahhhhh - f**k it. lol
tim620Mar 4, 2011
Sorry, but adding data/bandwidth might be insanely cheap if they only had 1 or 2 customers. But multiply it millions of times and it is insanely expensive.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
agmlauncherMar 4, 2011
Ok and multiply revenue by millions of times and it goes back to being insanely cheap (relative to the income).
crodulfoMar 3, 2011
not EXACTLY what the article says.
meribianMar 3, 2011
So get one of the HTC phones.
drewbaMar 3, 2011
Out of curiosity, does anyone have any numbers on average data usage between say, a droid user and an iphone user? I'm wondering if the iphone generally uses more data, or if this is just a scam to get iphone users to spend more money.
I really hope the same tiered system isn't passed on to android users as well.
david4041Mar 4, 2011
I believe I read an article a few months ago that said that Droid users use more data than iPhone users.
doskrautMar 3, 2011
First you lose unlimited data and no one complains. Next you will have pay per megabyte plus pay for streaming video, music, download.and I bet people still won’t complain.
meribianMar 3, 2011
It'll be like Quicktime. It was awesome and then they started trying to force it on everyone. Now nobody gives a f**k about it.
professorzuMar 3, 2011
Wow, that didn't last long.
Closed AccountMar 3, 2011
While every other country is ADDING unlimited data as bandwidth gets cheaper and cheap, Verizon is REMOVING IT?!
What a joke. I get Unlimited Data plus a phone plan for $50 here in Korea.
I don't miss the s**tty $50 phone plus forced $50 data plans that aren't unlimited back in the USA.
thanakarMar 3, 2011
Isn't the Korean Phone system state owned, so you are not dealing with big corporation greed?
Closed AccountMar 3, 2011
Big corporation, monopoly-owned greed, actually.
A few families own everything here, yet everything is still mega cheap.
Wow, amazing, right?
iboxMar 4, 2011
And you pay out the ass in taxes.... nothing is free.
imfreeofdebtMar 3, 2011
yeah thats crap
absolutelytrueMar 3, 2011
Well this certainly sucks.
MSaltmarshMar 3, 2011
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
I've been looking into alternatives for Verizon for a while now.
Me thinks me and my droid are going to cricket.
Unlimited Internet, Unlimited Minutes, Unlimited text.
Cheaper then Verizon, coverage is very good in my area, at least for 3g.
Have you guys been looking into this?
lockencoleMar 4, 2011
Then, when you travel even a foot outside of the city you connected your phone in, you start to pay roaming charges.
cawpinMar 4, 2011
All of Cricket's plans are nationwide now, I believe. Every commercial I've heard lately only talks about nationwide.
I've been listening to Cricket's marketing the last couple of years and if they can get their coverage up I may well switch at some point.
lockencoleMar 4, 2011
Looking at their coverage map. Yikes.
http://www.mycricket.com/coverage/maps/wireless
MSaltmarshMar 4, 2011
thanks for that link man :D
I had just heard it would be good in my area, but it looks like even the 3g broadband would be comparable to verizon.
lockencoleMar 4, 2011
There's far too much roaming in that map for my tastes. Granted, I travel far and wide. More wide than far, lately, tho.
MSaltmarshMar 4, 2011
Aww sorry to hear that man.
Verizon really does have some of the best coverage.
And i have no complaints with them beyond that service is great love the phone i have and the 3g speeds are very nice add that to teathering to my laptop and i'm very happy with it. I just hate having to drop so much cash into their services :(
hawkmoon78Mar 3, 2011
But how will they stay competative if they don't offer unlimited data? Their competitors already offer it and would have a huge advantage.
And I'm sure their competitors won't give up on that advantage and withdraw unlimted data plans, because they would become just as uncompetative as Verizon.
Nope, the only way that this could work out well for Verizon is if their competitors followed suit making themselves un-competative. Why you might even say, anti-competative - and I just can't figure out why all of these companies would choose to make anti-competative decisions.Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
skippydoorknobMar 3, 2011
AT&T (the only other iPhone carrier in the US) does not have unlimited data either. So Verizon is just dropping down to what AT&T is already doing.
thtswutshesaidMar 3, 2011
I don't believe it
tim620Mar 4, 2011
Why? Verizon said the unlimited plan was temporary from day 1.
scamper22Mar 3, 2011
Serious question here... if anyone knows.
Does 3G have a mechanism to throttle data on the device... but controlled by the carrier?
For example, can Verizon send a message do your device saying
"slow down traffic to 10 kb/s" or something like that.
This is not like normal IP where you can control usage at a router or switch. The mere act of the device trying to send data is taking up bandwidth on the airwaves... and that is the precious part.
I personally think all plans should be unlimited... we should just be throttled accordingly when congestion occurs. People pay more... they will be the last to be throttled when congestion happens.
Makes sense and keeps bills constant and carrier concerns about congestion happy.
scamper22Mar 3, 2011
wow :P dugg down for a technical question... im guessing some computer auto diggs me down
immunofortMar 4, 2011
You weren't dugg down?
lockencoleMar 4, 2011
He is now. XD
cawpinMar 4, 2011
Um, no he isn't. -0/+2.
And, yes, it is possible.
lockencoleMar 4, 2011
I was referring to his reply to his own post. XD
wwwspiritMar 4, 2011
I don't think Verizon is really interested in getting you to use less data bandwidth; like ATT, I think they are just interested in charging you MORE for it. Tiered plans, to me, are just a giant price increase disguised as "choice."
corvetteaustin24Mar 4, 2011
Scamper, no, they cannot legally throttle data yet. They're attempting to get legislation passed, but mobile internet is still covered by net neutrality.
Schweppesale2Mar 4, 2011
Unfortunately, it's not
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1340784/Net-neutrality-law-passed-FCC-paving-way-2-speed-mobile-internet.html
scamper22Mar 4, 2011
is it 'technically' possible under the 3g spec?
arcayneMar 3, 2011
Has anyone done any research as to what these companies pay to provide this data? I suspect it would show they are making a sickening profit.
cawpinMar 4, 2011
$0.05-$0.10 per gigabyte is the last number I saw.
geolemonMar 3, 2011
"We're still not selling as many iPhones as we thought, even with this extra temptation, so we're done bending over backwards.
"If people want to buy an Android phone they can, if they want to buy an iPhone they can. Our business isn't to help Steve Jobs sell iPhones.
"His magic worked on us - we can see now how people get pulled in by the hype - but there's no reason for us, Verizon, to steer people into an iPhone over any other smartphone."
Bravo, Verizon!
(Okay, okay, that's not a quote, I made it up... but it sounds good, right?)Comment is buried, click here to see the rest.
nisha1972Mar 3, 2011
I am so glad that I no longer have a contract with Verizon.
nisha1972Mar 3, 2011
I am so glad that I no longer have a contract with Verizon.
redfox2600Mar 3, 2011
I'll give them back their Unlimited dataplan as long as they don't force a dataplan upon me. Until then I'll do my best to abuse it.
sl123000Mar 4, 2011
T-Mobile's 5GB then throttle to EDGE plan works really well, at least for me. Verizon should consider something like it, but I guess there's no additional profit to be made.
sirmasterboyMar 4, 2011
Well I still have unlimited 3G with ATT for $30 a month. I have no plans to drop it and I haven't heard any hits that ATT will cut me off any time soon.
My cousin had unlimited and then he went to the 2GB plan, but recently he asked ATT and they let him go back to the unlimited plan so yeah, it doesn't seem like it's going away.
imacomputahMar 4, 2011
Douchebaggery. My HTC Incredible and my unlimited plan are quite happily married. What happens when the Netflix app for Android is finally released? I mean, if you're gonna up the price, at least continue offering a theoretical "unlimited plan" around or a lil higher than what it is currently. Don't do what AT&T did...
I guess eventually people will start relying on wifi hotspots & home/office networks a lil' more than they do now. Maybe that's how Verizon wants it?
jacetecMar 4, 2011
Verizon has used the term Unlimited data for years, but if you read the fine print it was not unlimited - it was a 5gb limit.
cawpinMar 4, 2011
No it isn't. The 5GB limit is for TETHERING, not for the PHONE. I have had unlimited data since I got my first "smartphone" with them.
ohmaggiemaeMar 4, 2011
Oh Verizon..
corvetteaustin24Mar 4, 2011
For some reason, there are a s**t ton of people on here sympathizing with the phone companies. GIVE ME A f**kING BREAK. The number of people that are high bandwidth users are an extremely small % compared to the number of people who barely use anything. All of these phone companies are making so much money. If they get a phone call and are asked "can you hear me now", they reply with "NO I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE SOUND OF ME ROLLING IN ALL THIS MONEY".
I remember reading an article about a year ago saying text prices are inflated by 10000%. Quit sympathizing with corporate America for being lazy and not wanting to upgrade infrastructure. I love the US, but we need to get our s**t together when it comes to advancing technology.
bryancaldMar 4, 2011
My name's Bryan, and I approve of this message.
umdweiMar 4, 2011
Seriously... right now many jobs are moving over seas but it's only a matter of time before Americans move abroad for better living conditions, jobs and services. Corporate greed is destroying this country.
sandrewmorrisonMar 4, 2011
Well, I've been paying $10/month for unlimited data. When Sprint was running that plan for 69.99 I told Verizon I was gonna go to them and get that, but they [Verizon] offered it to me. So, if this goes away then it means I can leave my contract, right? Are they allowing us to be grandaddied in?
theaeneidMar 4, 2011
So, Apple has gone with the two most crappy companies in terms of consumer friendly service. Figures.
edwardr3073Mar 4, 2011
i dont see how its possible for a network provider to sustain unlimited data and still profit or not cause congestion. i dont know how people use more than 500mb of 3g phone data anyway. i struggle to hit 250mb a month and thats with s**t speeds of up to 20KB/s
mlw4428Mar 4, 2011
It's simple profit greed. This "free market" concept that people tout just keeps failing the consumer. Companies don't strive to innovate and outshine the others, instead they offer the exact same kind of service at the exact same kinds of pricing and they spend all of their money on marketing to fool the consumer into thinking there's an actual difference.
Case in point: Verizon Wireless, AT&T Wireless. VZW started out with unlimited data, AT&T did not have unlimited data, but had the iPhone. VZW gets the iPhone and then yanks away the unlimited data.
Isn't it funny that unlimited minutes/texting for both companies runs you $69.99. Granted the tiered data pricing for VZW isn't out yet, but what do you think the odds of it matching AT&T's pricing will be?
American companies don't compete anymore. It's all marketing and it's sad.
badoriginMar 4, 2011
the only good to come of this... you can cancel your contact with no fees. See you later Verizon.
glitch82Mar 4, 2011
Where are you gonna go? AT&T got rid of unlimited, too.
badoriginMar 8, 2011
AT&T isnt the only game in town... Sprint, T-Mobile..
waverlywaveMar 4, 2011
It doesn't look long term strategy..