AT&T Phone

[Hoss]

The data rates are more on the iPhone because the internet is used more.  I average between 200 and 400 MB a month on my iPhone.  It would be more than that if I did not use wi-fi at home and work.  On my older phones I barely used the internet because it was too slow and hard to use. 

I think the $30 unlimited internet is reasonable but I think the $20 unlimited texting is a ripoff.  Texting should be free with a data plan in my opinion.

Considering that carriers piggyback the text data on the voice carrier, it ABSOLUTELY is a ripoff.  They're making a killing on those text rates.

[patric]

Considering that carriers piggyback the text data on the voice carrier, it ABSOLUTELY is a ripoff.  They're making a killing on those text rates.

There were Senate hearings last week on exactly that:

"On its face, lower average per-message pricing seems good for consumers. But when you look at the actual technology involved, the issue becomes less clear. As Randall Stross wrote last December, the marginal cost of text messages is not just small - it is effectively nil. In particular, in communications between the handset and cell tower - the place where bandwidth constraints might exist, at least for voice communications - text messages are tucked into the control channel that is used for internal communication between handset and tower. (That's why they are limited to 160 characters.) Once the text message is on the wired network, it is vanishingly small; a single photo you email to a friend could be replaced by 10,000 text messages. And since the carriers' capacity needs are being driven by real data (email, web browsing, video, etc.), they are getting text messaging capacity for free.

So in effect, the wireless carriers are bringing in more and more revenue for a service that costs them zero to provide. Looked at that way, it doesn't look so good for the consumer. (washingtonpost.com)

[nathanm]

Considering that carriers piggyback the text data on the voice carrier, it ABSOLUTELY is a ripoff.  They're making a killing on those text rates.

Technically, the text messages share the control channel. (at least on GSM)

There is a finite control channel capacity which is shared between SMS, registration, call setup, and other duties. Obviously it behooves a carrier to price the SMS service such that its use is limited to a volume which the network can handle without excessive queuing, which users do not appreciate. At all.

My point is that there is certainly a cost to providing SMS service, despite what folks on DSL Reports might claim. I fully agree that even 10c per message is utterly ridiculous.

That said, the anger is completely misdirected. People should be far more upset about charges for incoming text messages, which are out of their control. That stands in stark contrast to voice calls, which the user can choose to ignore.

[Red Arrow]

. People should be far more upset about charges for incoming text messages, which are out of their control. That stands in stark contrast to voice calls, which the user can choose to ignore.

That is why I have texting turned off on my cell phone.  I knew I wouldn't use it enough to buy unlimited texting and revolted at the thought of getting spammed by text messages I would have to pay for.

[Cherish]

at&t's data rates are ridiculous for blackberry and iPhone, but for other phones they're not bad at all. $15 for unlimited data alone, $20 for unlimited messaging alone or $30 for both.

20 bucks for unlimited messaging on AT & T?  Wow that's why I left Verizon there's was 20 bucks a month for unlimited text messaging too, its 14.99 or 10 bucks more in crackberry, total 34.99 with corporate email and unlimited web.  I need unlimited text messaging as me and my friends text A LOT or I'm either on a IM service on my phone which uses text usage I think, I could be wrong on that.  But yea I text wayyy more than I talk, lol. 

Is it me or has text messaging monthly charges gone up in the past like 4 or 5 years?  Didn't it used to be apart of the service plan?  Or has texting just become more popular hence the higher charges for them?  I know most middle school, high school, and college students text more than the average person.  I've had A LOT of carriers, Cellular One (wow more than a decade ago), Bell Atlantic (became Verizon), Sprint (as in run as fast as you can away from them), T Mobile (stationed overseas so had to cancel service), Cingular then they became AT & T then they switched back to calling themselves Cingular then went back to AT & T (bipolar carrier), back to Verizon, finally back to T Mobile who's treated me the best.

[sgrizzle]

<= $30 for unlimited messaging on family plan (AT&T)

[Noodlez]

Why does everyone got to hate on Sprint? I can't say that I have had any troubles. Other than I have dust under the screen of my Q9c but that isn't Sprints fault.

/lovers his old sero plan

[Hoss]

Why does everyone got to hate on Sprint? I can't say that I have had any troubles. Other than I have dust under the screen of my Q9c but that isn't Sprints fault.

/lovers his old sero plan

Because if you travel alot, Sprint's coverage sucks?

And still does, from friends I talk to that have it.

[nathanm]

Why does everyone got to hate on Sprint?

Because it took me three months to get them to cancel my account. I was beginning to enjoy the threatening letters they began sending me in the meantime. The second month they sent me a letter saying they'd canceled my account for non-payment. 

[Cherish]

Why does everyone got to hate on Sprint? I can't say that I have had any troubles. Other than I have dust under the screen of my Q9c but that isn't Sprints fault.

/lovers his old sero plan

Because there customer service SUCKS!!!  Also when I was in the military I had to be OUTSIDE the Barracks for there phone to work.  Who wants to walk outside where they live all the time to use the phone when people with other service could answer there phone in the building but the Sprint people.

[Hoss]

Personally, I'm happy with AT&Ts service.

Now, before the local AT&T salesman gets on here and goes to pitching a fit about why I hate on AT&T but I have AT&T service, IT'S BECAUSE IT WAS CINGULAR WHEN I GOT IT!  They haven't made me mad yet, and they do have one of the better networks and I also get a decent discount through my work.

But it was like that when it was Cingular.

[sgrizzle]

Like Hoss I'm a Cingular -> AT&T convert. Used AT&T before Cingular bought them and they were crap. Had t-mobile also and it was crap.

[nathanm]

Like Hoss I'm a Cingular -> AT&T convert. Used AT&T before Cingular bought them and they were crap. Had t-mobile also and it was crap.

I thought they both had ridiculous numbers of dead spots. Cingular more so in south Tulsa, at least in my experience. It wasn't until they integrated both the networks that I thought Cingular had what I'd term good coverage without lots of dead spots.

[Hoss]

I thought they both had ridiculous numbers of dead spots. Cingular more so in south Tulsa, at least in my experience. It wasn't until they integrated both the networks that I thought Cingular had what I'd term good coverage without lots of dead spots.

When I first got their service, I was getting ready to go on a trip around Colorado/New Mexico.  A planned stop included the Royal Gorge.  I decided that if I had reception in the middle of of the bridge there, I would have to stay with them for the full contract.

I had four out of five bars on the bridge.  I was a bit shocked, seeing how I was a former Cricket/US Cellular customer.  I also liked that their plan was no roaming fees/free LD.  And still is.

And they're still the only one that has rollover minutes.  I have over 5000.   

[custosnox]

This is why I take the poor mans approach to cell service.  I use criket, which gives me all that stuff unlimited.  The down side to it though is that when I want to upgrade my phone, I have to pay full price (or when I break it since they cancelled my insurance because I broke my phone twice in one year), and they are behind the curve on phones.  Wish they would come out with a smart phone.  However, I may end up just going with a national provider at some point so I can have a smartphone.