Wireless Plans, Pricing, and Competition

[ATLguy]

There's been a lot of talk lately about consolidation in the wireless industry. Posts on this website, articles in the newspaper and even reports on CNN indicate that prices are at an all-time low and are about to go up. Apparently, the recent promotional offerings (like unlimited N&W minutes) are being used to "hook" customers on using lots of minutes and are on the verge of going away.

I'm curious ... and I'd like to just see some discussion ... does everyone here really believe that prices are about to go up and that we'll never again see such great promotional offerings? If I lose my N&W minutes and if my "peak" minutes start costing me more, I'd have to give serious thought to getting rid of my cell phone (it would be _really_ hard, but I'd think about it). Do others feel the same way? Or are you so hooked, that you'd pay whatever was asked?

How about you guys who work with the major wireless providers ... are we getting ready to have the carpet pulled from under our feet? Cingular still has their 3500 N&W minutes available on most plans, Verizon just started a program that includes unlimited N&W, and AT&T is the only player in town who still defines night as starting at 8:00 p.m. Despite what's being said in the news, it looks like we're starting to see BETTER rates and promos instead of reduced offerings...

Thoughts?

[ComicalMoodyDan]

Rates are already going up. According to DukeDog the Cingular Nation 250 plan has now been reduced to 1,000 off peak minutes instead of 3,500 like it was. Also AT&T's night and weekend minutes are no longer at 8 pm, they are 9 pm like everybody else now.

Nextel recently got rid of there per second billing option and also raised there night and weekend minutes to 9 PM. Also there use to be some good plans around $30 a month but now carriers are pushing and promoting the $40-$50 a month plans now.

Yes, Verizon has some good plans right now but on the America's Choice Plans they don't really start until $40 now and the local digital choice plans that offer a good deal don't start until $35 a month. Not to meation the day of the free phone and no activation fee is over. I remember a couple of years back most companies offered several free phones and many carries didn't have activation fees.

Now look at things, you can't get even a cheaper type of phone typically for under $30 and all the major carries charge activation fees now. Rates have already gone up. Now I'm not saying you still can't find a great deal, a free phone, and etc... but you do have to admit its getting harder to find something for a user on a budget.

[Jack]

correct dan

the unlimited providers are targeting people on a budget. (more then the others)

Jack

[KevinJames]

Currently (and I am speaking very cautiously), if you do not change your rate plan, you don't have to worry (too much) about the promos getting less appealing.

However IF (and that is one BIG "if") the carriers are watching what ripples of discontent occur in Nextel's subscriber/churn rate with Nextel's forcing current generous plans(*) to expire AND if they see that the impact is actually small THEN we might start seeing the other carriers following suit and forcing their generous free-minutes plans to expire, carte blanc.

* By "generous plan," I am referring specifically to round-up-per-second billing changing to round-up-per-minute.

[ATLguy]

You all make valid points. But it's still hard for me to see where we're going (maybe it's an impossible task, but I'm still trying to get a handle on it). This past weekend, Cingular dropped their 3500 N&W promo on plans under $29.99 *and* all of their Regional calling plans altogether. Do you think free Long Distance is the next to go? Is now the time to lock in a new 1 year contract?

I just find it hard to believe that rates are going to start rising and promos will start disappearing. The VZ America's Choice plan gives me hope -- it just started, comes with an option for unlimited "quasi-roaming", and unlimited long distance. Cingular still has deals on their Nation plans (and have for a while now). And then there's VoiceStream with the trial plans that include 3000 peak minutes.

It's enough to make your head spin... [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

ATLguy

[KevinJames]

As for me and ATT, as I've already posted before, I have decided to dig my foxhole and sit out the war. Until ATT forces me off TDMA, I think I have probably gotten the last-best deal I will see with them for a while. But then I've been wrong so many times before that I just keep one foot permanently in my mouth to save effort and time. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[ATLguy]

Care to share the arrangements of your "deal" with the rest of us, Kevin? I'm always curious to hear what others have negotiated with their carrier.

[KevinJames]

I didn't negotiate anything, sorry if I gave that impression. I just took advantage of the "50% more peak minutes" offer when it was available along with 3K off-peak minutes. So instead of 400 minutes for $40, I have 600. Similarly, instead of 600 for $50, my wife has 900 (and she uses nearly every minute of it!).

[ATLguy]

Wow ... that's a pretty good plan. I wonder if the next big promotion will be something similar without the extra off-peak minutes. It seems like an enticing way to get people away from the unlimited or seemingly-unlimited off-peak minutes while still offering some kind of "deal". I know that a plan offering 2x peak minutes without any additional N&W minutes would be a nice offering, but it would increase my cost per minute (I use a *lot* of my off-peak minutes that are included for free). Time will tell...

[aiwapro]

Well I get 700 anytime minutes and UNLIMITED weekends for $40. They only thing missing is UNLIMITED night, which I don't need.

[Jack]

Thats a good plan Chris

Jack

[ILUVSOCAL]

That and the ability to use your phone in non GSM areas. Aiwapro overheard in West Yellowstone, MT on a fishing trip " can you hear me now? What, no service, *&^%%^*&^*&^*^####!! Sorry, just kiddin' with ya [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] lol

[Matt]

aiwapro how are you getting 700 anytimes? get more preferred is 600.....

[KevinJames]

700 minutes is good, but since Voicestream's peak time is ALL DAY Monday through Friday, a Voicestream user will actually go through that 700 minutes much quicker than than I will on my ATT plan.

[aiwapro]

When I had the basic plan in my first year of service, they sent me a survey for what it would take for me to renew my contract; So I said 200 anytime minutes and and a good amount of weekends minutes. So they sent me another letter asking me to sign my stating that I would get THAT, what I asked for. I signed it and sent it in, and the next month they switched me to that plan. About 5-6 months after I got that plan, they then introduced that plan as one of there normal plans; Remember Matt, there didn't use to be a $29.99 plan, it went from $19.99 to $39.99, and that is a big jump. That's what I explained in the survey. So anyways, after they came out with that plan, I had been with them for a year, so I called and asked for a prefered plan, and they said that it wasn't one for that rate plan yet, but that she could just give me 100 extra bonus minutes for each month for the same price, which gave me 300 instead of 200, but keep in mind that that was not a prefered plan, the lady just gave them to me because I had been with them for so long, and I asked for them, basicly just being nice. Ok, then I got a bill for like $90, where I had went over my minutes by a whole, whole lot, so I decided that it was time for me to move up to the GET MORE plan, normally 500 anytime minutes. I called and asked for the plan, and the guy told me that I qualified for the prefered plan, and asked me if I wanted it. The GET More Preferred give you 600 anytime minutes, but when he changed my plan, he said that he would keep my bonus minutes on the account too. That extra 100 bonus minutes each month gives me 700 total anytime minutes, Plus the UNLIMITED weekends.

[Jack]

True Kevin

Interesting Chris

Jack

[aiwapro]

Yeah Kevin, some Voicestream users will go through it quicker because there are no extra night minutes from Voicestream, but I don't use my phone alot at night, so the plan that I have is just perfect for me. Voicestream is testing out night minutes in Chicago and Milwaukee, so if they decide to bring the UNLIMITED night everywhere, then Voicestream will no doubt have the best plans around.

[bobolito]

That's good about the UNLIMITED nights but will they offer UNLIMITED night and weekend minutes on their national plans? I bet you wish they did. If so, that would definitely be the best plan. I also bet that if they do that they will lower the amount of anytime minutes to compensate for the UNLIMITED nights therefore putting them in the same line with everyone else. The only reason Voicestream offers more anytime minutes is because they don't offer night minutes (marketing strategy). However, some people know the catch and have stayed away from Voicestream because of that. It was supposed to be a point of sale that was not so successful after all.

Talking about UNLIMITED minutes, I use my 3500 night and weekend minutes as if they were unlimited. Do you know how much talking you can do with 3500 minutes? That's a lot. Although UNLIMITED cannot be beat.

[Jack]

Voicestream Unlimited Night minutes

$39.99 gets voicestream customers in Chicago 600 anytime and Unlimited weekends

$44.99 gets voicestream customers in Chicage 600 anytime and UNLIMITED NIGHT AND WEEKEND Minutes

Jack

[ComicalMoodyDan]

Jack does that $44.99 a month plan with unlimited nights and weekends also include no roaming and no long distance charges across the US?

[Matt]

Dan - it does. Basically you are just adding the $5 option for unlimited night minutes (since everyone gets unlimited weekends). You can only get it on a national plan at 39.99 or higher (it's $10 for the family plan)

[Matt]

<< The only reason Voicestream offers more anytime minutes is because they don't offer night minutes (marketing strategy). However, some people know the catch and have stayed away from Voicestream because of that. It was supposed to be a point of sale that was not so successful after all. >>



Actually, the most anytime minutes are very important to me (and many others). I only use a couple hundred weekend minutes per month, and not many "night" (after 9pm) minutes. Most of my time (my average is 1000-1300 minutes on 2 lines) is used from noon-7 or 8pm. I'm on the family plan, with the vs-to-vs minutes, so my actual anytime usage is about 800 or so on average. I like the fact that I can use my phone at 9pm and not get a system busy (as my colleague at work gets all the time on his Cingular line here in DC - not a slam on Cingular in particular, just the companies that offer the huge nightime buckets)

[ComicalMoodyDan]

Matt, thats a really good deal.

600 anytime minutes, unlimited nights and weekends, plus no roaming or long distance charges nationwide for only $44.99 a month. That blows the Cingular Nation Plans out of the water.

[Jack]

I though that was a good plan also like Matt said it is the same voicestream plans as usual you just spend $5 to get night minutes.

Jack

[ComicalMoodyDan]

Yeah too bad VoiceStream isn't in East TN though. They don't even have a license to cover my area [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

[aiwapro]

Yeah, I like that $5.00 extra for the UNLIMITED night minutes. It's good that they do it as an a la' carte item so that only the people who want it pay for it, and it doesn't take away from your anytime minutes.

I myself am usually at home at night, and use my home phone, so I want need it and won't have to pay for it.

[bobolito]

That Voicestream plan in Chicago is definitely the best plan ever. The only catch is for travelers who may not get coverage in certain cities. As for Cingular, I believe their plans will go downhill from here. I see local plans eliminated soon. The other thing they might do is to make their national plan a quasi-national like Verizon.

Matt, I used to have that particular busy line problem in my area and I have to say it's very annoying. I got a recorded message from AT&T saying the call could not be completed and to try again later. It used to happen between 6PM and 9PM. But one thing I can't understand is why it happened only when calling cellphones. If I called a home phone the call went through right away. However, most of my friends have cellphones and I had a hard time calling them during that period. They could call me with no problem and they could receive calls from others but not from me.