I knew it was too good to be true. Sigh.

[Ratteler]

I had a feeling it was all going to be too good to be true.

$299 instead of the $179 for the phone, because I've been a loyal customer for almost a decade I get the privilege of being gouged.

And the fine print caps your data transfers to 1GB per month!!!! WTF!!!!
If you go over you you get capped at 50KB. That's slower than my Edge connection.

I wonder if we bitch loud enough about this, if we can get HTC/Google to muscle T-Mo into doing the right thing.

Google's got a lot at stake in the roll out, and I was all ready to order, even at $299 I was going to suck it up.

But $299, AND a 1GB cap has held me back from hitting that "Place Order" button.

 

[WhoFlungPoo]

From what I'm learning, you get that $299 price if you're still within a contract vs. being month to month. I upgraded my phone about a year ago after being month to month for a couple years. When I did this, I "signed" a new 2 year contract. So since I'm still within that 2 year contract, I too am getting the $299 price. This would be true no matter what phone I wanted to upgrade to so it's not specific to the G1. However, when I called and complained they told me to try again on Oct. 22nd when the nationwide launch goes into affect and they would give me the full discounted price. He said he was making a note in my file to give me that price. So we'll see, but I can wait a month for a $120 discount. Give them a call and see what they say. Can't hurt!

Now the data cap DOES suck! I'm really upset about that myself, but I have a feeling that will change soon enough. They are still in the process of rolling out their 3G network and I'd be willing to bet they want to limit things until they know everything is stable. It makes sense, but we'll see what happens over the next 6 months or so.

I'm getting the phone no matter what on Oct. 22nd!! w00t

 

[oakie]

I wonder if we bitch loud enough about this, if we can get HTC/Google to muscle T-Mo into doing the right thing.

you know what their policies are about device upgrades, yet you used yours and you're bitching about it? geez dude, get off your high horse. you're nobody special.

posts like this bug me because the people who create them think they're entitled to something when they're not. as for you "holding out", i'm quite sure google and tmobile arent going to crumble just because the prince of umabababow is now unsure if they want to buy the device based on their terms.

everyone is entitled to their opinion, but you're just whining. nothing constructive has been said so far, and i feel dirty simply for responding to your whinefest.


i also noticed your poll is missing an option... the one for the OP to find a roof and fall from it.

 

[Phases]

I think it was the cap that pushed him over the edge. I don't like the cap either, an unpleasant surprise for me too.

He's allowed to voice his opinion. He made one post about it, not like he's going on a rampage.

You're reply is more overboard than his complaint.

 

[JedEye]

Well the data cap will keep me from getting one alone. Sorry TM...

 

[aad4321]

the data cap isnt final.....they said that they may have too if you are using a lot of data. and when in the hell woold you use 1gb of data for your phone? you have to practicly be downloading massive amounts of movie or something to equal 1gb. Why do you think you need over 1gb of data a month?

 

[Phases]

1GB, for some, can probably go quickly.

Especially on a phone with YouTube in mind.

 

[JedEye]

YouTube, Pandora, Myspace/Facebook, Flash games, etc etc. 1GB will easily be reached. Shoot my GF can hit 800MB on her iphone no problem.

 

[Ratteler]

Gee... I was gunna answer Oakie (who is obviously a T-Mo rep), but you guys did it all for me. Thanks.

I would even compromise to a "Pick your cap" level for downloads.
Or I would reluctantly accept overage charges for data. How bout $5 for every GB over the first. It would suck... but not as much as having my phone service basically quit on me.

Is there a way to force the G1 to use Edge service when available. I would assume edge is still unmetered. Then I could ration my 3G service for when I really need the speed.

I really think Android is going to make some huge changes to the phone market. It's just a shame to see a Telco cripple the opportunity out of the gate.

BTW... Oakie, if you are Rep, please IM me your real contact info so I can report your attitude to a customer who has had service since the Omnipoint days to your corporate office. I'm sure they'll be very interested in your ideas about customer service.

One thing I can say is T-Mo has always been great about treating me well even when they can't "make me happy." If Oakie is a Rep, his reactions are not at all typical of T-Mobile Customer Service.

Before I was on what would be T-mobile I was on Sprint. Oakie would make a great Sprint REP.

 

[Phases]

Don't make me pass out free hugs, I'll do it.

 

[JedEye]

No more cap.

 

[aad4321]

yeah capping is dumb, especially how they say it is unlimited.

 

[Ratteler]

http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/24/t-mobile-kills-the-1gb-data-cap-takes-a-more-friendly-approach/

That's a bit better. Still kind of vague though.

 

[aad4321]

Thats why i love tmobile

 

[punkzanyj]

I got the 299 price, but I think it's fair.

I upgraded to a Wing last April, and extended my contract.

What some of you don't know is that phones are expensive. Even more expensive than they are advertised for. The G1 is probably worth 450-600. But no one would by it for that much. So they subsidize it. How? by knocking down the price if you agree to a contract. Over the life of the contract they get the full price back, plus some extra, and in exchange you get a phone that's cheap and monthly service pricing that won't suddenly change on you.

This works unless, you're like me, and you upgrade before you've finished the 2-year extension. Essentially, I have not finished paying for the Wing. So they can't subsidize a new device for me. Incidentally, that's also why they have a $200 break-contract fee, because they have to get their money back on the device they sold. It's all about ROI.

I don't think it's that big of a deal. I figured I probably wouldn't get the big discount because of the Wing, and I accept that. I learned a long time ago that things have to balance out in this world. Nothing is free. I always read the fine print, and take note of not just what someone says but how they say it. The advertisements for the G1 said it would priced "as low as $179" --- which means not everyone will qualify for that price. From what I've read, the only people who qualify for that price have less than 2 months left on their current contract, and or have been a paying customer in good standing for over a year.

So now you know, roughly every 2-years you can get a good discount on a new phone. You'll have to sign a new contract, but that's part of the game.

 

[Ratteler]

Yeah. I know how the game works. I used to sell phones at "Nobody Beats the Wiz." The "retail" prices is always inflated to about 3X the actual cost of the phone from the company, which is already inflated by 1.5 to 2x.

They tell it really costs $600, but we're giving you a break for $199. The truth is, it REALLY costs them about $100 for the hardware.

It's a nice scam, and it won't stop so long as we all keep falling for it.

I've had a contract with T-Mo for over a 15 years, and if I'm willing to add another 2 years to whatever I have left, I should be rewarded with the lowest price because I've been a loyal customer since before they were T-Mobile. My purchase history should light up on their records as "GOOD RISK". I also have 4 lines with them.

Every other establishment I've been doing business with for over a decade throws me a break without me having to ask.

The perception is that because I'm a loyal paying customer, Instead of a switcher, my business is worth less. (Not worthless, but worth less than new business.)

But I "get it". I would have been willing to go for the higher price, but the data cap thing really ticked me off, and now it's in the "gray area" where they can decide if I'm using too much without giving specifics about what "Too Much" is.

I'll wait till the market is a little more saturated, and the platform is a dad more developed. They got 1.5 million presales, and I just SkyFire on my Dash.

 

[punkzanyj]

the 1.5 million is an exaggeration. They never got that many pre-orders. Some journalist made a math error. T-mo and Google didn't promote that number, but they also didn't tell anyone it was wrong.

I absolutely agree with you about customer loyalty! It costs a company ten times more to get new customers than it does to just keep current customers happy. And current customers, if they stay, are worth more over the long haul. Unfortunately, we're in a gotta-have it now sorta world, so businesses aren't appreciative of what they have, because they're too busy trying to get the next deal, the next client, a bigger share of the market. So they spend all their money on new customers, instead of old ones. Some companies are starting to take notice about retention, but it's an uphill battle convincing them to focus on keeping their current customers happy.

Althought T-Mo did go one step in that direction by even allowing us to pre-order. I have to say that did make me feel special, and to a degree like they appreciate their loyal customers. Hopefully Android and T-Mo don't throw us early adopters under the bus the way Apple did with the iPhone.

 

[Cryptic79]

Yeah. I know how the game works. I used to sell phones at "Nobody Beats the Wiz." The "retail" prices is always inflated to about 3X the actual cost of the phone from the company, which is already inflated by 1.5 to 2x.

They tell it really costs $600, but we're giving you a break for $199. The truth is, it REALLY costs them about $100 for the hardware.

It's a nice scam, and it won't stop so long as we all keep falling for it.

I've had a contract with T-Mo for over a 15 years, and if I'm willing to add another 2 years to whatever I have left, I should be rewarded with the lowest price because I've been a loyal customer since before they were T-Mobile. My purchase history should light up on their records as "GOOD RISK". I also have 4 lines with them.

Every other establishment I've been doing business with for over a decade throws me a break without me having to ask.

The perception is that because I'm a loyal paying customer, Instead of a switcher, my business is worth less. (Not worthless, but worth less than new business.)

But I "get it". I would have been willing to go for the higher price, but the data cap thing really ticked me off, and now it's in the "gray area" where they can decide if I'm using too much without giving specifics about what "Too Much" is.

I'll wait till the market is a little more saturated, and the platform is a dad more developed. They got 1.5 million presales, and I just SkyFire on my Dash.

I might have missed it (actually...I'm sure I did), but how far from the end of your contract are you?

I was 3 months away (1 month from full upgrade) and they approved me. Granted, you still have to ask, but it's not that bad. At least they are willing. Verizon and AT&T/Cingular/SBC never were, for me.

 

[noderat]

We may not actually cap you even if you do go over 10GB, as of right now it's just there as a warning. AFAIK it's only if you get marked as abusive when it comes to the quality and speed of the network for other users - at least they are not going to be capping your speed all the time, think about it you could possibly burst up to 2mbps with the 3G

I don't even have 3G in my area (Meridian, ID) but we have a call center here for T-Mobile so I lucked out and was able to get mine about a week or so ago and wifi is good enough for me - the edge support is 10x faster than what it is on a blackberry anyway.

 

[noderat]

I had a feeling it was all going to be too good to be true.

$299 instead of the $179 for the phone, because I've been a loyal customer for almost a decade I get the privilege of being gouged.

And the fine print caps your data transfers to 1GB per month!!!! WTF!!!!
If you go over you you get capped at 50KB. That's slower than my Edge connection.

I wonder if we bitch loud enough about this, if we can get HTC/Google to muscle T-Mo into doing the right thing.

Google's got a lot at stake in the roll out, and I was all ready to order, even at $299 I was going to suck it up.

But $299, AND a 1GB cap has held me back from hitting that "Place Order" button.

You get your full discounts at 22/24 months or 11/12mo depending on the contract you signed on your last upgrade. (You can extend your contract as much as you want for rate plans.)

T-Mobile extended you signifigant discounts on your last handset upgrade and it takes time after you do an upgrade for the typical account to become profitable again. (10mo per line, thus the push for two year contracts)

You do have the option when doing a (FULL DISCOUNT) phone upgrade (other than the G1 I think because that pricing scale isn't out until tomorrow) to pay $50 more and do a 1 year contract for your phone and get another in 11 months; FYI.

 

[troyd879]

Here is what I was told at my local T-Mobile store the day I purchased my G!.. The contract buyout cost is $200 from day one when you purchase the G1.... Supposedly the closer you get to your contract end it goes down and in 6 months it drops to about $100... so if you buy out your contract you still win... then you are out $170 + $100 buyout... I have been with Tmobile since they were voicestream in 2000.. When I purchased my G1 I had 2 months left for a full upgrade.. I told them I was interested in purchasing the G1 now and they gave me full rebate... Hopefully this helps..

 

[ggrant3876]

I was only three months into my contract. I threatened to go with ATT, Iphone, and they transfered my to a customer loyalty rep. Ended up paying $159.00.