Tempting deal!!

Rich_L · 24 Mar 2012 at 01:02

Having taken almost 2 years to recover from the anal pounding that is US phone contracts, I was amused to get this e-mail through today from Verizon Wireless:

Since you're a loyal customer, here are two FREE enhancements for your DROID:

- The Smartphone App Pack with 6 premium apps— FREE for 3 months (a $12.99/month value)

- FREE new battery to keep your DROID going (a $40 value)

Aside from the giant WTF that is signing up to an 'App Pack subscription' for a bargainous $13.99 A MONTH, the free battery sounded interesting until you read the small print, whereby you get this AMAZING deal in exchange for....agreeing to a new 1 YEAR subscription \o/ \o/

With a deal like that, there's no way I'm waiting 3 more weeks to get a brand new Galaxy Nexus for $99 - where do I sign

Begbie · 24 Mar 2012 at 09:31

What the hell is a smartphone app pack? Is that a common thing in the States?

Azza · 24 Mar 2012 at 09:37

Weird over in the Sates that adverts etc always say stuff like "the new HTC HD+ blah blah, from only $100" they don't usually say the $PM like over here it'd be like "the new HTC HD+ blah blah from only £25pm *£80 handset cost*"

Amp34 · 24 Mar 2012 at 10:37

Azza said:
Weird over in the Sates that adverts etc always say stuff like "the new HTC HD+ blah blah, from only $100" they don't usually say the $PM like over here it'd be like "the new HTC HD+ blah blah from only £25pm *£80 handset cost*"

No, the $100 is the up front price of the phone not the monthly cost.

Over here it is like saying "the new HTC HD+ for only £25 *£40pm 24 month contract*".

Begbie · 24 Mar 2012 at 11:36

Amp34 said:
No, the $100 is the up front price of the phone not the monthly cost.

Over here it is like saying "the new HTC HD+ for only £25 *£40pm 24 month contract*".

Is that not what he said? :confused:

Amp34 · 24 Mar 2012 at 11:43

Begbie said:
Is that not what he said?

I read it differently, him comparing the $100 to £25 pm?

Probably wrong though.

Scougar · 24 Mar 2012 at 22:42

So what would be the typical monthly cost of a US contract? Say 300 mins, unlimited texts, 500mb data?

I looked at some of the sim only contracts on what we would call PAYG, and they seem to charge excessively for data, unlike here where we do it for say 500/1000mb/unlimited, they do it like 80MB (nuts)

Rich_L · 25 Mar 2012 at 06:20

Yeah my contract with Verizon Wireless for comparisons sake is:

'Unlimited' local and national phone calls ($69.99 a month)
1,000 Texts ($10 a month)
'Unlimited' Data ($29.99 a month)

That said, as far as I can tell data at least on my contract is unlimited I regularly used 2-3Gb a month for 6 months in a row and not a peep from Verizon.

That said, they've clamped down and now any new smartphone customers have a pretty rubbish choice of data packages:

Allowance - Monthly Cost - Overage Fee

2GB $30 $10/1GB
5GB $50 $10/1GB
10GB $80 $10/1GB