How the F are all these people getting smart phone plans so cheap?

[RED-85-Z51]

Every person i know, has a smart phone...they are always on it, playing games, browsing sites, paying bills, whatever...they ask me why I dont use a cell phone, I answer...its expensive, and I have a landline...

They respond...ohhhhh, its cheap, I get the phone free and I only pay 75 a month for unlimited everything, and so on..

And yet, Ive spent the last 2 hours browsing AT&T, Tmobile, BOOST, all of em..and the cheapest I can find is a refubished IP5, and a basic call/text plan and 2mb of data..for about 110 a month with fees and shit, no add ons, nothing...

Am I missing something?

[99 pewtercoupe]

OBAMA PHONE

[Ruffy]

Sprint used to have unlimited data. I think they still do.

[RED-85-Z51]

Reminds me..when they used to sell palns like..300 minutes a month, or 500 minutes and 150 texts..for some 50 dollars....

Now, the calling and texting is included regardless, they dont care about that, but they got you by the balls on data..

[kingpin]

if you link your phone to wifi at home or places like malls you don't get charged for data.
here if you get a 2 or 3 year contract you'll get an amazing phone for free.

[RED-85-Z51]

Through sprint, for an s4, its 150 for the phone...

Then 50 for service, then 30 more for unlimited date. or 110 a month for unlimited everthing and 5G hotspot.

Plus 37 dollars activation...

Also, add 11 a month for insurance....

With a contract, the damn phone should be free...

[bsmith]

Phones cost ~$600.
They subsidize the s**t out of them.

[nhlgopens]

Hmmm... I got a free iPhone 4s with a two year plan. It's less than $70 a month. 1400 call minutes (except verizon mobile to mobile doesn't count against) 2GB data and unlimited texting.

[RED-85-Z51]

I can get the LG G2 phone for free with 2yr plan..anyon4e got one of those?

[RED-85-Z51]

Ordered the Sprint plan, unlimited everything, LG G2 smart phone, got the phone free, and my bill will be about 85 a month + insurance....

[Craig]

Am I missing something?

I have an iPhone, it's free with unlimited everything. My employer gives it to me so I can be at work and available 24/7.

[RED-85-Z51]

I have an iPhone, it's free with unlimited everything. My employer gives it to me so I can be at work and available 24/7.

When my dad was F&I manager at a local new car dealer, he had to carry a Beeper. He told me early on, the beeper means, no time is sacred, Vacations arent...and no day off, even if you arent at work.

Sure enough....SOB went off 3-5 times a day when he was off. But for what he was making, and his hours, he was happy with it. i mean lets be honest, Early to mid 90's...F&I manager making over 75K a year...lol With 3-4 weeks off paid per year, plus bonuses...was a good job.

[Craig]

Trust me, I'm not complaining. It's helpful to be able to answer questions and fix things before someone else "fixes" it for you. :cheers:

[ConstantChange]

That's a company phone, right? *wink* *wink*

[Ruffy]

Company smartphone and laptop here. Definitely no "off" time. At least my current employer doesn't operate 24 hours a day so calls in the middle of the night don't happen. Some people have company vehicles and some even have company houses. Imagine the strings attached to that last one.

[JRD77VET]

That's a company phone, right? *wink* *wink*

:yesnod: Tax Deduction

[RED-85-Z51]

More often than not my dad would get calls when h is 2nd in command fukced up a done deal and the customers were not only backing out of Zebart...and GMAC fiancing...but the whole purchase altogether. He'd have to get dressed..slacks, starched shirt, tie, sport coat...hair slicked back...and go rescue the deal.

usually ended up, upselling to a better car, with worse financing with Sun Bank, or GMAC, and selling them on Zebart, and scotchgard...hahaha

He went up there one day in a dirty T-shirt, Jean shorts, after working in the yard all day...they had an emergency, the guy had screwed up a major deal...My dad had actually sold the couple on a Park Avenue...but when they came back the next day, the Assistant Financing clown blew the deal wide open...was rude, and the people left. My dad came up there, looking like a podunk farmer...got them back, sold them on a Freakin Roadmaster, financed the whole deal, and also sold them a used RV (popup) and add-on hitch for the roadmaster...lol. Earned that paycheck....

[Craig]

That's a company phone, right? *wink* *wink*

Well, since I don't really have any friends...yeah, right.

[C5SilverBullet]

Cricket, $50 a month for unlimited.

I don't have it, but a lot of our customers do.

[09CTSV]

2GB data, unlimited calling and texting, $60.

[RED-85-Z51]

I dont have a router, I found them to be unreliable.

Plus its already done, submitted, signed up and done...waiting on UPS to deliver a no doubt smashed phone...

[09CTSV]

We run a secure wireless "N" router and we have not had one problem with the router or strength with it. I put a booster in the family room and can get the signal almost everywhere in our yard. The main reason for the booster was to get a good signal in the garage, almost full strength.

[Sneaks]

I've been on Sprint forever. Galaxy3($.99 at sams club with 2 year re-up) 450 minutes(rarely use more than 100 a month), unlimited cell to any other cell carrier, unlimited data, $80/month.
At least with Sprint, unlimited data is really unlimited. They don't slow down your speed when you hit so many GB's.
I sit at work and run youtube and netflix all night.

[m and t's77]

Last few phones of mine have been bought online with no problems,they rip you off in the stores.Got our Casio phones for free while in store price or the actual Verizon site price was still close to hundred dollars per phone,forget that.
The Walmart site is separate from the company site,btw.

Smartphones & Cell Phones | Verizon Wireless, Sprint & T-Mobile Plans | Wirefly (http://www.wirefly.com/)

AT&T iPhones, Smartphones & Cell Phones | Walmart Wireless (http://wireless.walmart.com/content/att/)

[jaxgator]

Phones cost ~$600.
They subsidize the s**t out of them.

They subsidize them up front but believe me, you will be paying for the full price of the phone throughout your 2 year contract. It's built into the charges you pay for your plan. It might not state it on your bill but it's definitely in there.

[StaticCling]

Am I missing something?

The 21st Century

[mrvette]

They subsidize them up front but believe me, you will be paying for the full price of the phone throughout your 2 year contract. It's built into the charges you pay for your plan. It might not state it on your bill but it's definitely in there.

Yeh, but these phones are cheap as a radio anymore, the costs are in the towers and gear.....

[Rob]

I pay $41 a month for unlimited talk. Text. And data plus I get 4gb of hotspot data too on my plan.

[99 pewtercoupe]

I have never had a "personnel" cell phone. My very first was one of the bag type phones back in the late eighties and have always had one since then but they have always been company paid for.

[Mike Mercury]

I have an iPhone, it's free with unlimited everything. My employer gives it to me so I can be at work and available 24/7.

I know what would happen to that cell phone the first day I took it home:

http://geogee.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/phone-in-toilet.jpg

[FasterTraffic]

You don't need unlimited data. Get the 2 GB plan, stay on wireless most of the time. I don't think I've broken the 1 GB in a month barrier yet even with travel.

:iagree:
I have 2 GB of data and I don't recall ever using half of it in a month. I'm actually starting to use my phone more so I can take advantage of the data usage for which I'm paying anyway.

At least with Sprint, unlimited data is really unlimited. They don't slow down your speed when you hit so many GB's.

Sprint isn't worried that you and their other 19 customers will use enough data to be a drag on the network.

The 21st Century

:funnier:

[RED-85-Z51]

I pay $41 a month for unlimited talk. Text. And data plus I get 4gb of hotspot data too on my plan.

what plan??

[Rob]

what plan??

Beats the hell outta me. Unlimited everything and I get a discount for my employer.

[onedef92]

if you link your phone to wifi at home or places like malls you don't get charged for data.
here if you get a 2 or 3 year contract you'll get an amazing phone for free.

This. I just purchased an iPhone 5C for my daughter's Christmas present from AT&T. They are our ISP for home wifi. Plus, I got a 17% employee discount on an 18-month contract with free phone.

You just have to do some research beforehand.

Cell Phones & Smartphones from AT&T (http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/cellphones.html?taxoFeatures=WIFI&sortDeviceBy=lowToHigh&source=%20ECPrm6Ppe10V2612E)

[bsmith]

We pay $141 a month for 2 smartphones, and we have a 20% discount. :ack:

[C5SilverBullet]

We pay $141 a month for 2 smartphones, and we have a 20% discount. :ack:

:iagree::datawiz:

[baddmann]

Nexus 5 16GB: $349
Straight Talk Unlimited Talk/Text/Data with LTE on AT&T: $45
No contract service.
When you get tired of the phone, sell it on craigslist or ebay and buy another. (I just sold my Nexus 4 for $200 on ebay)

[RedLS1GTO]

~$160 for 2 phones and an iPad with 6.5gb/month data to share (usually end up in the 5gb range).

Luckily I can write most of it off. Annoying as hell. :ack:

[onedef92]

Nexus 5 16GB: $349
Straight Talk Unlimited Talk/Text/Data with LTE on AT&T: $45
No contract service.
When you get tired of the phone, sell it on craigslist or ebay and buy another. (I just sold my Nexus 4 for $200 on ebay)

We're going to sell my daughter's old phone (Samsung Seek m350) on Gazelle.com.