[raino]

T-Mobile Assisted Service upgrade fee launching on July 31 for select customers - TmoNews

Uncarrier: please look the other way when we do it.

[Denise in Los Angeles]

Lucky for me that I BYOD my phones. And I still am on an Advantage account, so they cannot soak me for that $20 sim card.

[raino]

Lucky for me that I BYOD my phones. And I still am on an Advantage account, so they cannot soak me for that $20 sim card.

Their requirements to avoid this fee sound ridiculous to me:

-Order online (what if I don't want to wait even a day, or don't want to put up with the hassle that could could up with online returns/exchanges, or don't want a $700 phone laying on my porch?)
-JUMP (add a $10/month plan to avoid $20...sounds fair.)
-JoD (good luck signing up for that now.)

[gariac]

I used Costco Wireless, their online service, for my Z10. I don't know if Costco Wireless even sell BlackBerry these days. But they never charged me for a simcard.

I look at that Apple, Samsung, and LG junk at the Costco kiosk and wonder how will I ever get a phone that is a slab of tough black plastic again.

I haven't seen a TCL BlackBerry. I hope the build quality hasn't sunk to Apple/LG/Samsung standards.

Posted via CB10

[CivilDissident]

Unless you rely on the whole nonsense of paying for your device in installments, upgrading via one's carrier is pointless these days... I purchase in full and there is far more incentive to buy factory unlocked via the manufacturer direct than there is to procure one's carrier-locked devices anyways.. This choice hopefully awakens others to making smarter purchasing decisions in the future when it comes to device upgrades... Paying a ridiculously inflated premium on a device just so you can 'lease to own' it is NOT a good deal to begin with, now add yet another fee (or yet another package to one's plan as it seems to alternately offer) to the mix just so you can attempt to feel justified about your overspending via Team Magenta and you have pretty much zero reason to purchase from them at all... At least zero feasible reasons... In the end, no matter how you cut it, being cheap always comes out expensive...

Posted via CB10

[gariac]

There is still the question about branded versus non-branded phones on Tmo. I think the hive has determined that wifi calling is not an issue. I don't know about VoLTE. Without VoLTE, your phone will not do band 12.


Posted via CB10

[raino]

There is still the question about branded versus non-branded phones on Tmo. I think the hive has determined that wifi calling is not an issue. I don't know about VoLTE. Without VoLTE, your phone will not do band 12.

Both are non-issues if TMO plays nice. They have so far--with BB10 and the Priv--when it comes to WFC. But they haven't when it comes to other OEMs, notably Motorola.

voLTE does not require band 12, but TMO has in the past 'urged' OEMs to disable band 12 if they weren't going to pay for TMO's "expensive certification process" for voLTE.

BB10 phones were perfectly capable of voLTE, but TMO never allowed them to have it.

So what does this mean? You can't necessarily go out and blindly buy a phone advertising itself as LTE band 2, 4 and 12, WFC and voLTE capable. Band 12 may get disabled, and WFC/voLTE may never come.

[gariac]

I didn't realize it was the OEMs that pulled the VoLTE plug on band 12. But Tmo could play hardball and blacklist the phone entirely from VoLTE on any band.

I'm really surprised someone hasn't filed a complaint with the FCC or FTC regarding Tmos qualification requirement. Phones are used by foreign visitors. You can't expect a foreign visitor to have a TMo qualified phone. Maybe the EU could put pressure on Tmo to stop blacklisting phones.

Posted via CB10

[ToniCipriani]

Unless you rely on the whole nonsense of paying for your device in installments, upgrading via one's carrier is pointless these days... I purchase in full and there is far more incentive to buy factory unlocked via the manufacturer direct than there is to procure one's carrier-locked devices anyways.. This choice hopefully awakens others to making smarter purchasing decisions in the future when it comes to device upgrades... Paying a ridiculously inflated premium on a device just so you can 'lease to own' it is NOT a good deal to begin with, now add yet another fee (or yet another package to one's plan as it seems to alternately offer) to the mix just so you can attempt to feel justified about your overspending via Team Magenta and you have pretty much zero reason to purchase from them at all... At least zero feasible reasons... In the end, no matter how you cut it, being cheap always comes out expensive...

Posted via CB10

Problem is the general consumer doesn't care. All they care is about upfront cost.

"Oh my bill today is zero today and I get a new shiny phone?"

"Why's my bill so expensive??!!"

[raino]

I didn't realize it was the OEMs that pulled the VoLTE plug on band 12.

It's OEMs, but from what I remember, they did it under pressure from TMO, who had a monopoly on band 12 in the US then. Motorola even sold one of its phones (through their own channels, not TMO) with band 12 enabled until TMO got involved and they had to push an "update" to disable band 12.

I'm really surprised someone hasn't filed a complaint with the FCC or FTC regarding Tmos qualification requirement.

Now that TMO doesn't have a monopoly on band 12 (AT&T has adopted band 12 over 17 now,) OEMs might be figuratively telling TMO to go pound sand. But voLTE still has to be an issue; maybe TMO has streamlined it/softened its stance recognizing they can't dictate terms when a big(ger) dog--AT&T--is now also involved?

The biggest issue with voLTE is that it's all over the place right now, and that isn't all TMO's fault. Samsung just started selling factory unlocked version of its S7/S7 Edge that they say is compatible with all four major carriers; from what I understand, that includes voLTE. But Samsung (and Apple) can afford to pay for/tailor voLTE to each major US carrier's requirements, so who knows if this is the start of a larger trend?

Phones are used by foreign visitors. You can't expect a foreign visitor to have a TMo qualified phone. Maybe the EU could put pressure on Tmo to stop blacklisting phones.

TBH, I feel it's a bigger issue for domestic customers than foreign visitors. How many of them are going to visit the relatively not-as-urban markets where band 12 is the only TMO network around? While their phones are more likely to have quad GSM, quad, maybe penta UMTS and maybe even LTE b2 and b4 capability, they wouldn't get voLTE anyway--regardless of band 12's presence. And that's going to be a big mess, until voLTE because universal like GSM or UMTS (where you can buy a phone anywhere and pretty much use it as long as the RF bands match.)

[Denise in Los Angeles]

I hope more TMo customers boycott this upgrade fee and buy phones from Best Buy or Amazon. We can also "Uncarrier" TMo.

[raino]

I hope more TMo customers boycott this upgrade fee and buy phones from Best Buy or Amazon. We can also "Uncarrier" TMo.

You know who I feel bad for, though? The honest sales reps. The ones who aren't super pushy, don't cram your bill and offer helpful (and accurate) suggestions. They would lose out on sales through no fault of their own.

I can't help but wonder if this would be happening if TMO stores were unionized...

[Denise in Los Angeles]

You know who I feel bad for, though? The honest sales reps. The ones who aren't super pushy, don't cram your bill and offer helpful (and accurate) suggestions. They would lose out on sales through no fault of their own.

I can't help but wonder if this would be happening if TMO stores were unionized...

Probably why there is a lot of turnover in the stores. They see people like me wander in with phones from Best Buy or Walmart all the time, and get discouraged. I just went to the local store last week for a new sim.

[hawklet00]

i usually get my phones in the store, but i tell the sales people to go away until im ready. i dont need them pushing a phone i dont want or care about. i usually know more about the phones they do anyway. this policy will damn near make me buy straight from the manufacturer now

[Denise in Los Angeles]

Best Buy is the way to go. Free shipping, and no sales person trying to sell you a different phone.

[gariac]

Best Buy is the way to go. Free shipping, and no sales person trying to sell you a different phone.

I have a friend who is all Apple fanboi (though a woman), and she can't stand the Apple store. She goes to Best Buy. I'm in the Fry's zone, so I don't have a Best Buy handy to visit, but I suppose they are doing something right.


Posted via CB10

[raino]

Apparently TMO terminated an employee who posted some internal (confidential) documentation about this: https://www.reddit.com/r/tmobile/com...om_employment/

[sethr]

TMO dumping corporate discounts never sunk in. Wouldn't you rather make a little money from a LOT of people.
That crap release saying what a bargain their rates were that they didnt need corporate cuts.

If they became compatible with more BYOD they might increase profit.

In a chat with them the other day, I gave them my plan and cost after discount. All I got back was, "that's a great price."

End of conversation. LOL.

Posted via CB10

[Denise in Los Angeles]

TMO dumping corporate discounts never sunk in. Wouldn't you rather make a little money from a LOT of people. We smell more money, so NO.
That crap release saying what a bargain their rates were that they didnt need corporate cuts. Tranlation: We wanted to charge you more than that bargain rate.

If they became compatible with more BYOD they might increase profit. We have BYOD.

In a chat with them the other day, I gave them my plan and cost after discount. All I got back was, "that's a great price."

End of conversation. LOL.

Posted via CB10

See my comments in bold.

[gariac]

See my comments in bold.

BYOD isn't very true with VoLTE. Or in the case of the Z10, even branded is denied VoLTE.

The iPhone seems to be VoLTE friendly with Tmo. Perhaps Nexus?


Posted via CB10

[raino]

BYOD isn't very true with VoLTE. Or in the case of the Z10, even branded is denied VoLTE.

I think she was being facetious, speaking in lingua spin corporato, aka sarcastically

The iPhone seems to be VoLTE friendly with Tmo. Perhaps Nexus?

Nexus, iPhone and the multi-carrier compatible phones Samsungs released within the last month or two.

[gariac]

I think she was being facetious, speaking in lingua spin corporato, aka sarcastically



Nexus, iPhone and the multi-carrier compatible phones Samsungs released within the last month or two.

There is the sarcasm designation of /s. ;-)

Well multi carrier is a good trend. Of course excluding Sprint. ;-) If Sprint is the answer, it must be a funny question.


Posted via CB10

[raino]

Well multi carrier is a good trend. Of course excluding Sprint. ;-) If Sprint is the answer, it must be a funny question.

The Nexus phone works with Sprint too. I believe those new Samsungs do as well. iPhones too, but AT&T has their own model.

The problem with Sprint is their weird LTE bands. In an ideal world, 26 should absorb its subset band 5 and 25 should absorb 2, but 41...that's too 'obscure' for North America at the moment. Not just the band, but the technology (TD-LTE) as well.