Why are American cell phone companies so primitive?

2008-04-12 06:04:59

#1

HurricaИe: Banned; +877|6441|Washington DC

It seems that these days, Japan and Europe have the best networks and the best phones. I saw a post here saying that in the UK pretty much any phone comes for free with a contract... not so in the US. Europe has a much wider variety of phones... not so in the US (AT&T has exactly 2 different Sony Ericsson models on their site). Europe has a much more advanced cellular network... you want an N95 in US&A? I hope you don't use Verizon!

What the hell is the deal? That new Soy Ericsson C702 caught my eye, but unfortunately it's only going to be available in Europe (for now at least) because, surprise, it doesn't appear to work in the US. Get with the times, Verizon/Sprint/AT&T/T-Mobile/whoever else

2008-04-12 06:11:13

#2

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7062|SE London

Because European and Japanese companies make most of the phones and run the biggest most profitable networks.

Last edited by Bertster7 (2008-04-12 06:11:36)

2008-04-12 06:21:38

#3

Funky_Finny: Banned; +456|6613|Carnoustie, Scotland

When my brother got his W810i (this was a while ago) the contract was £30 and £150 for the phone, but he haggled it down to £25 a month and the phone for free.

2008-04-12 06:31:20

#4

HurricaИe: Banned; +877|6441|Washington DC

Bertster7 wrote:
Because European and Japanese companies make most of the phones and run the biggest most profitable networks.

Are you insinuating that our cell companies are run by baboons? (if so I agree)

@Funky, nice. See, in America we can't have nice things like that. We try to haggle, they tell us to GTFO.

2008-04-12 06:38:22

#5

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7062|SE London

HurricaИe wrote:
Bertster7 wrote:
Because European and Japanese companies make most of the phones and run the biggest most profitable networks.
Are you insinuating that our cell companies are run by baboons? (if so I agree)

Well, what decent phones are made by US companies? The iPhone is about the only example and most of the constituent parts are developed in Europe (ARM make the processing elements) and Japan and the Phone is assembled in China.

Same with phone companies, I don't know of any US based networks operating in Europe, but European networks operate pretty much everywhere, with Vodafone being by far the largest network anywhere.

HurricaИe wrote:
@Funky, nice. See, in America we can't have nice things like that. We try to haggle, they tell us to GTFO.

You don't haggle!?!?

But how do you get good deals?

2008-04-12 06:51:37

#6

HurricaИe: Banned; +877|6441|Washington DC

Bertster7 wrote:
HurricaИe wrote:
Bertster7 wrote:
Because European and Japanese companies make most of the phones and run the biggest most profitable networks.
Are you insinuating that our cell companies are run by baboons? (if so I agree)
Well, what decent phones are made by US companies? The iPhone is about the only example and most of the constituent parts are developed in Europe (ARM make the processing elements) and Japan and the Phone is assembled in China.

Same with phone companies, I don't know of any US based networks operating in Europe, but European networks operate pretty much everywhere, with Vodafone being by far the largest network anywhere.

HurricaИe wrote:
@Funky, nice. See, in America we can't have nice things like that. We try to haggle, they tell us to GTFO.
You don't haggle!?!?

But how do you get good deals?

We bend over and take it up the ass. Verizon, AT&T, Sprint etc employees are like heartless robots. Unless you are an insanely hot woman or a very sexy man, you will find it hard to break a deal.

edit: I know most phones are made by Euros and the Japanese... I just wish our networks could support them the Ericsson C702 is so much nicer than those fucking RAZRs.

Last edited by HurricaИe (2008-04-12 06:52:28)

2008-04-12 06:56:33

#7

FEOS: Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate; +1,182|6891|'Murka

I think Europe runs exclusive GSM...one network technology makes for a lot more choice in phones. The biggest problem in the US is that with both CDMA and GSM, the cell phone companies have to build two versions of every phone which makes it hard to realize economies of scale.

That, and the cell companies are total douchebags.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular

2008-04-12 07:04:20

#8

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7062|SE London

FEOS wrote:
I think Europe runs exclusive GSM...one network technology makes for a lot more choice in phones. The biggest problem in the US is that with both CDMA and GSM, the cell phone companies have to build two versions of every phone which makes it hard to realize economies of scale.

That, and the cell companies are total douchebags.

Depends if you count UMTS (which is a W-CDMA technology) as GSM.

Last edited by Bertster7 (2008-04-12 07:05:52)

2008-04-12 07:11:56

#9

FEOS: Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate; +1,182|6891|'Murka

No, I don't count it as GSM. Didn't realize that Europe had anything other than GSM. Is it widespread?

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular

2008-04-12 07:15:24

#10

HurricaИe: Banned; +877|6441|Washington DC

This is pathetic actually. We also have pretty shitty broadband compared to Japan and Europe. In Sweden it's like what... $50 a month for 100Mbps internet? For that price I get 15Mbps internet. If I wanted 30Mbps internet I'd have to pay $150 a month.

2008-04-12 07:19:56

#11

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7062|SE London

FEOS wrote:
No, I don't count it as GSM. Didn't realize that Europe had anything other than GSM. Is it widespread?

Very. Every network supports it, there is a very high coverage rate across western Europe - pretty much total coverage for urban areas.

This should give you an idea of the sort of coverage levels (about 80%).

2008-04-12 07:44:21

#12

jsnipy: ...; +3,277|7003|...

This is so true. Even when my coworkers come over from India they basically laugh at our state of our wireless system. It think long contracts and all of the money they milk from texting don't give them any motivation to move forawrd.

2008-04-12 07:51:54

#13

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7062|SE London

jsnipy wrote:
This is so true. Even when my coworkers come over from India they basically laugh at our state of our wireless system. It think long contracts and all of the money they milk from texting don't give them any motivation to move forawrd.

Money from texting?

But isn't texting essentially free? I get 1100 texts a month as part of my contract, along with 700 minutes to any landline or mobile and unlimited free web browsing. How much does it cost in the US?

2008-04-12 07:58:36

#14

DUnlimited: got any popo lolo intersting?; +1,160|6943|cuntshitlake

Bertster7 wrote:
jsnipy wrote:
This is so true. Even when my coworkers come over from India they basically laugh at our state of our wireless system. It think long contracts and all of the money they milk from texting don't give them any motivation to move forawrd.
Money from texting?

But isn't texting essentially free? I get 1100 texts a month as part of my contract, along with 700 minutes to any landline or mobile and unlimited free web browsing. How much does it cost in the US?

How much is that per month? (Would be around 75€/month with N95 24 month contract here)

Last edited by DeathUnlimited (2008-04-12 08:02:23)

main battle tank karthus medikopter 117 megamegapowershot gg

2008-04-12 07:58:46

#15

HurricaИe: Banned; +877|6441|Washington DC

We usually have to pay some for extra texts. I can go scrounge up the latest wireless bill (gouged to say the least).

2008-04-12 08:04:45

#16

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7062|SE London

DeathUnlimited wrote:
Bertster7 wrote:
jsnipy wrote:
This is so true. Even when my coworkers come over from India they basically laugh at our state of our wireless system. It think long contracts and all of the money they milk from texting don't give them any motivation to move forawrd.
Money from texting?

But isn't texting essentially free? I get 1100 texts a month as part of my contract, along with 700 minutes to any landline or mobile and unlimited free web browsing. How much does it cost in the US?
How much is that per month? (Would be around 75€/month with N95 24 month contract here)

£30 on an 18 month contract with a free LG Viewty.

2008-04-12 08:06:52

#17

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7062|SE London

HurricaИe wrote:
We usually have to pay some for extra texts. I can go scrounge up the latest wireless bill (gouged to say the least).

I couldn't use all my monthly texts if I tried. I'd have to send one about every 40 mins.

2008-04-12 08:16:22

#18

jsnipy: ...; +3,277|7003|...

Bertster7 wrote:
jsnipy wrote:
This is so true. Even when my coworkers come over from India they basically laugh at our state of our wireless system. It think long contracts and all of the money they milk from texting don't give them any motivation to move forawrd.
Money from texting?

But isn't texting essentially free? I get 1100 texts a month as part of my contract, along with 700 minutes to any landline or mobile and unlimited free web browsing. How much does it cost in the US?

It can very per contract/company, essentially most companies charge 15¢ per text message over a plan. With my last contract I had to add on $5 for 500 message (still 10¢ per text message is absurd). Keep in mind they typically charge the sender and the receiver the same.

2008-04-12 08:20:23

#19

kylef: Gone; +1,352|6973|N. Ireland

Why would you want an N95 in the first place

2008-04-12 08:23:39

#20

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7062|SE London

kylef wrote:
Why would you want an N95 in the first place

Because it is technically the best phone available anywhere in the world. It certainly has the best hardware in it.

2008-04-12 08:24:53

#21

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7062|SE London

jsnipy wrote:
Bertster7 wrote:
jsnipy wrote:
This is so true. Even when my coworkers come over from India they basically laugh at our state of our wireless system. It think long contracts and all of the money they milk from texting don't give them any motivation to move forawrd.
Money from texting?

But isn't texting essentially free? I get 1100 texts a month as part of my contract, along with 700 minutes to any landline or mobile and unlimited free web browsing. How much does it cost in the US?
It can very per contract/company, essentially most companies charge 15¢ per text message over a plan. With my last contract I had to add on $5 for 500 message (still 10¢ per text message is absurd). Keep in mind they typically charge the sender and the receiver the same.

You get charged for receiving texts?

What about receiving calls? Don't tell me you get charged for that!

2008-04-12 08:58:23

#22

mikkel: Member; +383|7081

The state of US wireless services is surreal. It's like they're stuck in the 90s. The very idea that you can get charged for receiving text messages is absurd. I still don't get how it can be legal at all.

I get unlimited HSDPA/GPRS/EDGE service with full national coverage at up to 7.2Mbps through the wireless modem in my laptop for $40/month. I'd hate to have to give that up when I depart for the US.

2008-04-12 09:03:58

#23

Sydney: 2λчиэλ; +783|7323|Reykjavík, Iceland.

My mom just bought a phone with a one year contract of $27 usage per month, for $324, that's a $324 phone, plus $324 worth of usage.

edit: Let me rephrase that: $324 for a free phone and a year of free phone services (given you don't exceed $27 per month)

When there were only 2 phone companies here, we got assraped, but now there are 4 big ones, and they are all pushing prices down to get customers.

Last edited by PBAsydney (2008-04-12 09:05:02)

2008-04-12 09:30:04

#24

DUnlimited: got any popo lolo intersting?; +1,160|6943|cuntshitlake

Bertster7 wrote:
kylef wrote:
Why would you want an N95 in the first place
Because it is technically the best phone available anywhere in the world. It certainly has the best hardware in it.

Yes, and the 8GB revision is even better. Kylef just hates N95 because I praise it over the iPhone so much

main battle tank karthus medikopter 117 megamegapowershot gg

2008-04-12 09:36:53

#25

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|7062|SE London

DeathUnlimited wrote:
Bertster7 wrote:
kylef wrote:
Why would you want an N95 in the first place
Because it is technically the best phone available anywhere in the world. It certainly has the best hardware in it.
Yes, and the 8GB revision is even better. Kylef just hates N95 because I praise it over the iPhone so much

It's better than the iPhone. MacUser magazine agrees.

BF2S Forums Why are American cell phone companies so primitive?

Bertster7 wrote:

HurricaИe wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

HurricaИe wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

HurricaИe wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

HurricaИe wrote:

FEOS wrote:

FEOS wrote:

jsnipy wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

jsnipy wrote:

DeathUnlimited wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

jsnipy wrote:

HurricaИe wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

jsnipy wrote:

kylef wrote:

jsnipy wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

jsnipy wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

kylef wrote:

DeathUnlimited wrote:

Bertster7 wrote:

kylef wrote:

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