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Cellular forums Home > Archive > Cingular cell phone service > June 2006 > Cingular Writes a Brochure for "Consumer Action"
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Cingular Writes a Brochure for "Consumer Action"
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| Cingular has prepared a brochure entitled "Choosing a Wireless Service
Provider" which is being published by "Consumer Action" obviously some
sort of front organization, though I can't figure out what their angle is.
"http://www.consumer-action.org/english/articles/ choosing_a_wireless_
service_provider_eng
/"
Some helpful tips for making an unbiased selection of a carrier:
-----
"With some plans your unused minutes will roll over to the next month.
If so, you might be able to choose a plan with fewer monthly minutes -
and a lower cost."
Amazingly, there is no mention of carriers that don't gouge for minutes
when you go over your allotment, such as Sprint's "Fair and Flexible" plan.
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"It often costs more to use your wireless phone overseas, but it may be
less than other international calling methods."
Yeah, like calling from your hotel room phone, but no mention of calling
cards, prepaid SIM cards, or callback services.
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"Most carriers begin their off-peak times at 9 p.m., but some begin at 7
p.m. if you pay an additional monthly charge."
Sprint doesn't charge extra for 7 p.m. off-peak.
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"If you plan to use your phone abroad, consider a model that uses GSM
technology."
Well yeah, unless you're going to Korea or Japan where you can get CDMA
service but no GSM, or India, China, Taiwan, Israel, etc., where there
are both GSM and CDMA networks.
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"During the sales process, you may be asked if you want to pay more for
optional services, such as insurance to replace your phone if it's lost
or damaged."
If you buy your phone at Costco, there is no need for damage insurance,
as they will take back any phone, for any reason, and they encourage
customers to sign up at Costco using that service as an incentive (it's
not "taking advantage" of them). Oh wait, Costco sells only Sprint,
T-Mobile, and Verizon!
-----
No mention of MVNOs. No mention of the vast differences in coverage
areas offered by different carriers. No mention of the vast differences
in areas covered by high speed data networks.
And of course, at the bottom, "This publication was created by Consumer
Action in partnership with Cingular."
Ah, that explains everything!
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| John Navas 2006-06-13, 11:48 pm |
| On Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:06:19 -0700, SMS <scharf.steven@geemail.com>
wrote in < 448f44e7$0$96927$742
ec2ed@news.sonic.net>:
>Cingular has prepared a brochure entitled "Choosing a Wireless Service
>Provider" which is being published by "Consumer Action" obviously some
>sort of front organization, though I can't figure out what their angle is.
You might not have tried very hard. Consumer Action is a consumer
non-profit organization that was founded in 1971. It's not a "front"
for Cingular. Although Cingular is a Corporate Partner, so is the
Verizon Foundation, and quite a few other companies.
>And of course, at the bottom, "This publication was created by Consumer
>Action in partnership with Cingular."
>
>Ah, that explains everything!
To someone with your pro-Verizon/CDMA anti-Cingular/GSM bias.
You have a completely different tune when singing about Verizon.
--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/ Cingu...less_FA
Q>
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| RNess 2006-06-13, 11:48 pm |
| Mr Pot.... meet Mr Kettle....
"My, you sure are black"...
None are more biased than you, John.
"John Navas" < spamfilter0@navasgro
up.com> wrote in message news:sdlu8212erfb0en
ab6ogpno1t7dtq54m04@
4ax.com...
> On Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:06:19 -0700, SMS <scharf.steven@geemail.com>
> wrote in < 448f44e7$0$96927$742
ec2ed@news.sonic.net>:
>
>
> You might not have tried very hard. Consumer Action is a consumer
> non-profit organization that was founded in 1971. It's not a "front"
> for Cingular. Although Cingular is a Corporate Partner, so is the
> Verizon Foundation, and quite a few other companies.
>
>
> To someone with your pro-Verizon/CDMA anti-Cingular/GSM bias.
> You have a completely different tune when singing about Verizon.
>
> --
> Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
> John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/ Cingu...less_FA
Q>
| |
| John Navas 2006-06-14, 2:48 am |
| On Tue, 13 Jun 2006 19:15:16 -0700, "RNess"
<richard@nodamnspam.nessnet.com> wrote in
< 6vKdnQdPQeip7BLZnZ2d
nUVZ_vSdnZ2d@giganew
s.com>:
>None are more biased than you, John.
Whatever you say, Steven.
--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/ Cingu...less_FA
Q>
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| BruceR 2006-06-14, 2:48 am |
| Certainly looks like a biased fluff piece to me!
> On Tue, 13 Jun 2006 16:06:19 -0700, SMS <scharf.steven@geemail.com>
> wrote in < 448f44e7$0$96927$742
ec2ed@news.sonic.net>:
>
>
> You might not have tried very hard. Consumer Action is a consumer
> non-profit organization that was founded in 1971. It's not a "front"
> for Cingular. Although Cingular is a Corporate Partner, so is the
> Verizon Foundation, and quite a few other companies.
>
>
> To someone with your pro-Verizon/CDMA anti-Cingular/GSM bias.
> You have a completely different tune when singing about Verizon.
| |
| TL Mitchell 2006-06-14, 2:48 am |
| "SMS" <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote
<snippage>
-----
"Most carriers begin their off-peak times at 9 p.m., but some begin at 7
p.m. if you pay an additional monthly charge."
Sprint doesn't charge extra for 7 p.m. off-peak.
-----
In March the 400 minute F&F plan with 9pm off-peak was $35.95. Now the 400
minute F&F plan with 7pm off-peak is $39.95...... looks liuke 4 bucks for
7pm off-peak to me.
TL
| |
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| TL Mitchell wrote:
> "SMS" <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote
>
> <snippage>
> -----
> "Most carriers begin their off-peak times at 9 p.m., but some begin at 7
> p.m. if you pay an additional monthly charge."
>
> Sprint doesn't charge extra for 7 p.m. off-peak.
> -----
>
> In March the 400 minute F&F plan with 9pm off-peak was $35.95. Now the 400
> minute F&F plan with 7pm off-peak is $39.95...... looks liuke 4 bucks for
> 7pm off-peak to me.
The off-peak start time is 7:00 p.m. Whatever the reason for the price
increase, or the justification for it, the bottom line is that off-peak
is at 7:00 p.m., and it's not something that costs anything over the
base rate.
If all things were equal, for $40 I'd much rather have 400 minutes
(Sprint), with off-peak at 7:00 p.m., and a reasonable rate for extra
minutes, than 450 minutes with off peak at 9:00 p.m., and exorbitant
rate for extra minutes (Verizon and Cingular).
Also, with Sprint, you can get unlimited use for $55 per month, by
combining their $30 plan with their "To Home" feature (free calls to and
from one number for an extra $5/month), and a Voicestick unlimited
account ($20 per month). AFAIK, Alltel is the only other carrier with a
similar feature.
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| BruceR wrote:
> Certainly looks like a biased fluff piece to me!
Letting a wireless carrier write a brochure on how to choose a wireless
carrier, is like letting the oil companies investigate gasoline price
gouging.
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| John Navas 2006-06-14, 5:48 pm |
| On Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:29:51 -0700, SMS <scharf.steven@geemail.com>
wrote in < 4490397a$0$96996$742
ec2ed@news.sonic.net>:
>TL Mitchell wrote:
>
>The off-peak start time is 7:00 p.m. Whatever the reason for the price
>increase, or the justification for it, the bottom line is that off-peak
>is at 7:00 p.m., and it's not something that costs anything over the
>base rate.
>
>If all things were equal, for $40 I'd much rather have 400 minutes
>(Sprint), with off-peak at 7:00 p.m., and a reasonable rate for extra
>minutes,
I'd rather have T-Mobile's 1000 anytime minutes for the same price
(which is the deal I still have with Cingular from the one time it
matched T-Mobile).
>than 450 minutes with off peak at 9:00 p.m., and exorbitant
>rate for extra minutes (Verizon and Cingular).
Only at Verizon -- Cingular has Roll Over. I'm now happily sitting on
thousands of anytime minutes, plus I have unlimited data with tons of
messages for only $20 more. How are things at Verizon? :)
--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/ Cingu...less_FA
Q>
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| BruceR 2006-06-14, 5:48 pm |
|
Looks like they didn't really match TMo. If they did you'd have
unlimited data for $5.99.
> Only at Verizon -- Cingular has Roll Over. I'm now happily sitting on
> thousands of anytime minutes, plus I have unlimited data with tons of
> messages for only $20 more. How are things at Verizon? :)
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| John Navas 2006-06-14, 5:48 pm |
| On Wed, 14 Jun 2006 19:46:05 GMT, "BruceR" <br@NOhawaiiSPAM.com> wrote
in <1IZjg.12221$Z67.5778@tornado.socal.rr.com>:
[color=darkred]
>Looks like they didn't really match TMo. If they did you'd have
>unlimited data for $5.99.
That's just GPRS T-Zones. Cingular provides full EGPRS(EDGE) access to
the Internet, much faster and better.
--
Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/ Cingu...less_FA
Q>
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| BruceR 2006-06-14, 11:48 pm |
| No, it's not just T-Zones. It's also T-Mobile Web (they are different).
Using the Opera Mini Browser I can go to any website. EDGE will be
available next year on TMo but I don't really use it enoght to worry
about the speed. My wife has a Nokia E61 and has the $20 internet plan
which gives her unlimited use from her phone plus unlimited use of TMo
WiFi Hotspots from my laptop. Unless I needed EDGE today I think it's
still a better value on TMo. I know you'll disagree but that's what make
horseracing.
> On Wed, 14 Jun 2006 19:46:05 GMT, "BruceR" <br@NOhawaiiSPAM.com> wrote
> in <1IZjg.12221$Z67.5778@tornado.socal.rr.com>:
>
>
>
> That's just GPRS T-Zones. Cingular provides full EGPRS(EDGE) access
> to the Internet, much faster and better.
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