Why so expensive?

[Mark60]

I have a basic phone with a service other than Verizon, and get 100 minutes for $10 a month.  The minutes roll over and it's more than enough minutes for me.  Why does Verizon charge THREE times more?   BTW ... the service I get uses the Verizon network.  Plus, the Samsung phones they're charging $50 or $100 for online can be bought at Walmart for $1.   Does Verizon want to make customers mad ... or do they just not care? 

[Ann154]

The MVNO doesn't have to maintain the network it uses since it is "leasing" signal space on the Verizon Wireless towers. A Verizon Wireless customer is helping to pay for the tower installation and maintenance including what the MVNOs use.

[vzw___bestoftheworst]

so in other words. were expensive because we can be, and so can all the other compnies

[#4]

If you are happy with your current provider why does it matter? And not to sound rude but no I don't think Verizon very much cares about having a bunch of $10 a month customers with flip phones. They are trying to get people off of basic phones. Eventually their 2G and 3G networks will be shut down. No one makes a 4G basic phone. Heck hardly anyone make basic phones period

[acraftylady]

If that's all you need is talk and the coverage is good then stick to the service you have. Some people like my husband have to stick to Verizon. He just has a basic talk and text phone but has to be on Verizon as besides AT&T that is the only carrier that works where he travels to work every day since it's out in the boonies. I was on T-Mobile for a year with truly unlimited 4g data, unlimited talk and text and 3g mobile hot spot for $50 a month no contract but most times I only got 2g where I traveled and it was so slow it wasn't worth it but the calling and texting were good and I had to pay a high price for my phone since you get no phone deals and have to buy the phone out right and the good smart phones are expensive retail. Now at least the areas I go too with Verizon I get 4g lte or 3g which is much better. Mary

[Mark60]

I have to use Verizon too .. because it’s the only provider that works well in my area. However Verizon is taking advantage of buyers not understanding the concept of “buyer beware”. My TracPhone uses the Verizon network. It does however depend on which TracePhone you use, and I admit it’s not easy to determine which ones use Verizon’s network. Either way, I’m getting Verizon service, for 1/3 the cost, by not letting Verizon stick it to me.

[#7]

No one is taking advantage of you. You're not even a Verizon customer so how are they taking advantage of you? Also its very easy to tell which phones use Verizon's network. Look at the model number the ones that end in a C are for CDMA networks like Verizon the ones that end in a G are for GSM networks like At&t

[Mark60]

Thank you. That’s exactly the kind of information I am trying to make more public. Yes … I am a Verizon customer; I have an iPhone with them for the wife. If she was willing, I’d drop that account ASAP. I use to have an Android with Verizon, but never felt the monthly data fee was worth it, so transferred that number to a basic TracPhone account as soon as that contract was up. That’s when I found out that the industry is taking advantage of the unknowing.

[#9]

People CHOOSE to be unknowing.

[acraftylady]

Helped a friend set up her trac phone and the browser was horribly clunky and slow and that was connected to her high speed internet at home. Can't imagine using trac phone's internet what it would be like. Calling was fine though and she doesn't text as it would take from her minutes. Then other friend got one and she wanted to install the apps from the craft stores to get the coupons right on her phone and no can do as I didn't see anyway to get apps on the darn phone. Mary