Update: Adding in an image below from internal T-Mobile systems showing that you can change the rate plan without question!
I just tweeted about this and saw Engadget already discussed it this morning, but the notion that Google is only allowing new customers the full discount price on the Nexus One sucks. I understand that customers who just bought a phone with a subsidy two months ago don’t deserve another subsidy while still paying for the first one. I get that argument and it makes sense and I take no issue with it. I take serious issue however with upgrade eligible customers not being given the full discount and it seems as though they are getting rear ended by Google. That just sucks and it’s unacceptable. On that note, the single rate plan being shuffled around is also in a word: crap. One single rate plan choice for 500 minutes, thanks but I would have used that up since the announcement yesterday.
There is a long debate on whether or not loyal customers deserve the bigger discount or do new customers deserve more incentive to switch over? That’s the case here as it seems as though only new customers are being given the benefit of a lower up front price and I think that sucks. Aside from that, the idea that only one rate plan is available drastically limits the draw of the phone in the first place and I can only wonder if Verizon will be given the same restrictions. I don’t blame T-Mobile here, I blame Google and their “open” speak seems to be “open” but only as they see fit. Perhaps I do not understand all this as well as I should as I was missing in action most of the day yesterday and only started this morning to really catch up. As I understand it though, there is one rate plan, only new customers get the discount and this phone is supposed to bring world peace. That about sum it up? While I understand there may be workarounds regarding the single rate plan, the fact that it was decided in the first place that only one limited rate plan with the least amount of limits available be enforced is lunacy. Even Apple isn’t so bold to ask for such a thing.
I want to hear your thoughts. Am I totally off my rocker or do the carriers need to step up and earn their keep by putting some pressure on Google rather than the other way around? I know it would be shocking to see the carriers be the good guys but T-Mobile needs to go to bat for their own right now.
Let the comments fly.