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Message
Phone Companies Are Colluding To Keep Service Plans High
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:37 pm
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:37 pm
I've been shopping cell phone companies over the holiday season for deals and there seems to be basically zero competition among them. In other words not one of the companies seemed very eager to lower prices in order to get my business. They all have bullshite deals to buy out your contract or let you pay for your phone over literally 30 months or more in some cases, but the larger companies with decent cell range all want ~$100+ for a reasonable data plan and cell phone service. As technology advances and more players enter the field you would think that service plans would eventually go down in price, but it seems that the exact opposite has occurred. This leads me to believe that there may be collusion by major providers to continue increasing the cost of service plans. I could be wrong.
14
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:40 pm to DaTroof
quote:
This leads me to believe that there may be collusion by major providers to continue increasing the cost of service plans.
A free market is a market economy system in which the prices for goods and services are set freely by consent between vendors and consumers, in which the laws and forces of supply and demand are free from any intervention by a government, price-setting monopoly, or other authority.
ETA - they could charge double what they do now and people would still pay it.
This post was edited on 12/30/15 at 1:42 pm
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:40 pm to DaTroof
There are plenty of options, you just may not be willing to use them. Have you looked at Republic, Straight Talk, Boost, Virgin Mobile, etc. or are you only interested in the majors?
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:42 pm to DaTroof
quote:
This leads me to believe that there may be collusion by major providers to continue increasing the cost of service plans.
Impossible, there's laws against that.
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:43 pm to DaTroof
Cell phone service is a commodity at this point. Think of gas. When you drive by one gas station you see a price, you will not see the gas station on the other side of the street with a wildly different price or type of gas. When one station makes a price move the other makes a price move. Their moves are not secret. They are advertised for all to see.
Companies like Apple are even removing the hardware from the cell phone providers. Apple offers monthly plans to buy and trade in phones and go to any service provider you want.
Companies like Apple are even removing the hardware from the cell phone providers. Apple offers monthly plans to buy and trade in phones and go to any service provider you want.
This post was edited on 12/30/15 at 1:48 pm
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:44 pm to LucasP
quote:
Impossible, there's laws against that.
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:44 pm to TheAlmightySmash
quote:
prices for goods and services are set freely by consent between vendors and consumers
And surreptitious collusion among major providers would obviously undermine this concept.
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:47 pm to lsu13lsu
cell phone service market changes everyday
what you are used to now will seem like a ridiculous memory in a few years
there is no collusion, simply a complex market with very many variables
what you are used to now will seem like a ridiculous memory in a few years
there is no collusion, simply a complex market with very many variables
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:50 pm to DaTroof
There is no fantasy company that gives you like for like service at half the cost (and profit margin) of the competition. You're not going to stroll into AT&T and threaten to leave with them chasing you out the door begging on their hands and knees. Come on man. It's a business.
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:53 pm to SlowFlowPro
quote:
have you priced Ting?
I haven't, but I have friends and family that are with smaller name providers and they all seem to have issues when traveling. I travel across the U.S. and use my phone alot, so one of the major providers is a must for me.
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:54 pm to DaTroof
If you continue to pay regardless of price why should they lower it? Cancel your data plan. Get your friends to cancel their plans too.
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:55 pm to DaTroof
Not looking forward to spreading my cheeks for 24 month Easy Pay/Lease being the industry standard...I know that much.
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:57 pm to DaTroof
I pay 50 a month for unlimited data, calls, and texting from T-Mobile. Am I getting hosed?
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:58 pm to Waffle House
You are correct.
The companies are in competition. Just not in price for the majors. They just compete to provide better service and keep the price standard. If you want a cheaper service, go get it. They are out there. But their service and options are limited
The companies are in competition. Just not in price for the majors. They just compete to provide better service and keep the price standard. If you want a cheaper service, go get it. They are out there. But their service and options are limited
Posted on 12/30/15 at 1:59 pm to DaTroof
Posted on 12/30/15 at 2:03 pm to DaTroof
This is why the DOT was investigating the airlines for collusion on airfare. Oil prices have decreased, airfare has stayed the same (except when I find it cheap and present it to the OT). Would not surprise me in the least if this was going on with the cell phone carriers.
Posted on 12/30/15 at 2:09 pm to CuseTiger
The DOT is trying to investigate the Illuminati??
Good luck.
Good luck.
Posted on 12/30/15 at 2:09 pm to CuseTiger
They don't need your business to make money. All of them can charge what they want to and make billions of dollars.
No harm intended, it's just business.
You wil get over it just like the rest of us have
No harm intended, it's just business.
You wil get over it just like the rest of us have
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