How much is your phone plan/what features do you have.
- Thread starter Evan S
- Start date
puredrifting
Major Contributor
Me too uga. I am too cheap. Client gave me an iPod Touch as a gift and I have a freebie T-Mobile pay-as-you-go. 1,000 minutes lasts me about 6 months, I hate talking on the damned phone. When I am producing, client pays for phone. When I am not, my cell phone is practically free. I have been using Skype with the iPod touch, not bad. Free phone calls home to wife and kids who are on their computers and calls to regular phones are just dirt cheap. Too bad free WiFi is so hard to find when I travel.
The entire smartphone experience is overrated and I definitely think that most people are suckers for paying so much. Sure, there are a few people who NEED it (like location scouts and EMTs) but the majority of people are wasting thousands of dollars a year so that they are constantly wired with GPS, web, etc. Texting, Tweeting and constantly being on the web are like Crack, people are just out of control.
I like only occasionally being connected. It is too obnoxious if anyone can get a hold of you anywhere and anytime. Electronic leash.
Dan
The entire smartphone experience is overrated and I definitely think that most people are suckers for paying so much. Sure, there are a few people who NEED it (like location scouts and EMTs) but the majority of people are wasting thousands of dollars a year so that they are constantly wired with GPS, web, etc. Texting, Tweeting and constantly being on the web are like Crack, people are just out of control.
I like only occasionally being connected. It is too obnoxious if anyone can get a hold of you anywhere and anytime. Electronic leash.
Dan
adkimery
Veteran
I've never really understood this as no one can get a hold of you unless you choose to take part in the conversation. It's like saying you don't want a phone or computer in your house because then people will always be able to get a hold of you at home when you are trying to relax. People can call, e-mail or text me all they want but they won't get ahold of me unless I choose to call, e-mail or text them back.
All convenience and no hassle, IMO, for less than $1k/yr.
-A
puredrifting
Major Contributor
Adkimery, you are missing the point. If people know you have a smart phone and you never answer their texts, tweets, e-mails and calls, then they just think you are a schmuck. So even though you technically don't have to answer all of these messages, look around, people do. Peope have a pathological electronic addition to yapping, tweeting and texting constantly, it is sick. Ride a subway, go to an event, walk down any street in a big city, it's like the walking electronic dead with an iPhone or Crackberry permanantly welded to their ear or their eyes. Sick I tell ya!
I am on the LA Producer mailing list. A few months back, they circulated a survey, asking the average monthly bills for most iPhone users that are on this group, producers, ADs, location scouts, obviously heavy users but still, $200.00 to $250.00 per month!?! Once again, if you need it for work, I can see it, but I see kids in school, housewifes and corporate drones who do not have work pay for it and they are all paying between $2,000.00 to $3,000.00 per year for the privelege of being always "on" and looking cool. Makes ridiculous financial sense in this economy and I see people who are poor, unemployed or in high debt walking around with their stupid smartphones, it is alarming.
Dan
I am on the LA Producer mailing list. A few months back, they circulated a survey, asking the average monthly bills for most iPhone users that are on this group, producers, ADs, location scouts, obviously heavy users but still, $200.00 to $250.00 per month!?! Once again, if you need it for work, I can see it, but I see kids in school, housewifes and corporate drones who do not have work pay for it and they are all paying between $2,000.00 to $3,000.00 per year for the privelege of being always "on" and looking cool. Makes ridiculous financial sense in this economy and I see people who are poor, unemployed or in high debt walking around with their stupid smartphones, it is alarming.
Dan
adkimery
Veteran
No, I totally understand what you are saying I just disagree w/the way you are trying to justify it. If you don't like smart phones all you have to do is say you don't like smart phones. There's no need to try and justify your dislike of smart phones by painting the majority of smart phone owners as money wasting morons that like to stroke their own ego w/their latest gadget.
Same applies if you own a regular cell phone. Luckily, the same excuses apply as well.
I left it in the car/office/house. I had it on vibrate. I didn't hear/see the notification. I was in a dead zone. I was in a meeting. And, last but not least, I am unavailable outside of normal business hours.
Sure, if you say "call me if anything goes wrong" and you never answer the phone yeah yer a schmuck but I don't expect anyone to be 'on call' 24/7 just because they have a cell phone, myself included.
Unless you are roaming a lot (which makes sense for people who travel regularly) or have monthly fees associated w/apps you've purchased I don't see how you can rack up fees like that when $90+ taxes and fees gets you unlimited everything (talk, data, and texting) on AT&T. Are there superficial and pretentious people that only have iPhones because they think having an iPhone makes the cool? Sure. There are also superficial and pretentious people that drive certain cars, use certain computers, wear certain clothes, and live in certain areas for no other reason than it makes them feel like they are hip and cool but that doesn't meant that everyone that uses those same products do so for the same reason.
If it's not a smartphone it's an expensive car, a boat, a McMansion, a massive DVD collection, a big HDTV, a PS3, etc.,. People leave beyond their means in any number of ways which is why the average American has something like $20k worth of CC bills. Just wait a few more months and you can start yelling about the people w/an iPad in the hands, an iPhone in their back pocket and a MacBook Pro in their shoulder bag waiting in line at Starbucks and lamenting about how they are always short on cash. :beer:
-A
Scott F
Pug Life
It's not obnoxious when an employer or client is trying to reach me via phone or email to book freelance hours and I'm not the only one in their rolodex. You were saying something about a recession a few posts back, no?
EDIT: Oh, and our Verizon plan is disgustingly expensive…..I'd say like $130 a month for two phones with X amount of hours & texts. But they sure are fun!
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J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
I have a G1 and unlimited everything for 89.00 a month
Mark Harris
Pain in the ass
I have an HTC Aria with some AT&T plan, about $100/mth. But I bought the phone outright and never changed the unlimited plan that had come with my iPhone.
However, when this plan is up, I too am joining the ranks of the phoneless. Get some kind of small tablet, like an iPod touch, maybe Google voice number and a trac phone for when I need it. Or maybe get a small hotspot to take when I want. I do just about all of my business on email and skype now. The cell phone is largely just to find out what bar my friends are at on a given night, or to bug Jack when I'm waiting for my food at the diner
. I will be excited to ditch the cell phone provider.
However, when this plan is up, I too am joining the ranks of the phoneless. Get some kind of small tablet, like an iPod touch, maybe Google voice number and a trac phone for when I need it. Or maybe get a small hotspot to take when I want. I do just about all of my business on email and skype now. The cell phone is largely just to find out what bar my friends are at on a given night, or to bug Jack when I'm waiting for my food at the diner
. I will be excited to ditch the cell phone provider.
Terry_Lasater
All about the Caption
Whoa! Nearly a one year time warp between posts #25 & #26.
Phonelessness is an interesting trend, which I would not have predicted. Yet, it makes sense in its own way. Not all the implications are good, however.
Mark Harris
Pain in the ass
It's just kind of like the old days. I check my messages when I get home, or a place where I can "dial in" to my machine. For my life, like I said, business can always reach me. If I'm working, I'm online anyway. All of the work I do requires an internet connection, as clients and coworkers can be scattered all over the world.
There are cases where I will NEED a phone. Like when I'm at Sundance, I am writing an app to control the software I have in the festival. Clearly I have to have an always on connection. But that could be satisfied with a trac phone.
Curious what you think the bad implications are, given that you and I and some of the other old fogies around here grew up without cell phones...
It's just another layer of personal disconnection between people. If all communication is done facelessly, voicelessly, electronically, then people are more separated than ever.
By this I mean the whole of society, not any one individual person.
By this I mean the whole of society, not any one individual person.
Mark Harris
Pain in the ass
Trust me, one video conference call with me in my underwear, you'll pray for some disconnection...
ugafan
Looking for a woman
i'm really excited about virgin mobile selling the lg optimus. in case you're not familiar with virgin, they have $25 a month prepaid plan that gives you 300 minutes and unlimited text and data. the optimus is going to sell for $150, but i'll recoup the cost quickly by not having an expensive contract to deal with. :thumbsup:
here is a video of the sprint version (virgin mobile is on the sprint network)
here is a video of the sprint version (virgin mobile is on the sprint network)
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djbobbyrhodes
Well-known member
I've been doing a bunch of research on this lately. It seems that no matter who you're going to go through, it's going to be roughly $80-$100 for unlimited data (for one line) through any carrier. Unfortunately, AT&T no longer has unlimited data, so that's an automatic DQ in my book.
Sprint has unlimited mobile to mobile calling with their unlimited data plan. AT&T has unlimited mobile to mobile, regardless of what calling plan you pay for. But no unlimited data with AT&T.
Tmobile has cheaper(ish) plans, but for unlimited minutes (they don't have any unlimited mobile to mobile) and unlimited data, still 99.00 each month.
Verizon doesn't seem to have unlimited texting. They have unlimited to the verizon network, and 5000 outside the network w/ unlimited calls/data for ~100
So, like I said, it pretty much comes down to around $80-$100/month (for one user) regardless of who you go with. Basically, figure out who has the best coverage and which phones you like better.
Since you're going with a family plan, YMMV. See if you can't get the salesperson to throw you a deal.
I personally am avoiding T-Mobile. I had them for a solid 5-6 years and they were great. Early upgrades, good service. Until one day, my family realized we would be short on the bill by a day. Literally, bill is due Thursday and payday is Friday. It never came up for 6 years of being loyal customers, so we decided to give them a call and let them know our deal. See if we could get an extension for a day or two. They told us that we were SOL. They shut our phones off for 24 hours (until we paid) and then hit us with a bunch of late fees. We must have talked to every supervisor or manager in the whole corporation. My mom was livid. Needless to say, we've dropped T-mobile and haven't looked back.
EDIT: Just realized this thread was started over a year ago. So, I imagine the OP has found a carrier.
Sprint has unlimited mobile to mobile calling with their unlimited data plan. AT&T has unlimited mobile to mobile, regardless of what calling plan you pay for. But no unlimited data with AT&T.
Tmobile has cheaper(ish) plans, but for unlimited minutes (they don't have any unlimited mobile to mobile) and unlimited data, still 99.00 each month.
Verizon doesn't seem to have unlimited texting. They have unlimited to the verizon network, and 5000 outside the network w/ unlimited calls/data for ~100
So, like I said, it pretty much comes down to around $80-$100/month (for one user) regardless of who you go with. Basically, figure out who has the best coverage and which phones you like better.
Since you're going with a family plan, YMMV. See if you can't get the salesperson to throw you a deal.
I personally am avoiding T-Mobile. I had them for a solid 5-6 years and they were great. Early upgrades, good service. Until one day, my family realized we would be short on the bill by a day. Literally, bill is due Thursday and payday is Friday. It never came up for 6 years of being loyal customers, so we decided to give them a call and let them know our deal. See if we could get an extension for a day or two. They told us that we were SOL. They shut our phones off for 24 hours (until we paid) and then hit us with a bunch of late fees. We must have talked to every supervisor or manager in the whole corporation. My mom was livid. Needless to say, we've dropped T-mobile and haven't looked back.
EDIT: Just realized this thread was started over a year ago. So, I imagine the OP has found a carrier.
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ugafan
Looking for a woman
that is why i'm so psyched about the $25 for unlimited data and text with no contract.