In alt.cellular.t-mobile Elmo P. Shagnasty <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote:
> In article <13o53o0omormhab@corp.supernews.com>,
> "Joel Koltner" <zapwireDASHgroups@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Historically contracts were used by carriers to recover the costs
>> of phones, which tended to cost much more than most people were willing to
>> "pony up" for. In other words, the marketing guys figured out it's easier to
>> sell a phone for $39 and then have them subscribe for, say, $40/mo than sell
>> a
>> phone for $239 and subscribe for $30/mo.
>
> So explain why I picked up a couple Verizon InPulse Samsung A870 phones
> at Walmart for $50 each. I'm *sure* they're worth more than that.
>

Simple ... it is old inventory that is becoming obsolete and they sell it at a
discount to move it. ALL businesses that cary inventory do this, and
especially businesses that deal with evolving and in-demand technology.

> And I don't do business with Verizon.
>

No, you do business with Walmart [or perhaps the Kiosk vendor as the case may
be].

> Oh, but I do do business with PagePlus....at a rate of about
> $30/year.....so even if I do end up using the Verizon network, it's not
> for very much at all.
>

Ever notice that if you go to the Verizon or any traditional mobile phone
company that does both pre-pay and post-pay that the same phone is more
expensive for pre-pay customers? Well, you see why; they are under no
commitment.

I think "pre-pay" is an invalid term for these customers, as even "post-pay"
customers pre-pay. They only post pay any monthly overage or feature changes.

> So much for the whole contract idea.
>

Never was a contract for pre-pay.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse

America is the country where you buy a lifetime
supply of aspirin for one dollar, and use it up in two weeks.