yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[General Topics] MartyLK:
Contract or not...I don't have a T-Mobile contract and wouldn't bind myself to one, T-Mobile's data network will be changed. Even if it takes two years, my current phones will no longer be able to use their 3G data capabilities. I don't go from one phone to another and then throw it away, I make an investment in the phone and use all of them. Just because T-Mobile might still be around 2 years from now doesn't mean they will be here 3 years from now. So in 3 years I lose the ability to use the 3G data of my HD2. That is a big issue for me.

Sure, I will have other phones...like my iPhone 4 and another possible phone. But that doesn't help me with my HD2. I love my HD2 and love using it. It is the absolute best phone ever crafted. I want to continue to use it for as long as it lasts. The free Bing nav in WinMo or the free Google nav in Android really works splendidly but requires a fast enough data connection. Edge would still work but would likely not be sufficient.

If T-Mobile contracts with phone makers to include quadband 3G/4G radios in future phones, that will ensure the continued sales of phones right through the end of their existence. So lets hope they do it.
[General Topics] Step666:
But then the majority of people don't have numerous phones all running at once, they have no need for them.

Most people will reach the end of their contract, shop around for a new phone/deal and never use the old handset again.

To say you'll keep using your HD2 forever more is somewhat presumptuous.

You have no idea what will be released in the future, what amazing new handset will arrive on the market that you fall for instead.
[General Topics] manrayboy:
thnx for the info
[General Topics] Btros:
Awesome, gonna give this a try, thanks.
[General Topics] andrix10:
Awesome
[General Topics] JellyBeans8899:
Seems like a good deal. Thanks.
[General Topics] badd1e:
Ill be trying this one out thanks.
[General Topics] verysick:
I need a new phone
[General Topics] JellyBeans8899:
I went to studentrate.com to try to find this deal. Do I have to actually register on the site to get access to the deal?
[General Topics] iphonebaby:
Yah I had to register. really easy though if you have a .edu email
[General Topics] JellyBeans8899:
I don't have an .edu email. Is there another way I can register??
[General Topics] MFisher13:
I thought they opened up the site to friends and family so I would think you didn't need an .edu email. Not sure though.
[General Topics] Pinktank:
having to commit for two years sucks for the consumer in this economy.
[General Topics] TheBiles:
Why? You lock in the lowest contract rate you can get. If they increase it, that means changing your agreement and allowing you to walk away with a free phone. A phone contract isn't the same as an ARM.
[General Topics] RoseBuds:
Don't all phone plans lock you into 2 years?
[General Topics] TANKtr0n:
Nope. You can still get no contract plans, just have to pay for the phones out of pocket. No discounts.
[General Topics] JellyBeans8899:
Thanks I'll give it a try.
[General Topics] cherokeefupa:
thanks ill give this a try!
[General Topics] Jacks0870:
So 10% off for being a student? Any catches?
[General Topics] MFisher13:
No catches. You just need to sign up on studentrate.com. and you'll prob end up finding other deals on the site you want to use as well, like I did.
[General Topics] Jacks0870:
Thanks. I registered yesterday and found a ton of deals I want to use. This could be a problem haha
[General Topics] CrackerJacks:
yeah they did. It's sweet!
[General Topics] dani26286:
+1 on that one. my phone is halfway on data speed these last couple of days, already.

i wonder if this has anything to do with everything. one can only think YES, under the circumstances.

im sure u all aware that under the hood of this merger, theres a lot of things that the public eye doesnt/cant see, but, no one can stop us on speculating...especially with all that has been said up to now, here, on tmo forums, and different opinion, and not only, article pieces...

what a freakin mess at$t makes always !!! why do higher ups let them get away with stuff like that?

money talks. well, i can easily say mine wont, towards that direction.
[General Topics] lainvalenajr:
True dat friend
[General Topics] bigsupersquid:
I remember when I was very young, people at the Bicentennial parade were excited about Ma Bell's monopoly on the telephone market being broken: the birth of AT&T.

Now the corporate branch (fourth branch) of the US Government consistently allows business giants to consume their competitors.

How times change. Is Bell Telecom even still in existence? Its child has certainly done well for itself in the family tradition.
[General Topics] galaxys:
Not good news unless you like monopoly! Eeek
[General Topics] galaxys:
Signed, sealed & delivered! cool
[General Topics] Dr.8820:
Remember, I'm a tmo user...this is all about ego. Only sprint came out publicly against this, Verizon said they're not worried...why....Verizon knows they're about to get alot more customers.

Sent from my XDA-ified 32GB HD7 using Board Express
[General Topics] DavidinCT:
Isn't it about better coverage for all ? GSM or CDMA who cares in 3-5 years it will be LTE, Verizon, AT&T and even sprint are going or have annouced plans

98% coverage of the US, isn't that what it's all about ?

I'll tell you one thing, as a Verizon customer, if I knew AT&T's coverage is better and their prices where about the same or better, I would at least look at going over.

When Joe six pack (non hobbiest like all of us) looks for a phone, it will be 90% about price, and that is what will sell them.

So, in the long run, it's Coverage, Phone and Price.
[General Topics] galaxys:
Unfortunately, 1G cap just doesn't get it! Eeek
[General Topics] Dr.8820:
att will win because of the 95% rural area coverage, which is what the admin (USA ) wants, the only problem is the network is buying their competition and shutting it down for THEIR needs....people keep saying " more towers helps ATT, what does that mean for the people on the towers they're shutting down?

Sent from my XDA-ified 32GB HD7 using Board Express
[General Topics] Verysafety:
Nothing you CAN do about it really, it's a money thing. Business is business.
[General Topics] TrueYears:
how will they be able to honoured them when our phones dont work with their 4G and 3G networks/
[General Topics] MartyLK:
Signed and commented. Hope merger fails.
[General Topics] MartyLK:
Not completely obsolete. T-Mobile phones will still be able to use the AT&T cell service and Edge network. But that isn't saying much.
[General Topics] Step666:
You'll still be able to use T-Mobile's 3G/'4G'. D'uh.

They're not just going to flip the switch and kill the T-Mobile 3G as soon as the merger is approved - again, IF it's approved.

If they did, they'd leave themselves open to huge amounts of litigation or they'd have to do something ridiculously expensive like provide every T-Mobile customer with an AT&T 3G/'4G'/4G compatible handset, neither of which would be remotely sane moves.

Customers will be migrated across from AWS 3G handsets to AT&T 3G handsets when they upgrade.
[General Topics] dani26286:
of course in theory everything sounds just awesome from a technical point of view, but sadly it doesnt just stop there. it goes on to harm the budget status of an already economicaly unstable US, through its people, who are the end users. i mean no one that is actually an intelligent individual,aware of the history of a company like att can honestly, without any shared interest, say NO to this. come on!!! its right in front of u, and if u dont see it, it just meens you either are to ignorant for your own good, or have enough money to just not care. but money just doesnt grow on trees for most of us, right? we actually sweat for it, and someone like an att suit thinks he has the right to just grab whatever he may damn well please, rudly, ilegaly at times, at their own will.ad that, and awful cs and unresonable prices and hidden fees, and u get a mass of people who just want a stop to this. tmobilers, like me, are happy with their carrier, mostly cuz of the common sense given through cs. one may even agree to pay a little more, although connection might not be as stated at all times, but they know they will get support and common sense from their carrier. att has proven to be just the oposite.

as bandwith has a limit, peoples patience has one to, and its about time for the people to speak. its not about some freak and his conspiracy theory, its about the facts that are in front of all of us, when looking at history, and shared experiences among our selfs that lets us to belive the FACT that if at&tmobile doesnt change their future policies from that point on, it WILL be bad for the end user.

if sprint would of been the one to buy, well the difference is clear, cuz sprint and tmo kind of share the same policies, but att couldnt affoard this, cuz moste likely, bankruptcy would of been just arround the corner.

at the end of this, its not about some kids who cry cuz mommy didnt gave them enough allowance to use more data on their hip state of the art supersmartphones, as of now. not even about the tethering issue ( i mean, lets face it, there will always be a work around software to achieve something like that, without anybody knowing anything). its ultimately about peoples desire to not be abused in such a way anymore...is what i feel and think.

how ever u wanna see it, admit or not, this will be a monopoly, gsm wise, at this point, and as such, att will reseve the right to stop innovation and do as they please, for their own fat wallets...and where does that leave me as an end user? with a $600 fee, as some say, out of the blue.

that is a carrier i do not want to have business with, no matter how much they try to sweeten the pot, cuz, history just repeats itself over and over again!
[General Topics] MartyLK:
Read the fine print. Once those notifications start going out, there's nothing anyone can do. The FCC and FTA will take all of this into consideration before any approval. If the merger is approved, AT&T will be allowed to do with the data bands as they desire. Unless there is a stipulation in the agreement regarding compensating current T-Mobile 3G/4G users, our phones will be useless with said data service.
[General Topics] MartyLK:
I agree with you mostly, especially the part about how such a merger would harm the already cash strapped people in America because of high fuel costs and the horrific economy brought on by the previous admin. But to AT&T grabbing all they can, that's just common free-market business. It isn't personal or meant in any evil way at all. AT&T, just like any other company being held responsible to shareholders, would rather take 100% or our money and compensate us with 0% of goods and services. That would be the business ideal. That would be the most pleasing to the shareholders because it puts more money in their pockets.

However, a company cannot remain solvent that way unless there is gov. backing. So any company wishing to remain in business has to establish the proper balance of give and take. The shareholders won't allow a company to give too much of goods and services for less payment and the public won't allow a competitive company to not give enough of goods and services for whatever payment they are making. The balance needs to be precise.

If a company doesn't charge enough money for their services or goods, that's taking money out of shareholder's pockets and the shareholders will take action. It's really easy to understand, all you have to do is place yourself in the position of a shareholder of a company. You know that *you* want all you can get for the least amount of expenditure. More money! That is the prime motive of any shareholder. If you see the company you take stock in not doing all it can to get the maximum amount of revenue 24/7/365, you will be upset because it takes food off of your family's table.

So when you see AT&T raping all of us GSM handset owners if the merger is approved, don't take it personal. It's just business. If you don't want such an ethic in business, find a way to change the hearts and motives of humanity. Until then, greed will rule.
[General Topics] lainvalenajr:
Yes that is true but like I said before... we can always try
[General Topics] dani26286:
i agree with u 100%. but as such a company has there own intersts, i, we, as end users have one to, and in the end, what gives u business? me,and all of them, and if a majority shares my own greef on this ( and the reasons are obvious, u gotta at least give me that), you as business, remain out of business, and in depth, cuz u didnt now how to manage it, and how to find a proper balance to things. i mean, all things aside, one would think, thar behind all the obvious reasons, a big corporation like that would be smart enough to find the right balance to satisfy the ones that gave them wings in the first place...and than comes greed, cuz people feel abused? i mean some of att attitude lets one to belive that they think they are untitled to reach in ones pockets like they do at times, using legal system flaws for their own interest, thus abusing ones ignorance, or not?

i admit, i do get passionate when stuff like that happens arround me, but i now that if i can do something about protecting my own wallet, i will, just as you have obligations to your shareholders, and think that u can achieve any goals by diminishing me as an end user. and im sorry, but something as lame as acusing me, an end user, of theft, is unacceptable, when we know where the acttual "thieves" are.

dont make me pay for your poor management...

You gotta give me that, cuz i feel u as someone who CAN see what im talkin about. This a 2 way street. Without us u dont exist, so take your nose from wherever it got stuck ( not u, of course, u know what i mean), and instead of finding the easy way out, cuz u got desprate( it is their own fault) , find the proper inteligent one, OR just give up and face reality. All abuse meets its end, at one point or another. If not, we are all just hungry animals, who dont evolve cuz of...whatever. see my point. Im not just ranting for no reason, but cuz somehow, someone gave me the gift to o see this pattern... please at least give me that!
[General Topics] dani26286:
i mean, its all about logic, and it so happens that now, most of us , are aware of some of that logic, and against att's one, and just cant and wont handle it anymore, as is. can u really blame any of us? u ask me to put my self in their shoes. i do, but i already have mine, and its just not comfortable anymore, and never will be as with tmo (read that COMMON SENSE...at least they knew how to sell that), or affordable, satisfying! half way, not all the way, just for your shareholders. thats the mentality that gets u banckrupt, att, the one u have, and its time to grow up, learn the lesson, and be mature!

i mean look at tmobile. 4th right? but look at how much support and loyalty they have, with all their flaws! u think that any of the other carriers would get something like that? let me give u the answer: NO!
[General Topics] Black6spdZ:
Good 101 on business economics but where in this lesson did General Motors fall? I don't for one second believe than any large corp such as AT&T follows general supply and demand.. more like demand and we have to follow with backing by the political machine. Sure.. even if it were a true monopoly we as the consumers don't have to have a cellular phone at all.. but lets face it, we are a very connected society today and they aren't going away anytime soon. At the end of all of this I may just lose the cutting edge smartphone "have had one since arguably the fist mpx-200" and pick up a simple Boost candy bar phone.
[General Topics] dani26286:
and after all of this that we try to put some light into, some dude who probably cant even manage a logical pattern, just calls me a troll... and i get censored and mocked. i mean, its the internet, and even if not so, i dont care to be honest, but come on man...
[General Topics] dani26286:
and thats where innovation stops! cuz people just cant or wont want to handle it anymore! its becoming to much to soon!
[General Topics] liquidmass:
internet is flipppping out over this. phew i would hate to work in their pr/customer service dept.
[General Topics] synaesthetic:
Come on, folks, use your brains. AT&T would be slitting their own throats if they just "flipped the switch" and forced people to immediately change over their service. T-Mobile customers would desert in, well, even bigger droves than they're already threatening to.

No, AT&T is going to make this transition as smooth, subtle and hard to notice by the average Joe as possible, so they can keep as many of T-Mobile's subscribers as possible. They already know loads are going to go sign with Verizon as soon as the deal's closed just out of principle--they won't want to scare any more off.

This isn't to say they'll leave T-Mobile subscribers alone... surely not! From AT&T's perspective, this is a delicate operation, akin to the old wives' tale about boiling a frog alive by slowly raising the heat so the frog doesn't notice.

Except this time it's T-Mobile's hapless customers that are the frogs.

As for myself, the moment my plan is altered--the moment I lose my 5GB data cap, or the moment my monthly bill rises even a dollar--I'm gone to Verizon. If this does not happen, if AT&T shocks everyone and learns a little from T-Mobile, I will likely stay.

... especially since, with AT&T bands, I can use a lot more European GSM phones on the network. So much for disabled sideloading of apps. :)
[General Topics] synaesthetic:
Sadly, petitions are mostly useless. If you really wish to protest this, you should write to the FCC and Justice Department.
[General Topics] Phateless:
They make a ****ty product and everybody knows it, flat out. The American guys knew the shifting market trends for years. Instead of building reliable and FUN economical cars they continued to try to shove trucks down our throats with 0% financing and cash rebates, despite declining truck sales year after year.

The American motor corporations deserved to fail because of GOOD OLD-FASHIONED STUPIDITY on the part of their CEOs.

I don't blame AT&T for doing this; it's just business. Strategically this is a great move FOR THEM.

I blame Deutsche Telekom for selling T-mobile because I think with the right administration T-mobile could be very profitable.
[General Topics] synaesthetic:
hahahaha

hahahahahahaaha

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

you must really be naive if you think Democrats slob the knob of their corporate masters any less than their GOP counterparts. Democrats love huge corporations--the bigger the corporation, the more they can tax!

There hasn't been any real difference in the two political parties in years. Both of them have sold their souls to their corporatist, robber-baron overlords.
[General Topics] dani26286:
EUROPE has one mentality, and U.S.A a pretty much different one...in a little bit more than a few things. that said, i stick with my folks, cuz i can understand why they didnt want to deal with square heads anymore. you gotta see it beyond that...they tried to implement a european model of making business (and i know cuz i've experienced it), and although the over saturated masses from here welcome it, big corporation lose the money their so used to.

for my end of the stick, this merger is unfair, and unacceptable. and there is no work around it what so ever, if/until at&tmobile decide to changer their policies and business views.
[General Topics] Binary100100:
So how many other GSM networks are in the United States that we can use our existing devices with other than AT&T?
[General Topics] Step666:
Thank you, a bit of common sense.

Just because the small print gives them the right to do what they want with the frequency bands, that doesn't mean they're going to do anything ridiculous with them.

And, again, this is all assuming that the take-over is approved in it's current form.
[General Topics] GnatGoSplat:
The petition is targeted towards the "FCC Chairmen".

If it were targeted towards TMO or AT&T execs, it would definitely be completely ignored.

Although I have a feeling the top brass at the FCC won't put much thought into an online petition either.
[General Topics] barrac28:
Good !:cool:
[General Topics] blushrts:
amen synaesthetic.
[General Topics] zuben el genubi:
The best I am hoping for is that someone pays attention to all the comments about shady practices and bad customer service. It sure looks like a lot of dirty laundry being hung out by former ATT customers.

I read a funny the other day where Comcast is supposedly getting employees to stuff the ballot box of the "Worst Company of the Year" or some such as Comcast doesn't want the award. If this is true, then social media "might" start embarrassing companies enough to do better. Or some regulatory agency watching for shady practices. "Slamming" was prevalent a few years ago. We got the DNC following complaints. It helps some.

BTW - I am with TM. I like the freedom of the choices I have. I intend to stay.
[General Topics] zuben el genubi:
As for keeping phones - I intend to keep my GS4G. I know it will be 2G/Edge, but for voice and text that doesn't seem to matter. I have a user on my account with a Nokia 6085! He's voice only, that's all he wants. So he'll keep the phone until it breaks.

If I get offloaded to a CDMA company, I will simply sign up for voice only, and go use my Sony UX-50. PDF's will still work, and the main program I'm interested in is still available for Palm. I'm using the phone primarily as a PDA anyway. I just got it for the easy to read screen.

I rooted the phone since I don't like all the extra crap. I'll get it unlocked next.

Z
[General Topics] ericgill:
Could see it coming...

The wonderful thing is that Deutsche Telekom has been looking to ditch T-Mobile for some time, due to poor market performance. It's painfully obvious from the iPhone/ATT thing that popular phones are what drive consumers to spend. Now that T-Mob has figured it out, looks like it's too late.
[General Topics] dani26286:
i agree with you on this one, cuz it would be suicide for att. but there are 2 teams here. att who sees and acts on their own interest, and us end users, who have all the givenn right to act the same way. although for you it is about the big picture, for us is more than personal,and we both depend on each other, but if u eat more than u can chew, you choke. again, can u really, objectively, honestly, if u truly put yourself in our shoes, blame us for being scared as we are, given history and shared knowledge that surrounds all of this fiasco?

bottom line is,how can we still trust someone with att history, after having the tmo experience. that, and the fact that the last couple of days my speed came down to half. i feel like on sprint, with barely a hint of a connection, att not t(h)rustworthy, and vzw just to god damn expensive, although i would jump ship to them right this instant! do u understand our frustration? no! cuz u got your own, and gotta act as such. so do we!
[General Topics] dani26286:
this would be so sweet if GOOGLE would come up with its own independent service, although SPRINT seems likely to become something like that, but cdma, bleahhh, no one is interested in that, but if tmo would of been bought. another story, but att would of been extinct in that case, so money talks. WE AS END USERS ALSO TALK, WE INVENTED TALKING.PURE BREAD PROFESSIONALS, FROM NATURE.

it would be perfection for us android tmobilers, an everyone else in between ...that would be interested in something like that!

im telling u it as easy as 1 plus 1.

p.s.: thank you xda for putting the 2 together! i just realized it by mistake! :)
[General Topics] caffeinated chris:
amen to that brotha