AT&T to raise fees for iPhone contract breakers ($325)

AP ^ | 5/21/2010 | PETER SVENSSON

[markomalley]

AT&T Inc. is raising the fees it charges buyers of the iPhone and other smart phones if they break their two-year contracts, while lowering them for "dumb" phones to better align the fees with their real costs.

Starting June 1, smart-phone buyers will have to pay $325 for breaking their contract, up from $175 currently. For buyers of regular phones, the fee is being decreased by $25 to $150.

[driftdiver]

It wasn’t only their network that I had problems with. When I called looking for solutions they out and out lied to me. Sold me stuff with the promise it would solve the problem, and it was usually worse.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

It doesn’t matter whether one likes AT&T or not they are following good business principles. They subsidize the cost of the phone for the customer’s benefit with the expectation of recouping that cost over the two year contract period. If someone accepts the deal and then breaks it that leaves AT&T with a losing proposition.

If someone is going to steal, and that is what the customer is doing, then they should pay the fine.

[Amadeo]

Soon as the Verizon iPhone hits, I’m gone.

[Terpfen]

First, any carrier is going to customize any feature set of any phone to work with the carrier network, not just Android

Thus making updates harder to push out. Thanks for agreeing with me.

Second, any OS kernel must be customized to work with the instruction set of the phone’s CPU.

Thus making updates harder to push out. Again, thanks for agreeing with me.

Third, I’ve gotten major OS upgrades pushed to my non rooted phone.

Congratulations. You're in the minority.

I understand Jobs will brick rooted iPhones.

You understand incorrectly.

[Terpfen]

I just don’t like the things.

This much is apparent based on your lack of fact-based supporting reasoning.

[markomalley]

“You understand incorrectly.”

Whatever You Say Boss

http://m.gizmodo.com/303171/apple-says-unlocked-iphones-will-brick-after-software-update-+-what-does-it-mean

[wberry8870]

I have a VERY good inside source that tells me otherwise....They tell me that Verizon is in fact getting the iPhone....Nothing formally announced as of yet, just rumours....and that’s the way they have planned it....I guess us Verizon users will have to just wait....AT&T service is terrible in my area....My source says that this is not something new that has just came up, it has actually been in the works for quite some time....

[gitmo]

I do a lot of work with both AT&T and Verizon. I get a kick out of their TV ads, because they are both telling the truth and neither of them is being quite open.

My customers in very urban areas get better 3G coverage with AT&T. The throughput for mobile devices is significantly higher than with Verizon.

My customers in very rural areas get far better digital coverage than with AT&T. It’s rarely equal to the AT&T coverage my urban customers get, but at least it’s more consistently functional than AT&T in their coverage areas.

[Terpfen]

You do realize that not only is your link from 2007, but it’s factually incorrect as a result of it being totally outdated? Nice try, though.

[Sarajevo]

Blah-blah-blah

Outstanding riposte. Normally, I'd expect that type of insulting commentary from a liberal.........

[Spktyr]

Not going to happen until Verizon moves to LTE AND the ATT exclusive contract runs out... in late 2011.

What Verizon is doing is circulating FUD to keep yet more of their customers from defecting to the iPhone now.

[Richard Kimball]

Verizon’s smart phone cancellation fee is $350.

[Amadeo]

I’m gone from ATT to Verizon when the Verizon iPhone hits the streets.

[Terpfen]

LOL

I love it when people pull that out. It’s the last resort in an empty cabinet of posting tactics. You’ve got nothing left, so hey, cut and run and call the mean ol’ FReeper poster a liberal to provide a smokescreen.

LOL again.

[wberry8870]

I see....thanks....Doesn’t matter to me...I have no choice, AT&T will not work for me....In my area, the best service is Verizon (Formally Alltel)....Even Sprint is terrible around here for some reason....My Blackberry performs everything that I need....