Amazon Drops All Sprint, Verizon and AT&T Phones to 1 cent

Status
Not open for further replies.

soccerdocks

Distinguished
May 24, 2011
36
0
18,580
It needs to be illegal to subsidize phone costs by requiring a contract to sign. Phones should sell for what they cost to make them. Phone carriers need to be forced to do this and as a result lower their ridiculously high monthly prices.
 

jsheridan

Distinguished
Dec 2, 2010
41
0
18,580
Since the companies usually charge you $199 to get a phone with a contract, yeah I think the deal is worth it if you are at the end of your current contract or signing up for the first time.
 
G

Guest

Guest
"They'll get more out of you than if you'd pay full cost of an unlocked phone right away." That is some FAIL logic. Do they charge less for Data and Minutes and Texting on an unlocked phone? Looking at their plans it looks like they charge the same.

So on Sprint you would pay the full $500 for a Galaxy S2 phone, then pay $80 a month, while you could pay 1 cent and then $80 a month? And you think paying the $500 up front will save you money?

Nah you must think you can go to some cheap pay as you go wireless company after spending that $500 and then save a little each month, but in reality if the subsidy model went away Sprint, ATT, and Verizon would end those cheap pay and go companies using their networks. Causing those places to go under.

Then you'd end up back paying the same monthly rate to Sprint or ATT or Verizon, except now also paying the extra $300-400 up front, all just not to have a contract.
 

kawininjazx

Distinguished
May 22, 2008
292
0
18,960
[citation][nom]soccerdocks[/nom]It needs to be illegal to subsidize phone costs by requiring a contract to sign. Phones should sell for what they cost to make them. Phone carriers need to be forced to do this and as a result lower their ridiculously high monthly prices.[/citation]

Ok Obama, let's force the free market into doing what we want them to do. Maybe we will get lucky and destroy the cell phone market and then no one will be able to use it.
 

DeadRam

Distinguished
Jun 14, 2007
34
0
18,590
I have the Sprint SERO plan so I called Sprint to see if they would price match Amazon and they won't. My daughter wants this phone but it's $199 on the Sprint web site and buying thru Amazon will most likely mess up (lose) the SERO plan.
 

Naxos

Distinguished
Oct 23, 2011
11
0
18,560
Seems the Amazon wireless site is a bit swamped right now LoL. This is a deal though if you don't mind a new contract, considering most of these phones were 199+ less then a months ago.
 
G

Guest

Guest
@ stm1185

You are wrong. Just look at T-mobile and they charge $10 less per month and instead of being limited to 2 GB of data you get UNLIMITED* data. If you use less than 2GB of data per month that is a $240 savings but if you use more it can definitely be worth it. Plus you can quit at any time.

* I assume there must be some catch but they don't explain it anywhere on their site.
 

masterasia

Distinguished
Feb 9, 2009
137
0
18,630
I kinda agree with stm1185. I have an unlocked phone, but I'm only paying $10 a month for unlimited data. I barely use 200mb/Month and would be doing the $15/month data plan if I didn't have an unlocked phone for which I paid $400 for a year ago. The reason why I chose an unlocked phone was to get the unlimited data plan (for dumb phones) because I wasn't going to to pay $30/month for data. Also, I was able to root it and use the tethering for my laptop or iPad when I really needed it (which I found, I didn't need it that bad after all).

I would rather give my money to the phone manufactures than the phone companies like in the UK. Either way, it's a lose/lose situation for the consumer.
 

hoof_hearted

Distinguished
Mar 6, 2010
232
0
18,830
You still have to pay the same monthly fee, even if you don't get their subsidized phone. Furthermore, the pay-as-you carriers in the US that I know of (Virgin, boost) use CDMA, so they can whitelist/blacklist and charge for different models based on ESN. I don't think they price your plan any different when you are on or off contract (at least that is what tmobile and att told me when I called and asked about it). Might as well get a phone since you will be paying the same for cell service over the next two years anyway. Am I missing something?
 

RADIO_ACTIVE

Distinguished
Jan 17, 2008
275
0
18,930
[citation][nom]amk-aka-Phantom[/nom]'Course not. Never. They'll get more out of you than if you'd pay full cost of an unlocked phone right away.[/citation]
not really you still have to take it to a carrier and pay the same monthly charges
 

Niva

Distinguished
Jul 20, 2006
141
0
18,630
Americans are so silly with their contracts. Not only do you end up paying more (significantly) by the end of the contract, you don't have the freedom to switch if you don't like the company. I buy my phones outright, At&T pisses me off? I leave for T-Mobile or vice versa. I did have a major dispute with At&T years ago and the only reason I stayed with them is because I was under contract. Never again. After my contract ran out I went to T-Mobile. Getting an older generation phone (still new) is cheap. Buying a brand spanking new unlocked phone (which you can also use in Europe and Asia if you travel) is still cheaper in the long term then being under contract.
 
G

Guest

Guest
No IPHONEs for sale from either Sprint, Verizon and AT&T.So not all smart phones are on sale for $0.01 via these three carriers. edit your smart phone story
 

Naxos

Distinguished
Oct 23, 2011
11
0
18,560
Hmm lets do some math... If you pay .01 (With this deal) for a phone then say on average $75 a month for talk, text, and data for say 24 months. 24x75$ +.01 That's 1800.01 For a nice phone and 2 yrs of service. Now buy that phone outright for 599 no contract and still pay $75 a month for service (*It's not any cheaper for unlocked phones) 24x75$ + 599$ = $2399 Why are we silly for getting phones for cheap or free with a contract?? Keep in mind 99% of the carriers pro-rate their early termination fees so if you do have to leave that carrier for some unforseen reason your not going to pay some outrageous fee. Typically paying the fee to get out of the contract will be about the same as buying a phone outright. So it balances out to still be cheaper to get a contract.
 

gidgiddonihah

Distinguished
Oct 24, 2009
119
1
18,640
[citation][nom]hoof_hearted[/nom]Is there a way to get this Amazon deal if you are past your two year contract without having to be a 'new' customer?[/citation]

Yea, all you have to do is go into and say "Add a Line", and in () it says "New Contract". I'm trying to convince the Apple drones in the family to just go with the AT&T Samsung Galaxy SII Skyrocket as we have been out of contract for 8 months now. I hate my iPhone and have been waiting for a new one for quite some time.
 

JOSHSKORN

Distinguished
Oct 26, 2009
952
0
18,930
I need a new phone but I'll be damned if I'm getting gypped just because I'm an existing Verizon customer. I'll use my dying rooted Omnia for a little bit longer, thank you very much.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.