Why is everyone so upset with Verizon?? What changed?

[bonoriffic]

First off, I can understand and agree with everything you said regarding upgrading systems and paying for them. I'm not sure if this 3G/4G stuff is for real or just some marketing gimmick these companies use.

Anyway, just because a phone isn't a "smart"phone, does not mean it is a dumb phone or a crappy one. Some people like to use a phone how it was intended and not for playing games, texting like mad or getting online.

Dumb phones are the actual industry term. If you just want to make a phone call and nothing else, you are in the minority. As cell phone companies can't make 72 specialized phones for every person out there, they go for what the masses want. You will have to pay for the extras you will never use.

3G and 4G isn't a marketing gimmick. I should know, I'm working on what will become 4G.

 

[deerhart]

Cell phone companies and carriers are hurting. They invested billions in their networks and now are faced with the pending upgrades for 4G. As much as you want to believe nobody uses data, the truth is everyone is using data. It is killing the connection. Ask anyone in NYC with an iPhone if their phone drops calls. Any phone that drops less than 25% of their calls is considered good!

I only drop calls on my verizon blackberry when I am down in the river valley coming home. There is one spot where I go up a hill and then down and I drop calls there about 35% of the time, but I also lose radio as well! Other then that, maybe occasionally deep in a cement building.

What's weird is that both AT&T and Sprint have almost NO coverage at our local airport (but Verizon has it well covered!)

 

[rosanafamily]

Cell phone companies and carriers are hurting. They invested billions in their networks and now are faced with the pending upgrades for 4G. As much as you want to believe nobody uses data, the truth is everyone is using data. It is killing the connection. Ask anyone in NYC with an iPhone if their phone drops calls. Any phone that drops less than 25% of their calls is considered good!

Carriers need to invest in next generation services to keep up with demand. That costs billions again.

Cell phone companies realize that nobody wants the cheap phone that is just a phone, and to save costs they use one of a few cell phone operating systems. They all do internet and data, thus every phone needs a data plan. They will still make one or two cheap dumb phones, but aren't interested in them as there is no profit in it.

If you don't like it, welcome to the world of prepaid cellular with crappy phones.

My family and I do not use data, we have it blocked. That also prevents accidentily accessing the internet.

 

[S. C.]

Cell phone companies realize that nobody wants the cheap phone that is just a phone, and to save costs they use one of a few cell phone operating systems. They all do internet and data, thus every phone needs a data plan. They will still make one or two cheap dumb phones, but aren't interested in them as there is no profit in it.

If you don't like it, welcome to the world of prepaid cellular with crappy phones.

Glad to meet you my name is NOBODY. All I want is a cheap, dumb phone that I can make a phone call with and not have all of these dropped calls. I do not need or want internet on my phone.

My son has one of the (as you call it) prepaid crappy phones....and guess what? He DOES NOT have the dropped calls that DH and I have and we all live in the house. So to me the Verizon phones are the crappy phones. I will take a prepaid any day over the half service verizon gives us.