AT&T to Require Smartphone Users to Have SP Data Plan

[zmatt]

But at the same time the exact same thing can be said of the exact opposite.

Just because YOU feel that a PDA isnt worth it without the Data Plan that means everyone should have to pay for it even if they dont use it?

Trying to force people to buy the Data Plan will force them to not buy the smart phone. Cause there will be a extra amount of money per month that was not accounted for when they purchased the phone. They would not think "Hey can i afford to pay the extra $30 or more a month cause i have to have the PDA plan?"

This will cause more people to drop contracts, and worse. People will consider other phones that are not Smart Phones and they can get the unlimited plan for cheaper.

Very true, this is exactly why they shouldn't do it.

 

[hikaricloud]

Who cares? it may save more stores, but if the store is under performing and at&t is loosing business then they should be closed. I don't care about the stores nearly as much as the customer. This is bad for the consumer and I bet their smart phone sales drop a bit because of it.

Under performing because people aren't getting the data plans, if you read what I said...

RPO is the most BS thing that AT&T imposes, and that was my point. I'm sorry you don't care about small businesses and the people that run them losing all their money, it's cool. Not happening to you, right?

Just because YOU feel that a PDA isnt worth it without the Data Plan that means everyone should have to pay for it even if they dont use it?

While I feel a PDA isn't worth it without the data feature, facts are facts. And the facts are a lot of features that make PDAs as useful as they are will be reliant on some form of internet connection. Chances are if you have access to WiFi most of the time, then a smartphone is a moot point because you obviously aren't getting out much and traveling as business people do, and a decent amount of the features that make PDAs useful are geared towards that.

My point is people buy PDAs when they don't need them. A lot of people buy iPhones because they're cool, and complain about the data package because they have wireless internet at their house, which I've already said makes most of what the iPhone does pretty pointless. GPS is worthless if you stand still.


As for "losing sales", the data plan never stopped anyone from buying the iPhone, did it? And if it did, I barely noticed.

 

[wafflehammer]

i don't see the big deal? every time i went on at&t every phone that was considered to be a smart phone had like a $10 increase of the data plan :\

i guess i see the point of it's wrong to force the plan on them if they don't need it.......but then on the other hand most cell phones are useless without a data plan(i know there is the laptop argument that if you have a laptop near a hotspot the phone is useless) ............

oh well, personally i think cell phones should be banned :| nothing but trouble.. people whine "what if something happens and i don't have it?!?!?"...well, cell phones weren't around 100 years ago and humans are still existing today so I guess at one point we were fine without them :\

 

[zmatt]

Under performing because people aren't getting the data plans, if you read what I said...

RPO is the most BS thing that AT&T imposes, and that was my point. I'm sorry you don't care about small businesses and the people that run them losing all their money, it's cool. Not happening to you, right?

Now you are putting words into my mouth. AT&Ts policies to the franchises may be unfair, but a lot of companies do that and frankly there isn't a thing I can do about it.

And forcing people to gt data plans is not a way to increase revenues, myself, Mak and others have already explained why this is stupid. if you really want to help the franchise stores then getting AT&T to change their policies is better. because people like myself wont be forced into buying a data plan that they don't want. I''l take my business to another carrier who isn't as draconian. in the end you still loose business and AT&T still closes the shop. In fact, the new rule just exacerbated it, because instead of making $8 on my sale you made nothing.

 

[hikaricloud]

We never made anything on a sale in the first place. Like I said, authorized retailers don't get paid for features. It basically earns them the right to stay in business when they get their RPO up to 25 bucks.

Do whatever you want, you're obviously pretty set in your opinion. But there isn't many other choices for quality cellular coverage. VZW already imposes the smartphone data plan thing you're complaining so much about (and is definitely way more "draconian" than AT&T), Sprint generally has terrible coverage and still operates with roaming, and T-mobile has some of the worst customer service I've ever seen.

Though I still don't see why you're complaining, especially since you're grandfather-claused into not needing a data plan.

 

[zmatt]

We never made anything on a sale in the first place. Like I said, authorized retailers don't get paid for features. It basically earns them the right to stay in business when they get their RPO up to 25 bucks.

Do whatever you want, you're obviously pretty set in your opinion. But there isn't many other choices for quality cellular coverage. VZW already imposes the smartphone data plan thing you're complaining so much about (and is definitely way more "draconian" than AT&T), Sprint generally has terrible coverage and still operates with roaming, and T-mobile has some of the worst customer service I've ever seen.

Though I still don't see why you're complaining, especially since you're grandfather-claused into not needing a data plan.

Well your opinion on carriers is very colored due to your known AT&T association. AT&T coverage isn't actually that great here. I get dropped calls all the time. I may switch to Verison once my contract expires next year.

And i am complaining because it is bad for the consumer and I care about such things.

 

[hikaricloud]

My opinion on carriers existing before I worked for AT&T, but thanks for saying I'm biased. Sprint having roaming is a fact, T-Mobile having terrible customer service is an experience, and VZW being draconian is also an experience from working for them. Working for AT&T, I hate a lot of their practices (if you haven't noticed from all of my posts mentioning how they beat down on retailers...), so don't think because I worked for the retards means I'm orange for AT&T like some people are blue for Intel or red for ATI.

Just a reminder if you wanted a smart phone with VZW, they also charge the $30 fee regardless, so I figure that would influence your choice on phones.

 

[KSoD]

While I feel a PDA isn't worth it without the data feature, facts are facts. And the facts are a lot of features that make PDAs as useful as they are will be reliant on some form of internet connection. Chances are if you have access to WiFi most of the time, then a smartphone is a moot point because you obviously aren't getting out much and traveling as business people do, and a decent amount of the features that make PDAs useful are geared towards that.

My point is people buy PDAs when they don't need them. A lot of people buy iPhones because they're cool, and complain about the data package because they have wireless internet at their house, which I've already said makes most of what the iPhone does pretty pointless. GPS is worthless if you stand still.


As for "losing sales", the data plan never stopped anyone from buying the iPhone, did it? And if it did, I barely noticed.

Your right. The smart phone i got allows me to have access with WiFi. Since i have WiFi through out my house, i can use that to connect to the internet. So why pay more for something that i already have?
Business people dont need to pay either. At least 75% of the hotels now have WiFi access. Heck when the wife went to Yellowstone earlier this month THEY had WiFi there. So why would a business traveler need the data plan? If they can use WiFi they can use net on their phone and not be charged for it.

As you said facts are facts.

People are people. There is no reason or explanation as to why they make the purchases they do. I already told you this about my bro in law who got a Blackberry just cause he liked the look of it. Was it smart? No. But he had money burning a hole in his pocket so he went with something that he thought looked good.

I am not trying to attack. But you are defending to no end AT&T's right to do this. What Verizon, TMobile,. Blue and every other carrier does is immaterial. They are not AT&T. Not all PDA's are smart phones just as not all smart phones are PDA's. Samsung Eternity. AT&T classify that as a smart phone. It is no where near PDA standards. I dont care if i am grandfathered in, it isnt right that someone should have to pay that extra $35 a month for a phone that is clearly NOT up to par with a Blackberry or iPhone.

Yes your right, the iPhone sales were not affected. Because people flocked to it like white on rice. But does that mean that Blackberry sales, Samsung Eternity Sales, HTC Touch, any phone with Windows Mobile on it and other phone sales will not be affected cause of this change. Can you sit there and tell me that your 110% positive that sales of all the phones that AT&T classify as Smart Phones will not be affected? Even with your affiliation did you know that they classified the Samsung Eternity as a Smart Phone? Cause they certainly do here. Every AT&T rep has said as much here. From AT&T sat stores to WalMart to every AT&T rep that we have talked to.

I do understand what you are saying. I am just trying to show you that there is a flip side to this coin. This is no different than anyone trying to show me what is bad about Win7.

 

[hikaricloud]

Hotels may have WiFi, but when you travel, you don't stay in a hotel all day. You're on the road, about the city you're in, etc. Getting email and such is dependent on your internet connection.

I'm not defending AT&T's "right" to do this. I'm saying it actually halfway makes sense. Actually, I said in my first post that I was iffy about them forcing it, but no one seemed to read that one. A lot of people buy these PDAs without data packages and come back a month later complaining about all the data charges on their bill because they were using features that required data transfer...there won't be anymore of that, you'll know exactly what you are getting and exactly how much it will cost.

I mentioned the other carriers because Matt was talking about switching, so that was relevant.

As for phones like the Eternity, last I checked, those plans were still 15 bucks for unlimited data, regardless of how they classified them. PDAs have a data plan of $30, and non PDAs have a data plan of $15.

On a side note, if you go to AT&T's website, sorting phones by PDAs/Smartphones only yields PDAs, so I'm not quite sure why all those reps are telling you the Eternity is a "smartphone". Generally speaking, "smartphone" is a term coined for PDAs.

Sure, people are going to be unhappy about this, apparently. But the people who still need PDAs will get them, and the people who don't will start getting regular phones. When a mother comes in and buys her 10 year old son a Blackberry, there's something wrong. I'm all for PDAs being used for what they were meant to be used for, which is what this data plan implementation will do: make it so only people who absolutely need these phones buy them.

If you still really want a PDA and no data plan, you can get an unlocked one and you won't be affected. Or even a non unlocked one, so long as you just put your simcard in it.

 

[KSoD]

I agree with what your saying. I do understand your POV on this. You are right with just about everything said. While i may have a different opinion on some matters, it doesnt change the hard fact that what your saying is right.

People wont be happy. At teh same time it will affect some choices that people make about what phone they get. In the end it all comes down to the choices people make. They dont make sense to anyone but them.