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Why U.S. Wireless Pricing Sucks
BlackBerry Bold 9700 Impressions: Small and Chirpy, Like a Black Hummingbird
T-Mobile's Super Speedy 7.2Mbps 3G Rollout Has Begun
T-Mobile Blames Nationwide Service Outage On Software Error
T-Mobile Says Voice and Messaging Service Is Restored
T-Mobile Confirms Nationwide Service Outage
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T-Mobile UK Gets the HTC Touch HD2 November 9, Now What About the U.S?
Sony Ericsson Equinox 3G Clamshell Phone: Exclusive to T-Mobile on October 28
T-Mobile Project Dark Pricing Plans Go Live Today

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Digo
12:03 AM

In reply to Why U.S. Wireless Pricing Sucks
The cost per minute/text might be cheaper but that's because here you are charged for both making and receiving them, in much of the rest of the world only the caller/texter is charged. So, you might be paying less per minute but you are spending a lot more minutes. #wireless
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uchendunwachukwu
01:24 AM

@Digo: The reason Americans pay both to make and receive calls (whereas the rest of the world only pay to make calls) is because, in America, wireless phone numbers are mixed in with landline numbers (eg. 212-462-5622 could just as easily be a landline or wireless number.)

In the rest of the world, wireless numbers are allocated into their own special area code, usually 080 or some variation thereof. So the telco can say "all calls to 080 get charged more than calls to other area codes." And the caller winds up paying for wireless calls.

In America, they can't do that. So instead of charging the caller, they charge the receiver. #wireless
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dragon:ONE
10:12 AM

@uchendunwachukwu: We have our own prefixes for wireless carriers, though.

For examples...

315-854-XXXX is Verizon Wireless. 315-528-XXXX is AT&T. And so on.

So, why don't we just charge the caller? :P #wireless
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AmphetamineCrown
10:29 AM

@dragon: ONE: Because what you said isn't true and hasn't been true for a long time. First, NXX exhaust led to below 1000 number block allocation. And, you can port your number, so what might originally have been a Verizon landline might now be a T-Mobile wireless number. #wireless
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The Lab
11/14/09

In reply to Why U.S. Wireless Pricing Sucks
This argument makes the assumption that telecoms can only have either a fixed price plans OR a variable plans. That is not the case, Sprint could offer multiple types of plans without much difficulty and let the consumer decide. The telecoms seem like they are colluding. #wireless
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Communist Pope
11/14/09

In reply to Why U.S. Wireless Pricing Sucks
Fortunately, Sprint grandfathered its "Fair and Flexible" plans (the one referenced in the write-up) if you had one before they discontinued them. Don't know if it's indefinite, but I still have mine after two handset upgrades since the discontinuation. Unfortunately, there's no way to get their "Power Vision," which includes Sprint Navigation, without signing up for one of the newer plans. Sprint Nav is $10/month extra (or $3/day) if you want to get it on their regular data plan.

Slightly off-topic, but Sprint is now offering $150 upgrade discount annually, instead of biennially as they used to do. Or maybe they're only doing it for customers that have been around for awhile, but either way I appreciate the change. Even if I do have to commit to another two-year contract every time I upgrade. #wireless
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diesel828
11/14/09

In reply to Why U.S. Wireless Pricing Sucks
America this, America that. I take it, Chris, that when you refer to America you're doing so in comparison with other countries, namely the ones in Europe and Asia. What I took away from that NYT article is completely different from what you did: yes, we pay a bit more in the U.S. but it's far less when compared to the rest of the world because we get more minutes and more text messages. And we have unlimited, all-you-can-eat data plans. Those points were explicitly mentioned in the Times. #wireless
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Mannyatic
11/14/09

@diesel828: Umm... I dunno if I agree if you got more minutes, because you get charged on the minutes of outgoing and ALSO incoming calls, so you are wasting all those many minutes on calls you are not making but receiving. In Costa Rica we pay just for outgoing and 60min costs about $8. Yes I know we have one of the world's cheapeast telecom, but I don't think about paying for calls that are paid by the person that is calling me, sounds pretty ridiculous. We got now 3G and here runs just 1 telecom company. #wireless
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faulknerswhiskey
11/14/09

@diesel828: Chris isn't ignoring the NYT article's points on the relative cheap plans in the U.S. I think Chris's point is that while you get a great deal in the U.S. on the price per minute and data, most people just don't use their minutes or data to the extent that they actually see any savings.

I had plans with Cingular/AT&T for years. Nothing fancy, but it cost me about $60 per month after taxes. I never used my minutes or text messages. All I got out of it was a crappy dumb phone for $30.

Now, I'm in Asia. I bought my Nokia E71 for $350. I pay for my minutes and texts as I use them. I don't use data plans since I have Wi-Fi at work and most places I travel. On average, I spend less than $10 per month for everything I use.

Now if you take the total cost of the phone and monthly fees, I will have spent $590 on my phone and connection here in Asia over the course of 2 years. In the States, I spent $1510 over the course of 2 years.

I actually cringe when I think that when I move back to the U.S., I will be forced back into monthly plans. I really just want to be able to buy my phone independent of the plan if I could get the option of a discounted montly rate. Yet, that option really doesn't exist since pay-as-you-go users are punished with inflated per minute costs. #wireless
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dragon:ONE
11/14/09

In reply to Why U.S. Wireless Pricing Sucks
Ugh. And prepaid still bends you over. For example... Page Plus, a Verizon MVNO.

1200 minutes, 1200 text messages, $29/mo. Sounds reasonable. But they only give you all of 50 megabytes of data. OR pay $39/mo for unlimited voice/text... and 20 MB. WTF, prepaid companies?

I'd die for just straight-up prepaid data - be able to plunk down, say, $25/mo for unlimited data barring voice. I can sure as hell do it on a 2-year with AT&T via a Premier discount ($26/mo before taxes), but I'm locked in with the rest of my family for an out-of-date smartphone I got in June. That is... until June of 2011. (Thanks for coming out with the TP2, AT&T, right after I bought my FUZE!) #wireless
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Seth Roberson
10:07 AM

@dragon: ONE: Wow. Pageplus has some crappy phones but that 1200 minutes deal is amazing. I'm kind of torn. I want a Pixi but at the same time I don't like cell contracts and this is waaay cheaper. Hmm... I don't really NEED a smartphone.
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dragon:ONE promoted this comment Edited by Seth Roberson at 11/15/09 10:07 AM Seth Roberson was starred Seth Roberson was unstarred

dragon:ONE
10:11 AM

@Seth Roberson: You can bring over any CDMA phone, provided you can program it. Even DROID works. #wireless
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crackel
11/14/09

In reply to Why U.S. Wireless Pricing Sucks
There's no incentive to charge less. Everyone "needs" a cell phone, and there's only 4 1/2 companies than can reasonably do so. Therein lies the problem. Blaming the consumer is a classic deflection tactic, but it was on the NYT so it must be true, right? #wireless
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edgareliud
11/05/09

In reply to BlackBerry Bold 9700 Impressions: Small and Chirpy, Like a Black Hummingbird
should i get it or should i wait until i buy an iphone? #blackberrybold9700
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brobot - Beboptimus Prime
11/05/09

@edgareliud: wait until you buy an iPhone. then buy a BlackBerry Bold... #blackberrybold9700
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edgareliud
11/05/09

@brobot: pshhhuh? #blackberrybold9700
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Pope John Peeps II
11/05/09

@edgareliud: Check your english language, broheim. #blackberrybold9700
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Hello Mister Walrus
11/05/09

In reply to BlackBerry Bold 9700 Impressions: Small and Chirpy, Like a Black Hummingbird
Hmm... I might just have to "lose" or "damage" my current Blackberry and see what they do about it. #blackberrybold9700
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Tharsan Bhuvanendran
11/05/09

In reply to T-Mobile's Super Speedy 7.2Mbps 3G Rollout Has Begun
No change here in NYC (upper east side of Manhattan) where I'm still getting ~ 750Kbps down & 200Kbps up. #tmobilehspa72rollout
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sdsviet
11/05/09

In reply to T-Mobile's Super Speedy 7.2Mbps 3G Rollout Has Begun
here is my other test tha's not mobilespeedtest.com

it definitely doesnt seem fast when im browsing. i dled the speedtest off of the market and here is what i got. just search for speedtest in the market.

test # 1
max dl speed 713.0 kbit/s
max ul speed 159.4 kbit/s

test#2
the program decides to stop working even after a reboot of the phone. dont know if its the program or its tmobile.
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Kevan Killion
11/05/09

In reply to T-Mobile's Super Speedy 7.2Mbps 3G Rollout Has Begun
Still at around 800Kbps is Camarillo, CA #tmobilehspa72rollout
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OCEntertainment
11/04/09

In reply to T-Mobile's Super Speedy 7.2Mbps 3G Rollout Has Begun
3652.9 kbps on the 1MB test
3960.4 kbps on the 2MB test

I'm in the metro Atlanta area. Pretty far outside the perimeter, so my speeds may not be an indication of the city as a whole.

Oh, and lest we forget, #RosaRocks #tmobilehspa72rollout
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Ryan Heath
11/04/09

In reply to T-Mobile's Super Speedy 7.2Mbps 3G Rollout Has Begun

I got over 4.5mbps on the mobile site, [i36.tinypic.com] when using the 1000kb file, tried the other file sizes and all results were at least 3mbps.

When testing with speedtest app, got .3 mbps which is slower than what i get on my pc when tethering, usually get around 2mbps

I retethered, and only got 1mbps
[i36.tinypic.com]
but swear, yesterday was getting at least 2mbps tethering

I am in Austin, TX #tmobilehspa72rollout
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peterjohnlarson
11/04/09

In reply to T-Mobile's Super Speedy 7.2Mbps 3G Rollout Has Begun
I just got 6926Kbps in the Salt Lake City area on a 2Mb test.
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dimes
11/04/09

In reply to T-Mobile's Super Speedy 7.2Mbps 3G Rollout Has Begun
Confirmed in Brooklyn. between 3k-6k/sec on a G1 through mobile speed test. I guess I could try though a tether. #tmobilehspa72rollout
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