Posts tagged: Verizon

Verizon-ers, want some free Apple Music?

You can have some free Apple Music!

 

It was announced last week that new and existing customers with a Verizon Unlimited plan, can, as of today, sign up for free 6 month long Apple Music subscriptions.

 

If this is you, all you need to do is go to the Apple Music section on the Verizon website sign up. You’ll need to log in with a Verizon subscriber account after which you’ll receive a text message with a link that needs to be opened on your mobile device.

 

For iPhone and Android users that already have the app installed, it will open it up with subscription options. If the app isn’t already installed, the App Store or Google Play store will open with instructions to download the app.

 

This offer is available to all Unlimited subscribers, including Verizon Plan Unlimited, Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, and Above Unlimited.

 

If you already subscribe to Apple Music but want it for free instead, you’ll need to cancel your exisitng Apple Music subscirption in order to activate the offer.

 

EXCEPT – This does not work for the family plan. You’ll need to cancel the family plan, and then each individual will need to activate the free offer separately.

 

And – you can cancel at any time.

 

Happy Free Music Thursday, Unlimited Verizon-ers!

AT&T comes to the party with all 4 main carriers now offering Unlimited plans

AT&T has a new unlimited data plan! Hooray!

 

 

Starting today! HOORAY

 

Previously only having unlimited data plans available to customers who were also DirecTV or U-Verse Customers, this unlimited plan will be available to all postpaid AT&T customers.

 

The new plan will provide unlimited talk, text, and data on four lines for $180. This includes unlimited calls from the U.S. to Canada and Mexico and unlimited texts to more than 120 countries around the world. Customers are also able to talk, text, and use data in Canada and Mexico with no roaming charges.

 

BUT the $180 is after a $40 credit for the fourth smartphone line, which will start after two billing periods. Prior to then, customers will need to pay $220 per month for the plan.

 

According to AT&T, the company “may slow speeds” during periods of network congestion for customers who consume more than 22GB of data, because, 22GB is kind of a lot, you know?

 

With AT&T coming to the party, now  all of the major carriers in the United States have unlimited data plans available!

 

UNLIMITED DATA PLAN PARTY

 

Sprint and T-Mobile have offered unlimited data plans since August, and Verizon announced its unlimited plan just this week with inclusions like 10GB of tethering data and HD video streaming. T- Mobile have since implemented similar changes.

 

T-Mobile is $70 per month for a single subscriber, Verizon’s plan is $80 or $180 for four subscribers, and Sprint’s plan is priced at $55 per month for a single subscriber, but its coverage can’t compete with T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T.

 

AT&T is $100 per month for the first smart phone, and $40 for additional smartphones with the fourth line free after bill credit.

 

From the Source:

 

 

“We’re offering unlimited entertainment on the nation’s best data network where and when you want to enjoy more of what you love,” said David Christopher, Chief Marketing Officer of the AT&T Entertainment Group.

 

 

 

 

No more subsidies?

 

No more subsidies?! That makes us go:

 

 

 

 

 

Alright, crash course in subsidies!  A Subsidy is something you more than likely have used or been a part of. It’s a form of financial or in kind support extended to an economic sector, institution, business, or individual generally with the aim of promoting beneficial economic and social outcomes.

 

It’s also what happens when you buy a smartphone in this country, unless you buy it outright.

 

If you paid $199 for an iPhone 5S, or $99 for an iPhone 5C, your carrier subsidized the real cost of the smartphone. This means that you paid a certain amount, and because you signed a two year contract with them guaranteeing your continued business for a locked in period of time, they paid Apple the rest of the cost price of the iPhone.

 

 

All good, right?

 

Well, for now, yeah. Last week however AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson came out and dropped a little mini iPhone world bombshell on the future of subsidies in the smartphone industry.

 

His main point was that with smartphone saturation climbing rapidly towards 90% (!) carriers will need to move on to a different way of doing things, because the current model can’t be maintained at that rate.

 

Carriers like AT&T use the subsidies to drive demand, but with such a high percentage of the population of the country already owning a smartphone, demand moves to upgrades and the companies subsidy system was never meant to support a predominantly upgrading model.

 

So what now? & how will it affect you?

 

 

We’re heading towards a smartphone world with financing rather than subsidies. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said the company’s new AT&T Next program, which offers no-money down and 0-percent financing, “drives smartphone penetration in a way that is more sustainable over time.”

 

So if you buy an iPhone in the future, you’re still likely to sign a contract. That contract however will be broken up in a way where you can see that each payment period you are paying off a stated amount from the total cost of the smartphone. Separate to that amount would be what you are paying to use the carrier’s service- calls, texts, etc. You would of course also always have the option to buy the phone outright.

 

It’s the way that it’s done in a number of countries around the world and it will be interesting to see if and how the market here adapts and changes.

 

 

 

Images courtesy of 9to5Mac,  Macrumors, 

What’s the top selling Smartphone of the last 3 months?

 

 

A dude named T. Michael Walkley, an analyst over at Canaccord Genuity did some counting, as analysts do, and figured out the top selling Smart phone at AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile for the months September, October and November of this year.

 

And the winner is?

 

 

The iPhone 5S!

 

 

 

Here’s the figures! (Via Appleinsider.)

 

 

Carrier Sales

 

 

The figures were following the same trend last year, with the iPhone 5 being the top selling smartphone of the last quarter of 2012, followed by the Samsung Galaxy S III, and then the iPhone 4 and 4S.

 

Yay iPhone 5S!

 

 

 

Images courtesy of  Youtube & Afuntab.

Bought a Verizon iPhone 5S and having trouble activating it? We got you

 

Hands up who bought an iPhone 5S unlocked through Verizon and can’t activate it because it’s saying your SIM is not valid?

 

Hopefully not too many people, and hopefully those people have sorted it out by now, but we thought we’d give you a fix just in cases.

 

 

If you have had this problem, shaking your phone wildly and shouting at it that the “SIM IS VALID YOU STUPID SHINY BEAUTIFUL THING” won’t help. It’ll look awesome, but it won’t help.

 

Call Verizon, or go see them if you can’t handle their customer service. Thanks to Appleinsider,  we know that Verizon’s internal issue ticket number for this is 6504781. Giving the Customer service agent this number will speed things up significantly.

 

 

Good luck, and quit shaking that beautiful shiny new iPhone 5S! Much more of that and you’ll be sending it in to us! ( We’d love to take it off your hands….keep shaking it…)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image courtesy of motionhouse.co.uk 

How to pre-order the new iPhone 5C

 

 

 

Alright you guys, so this blog post is all about how to pre order the iPhone 5C. That’s cool. It’s also weirdly difficult to describe when this can actually happen. We know what’s right, we think, but it sounds wrong. So we’re gonna try it so that there can be no misunderstandings.

 

You will be able to pre order the iPhone 5C at 12:01, the night time version, on the 13th of September. So, like, when its the 12th of September, wait until it’s 11pm, wait an hour, and then you can go ahead and pre order!  That’s California time, too. Make sense?

 

 

Now, we got the time right, but what do you do then? Well, you do a little jig, cos you’re buying an iPhone 5C b*tches!

 

Then, you do this stuff. (Do most of this stuff before midnight though, cos the amount of iPhones available for pre order will shrink. Real fast.)

 

You need to decide if you’re buying on or off contract.

 

For the free spirits out there, you can buy the iPhone 5C off contract with T-Mobile, or SIM free. You can do both through Apple.

 

If you do this, you’ll be buying the phone outright for $549 for 16Gb, and $649 for 32Gb in both of these options, but you don’t get a SIM with the SIM free option. Duh.

 

If you choose the SIM free option you WILL need a SIM from somewhere at some stage for the phone to work as a phone. Specifically, you’ll need to get a GSM compatible nano-SIM. Your iPhone will be unlocked, so you can use a SIM from any carrier, domestically or international, as long as it has the right specifications as above.

 

 

If you choose to buy the iPhone 5C off-contract with T-Mobile, you will be choosing them as your mobile provider, and will pay them month to month for data, voice, text etc, but you won’t be locked in to a contract and can exit any time. Your phone will arrive with a nano-SIM card already installed that you can activate by visiting an Apple Retail Store or a T-Mobile store or by calling T-Mobile.

 

If you’re already on contract, but really want the new phone, you have the option to upgrade. You are of course eligible to upgrade once you have ended your current contract, after 2 years.

 

But, here’s the thing. A lot of people don’t realize that you are more than likely eligible for an upgrade 18 months after your contract started, not two years. It’s definitely worth checking! Go check, dudes.

 

 

For Verizon, Sprint and AT&T upgrade eligibility, you’ll most likely need the number for the phone you would like to upgrade, the last four digits of the primary account holder’s Social Security number, and the billing ZIP Code. To see if you’re eligible for an upgrade, or to see the price you qualify for, check out this link.

 

For Sprint you can also use your phone- dial *2, press send, press 1, enter your phone number and then press 1 to check for eligibility.

 

AT&T also has the option to check your upgrade eligibility via your phone, just dial *639# and press send and you will receive a text message shortly after letting you know when you’re eligible for an upgrade.

 

 

If you’re a little unsure about the whole idea of upgrading, you should talk to your carrier. BUT, you should also read this– If you are eligible for an upgrade, it means that all you have to pay to get the new phone is the price Apple shows next to the phone.

 

For the 5C, that means that when you upgrade and preorder, you will pay upfront and outright $99 for the 16Gb version and $199 for the 32Gb version. You will be committing to another 2 year contract with the provider.

 

If you are not eligible for an upgrade, but you reallllly want the new phone, you can, of course, get it. You will pay an extra fee, and how much that fee is depends on the carrier, but i’ll give you an example.

 

Say you started a new 2 year contract this time last year when you bought the iPhone 5. You’re a year into your contract, so you won’t be eligible for an upgrade, but you’re going to go ahead and get it anyway, because hey, it’s a free country right?

 

Your carrier will more than likely be absolutely cool with that, because that means they have your business guaranteed for another 2 years, but, they will charge a fee, which will more than likely be about $200. So you’ll be paying $300 upfront for the iPhone 5C 16Gb, and $400 upfront for the iPhone 5C 32Gb.

 

You also absolutely always get to keep your old phone, so that you can use it as financial leverage! It’s a stinky old iPhone! Sell it for CASHMONEY, YO!

 

If you’re joining up with a new provider, you’re looking at 2 year contract and paying upfront $99 for the 16Gb or $199 for the 32Gb. When choosing a new provider it’s important to look at their plans, and it’s also important to check out the coverage maps of each of the options. You can do this below by clicking on the blue links.

 

AT&T Coverage Map

 

Verizon Coverage Map

 

Sprint Coverage Map

 

T-Mobile Coverage map

 

Ok, so now you know what category you’re in, and you’re prepared for all your choices and options, how much you have to pay, which carrier, upgrade eligibilty, etc.

 

Now it’s almost midnight.

 

Dance!

 

 

And then, time to move!

 

You can pre-order on all of the carrier’s websites, as well as Apple’s.

 

To buy straight from Apple, go to this link.

 

Choose your color, you sparkle pony you. You have the option of blue, green, yellow , pink and white.

 

Next, choose the model you want, the smaller 16Gb or the 32Gb. The bigger the GB ( Gigabytes), the more stuff you can have on your phone, basically. Things that take up storage space include photos, videos, lots of songs or apps. 1000 songs is about 7Gb, for example.

 

Once those decisions are made and entered into the system, you’ll have to fill in some personal details, you will need a credit card, and you will need to press enter at the end. You will need to do a little dance. And send it to us. Yeah, do that.

 

Remember, if you’re upgrading from an iPhone 4S or older and have accessories that use the old connector port, such as a dock or something, you will also need to purchase a lightening to 30 pin adaptor.

 

And, guys, last year the iPhone 5 pre order was sold out in about an hour. So be quick. If you miss out, you have to wait until the 20th of September, when they’ll be available in store.

 

Happy pre-ordering! Remember – 11PM, Californian time, on Thursday the 12th of September. You have one hour after that until you can pre – order.

 

 

 

 

Image courtesy of The Verge. addictinginfo.com, iphonehacks.com, speres.com & sweetclipart.com