US Customers Pay 10 Times More for LTE Than Those in Sweden; 3X More Than All Europe

[pc747]

Some of us users don't have much of a choice in carriers. Verizon has the best coverage in my areas. I would not get any coverage in many spots wit AT&T. That doesn't mean that I like paying high monthly fees. :icon_evil:

Trust me when I say I understand completely. But again just like with any business they judge success based on people writing them checks. The moment you say "I will write this check to that carrier over there because I like what they do" that is when you will see change. It is the reason verizon did not take the route att did with people tethering on unlimited data. At&t sent out letters and started messing with the customer and as a result they had people leave. Vzw had the same problem but took the approach of locking bootloaders, hiding apps and making users who re-sign accept the terms of their new tiered plan.
Witch if you are willing to endure metro or cricket and find other means to use data (wifi in restaurants and home internet) then you have a way out. The reality is we dont want to. I know I don't. As much as I hate the high prices I still pay just so I can watch a youtube video at work with out buffering.

 

[liftedplane]

This is kind of stupid. It costs Verizon billions of dollars to roll out LTE across the united states. They have by far the most LTE coverage in terms of subscribers, so why would the price be cheaper? Verizon doesn't charge separately for LTE data, so why would the price go down? I could understand if the network was fully deployed, but there's still many areas without LTE altogether, and the markets that have access are not fully covered.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

you aren't seriously defending verizon and their price gouging are you? the reason they charge so much isn't because it rolled out LTE first and it's cost billions. it's because they have no real competition and therefore if you want the best you either have to suck it up and pay their prices, or go to another company that is sub par. This is what happens when there's no viable competition.

I really have nothing else to say, it amazes me what consumers in this country have been taught to worship, it's all about the effing almighty profit, not my profit but corporate profit. It's the same with gas prices... there is no reason regular unleaded should be 4.20 where I live, consumers just accept whatever corporations say... that's how we've been trained.

 

[Tillmorn]

I would like to see a price comparison with 3G data service from a couple of years back. I know it is not near as relevant, but I have a feeling we would see an ever larger gap between U.S. prices and European.

Oh hey, further down in the original article:

"The LTE comparison mirrors the trend for other types of mobile services, like 3G, which also tends to cost more in the United States.

U.S. consumers who bought mobile service through contracts spent $115 a month for 3G service, according to a survey conducted in May and June of 6,000 consumers in 12 countries by Ernst & Young, an accounting firm. In the Netherlands, the average was $51; in Britain, $59."

I love how the Verizon rep tries to justify the pricing by talking about the unlimited talk/text angle. If this study is based off of their new shared plans, any semi-intelligent person would quickly understand just how much Verizon is taking advantage of its customers on the data front. Saying unlimited talk/text is a great selling point, especially for those who are new to the smartphone world and are ignorant of just how fast a person's data cap can be reached, especially when it's shared between multiple devices. God forbid one of them decide to download a game with a large install. There goes half of the month's data plan right there! And sure, the European plans do not include the unlimited bundles, but those prices are relatively cheap in comparison as well.

I hate to admit it, but when upgrade time comes around again for my family, if Verizon is not willing to work with me on the unlimited data front (since we were promised staying in as grandfathered unlimited) I will most likely jump to T-Mobile's pre-paid plan and pick up an unlocked Nexus device. Or maybe the latest offering from Moto at that time. Since I'm generally in a Wifi area, I'll just set up Google Voice (finally) and be happy with the $30 a month for relatively decent coverage when I'm not in those areas.

Actually, now that I'm thinking about it. Say a person were to kill their plan. Could they, in theory, set their device up as a home/work number through Google Voice as long as their is a Wifi connection?

 

[pc747]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gvoip&hl=en

been using that awhile. issue is the echo.


As far as vzw they are going to voice over lte so of course they are offering unlimited data and text. Especially when they are trying to go all lte in the future. You have to slowly start the migration to lte so they can make a killer. You know how much data voice over ip uses.

 

[burtonboarder]

Actually, now that I'm thinking about it. Say a person were to kill their plan. Could they, in theory, set their device up as a home/work number through Google Voice as long as their is a Wifi connection?

I'm liking where this is going


Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[geoff5093]

Some of us users don't have much of a choice in carriers. Verizon has the best coverage in my areas. I would not get any coverage in many spots wit AT&T. That doesn't mean that I like paying high monthly fees. :icon_evil:

I know where you're coming from, I'm just outside of Manchester so I get service from Verizon, AT&T, US Cellular, and T-Mobile (2G only though). Pricing is basically the same between the big two and US Cellular, so it comes down to coverage and LTE. So far Verizon is the only provider with LTE in the area, once AT&T brings LTE to the area then I will probably switch.

My point was that it costs to have service in rural areas, which is why T-Mobile and other metro carriers are cheaper, and have comparable prices to the European and Japanese market, which are also more densely populated.

 

[Yonahdad]

I could care less that we pay more than other countries. If you do not like their pricing model; you can switch to Boost, Cricket, etc.. Sure, I would love to pay $80 for my level of services, but I do acknowledge VZW right to charge whatever amount they want to charge....

 

[Quantumstate]

Oh THANK GOODNESS there are Brave people standing up and defending the poor helpless Verizon from these crafty, conniving, greedy customers, who are only trying to chisel phone service for peanuts, for their own benefit!

What would Verizon do without protectors?!

I'm sure that Verizon will reward its defenders with cash and presents.

 

[soulpatch]

I would gladly pay more for my cell service then to pay the absurd amount those in Europe pay in taxes and for many items like gas....Though I would take their vacation schedule ha ha

 

[zomnomnombie]

I would gladly pay more for my cell service then to pay the absurd amount those in Europe pay in taxes and for many items like gas....Though I would take their vacation schedule ha ha

Pay more for cell service, health care and education.

Higher gas prices but lower automobile repair costs and better roads?

Everything has a trade off. You can either pay for things up front or over the long term.

The US has long favored long term payment, subsidized phones and expensive contracts, credit card debt and car notes.

But we do gain the psychological benefit of having more money right now.

 

[soulpatch]

Pay more for cell service, health care and education.

Higher gas prices but lower automobile repair costs and better roads?

Everything has a trade off. You can either pay for things up front or over the long term.

The US has long favored long term payment, subsidized phones and expensive contracts, credit card debt and car notes.

But we do gain the psychological benefit of having more money right now.

While they might pay less for the actual health care and education that is greatly made up for with increase in taxes and the cripling nature of those programs on the country's finances as they all are struggling with their programs.

The US has only recently favored debt as a country. Oddly enough it started at the same time that a lot of government programs popped up to act as crutches for people.

I do wish the US woudl adopt a better public trans policy though. As one who travels to work via train and bus so as to not drive 200 miles a day to work having a better system woudl be greatly appreciated.

 

[zomnomnombie]

While they might pay less for the actual health care and education that is greatly made up for with increase in taxes and the cripling nature of those programs on the country's finances as they all are struggling with their programs.

The US has only recently favored debt as a country. Oddly enough it started at the same time that a lot of government programs popped up to act as crutches for people.

I do wish the US woudl adopt a better public trans policy though. As one who travels to work via train and bus so as to not drive 200 miles a day to work having a better system woudl be greatly appreciated.

Average tax rates in the UK and Germany are about 30%-35% to our 25%-30% and they are doing relatively well.

The US has been a debtor nation since the Civil War. Following World War I we became a creditor nation because all the other powers were decimated by the war. We remained a creditor nation until the 1980's when we started borrowing copious amounts of money.

US debt love is not new it's a deeply cultural thing.

 

[pc747]

Guy lets keep on the subject. I am noticing a drift toward politics which we do not allow here.

 

[cybertec69]

They already do: Monthly 4G Prepaid Plans | Compare Prepaid Data Plans | T-Mobile

T-Mobile has NO LTE, LOL. They say they do, but everyone with half a brain knows they DO NOT.

 

[liftedplane]

I'm sure that Verizon will reward its defenders with cash and presents.

if you mean more ridiculous fees and such then you're spot on.