WIND Mobile Financier Regrets Entering ‘Protected’ Canadian Mobile Market

[photon]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Yeah, while paying $150 bucks for a hardware upgrade. Then pay an extra 99 bucks or 200 or whatever your new phone costs, and all of a sudden, your upgrade is costing you upwards of 300 dollars.

I didn't pay $150 bucks for a hardware upgrade, neither did my wife who got a new iPhone 4S.

And so don't buy the phone from the carrier. Buy it outright somewhere else, no upgrade fee. (Of course the phone'll cost $5-600 then, so seems like you're saving $ still)

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

Say I've been with a carrier for two years. I want a new phone, but I don't want to switch carriers. The right way to treat long-time customers is not to say 'Oh you can have the Galaxy S2... But not before you give us 250 bucks to let you out of your contract and re-up for another three years so you get the phone at a discount'.

My carrier doesn't do that, I got a new phone at the new phone price of $199, and I actually got it for mostly free because I'd earned enough credits in the two years to pay for the phone.

Yes I had to sign a new 3 year contract, but that's how carriers subsidize selling an $600 phone for $200. Would I prefer a 2 year contract, sure, but I don't see that as a terrible thing as I've been with my carrier and happy for like 12 years. 3 years vs 2 years in other countries isn't such a huge thing that it needs an #occupyrogers.

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

The right way to treat your customers is to go 'You know what... your use of the phone is how we make our money; we don't make much selling the actual devices, and they're all subsidized anyway. Have an iPhone, or a Galaxy S2, whatever. We appreciate your business, and hope this experience encourages you to stay with Bell/Rogers/Telus for a long time'.

They're subsidized by the subscription, if they gave people a phone without needing a contract then they'd lose money, which isn't a very good business model.

Unless you're suggesting that Apple sells iPhones to carriers for $150 instead of $600 out of the goodness of their hearts?

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

And if a wireless company ever did that, I'd be a customer for life.

You'd be a customer until they went under.

Don't get me wrong, I think the carriers do overcharge, but they still need to make money. Selling a phone for a $300 loss isn't going to get you far.

[ken0042]

I'm in the same boat as Photon. Next month will be my 18th month into my 3 year contract and I think I'm paying $20 more than the new contract price for a 4S. Once you factor in that I can either sell my 3GS or use it as a glorified iPod Touch; I am actually ahead a little bit.

[Shawnski]

Originally Posted by photon

I didn't pay $150 bucks for a hardware upgrade, neither did my wife who got a new iPhone 4S.

And so don't buy the phone from the carrier. Buy it outright somewhere else, no upgrade fee. (Of course the phone'll cost $5-600 then, so seems like you're saving $ still).

FYI, an iPhone 4S 16 GB is way more than "$5-600". Think more mid 7's at least if you are just going to buy it and walk out the door....

And obviously the prices are even higher for the 32 and 64 gig ones.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Mobilesyrup.com had a piece about Bell ending their early upgrade option the other day. I just glanced quickly at it.

[ken0042]

Bell: “Early hardware upgrade eligibility will be removed from all Consumer profiles”


Thanks for the head's up. I will be sure to get mine right away; as I think because it was offered to me I am alright for now.

[GreenLantern2814]

I didn't know this before today, but WIND offers Unlimited text, data, and calling in Canada for 29 bucks a month with no fixed term. Holy Christ. It's a shame the best phone they appear to have is the LG Optimus 2X... That company gets ahold of the iPhone or the Galaxy... Look out, Big 3.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

I didn't know this before today, but WIND offers Unlimited text, data, and calling in Canada for 29 bucks a month with no fixed term. Holy Christ. It's a shame the best phone they appear to have is the LG Optimus 2X... That company gets ahold of the iPhone or the Galaxy... Look out, Big 3.

I have the Google/Samsung Nexus S on Wind.. love the phone, really love it. Apparently it had a couple issues when it came to the market last year, but I've been enjoying the heck out of it.

Still, lack of headsets is a major drawback at the moment. The iPhone currently doesn't support the AWS network Wind is on, see what happens with the next version of the iPhone though.

I bet the smaller companies have lost a lot of potential business when the answer to "Do you have the iPhone" is no.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

I didn't know this before today, but WIND offers Unlimited text, data, and calling in Canada for 29 bucks a month with no fixed term. Holy Christ. It's a shame the best phone they appear to have is the LG Optimus 2X... That company gets ahold of the iPhone or the Galaxy... Look out, Big 3.

What? I thought that deal was $29 for six months and goes up to $45 after? iPhone should be available after T-mobile gets it.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

81% of the country should not be paying excessive wireless rates so that 19% of the country can get one bar twenty miles away from a metropolitan area.

The solution to this should be pretty simple; charge people in cities less. This may inconvenience some people, but if you want to use the land-mass argument, you're paying extra for a service because it's more difficult to get to you. It's not difficult to supply coverage in Vancouver, Calgary, or Montreal; and there's a far larger population base to draw from. So why then do I have to pay the same rate as someone who lives out in the sticks? If it's a pain in the ass to provide coverage out there, charge more for rural plans. Seems simple enough to me.

This.

Although that's pretty much what Wind does. Cheap plans for cities and rural roaming. Works for me.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814

81% of the country should not be paying excessive wireless rates so that 19% of the country can get one bar twenty miles away from a metropolitan area.

The solution to this should be pretty simple; charge people in cities less. This may inconvenience some people, but if you want to use the land-mass argument, you're paying extra for a service because it's more difficult to get to you. It's not difficult to supply coverage in Vancouver, Calgary, or Montreal; and there's a far larger population base to draw from. So why then do I have to pay the same rate as someone who lives out in the sticks? If it's a pain in the ass to provide coverage out there, charge more for rural plans. Seems simple enough to me.

Oh, they'll start doing that, once they are provided with a reason to (competition). Profits of these Telcos are disgusting - not to mention, Telus probably has the largest advertising budget of any company in Western Canada. Period.

[TopChed]

Originally Posted by photon

I didn't pay $150 bucks for a hardware upgrade, neither did my wife who got a new iPhone 4S.

My carrier doesn't do that, I got a new phone at the new phone price of $199, and I actually got it for mostly free because I'd earned enough credits in the two years to pay for the phone.

Am I right to assume that you and your wife are on Fido? If so, how did you get the upgrade free? I've got a 3GS with a contract that expires in about 10 months, from Fido, and hadn't really considered an early upgrade. I figured I'd have to pay some fee and it wouldn't be worth it.

[photon]

I had a 3G and upgraded to a 4, and I got both on launch day so I was only 2 years into my contract. I had heard rumours of extra fees and stuff but when it came time to upgrade they didn't mention anything like that at all. Just signed a new 3 year and got the phone and was happy. I seem to remember someone saying it was a special provision only for iPhone 4 and only during the launch, but that was a while ago so I might not be remembering correctly.

My wife actually might have been more than 2 years now that I think about it, she may have been within 6 months.

Things may be different now though.

[photon]

Yeah I did a bit of searching and Fido's pricing for the iPhone 4 when it came out was if you'd began your contract before Dec 31, 2008 (iPhone 3G came out July 2008) then you were eligible for the same pricing as new customers if you renewed your voice and data.

If you were newer than that you only got $250 off the handset.

I guess they didn't do this with the 4S, and they're sticking to needing to be 30 months into a contract now.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

I have the Google/Samsung Nexus S on Wind.. love the phone, really love it. Apparently it had a couple issues when it came to the market last year, but I've been enjoying the heck out of it.

Still, lack of headsets is a major drawback at the moment. The iPhone currently doesn't support the AWS network Wind is on, see what happens with the next version of the iPhone though.

I bet the smaller companies have lost a lot of potential business when the answer to "Do you have the iPhone" is no.

Tell me more.

I'm looking into this right now, but I want some feedback.

What kind of phone user are you? Superficial user, or crazy going to root the #### out of this baby and get max powah and apps from it while accessing my pc over a virtual network user?

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

Tell me more.

I'm looking into this right now, but I want some feedback.

What kind of phone user are you? Superficial user, or crazy going to root the #### out of this baby and get max powah and apps from it while accessing my pc over a virtual network user?

More of an in between, with a lean towards the latter. After going through the Android thread when I got the phone, I really am lost when it comes to most of the terms there, root, kernal etc. But the more I do with it, the more I love it. I love being able to do what I want with my phone.

I had the iPhone 4s for about a week on Bell, but kept my Wind contract going just in case.. and man glad I did that.

The Nexus S is a sleek phone, design is nice. The draw backs for me are no notification light, I'm getting used to it, but after being a Blackberry user for so long, I do miss that feature.

Fiddled with it a bit, and I've got the battery life at a great spot. Every coulpe of days I read about something else I want/can do with the phone. The mind numbing simple "only do what we let you" Apple phone is just not for me. It's a bit of a learning curve, because the options are endless, but really loving it.

I'm not much of an early adopter type of guy, when I got an iPad, it was a year later, and this phone came out last year, so the price is really great now. The Android "experience" is great too. Being detached from iTunes is making me smile as I type this.

Great phone.

[Flash Walken]

I don't own a single apple product, and am a current blackberry user.

I think this may be the option for me. Thanks for the reply.

Edit: Last question: any problems with coverage? Coverage outside the wind 'zone'?

[fleudian]

Wind's coverage is a major weakness -- half the time, I need to be outdoors to make a phone call. Other friends of mine on Wind have had the same experience. I wouldn't recommend it. The plans are a great deal, but the lack of reception is a serious pain in the butt.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by fleudian

Wind's coverage is a major weakness -- half the time, I need to be outdoors to make a phone call. Other friends of mine on Wind have had the same experience. I wouldn't recommend it. The plans are a great deal, but the lack of reception is a serious pain in the butt.

Outside to make a phone call?

I've never had anything close to this problem. I was having some minor reception issues for a bit there, but once I ditched the blackberry and got my nexus s those issues have stopped.

Flash, obviously a much smaller network is the drawback but for me I've never had anything close to what this guy or puckluck has said. Wind works for me and works rather well.

[fleudian]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Outside to make a phone call?

I've never had anything close to this problem. I was having some minor reception issues for a bit there, but once I ditched the blackberry and got my nexus s those issues have stopped.

Flash, obviously a much smaller network is the drawback but for me I've never had anything close to what this guy or puckluck has said. Wind works for me and works rather well.

Really? Maybe I should be considering a handset upgrade in that case. I'd be much happier with Wind if I didn't have this issue all the time.

[Madrox]

Originally Posted by fleudian

Really? Maybe I should be considering a handset upgrade in that case. I'd be much happier with Wind if I didn't have this issue all the time.

I actually have better reception on Wind than my GF does with Bell(presumably actually Telus?) here in the south end of Calgary.