Teacher
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1 Message
Locked bootloader on Galaxy S4...DO NOT BUY IT!
I been with ATT for over 10 years and every year I see more and more anticonsumer behavior from you... I was planning on purchasing new Galaxy S4 and now I come to find out that it and the other high-end phone, HTC One, both have locked bootloaders!
Why are you crippling devices ATT? This is a slap in the face to any loyal customer and high-tech driven people. These phones were meant to be used with maximum cusomization in mind, Sprint and T-Mobile both released theirs totally unmolested.
Why are you driving your customers away?
kgbkny
Guru
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309 Messages
11 years ago
If this was the case, shouldn't the monthly service charge decrease after "the monies owed on the phone" have been paid off?
With regards to phone ownership, perhaps an AT&T employee can chime in and clarify whether it's AT&T or the subscriber who owns subsidized phones?
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kgbkny
Guru
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309 Messages
11 years ago
You are absolutely correct. A quick search yielded an article in AT&T's FAQ section, stating that it's possible to get contract-free postpaid service if you bring your own device.
http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB417921&cv=820#fbid=Bnzq0r_M7qa
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Zombiehunter
Professor
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3.7K Messages
11 years ago
And like I said, I really don't care if I'm right or wrong, this is the logical way I see AT&T's contract compliance.
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21stNow
Professor
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2.7K Messages
11 years ago
I think that the concept of lowering payments is in reference to after the contract is over, assuming a new subsidized device isn't acquired at that time. Car payments are "lowered" once the contract is over because they cease to exist.
The argument for the service price remaining the same is based on the thought that the service price is just that. The cost of the voice plans does not include an amount for the device that is automatically built into it. I don't believe that argument, but it is there.
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kgbkny
Guru
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309 Messages
11 years ago
You've completely missed the point. Once you've paid off a car loan, there are NO MORE PAYMENTS! Using your example of contract compliance, why is it that monthly wireless payments don't decrease after the contract's completion? You imply that we don't own the phone until the contract has been completed - then why do the monthly plan payments remain the same after 24 months?
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kgbkny
Guru
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309 Messages
11 years ago
Bingo. A perfect example of this are the now-defunct T-Mobile contract service plans, where the full purchase price of a device was financed over 20 months, after which the monthly bill would drop by approximately $20. Their new Simple Choice plans operate on a similar principle, albeit without a monthly contract.
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Zombiehunter
Professor
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3.7K Messages
11 years ago
Do you remember what I said in my last post?
I may be right or I may be wrong, *I don't care, * that's the way it appears to me.
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21stNow
Professor
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2.7K Messages
11 years ago
I have had service from AT&T after the contract expires. Trust me, the cost does not decrease.
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sitnsidewayz
Professor
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1.9K Messages
11 years ago
Which takes us back to what I said, the ETF covers the cost of the subsidy for the phone that was not honored. Here in Texas, when a vehicle was financed, we used to get a alternate title that looked alot like the original title but was a different color. This title was to show that you purchased the vehicle in your name but had yet not paid it of, meaning it is not fully owned yet. The financing company still has part ownership. When it was paid off, they sent you the original title. Now, they don't send anything but the original title when the vehicle is paid off, but I believe the alternate titles are still available by request.
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sitnsidewayz
Professor
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1.9K Messages
11 years ago
Unfortunately, alot of people are technically challenged, so unlocking bootloaders, rooting, flashing, modding, etc....tends to go over their head. I see many of these guys over at xda already. Not saying the op is one of those, but it is not for everyone. Too many already want to root for the simple reason of uninstalling preinstalled apps that they do not use (bloat as it is referred to). Something like this is something that the carriers should not be preventing. And if a user really owns his device, why is he not allowed to uninstall what he does not want on it? And I'm not talking about system apps. I'm talking about something as simple as a demo game. I can understand some of the justification behind it, but I feel the carriers take it to far. I doubt forcing users to keep AT&T Navigator on their phone is going to convince them to subscribe.
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