TracFone Finally Agrees To Allow Phone Unlocking

jfruh writes: While most Slashdot readers probably enjoy the latest and greatest smartphones and heavy-use data plans, millions of Americans use low-cost, prepaid featurephones, and many of those are sold under various brand names owned by TracFone. Today, after much pressure from the FCC, TracFone admitted that its customers also have the right to an unlocked phone that they can port to a different provider, including those low-income customers who participate in the government-subsidized Lifeline program, widely (though incorrectly) known as "Obamaphone".

Comments

Are you OK, samzenpus?

[damn_registrars]

It is generally counter to the conservative majority narrative here on slashdot to dare to disprove a drudge report myth. And considering the conservative FUD that samzenpus has posted to the front page in the past, this is highly out of character for him to point out that the "Obamaphone" program is neither government sponsored nor was it started under Obama.

Samzenpus, are you OK? Were you recently hit in the head or something?

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

a drudge report myth

Weak troll. And citation needed.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

Weak troll is weak. One need only reach as far as "conservative majority on Slashdot" to realize it's a troll post.

Haven't you read the guide on successful trolling on Slashdot? Leading your post with the bait is a no-no. You're supposed to subtly bury the bait deep within a longer post, preceding it with commentary designed to gain upward moderation, as many moderators will issue points after only reading part of a post.

I think you need to go back to troll school and learn a thing or two.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[damn_registrars]

a drudge report myth

Weak troll. And citation needed.

How about this link, which is at the end of the article that is here on slashdot? It plainly states

the top link on the Drudge Report led to a YouTube video in which an Ohio woman said she's going to vote for President Obama because he gave her a phone.

...

If you're upset that Obama is giving "freeloaders" gratis cell phones paid for with your tax money, don't be. Firstly, Obama had nothing to do with the Lifeline program: the "Obama phone" narrative is a myth that both liberals and conservatives have fallen for since 2009. Secondly, Lifeline isn't paid for with tax revenues. Rather, Lifeline is funded with a pool of money, called the Universal Service Fund, which is paid for with revenue donations from telecommunications providers. Some of those providersâ"like Verizon, for instanceâ"pass off that cost to their customers with a Universal Service fee, but the government doesn't mandate that the money come from citizens, meaning it's technically not a tax.

...

It is sort of sad that the woman in Drudge's "Obama phone" video has no idea that her free cell phone has nothing to do with Obama. But conservatives who would try and hold her up as an example of a liberal president gone wild with handouts are just as sad and ignorant, and more cruel by a large margin.

It would appear the weak troll is you, who couldn't bother to follow the link that slashdot provided. The surprise here though is that slashdot is actually countering - rather than propagating - something from drudge report. The latter is far more the standard m.o. around here, especially when samzenpus is involved.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[beamin]

Citation is linked in the original comment.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, like I'm going to read Gawker for unbiased news. You want all the details about the Lifeline phone program? Go here: http://www.obamaphone.com/

Re: Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

It may not "technically" be a tax, but it sure is "effectively" one. The USF is levied on all phone providers, including VOIP ones and there is nothing voluntary about it despite the use of the word "donation" in the parent post. The current "contribution factor" (tax rate) for this quarter is 17.1%. Whether the phone company decides to show that as a separate line item or not, the end user is still the one who is going to pay it.

https://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/contribution-factor-quarterly-filings-universal-service-fund-usf-management-support

Re: Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

THANK YOU! More wealth transfer schemes. More malinvestment at the barrel of a gun.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[narcc]

Weak troll is weak. One need only reach as far as "conservative majority on Slashdot" to realize it's a troll post.

So your contention is that there isn't a conservative majority on Slashdot? I will direct you to the comments on any article that even vaguely hints at a social issue as evidence to the contrary.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

The left wing persecution complex is strong in you

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[damn_registrars]

Your own link ends with the important bit:

ObamaPhone.com is not affiliated with any department of the US government, the FCC, or the Lifeline phone program

Did you not bother reading to the bottom of the page?

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Penguinisto]

Dude, seriously... if you want evidence, see this article , and notice that the modded-up posts are mostly *not* conservative in ideology. While you're at it, see the posts about AGW.

Personally, I find /. to be center to center-left, depending on the subject.

QED: GGP's Weak troll is still weak.

Re: Are you OK, samzenpus?

[damn_registrars]

there is nothing voluntary about it

You can opt to not use a cell phone. There are other communication options. Civilization got along just fine for thousands of years without them, and will continue to go on without them.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

Of course I did, that why I posted it. It's very informative isn't it? Much better than those turd news sites, Drudge Report and Gawker.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[damn_registrars]

The gay marriage matter was going to go that way sooner or later regardless. Look at younger voters of any party in the US (after all the overwhelming majority of slashdot readers are in the US) and you'll find increasing support for gay marriage even amongst those young voters who vote republican. I don't have the time to look through 1000+ comments in that article to see how many are viewing the matter through each possible prism but there is also a very heavy conservative-libertarian bend here, who will often be saying "let them do whatever as long as it doesn't increase my taxes" - and gay marriage certainly doesn't increase anyone's taxes.

While you're at it, see the posts about AGW.

The key part of that acronym is the letter A - for anthropogenic. There are occasionally posts here on climate change, but very exceptionally rarely do we see any that tie it directly to human activity. Furthermore if we look at the comment sections in any of those articles - anthropogenic or not - we see the true voice of slashdot readers bends heavily to the right.

And finally, notice that at least once a week we see an anti-Obama - or generally anti-democrat - article on the front page here. How often do we see an anti-GOP article? Almost never. And I challenge you to show me an article that ever made the front page that dared to challenge Ron Paul on anything, ever.

Personally, I find /. to be center to center-left, depending on the subject.

I'm curious to know what subject you think that would be. Certainly not politics, science, economics, constitutional liberty, crime, taxes, religion, birth control, or education.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[xxxJonBoyxxx]

>> It is sort of sad that the woman in Drudge's "Obama phone" video has no idea that her free cell phone has nothing to do with Obama.

OK, I'll bite. Yes, one part of the conservative complaint is that the federal government shouldn't be in the business of providing free cell phone service*. However, the larger part of the complaint is that local political operatives DO advertise government perks like this as Democrat largesse. In other words, when the woman said that her phone was an "Obamaphone" she was probably just simplifying a version of this well-worn campaign slogan:

"Vote for [Democrat Leader] (Obama) and other Democrats and you will continue to get free or reduced price stuff (like this phone). Don't vote for Republicans because they will cut off your stuff."

>> conservatives...are...more cruel...

Yep, it looks like you're on the same page.

* = Conservatives are mixed on whether A) there should be NO subsidy, or B) a subsidy is OK but it should come as part of one cash handout, which has the duel advantage of teaching people to budget with real money and reducing the number of bureaucrats needed to "manage" these programs. (I'm a "B.")

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, like I'm going to read Gawker for unbiased news. You want all the details about the Lifeline phone program? Go here: http://www.obamaphone.com/

OMG, the conservative majority Slashdot mods have troll rated my anti-Gawker post! Wait, what?

Ha, so much for the "conservative majority" on Slashdot. You'd think I'd get a +5 HeSpeaksTruth, but I guess all the conservatives are working at their jobs, which just leaves the unemployed trust fund liberals here to mod Slashdot.

Re: Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

It doesn't just apply to cell phones, but to every call that could be considered "intrastate", whether you are using a fixed phone line, a google voice mailbox or a skype Phone number from a computer.

You are entirely correct that phones are a luxury, and not a necessity. One could certainly ride their horse or walk to the post office to send a letter. Using a homing pigeon is still an option in certain cases too. Unfortunately the last telegraph line was shut down in 2013, so that is no longer an option.

The FCC has been hard at work trying to figure out how to levy the same "not-tax" on all ISPs for several years, so I won't be surprised when they eventually succeed.

Re: Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

Until civilization requires by law that you own a cell phone (insert save-the-children or prevent-terrorism-now justification here). It is already difficult to find employment... no cell phone? no social media? We'll keep your resume on file.

Re: Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

And you can only post to slashdot right now because my taxes are subsidizing your internet connectivity.

So how about you stop freeloading off of the rest of us, or just get the fuck out of this country that you hate so much.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Penguinisto]

I think I see the problem:

conservative-libertarian

To put it bluntly, there's no such thing. The two ideologies' interests do overlap in places, but the libertarian ideology also overlaps with the liberals on others.

Basically, the libertarian mindset is socially liberal, fiscally conservative, combined with a strong distaste for governmental interference of any non-critical type. Their main goal is to take over the government, then promptly get the government out of everyone's way.

HTH a little.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[JazzLad]

I've never felt like there was a conservative or liberal majority on Slashdot, but a very well represented (albeit oft-trolling) pool of each. Occasionally each side is well represented with intelligent discourse, but not as often as I'd like.

an independent Slashdotter

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

I would argue there's an option C.) Make everything cheap enough that you don't need to subsidize phones. If phone/internet access cost $10 a month, then there's no reason for the federal government to hand out subsidizes to low-income citizens (state or county governments might choose to do so, but I'd see no reason for the feds to do it).

Thanks to MVNOs (which do exist thanks to government regulation), I could pay $40 per year for basic phone access via H2O wireless (useful for second-factor authentication at banks/websites). I should point out that Assurance Wireless, part of the Lifeline program, gives out 250 minutes and unlimited texts. Which is way better than 200 minutes for 90 days H2O Wireless plan (5 centers per minute/text). To be fair, Assurance uses the Sprint network and MVNOs on that seem to get lower prices because the Sprint network is so terrible (Ring Plus now gives out free minutes apparently).

I'm right-wing (though, more of populist than anything else) and I think these media-tech-telecom companies are screwing people over. I'm not sure if every proposed idea will solve the problem, though. People have focused intensely on Net Neutrality when bandwidth caps seem more of a pressing, though related, issue. Obama's "my way or the highway" attitude hasn't helped. He could compromise if he chose (such making a deal to removing subsidies if prices fall below a certain point). There are people who would help him if he didn't demonize them.

Re: Are you OK, samzenpus?

[andymadigan]

About half of the USF goes to providing phone service in rural areas. Another 25% goes to providing internet to rural libraries, and rural and low income schools. Some of the rest goes to Lifeline ("Obamaphone") so, if you want to cut that tax, let's start by eliminating support for all those rural areas, they're mostly Republicans anyway, so they should support the elimination of government services!

Re: Are you OK, samzenpus?

[chris summers]

This *IS* already the case. Try applying for a job lately? If you *DON'T* have a Cellphone or Email Adress, you're pretty much screwed, and I'm talking about Target,Kmart,Walmart and other places. If you're not on Facebook,or don't have a twitter account, or other such garbage, they look at you funny as well.

Re: Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

i guess i will never get a new job then. i would never, ever, give an employer (or prospective one) an email address, facebook or twitter account data, or anything else online, nor a cell phone number. a home phone, sure. but if they want me to have a cell phone, they'll provide it (current one does, btw), if they want me to have email, they'll provide that too (current one does that, too). my personal social media accounts (if i even had them) would be my own business, not theirs. my personal stuff is my personal stuff, my work stuff is my work stuff. i do not, EVER, mix the two up... never. i do not even work from home other than simple research while on a call (using their cell phone) on public sites (nothing i need to login to, with personal or work credentials), and i do not access that aforementioned work email from home. if i need to 'work', i go to the office if i have to get something done 'right now', or save it for the next work day if it can wait (and i usually make it wait).

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[Anonymous Coward]

The possibility of Comcast introducing data caps in my area does bother me. I'm hoping that when I renew my contract next year, I'll be able to get a clause of no data caps if I ask.

I'm left wing. And here is my stance on certain topics.

1. Subsidize Direct student loan interest rates at inflation, so what we borrow is what we repay.
2. Require colleges not to have more than X% of tuition go towards administrative purposes... in order to receive federal aid.
3. Universal health care. Perhaps a Medicaid/Medicare hybrid. Prescription drug patent reform. Maybe $10/prescription and $10/day for doctor visits and hospital stays.
4. A negative income tax or basic income. But not at a living wage like some people want. For a basic income, without going into all the details, for non-elderly adults, $500/person/month. For a negative income tax, (Poverty Level - Federal AGI) / 2 = Credit assuming Poverty Level > Federal AGI for the individual.
5. As for SNAP when the 3-month thing gets reintroduced for ABAWD, I'd do this as an option: Allow someone to keep 100% of their benefit if they apply to six jobs within a six month period. With a 10% reduction for each less than six in that period. Must get signed off by human resources even if no interview occurs.
6. Any Internet/TV provider enjoying monopoly protection in cities, they would be required to provide a $20/month option for Internet and $20/month option for OTA TV. Maybe that $20 figure is three minimum wage hours in the respective areas.
7. The $15/hour push seems stupid. Isn't this all over Wal-Mart not providing a fair wage to employees? Now small businesses may be hurt from this. I'd like to see a two-tired minimum wage in states with one for larger businesses, and one for the status quo.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[ooshna]

The only time I remember hearing about the "Obamaphone" was from Republican politicians against it. I never heard any Dems bring it up.

Re:Are you OK, samzenpus?

[KGIII]

I've never felt like there was a conservative or liberal majority on Slashdot, but a very well represented (albeit oft-trolling) pool of each. Occasionally each side is well represented with intelligent discourse, but not as often as I'd like.

an independent Slashdotter

It is a little bad if you are an actual Libertarian and have to fend off the Republicans who are ashamed of their party so they have co-opted the party and made it seem as if we are lunatics. Most of us Libertarians are (were?) quite far left of the representatives of the Democrat party. I, for example, support single-payer health care - not because I am a lovey-dubey caring individual (I really am, sort of) but because it costs less for the society as a whole and makes a better business environment.

I shall rant but I will keep it short.

I support taxing the wealthy, I could pay more in taxes (I am not going to - I avoid them where possible) easily so I donate to causes I believe in instead. I support business regulations. I support roads, libraries, education, and social welfare programs. I could even be convinced to support a universal standard of living payment out of tax dollars. I want a small government that spends its money wisely.

We have plenty of money, even to service our debts, so long as we stop spending it on stupid things like being the World's Police.® If we strip out the pork and start working to taking the money out of politics then, perhaps, we will be on the right road. Note the perhaps part - the world is not black and white and no one political system can be incorporated in a pure form as it simply will not work.

I also support State and Individual rights, note that I did not use the word freedoms because unless you are physically restricted then you are free to do something though there are potential consequences for it. One of my favorite statements is that, "I am free to kill you, I am not at liberty to do so." I think I may be the author of that quote, or I picked it up subconsciously, so it is open for claiming, using, or debating. Consider it an open source adage and do with it what you will.

I support legalization of all drugs - all of them - even if they kill you. I support identification of products and product purity and think it is the government's job to work to ensure such. I do not support either heterosexual or gay marriage - I support civil unions with contracts being decided amongst the parties involved and do not limit it to a couple. I think marriage, as a word, is quite happily the property of the religious zealots who can happily have their ceremonies all they want but that those ceremonies should not be anything backed by or recognized by the state. We have contracts and contract law for a reason and it is high time we make use of them. Everyone should be equal under the law and the most correct way to do this, to my mind, is to allow it have contracts between people. The government should not be in the business of deciding who has access to what hole by which gender. If you want to self-identify as a transsexual bisexual turtle then go right the fuck ahead. It should not matter that you do not fit into a check-box on the government's form - that check-mark box should not be there in the first place.

I am mixed race. I am Caucasian, African-American, and Amerindian. I do not support affirmative action. I support merit based society. I think that, to me, affirmative action is "the man" telling me that I can not do it on my own and that because I am inferior that I must be given special treatment. Screw that. I got to where I am because I have had a lot of help and good fortune. None of that help was based on my gender, my color, or any other physical trait. I got that help because I worked hard, was in the right place at the right time, and had good information that I was able to use to further myself. If I had been told that I was inferior and needed help because of some innate physical trait then I probably wou

IOW: TracFone Finally Agrees to Obey the Law

[Anonymous Coward]

Gee, what news...

Re:IOW: TracFone Finally Agrees to Obey the Law

[Penguinisto]

As a guy who uses Net10 (TracFone's parent company), I can tell you that the phones they sell aren't exactly top-of-the-line. Most of the models are the really low-end stuff: Huawei, ZTE, some-off-brand-or-other, and on the Net10 side, obsolete models of Samsung and LG. The Net10 side does have a couple of flagship phones, but those are prices way out of the reach of their typical customer. this is a typical list of phones we're talking about here. Many of these phones (in spite of being overpriced IMHO) cost less than a trip to McDonald's for a family of three. Even the most expensive ones top out at around $200.

On my part, I usually buy my phone unlocked from elsewhere, e.g. Amazon, then I do Net10's "Bring Your Own Phone" plan, which means I don't have to give a shit what they think. It also gives me the advantage of being able to jump to whatever carrier I damned well please, and choose the cheapest plan I can find. :)

no they dont.

[Anonymous Coward]

trac subsidizes the retail price of phones thru the service fees.... that's how they maintain attractive retail pricing of their starter kits on store shelves.

nobody that uses a trac is entitled to unlocking unless they pay full price for the phone (or maintain service for, say, 12 months, first)...

if the government wants to subsidize wireless service, they can subsidize the fucking handsets, too.

Re:no they dont.

[gnupun]

That's not a subsidy. Instead, it's bundling the monthly rental fee of the phone with monthly phone service charges.

Re:no they dont.

[rtkluttz]

This argument by any provider is absolute bullshit even when you ARE using a subsidized phone. If you leave the contract early you are charged an early termination fee and/or full price for the phone. EIther way the fucking thing is yours and you can do absolutely anything with it that you please.

Prepaid is the way to go

[Anonymous Coward]

$40 a month, no contract. Why would I pay $100 a month and subsidize a $700 phone?

Re:Prepaid is the way to go

[Anonymous Coward]

I use Tracphone. I don't use much air time. It's costs me 20 bucks every three months. Think that's about the best price possible

Re:Prepaid is the way to go

[Muad'Dave]

I use T-Mobile's pay-as-you go, and it's $3/month for 30 mins or texts. They require $10/3 months, so that's not too bad.

Re:Prepaid is the way to go

[Penguinisto]

I pay $45/mo, no contract on Net10, I get unlimited data**. I bought my own damned phone already unlocked (the LG G2 GSM phone I bought a month or so ago cost me something like $215 brand-new off of Amazon.)

It only costs me $755/yr my way ($45/mo plus $215 for the GSM/international phone I bought separately) with no ETF at all...

...versus at least $1167/yr (for a typical $89/mo big carrier capped data plan plus $99 towards their shiny new subsidized phone), and a 2-year contract w/ a massive ETF whether you like it or not.

Oh, and I still get 4G speed on AT&T's network.

** at $45/mo, the first 3GB is at 4G speed, but anything over that in a given month is throttled to 3G, but there's no overage charges at all... I rarely burn more than 2.5GB though, so I'm fine with the terms given the rather massive discount.

Re:Prepaid is the way to go

[JazzLad]

My daughters' phones are $10 (each) every four months on a VZW MVNO (PagePlus, winds up being 25min/mo with rollover) & I only recently upgraded my phone from $10/mo (Airvoice) to $20.93 (Lyca Mobile) so I could have unlimited voice/text/data

Yes, I am throttled to edge speed after 100MB LTE, but it is fast enough to listen to Pandora and use navigation at the same time (not fast enough for Netlix, but I have wifi everywhere but the car & I don't watch TV while driving :)).

Best part is these are not 'before we tax and fee you to death' prices, but what I actually pay each month. People spending too much are either not shopping around or think looking at the "popular" plans (read: popular for the phone companies so they are the plans that are pushed) of the big-4 is shopping around.

Re:Prepaid is the way to go

[Anonymous Coward]

Damn, I thought I was kinda cheap. I'm using P+ with the 1-year $80 card for 2000 minutes (texts are 4 cents). I buy the card at discount for $72. Last year, I had about $15 left to rollover to my new $80 card. I did a quick mod to my Samsung S3 to make it work for voice and I disabled the mobile data. So I use an older smartphone for voice and WiFi for data at about $5 a month.

Needless to say, I'm not a big phone yakker like most people. And most things like navigation are pretty easy using offline data. Even Google Voice for Offline works pretty well for voice recognition.

I have a tracfone

[YrWrstNtmr]

What I want to know is: Can I bring an outside phone in and use the tracfone prepaid plans?
I had a line on a OnePlus a few months ago, but passed because I could find no definitive yea or nay on the plan thing.

For my use, the $100/1200 minutes/1 year plan is just right.

Re:I have a tracfone

[lfp98]

I always buy 3 months prepaid, then take their offer to extend by 1 year. Works out to ~$5.50/month. The phone was $15. Compared to most Telcos, Tracfone is heaven on earth. Terms are very straightforward, no hidden charges.

Obamaphone

[Anonymous Coward]

Ring ring ring ring, OBAMAPHONE!

Re:Obamaphone

[tepples]

Ding dong ding dong ding dong ding, Obamaphone remix

tracfone byop

[emil]

Yes, you can bring phones in from other carriers. This capability was greatly expanded with the Page Plus acquisition. I suggest a Verizon 4g device (this is the least expensive path to Verizon service). Verizon devices get triple the value on all purchased pins. http://tracfonewireless.com/by...

textnow

[emil]

Actually, this is the least expensive service that I've seen with unlimited features: http://www.textnow.com/

TracFone is Great

[pubwvj]

TracFone is great for what it does. It allows us to have a simple emergency phone in our vehicle. Nothing fancy. Cheap fixed cost annual plan. Easy. It cost us about $100/year. The phones are essentially free. ($0 to $19). If the phone gets lost you call up TracFone and they transfer the minutes to another phone. Easy-peasy. We've had ours for about a decade.

Re:TracFone is Great

[Muad'Dave]

How is that better than T-Mobile's $3/month pay-as-you-go plan? 30 mins/30 txts per month.

Re:TracFone is Great

[Anonymous Coward]

It works on At&t or Verizon towers, so it has a signal once you leave the city.

I routinely drive from the eastern Virginia to Indiana and when I had T-Mobile, I only had service ~50% of the time.

Re:TracFone is Great

[chris summers]

Tmobile's $3 month deal is basically a scam where you're pretty much nicked and dimed to death for everything. Sounds good on paper but not in reality.

Re:TracFone is Great

[Muad'Dave]

For what I want it's fine. I have an emergency smart phone that I travel with (two SIM slots - 1 US, one international). I don't use cell data, only WiFi, and they've not nickel and dimed me at all. I buy $10 cards at the grocery store and refill every 3 months.

We'll see

[ITRambo]

Up until now Tracfone wouldn't even let me move a Straight Talk (a Tracfone company) phone onto Tracfone. They claimed they simply could not do it. Arguing that they could didn't help at all. Even with their statement that their phones will be unlocked if desired, I don't trust them to make unlocking easy for their users, or former users.

Why so expensive?

[ebcdic]

Here in the UK I bought an emergency phone for 10 pounds along with a 10 pound prepayment. The Sim will expire if I don't make a call at least once every three months, but other than that if I don't use it it won't cost anything.

Re:Why so expensive?

[Anonymous Coward]

Its expensive because the US mobile telecom market consists of siloed monopolies* trying to crush each other by trapping consumers into their market, not corporations competing on the service they provide via public infrastructure like the rest of the world's telecom markets.

So, for example, if you have an AT&T phone and you roam into an area serviced by Verizon, you may get "No-Signal" because V doesn't want to share their infrastructure with competitors. Where in Europe if you have a UK Vodaphone phone and you wander into an area of Spain serviced by Orange, you get a signal. Vodaphone pays Orange for the use of their infrastructure (either in money or vice-versa services.)

The EU's well-intended law to eliminate roaming charges may very well make the European market into what the US market is. Believe me, you don't want that. I'd recommend getting a Ham radio license and practicing Morse code.

siloed monopolies are also one of the primary reasons why health insurance is so high in the US and why Americans adhere to favorite brands of cars, technology... as if it were a religion. The barrier to choosing the competition is so high that only a handful of people tunnel through it even when the competition's price/service ratio if far better than what they are stuck with.

Re:Why so expensive?

[Anonymous Coward]

It could be less expensive, done other ways.
For example, an old Verizon phone, on PagePlus can be kept active 4 months for $10. That would include about 60 minutes of talk. So $30 per year.

Or you could just not keep the phone active, and still use it to call 911 (at least currently, I heard there was a proposal to not require this in the future)

Re:Why so expensive?

[Anonymous Coward]

What's the barrier to choosing a different brand of car?

Re:Why so expensive?

[Anonymous Coward]

Until recently, AT&T phones were incompatible with Verizon towers. GSM versus CDMA. So it was technically impossible for them to roam on the other system. Possibly this has changed with LTE phones being able to move between companies (maybe requiring another generation to work well). But there is also the issue of what bands / frequencies a phone uses.

Verizon did allow Sprint to roam onto it's network, since their phones were compatible.

I guess you might say that the companies picked GSM vs CDMA to cause these issues, but living in rural areas I like the good coverage of CDMA. Standards be damned!

Re:Why so expensive?

[Osgeld]

Net 10 does something similar here in the States, you buy a card it last for 3 months or until you use all the time on it... when I had one for my wife it cost us like 7 dollars every 90 days, though its probably more expensive now, its been at least 5 years since we used it

Yea.. you do that

[rtkluttz]

Companies making statements like this simultaneously humor me and infuriate me. This is the equivalent of buying a house and having it for 3 weeks when the builder shows up and says "I'll let you arrange your furniture the way you want it." He can state it all he wants, but its already done. He is pretending he has authority over something that is no longer his. Fuck this and everything about it. When I pay for it, technology is mine. I'll unlock it and do whatever the fuck I want with it and there isn't a damn thing you can say or do to stop me. (A company) Pretending that they have authority over my shit just makes them look ridiculous. A house builder that I bought a house from may as well make press announcements that he is OK'ing me bath in my shower.

Re:Yea.. you do that

[Anonymous Coward]

How do you, by yourself, unlock your TracFone to work with other carriers?

my first tracfone had an antenna

[ZippyTheChicken]

there are 2 different levels of phones with tracfone. they have the non android phones you can get for simplicity and if you are leaching off the ObamaPhone plan then they have lower end Androids which are pretty good if you stay with their best one. The only other service that beats them now is FreedomPop but since Tracfone is on Verizon and FreedomPop is on Sprint its all up to coverage where you live and travel and TracFone seems to have the edge on that for now.

Re:my first tracfone had an antenna

[ITRambo]

Freedom Pop phone quality is too often like talking under water. The cost is great, but the service is horrendous. I prepaid for one year.. Afterward, I learned that the bad reviews were blocked to others. There is no Sprint voice service on Freedom Pop, It's all data. Their VOIP implementation is terrible. Speaking from experience I went back to Straight Talk and now have high quality voice again. If you want to try Freedom Pop, sign up for the free service before giving them any money at all and make sure to block "top off" the data as they do so when you still have 100 MB left to use.

I'm a SlashDot reader + pay-as-you-go customer

[xxxJonBoyxxx]

>> While most Slashdot readers probably enjoy the latest and greatest smartphones and heavy-use data plans, millions of Americans use low-cost, prepaid featurephones

I'm on a low-cost prepaid plan along with my family. We currently have 3x sub-$100 Android phones and pay about $60 a month (total, not each) for about 600 voice minutes (which we never completely use), 500 texts (ditto) and about 3GB of data (which is mostly me streaming music between wireless zones at my home and office).

Though I've been into computers my entire life I really don't understand why anyone would pay $500 (or more) for a phone and then dump $50 (or more) per line per month down the drain - and yet I'm surrounded by friends and relatives who do. What am I missing?

Re:I'm a SlashDot reader + pay-as-you-go customer

[Anonymous Coward]

Ditto. I'm using a Moto G (about $75) that was reflashed to Verizon. On PagePlus for $30 / month.

Still trying to decide which direction to go for LTE (not that it seems like it will be a huge step up - I usually use less than 200MB/mo). Meanwhile I have picked up a Lumia 521 (t-mobile) for $15. Still trying to get my friend to unlock it. And I have my eye on switching to Republic Wireless if they bring back a Moto E option.

But those T-mobile Lumia 640's are looking nice, prices dropping, now at $99 at Walmart. Unless the MetroPCS version works, that is $60. Wonder where they will be for Black Friday?

Re:I'm a SlashDot reader + pay-as-you-go customer

[Anonymous Coward]

What am I missing?

Your idle time being filled with miscellaneous and ultimately unsubstantial content.

Re:I'm a SlashDot reader + pay-as-you-go customer

[Anonymous Coward]

I just bought the Lumia 640 XL. It's pretty much a fully featured smart phone.
It really doesn't leave you with price-feature comprises like the 635 and 531 do.

Re:I'm a SlashDot reader + pay-as-you-go customer

[dugancent]

I moved from a 20gb AT&T plan to Cricket's $35 for 2.5gb plan. Couldn't be happier. I've ran over my data allotment just once in over a year and even then, it was just slowed and still usable.

Re:I'm a SlashDot reader + pay-as-you-go customer

[afidel]

Your payback time on the cheaper service will be under a year to switch to Republic, and if you really use that little data, it will be more like 4 months after the new plans go live.

Re:I'm a SlashDot reader + pay-as-you-go customer

[Anonymous Coward]

If you want extremely cheap, you could go for PagePlus or H2O Wireless Pay-As-You-Go. $30-40 per year for a phone number (5-10 cents per minute, 5 cents per text). Tie that number to a Google Voice account and use your computer as your primary telephone. Use texting for two-factor authentication.

If you absolutely need an unlimited plan for your job, you're probably being paid well enough to afford it.

I've got an off-brand Android. It works well enough, but I think a slightly costlier Moto E is a better buy. Or even go for a cheap Windows Phone. Microsoft is hemorrhaging money to gain market share.

The whole phone contract thing is a scam. That $200 iPhone costs $650. Apple didn't invent the pricing scheme, they just took advantage of what the carriers were already doing. (Speaking of carriers, it'd be nice if CDMA went away and all phones could switch networks at will.)

No mention about the Android smartphones

[Anonymous Coward]

I wonder if the Android devices can be unlocked? The smartphones use Verizon's 3G network. I thought only GSM devices that use subscription identity cards could be unlocked. I must be missing something.

obama phone

[Anonymous Coward]

Aw come on guys this is slash dot, no refrence to Amps portal in asterisks the all you can jingle snort hot running cell system for semi modern molesto net and dope?

Cellular explained with a car analogy

[tepples]

What's the barrier to choosing a different brand of car?

In this analogy, there are several road owners, and each road rejects all cars that lack a subscription to that road's owner. This means each of the major road owners owns a set of parallel roads that serve each destination.

• Roaming: Some road owners have negotiated deals with other road owners to allow cars that subscribe to those road owners.
• Lack of coverage: Some road owners don't own a road that goes where you need.
• Carrier locking: Inability to subscribe a car to any road owners other than the one that sold the car.
• Family plan: Deep discounts for registering more than one car with the same road owner.
• Spectrum crunch: Limited real estate for building new roads.
• Wi-Fi data offloading: Rat running through parking lots and private drives.
• Wi-Fi Sense: Your car shares a map of your rat runs on social media.

But if you meant literal cars, I don't know what barrier the other AC was referring to either.

Re:Cellular explained with a car analogy

[Anonymous Coward]

What's the barrier to choosing a different brand of car?

In this analogy, there are several road owners, and each road rejects all cars that lack a subscription to that road's owner. This means each of the major road owners owns a set of parallel roads that serve each destination....

But if you meant literal cars, I don't know what barrier the other AC was referring to either.

It's a cognitive barrier, just like Apple worship and other religions. If your dad owned a Ford or worked for Ford, you bought a Ford even if it was made by Mazda in Japan.

And in the US the barrier to choosing a different health insurance provider is that it's tied to your job and pre-existing conditions.

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[account_deleted]

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[account_deleted]

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byowireless unlimited texting is $15, not $5

[emil]

In considering "unlimited" services, I do realize that byowireless has a $15 unlimited texting plan. However, byowireless is limited to 3g Verizon devices, and the $19 textnow/sprint plan seems a far better deal if you can tolerate the coverage.

It seems that most everyone tries to get the Moto G 3g prepaid Verizon phone onto the 3g mvnos, and this can be rather tricky. The textnow option is a lot less headache.

No, America Movil/Telmex is the parent, not Net10.

[emil]

...and I believe that America Movil is owned by Telmex, the Mexican telephone monopoly.

...my last byop phone is a Note 2 sch-i605

[emil]

...I had hoped to run Cyanogenmod, but Verizon has installed a fascist bootloader. The phone remains capable of running the DN3 and Alliance touchwiz alternative roms. I am on Alliance.

tech support is awful

[emil]

I realize that their IT systems must integrate into several major MNOs, but they will flat-out refuse to do for others what I have done for myself online. The constant obstructions are extremely annoying.

The self-destruction of andymadigan #1/2

[Anonymous Coward]

"uBlock is using 33MB of RAM" - by andymadigan (792996) on Friday June 12, 2015 @10:31PM (#49902053)

Inefficient: Hosts @ 3-11mb w/ current data & does things adblock variants can't & U RAN FROM IT http://apple.slashdot.org/comm... ).

UBlock uses 63++ MB & AdBlock = 128mb++ -> http://www.ghacks.net/2014/06/...

SCREENSHOT -> http://cdn.ghacks.net/wp-conte...

BEST UBlock's done = 38mb/ABP = 64mb -> http://www.extremetech.com/wp-... From http://www.extremetech.com/wp-...

* See 'p.s.' below - Says all (& I didn't do the saying!)

---

"which blocks more ads? Answer: uBlock/Adblock" by andymadigan (792996) on Sunday June 14, 2015 @12:04AM (#49907001)

WRONG - "Almost ALL Ads Blocked"'s PAID NOT TO by default-> http://techcrunch.com/2013/07/...

&

ABP too http://finance.yahoo.com/news/...

UBlock/Adblock = far less efficient on CPU & RAM (added messagepassing, SLOW usermode vs. hosts in kernelmode) & NEITHER does a fraction of what hosts do in more speed, security, reliability, & anonymity.

---

"your system blocks fewer ads" by andymadigan (792996) on Sunday June 14, 2015 @12:04AM (#49907001)

See above: + hosts do MORE w/ less via 1st link above!

---

"I'm more than happy to spend an extra 1% of my computer's power to block far more ads than your shitty idea" by andymadigan (792996) on Sunday June 14, 2015 @12:04AM (#49907001)

You're 'happy' being illogical & stupid?

AdBlock's 4++gb & 100% CPU use inefficiency -> https://blog.mozilla.org/nneth...

+

ClarityRay defeats it & NOT hosts (clarityray BLOCKS addons via native browser methods).

---

YOU started it -> http://apple.slashdot.org/comm... & here too http://slashdot.org/comments.p...

I finished YOU WITH IT all above!

APK

P.S.=> Howard Stark in "Capt. America" - hosts (Cap's Shield) vs. AdBlock & variants (steel):

"It's stronger than steel & 1/3rd the weight"

So

"Run, Forrest: RUN!!!" & "eat your words"

... apk

The self-destruction of andymadigan #2/2

[Anonymous Coward]

"Chrome has thankfully started warning users who try to download it." - by andymadigan (792996) on Sunday June 14, 2015 @03:48PM (#49909947)

Google can try explaining it vs. proof my ware's CLEAN:

MalwareBytes' hpHosts Admin (MalwareBytes employee who also has the source & verified it safe too) hosts & recommends it -> http://hosts-file.net/?s=Downl... & MalwareBytes = BEST antivirus per this VERY recent testing of them all http://www.av-test.org/en/news...

&

It's GUARANTEED safe & clean per it being checked by 57 antivirus programs recently in BOTH its 64-bit model https://www.virustotal.com/en/...

+

In its 32-bit model also https://www.virustotal.com/en/...

* :)

In case you hadn't noticed it, like when you made your PUNY THREATS effetely *trying* to "blackmail me" on Hilton Hotels here http://slashdot.org/comments.p... ?

(which I could give 2 fucks about, I made the money already on a successfully done large scale project with them on contract)

I SMOKED YOU TOTALLY @ EVERY TURN, & who started it twice here http://slashdot.org/comments.p... AND HERE TOO http://apple.slashdot.org/comm... saying "I should die painfully" etc. - et al?

You failed badly on all accounts.

APK

P.S.=> Especially funny is that you work for CLOUDWORDS (an advertiser affiliate of Marketo) which tips your hand & PROVED YOUR ILL MOTIVES for your stupidity, running away from this most of all -> http://slashdot.org/comments.p...

... apk

SPH

[Anonymous Coward]

Still no change in your condition? Seek Professional Help

Re:SPH

[Anonymous Coward]

andy if that crap's the best ya got you're the one who's ill and failed badly.

I am elated over this.

[Trax3001BBS]

I've found a straight talk (Tracfone) is the only way to go as I see it. No contract, no free phone either. But I do have a MyTouch that's contract was fulfilled and given the number to use a different carrier.

Why is it so important to me, I can add a HOSTS file to it for one.

Google for one didn't care if one unlocked their "stuff", my Zoom tablet was rooted (I do hope the same as unlocking) and the ad blocking programs usable, as well as so much more ability, like changing ROMs on a whim.

net neutrality addressed mobile phones

[Trax3001BBS]

I wasn't interested in them so skipped those sections, but did gather they are to stop screwing their customers.