cell phone monopolies in a free market?

[Amby 490]

hyena my verizon phone has a verizon sim card in it

[SMR 368]

hyena my verizon phone has a verizon sim card in it

I don't really see why the companies have a reason to lock the phones. You sign a contract and get a phone. You can do what you want with it, but you still have to pay the contract every month.

[Amby 490]

hyena my verizon phone has a verizon sim card in it

I don't really see why the companies have a reason to lock the phones. You sign a contract and get a phone. You can do what you want with it, but you still have to pay the contract every month.

I have a tmobile uk sim card that works in it

[mawilson 2,133]

hyena my verizon phone has a verizon sim card in it

Your Verizon phone is called "Hyena"?

[Amby 490]

hyena my verizon phone has a verizon sim card in it

Your Verizon phone is called "Hyena"?

stfu

[mawilson 2,133]

Why did you call your phone "hyena"? Does it cackle like one?

[Amby 490]

you know I rarely punctuate things on here

[mawilson 2,133]

Ok... doesn't cackle.

Does it shriek?

[Amby 490]

[Peikko 1,575]

My I-Phone is on T-Mobile. It's all good.

[Heracles 417]

well.. with some providers it's kinda useless.. USA is the only country to use that primitive CDMA technology (Sprint or Verizon), so unless all the providers switch to GSM technology, it's not worth it

Actually CDMA is better than GSM

Where is Matt? I would like to see his view on this thread.

Edited September 29, 2009 by Booyah!

[Heracles 417]

If you own a cell phone or wireless device, you’re being held hostage by the giant telecom companies. You discovered this if you recently shopped for a new phone -- you’re forced to use AT&T if you want a new iPhone, and you’re stuck with Verizon if you want a Blackberry Storm. I just took action and I hope you will join me.

In fact, eight of the 10 most popular wireless devices on the market today are shackled by “exclusivity deals” meaning you can only get service from a certain provider, or your phone is basically worthless. But it doesn’t have to be this way. In Asia and Europe, up to 80 percent of cell phones sold can work on any network. Yet here in the United States, you’re chained to one company, so you can’t shop around for the best service deal. That’s not a free market that’s just un-American!

I just sent an email to Congress asking them to change the wireless market, and Free Our Phones so we can shop around for the phone we want, and the service deal we want. Would you take a minute to do the same?

Just go to Consumers Union’s special action page at http://cu.convio.net/FreeYourPhone to send an email. A few years ago consumers’ outrage forced the industry to let us take our cell phone numbers with us when changing companies. Let’s use our voice20once again to Free Our Phones from exclusivity deals.

Thank you!

Cell plans are an absolute ripoff here. The plans work out well if you make and receive a lot of calls but are a ripoff of medium to light users. I had a pay per use plan in Aus and was charged 6.5 cents per minute for outgoing calls, with incoming calls free of course. As well as 11 cents per message, with incoming message free of course. I could easily swap carriers by simply switching sim cards.

I tried using pre-paid when I first moved here. There is the biggest ripoff of them all, worsened by the severe shortage of choice. Most people I call using my private cell use Verizon anyway so I barely use my minutes. Can I switch to a cheaper plan? Nope. Can I switch to 1 gig or 2 gig data plan rather than the unlimited? nope. This self regulation is just awesome.

These are the sort of shenanigans that the government regulates abroad. I guess Americans don't monitor their bills and usage and simply pay for stuff like this. We had to work hard for our customers in Aus. Half the country is dirt poor, so I don't know how they would pay for a $80 cell bill. The carrier her deliberately limit and restrict you handsets. This self-regulation is something the resident libertarian Matt seems to think is awesome.

Edited September 29, 2009 by Booyah!

[HYENA 4]

same with the electric companies.

my bill was 480 last month; scheduled to increase 100 percent in 5 years starting a couple years ago. It's hitting everyone hard here.

Verizon sucks! Maybe they started the sim card thing but my 3 year old phone is locked into the communist company and now worthless cause I have tmobile which sucks (receptionwise). they're all a bunch of price fixing nazis

[Heracles 417]

same with the electric companies.

my bill was 480 last month; scheduled to increase 100 percent in 5 years starting a couple years ago. It's hitting everyone hard here.

Verizon sucks! Maybe they started the sim card thing but my 3 year old phone is locked into the communist company and now worthless cause I have tmobile which sucks (receptionwise). they're all a bunch of price fixing nazis

Oh yeah don't get me started on power either. I have one provider here, which is a co-op. We had a choice of 6 to 10 back in Melbourne. I was using TXU there. Even had the option to source your power from totally green providers but pay a little more.

The cell carriers here have some sort of price fix going on. How is it that they all have the same prices?

Edited October 3, 2009 by Booyah!