Multi-Device Plans From Carriers: A Must For the Future?

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://gdgt.com/discuss/multidevice-data-plan-it-looks-like-b4b/' target='_blank'>http://gdgt.com/discuss/multidevice...looks-like-b4b/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"The reality is that more and more of us have more than one wireless device in our lives and are finding it difficult to justify paying for multiple data plans just because we want to own a smartphone (or two), a tablet, and a laptop. You can see the carriers straining to figure out the right way to price data service on Samsung's new Galaxy Tab tablet (the subject of an earlier newsletter); a shared data plan would make it so much easier for someone to buy one and just add it to their existing plan or bump up their plan a tier."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1291922117.usr1.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>People reading these sites in other parts of the world - namely Asia and Europe - will, right about now, be thinking "Yeah, we already have that - why are you guys in North American so ass backwards?". Well my Asian and European friends, you're entirely right. We are ass backwards. Our wireless carriers here want us to pay a contract fee for every device we connect - I already pay for Internet access once for my home connection, once for my phone, and they want me to pay another fee to connect my laptop - oh, and once to connect a tablet. This is the way things are, though in 2011 the wireless carriers in North American might, MIGHT, get that this is not a customer-friendly approach.</p>

[Michael Knutson]

yes, please. i'm really annoyed about paying XX for my iPhone data plan, and another XX for my iPad data plan, and not using my full allotment for either plan. Really stupid, IMHO.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Well, at least you're not paying US$45,000 just for a paper that lets you have the right to own a car.

[Jason Dunn]

Well, at least you're not paying US$45,000 just for a paper that lets you have the right to own a car.

Well...that's a really good point. :D

[Fritzly]

While my first reaction would be "About time"........ I am afraid we will not see it very soon. My impression is that things are regressing instead of evolving.

[jadesse]

Also the carries such as VZW wit their mandatory data plans. All of their smartphones currently available by VZW do require a data plan. We have had shared phone minutes for years. Why can't there shared Megabytes of data?

VZW & At&T do offer a $15 a month data plan which in my opinion is a big joke.
VZW gives you 150 MB & AT& T 250 MB. However you can get unlimited data for what $40? I think a couple of dollars per 100 MB would be a little more in line. But wait, that would mean the greedy carries would be taking in as much money.

I don't currently have a data plan with my Imagio which I bought on ebay. However VZW said that I would have to purchase a data plan to activate it on their network. A phone that I purchase off of ebay or that I purchase outright from the carrier in my mind should be exempt from having to have a data plan. Why should I have to have the carrier tell me how i am going to use my phone? I basically told VZW to pack sand.

My company already pays enough a month for my data card which I hardly ever use. I should be able to have my phone tied to that data plan.

[MadSci]

Let's face it - if your company paid hundreds to put a phone into someone's hands you'd insist on charging them a monthly data charge for each device too. And I can see the advantages for those who cannot lash out the cash to pay for the device of their choice outright.

What we should have is a two tier system whereby the purchase of a subsidized phone should lock you into a contract and potentially forgo a single united data plan - but if you purchase a phone for full freight - you don't get locked in and a single data plan is an option for you - and an inducement to stay with your Carrier.

My Galaxy Tab is on a pay as you go plan on AT&T, and frankly it's demented that I have an unlimited data plan for my phone on the same network. Particularly since AT&T isn't subsidizing the purchase of the Tab (which I bought off ebay for $400 - thank you very much!)

[Jason Dunn]

What we should have is a two tier system whereby the purchase of a subsidized phone should lock you into a contract and potentially forgo a single united data plan - but if you purchase a phone for full freight - you don't get locked in and a single data plan is an option for you - and an inducement to stay with your Carrier.

That's a very reasonable approach...which means I don't think the carriers will EVER do it. :D :rolleyes: