topic Re: Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers in Community Chat

Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers

ciao_bella — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 11:16:22 GMT

Just read this online on Forbes, Bloomberg, etc.

Amazon has reportedly been in talks with AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and Dish to negotiate low wholesale prices that could offer Prime members free wireless plans or plans as low as $10 a month, Bloomberg reported, citing anonymous sources close to the matter.

Amazon would act as a reseller or mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), allowing it to set its own prices.

Amazon’s talks have been ongoing for close to two months, and could continue for several more, Bloomberg reported.

Re: Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers

Jo1313 — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 12:24:12 GMT

As long as Tracfone(Verizon) has "pay as you go" I will stay with them..Never had a problem with them in over 20 yrs.

$125 including a new phone and 1500 minutes a year.. plus rollovers..is great for me.

Re: Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers

Sunshine Kate — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 12:37:41 GMT

@Jo1313 wrote:
As long as Tracfone(Verizon) has "pay as you go" I will stay with them..Never had a problem with them in over 20 yrs.
$125 including a new phone and 1500 minutes a year.. plus rollovers..is great for me.

Is that $125 per month or per year? Just curious. I've never heard of Tracfone.

Re: Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers

hckynutjohn — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 13:44:23 GMT

@Sunshine Kate wrote:
@Jo1313 wrote:
As long as Tracfone(Verizon) has "pay as you go" I will stay with them..Never had a problem with them in over 20 yrs.
$125 including a new phone and 1500 minutes a year.. plus rollovers..is great for me.

Is that $125 per month or per year? Just curious. I've never heard of Tracfone.

@Sunshine Kate

TracFone has been around for a couple decades. I have been using them for many, many years.

My current phone is a very smart Samsung model. I paid under $60 delivered for 1 year service and 1500 each for/minutes/text/mb of data.

Figured out over a year my monthly cost is $4.99.

hckynut🥅🏒 🇺🇸

Re: Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers

JoyFilled Warrior — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 15:51:33 GMT

Hi @ciao_bella

Thanks for the "heads up" abt these Amazon Prime, Cable Svc talks. I wasnt aware.

I hope to stay 4Brea5t, & perhaps go for it, if it comes to be, with a great price & svc. I'm already a new Prime member, & at least temporarily plan to continue..

For decades, I too used the HSN/QVC Tracfone 1500 minutes/yr, phone purchase, without problems, (& unused minutes/texts/data/ "rollover," as long as add new minutes before year expiration)

Until this last year, under pressure from my sister, (due to my increased tumbles), agreeing to join the $200/yr TracFone Unlimited, which so far has worked out really well. So far, seemed to be "the best bang for the buck" as far as Cell Phone Svc Plans.

My caution is, I remember eons ago, Costco raised their yrly membership fee in anticipation of additionally offering Costco Cable Svc. The Cable talks fell thru, but the increased Costco membership fee remained higher, (of course heh) I hope Amz Prime doesnt do this with their Fee also. On the alert.

Re: Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers

Jo1313 — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 15:40:07 GMT

@Sunshine Kate

That's $125 for the year..all paid at once..

Including a new Samsung A23 with 1500 minutes of airtime,1500 text messages plus data.It's used mainly for emergencies..I have close to 20,000 talk minutes.they roll over.

Don't think any other company does roll over minutes.

Re: Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers

icezeus — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 16:10:35 GMT

I read this article yesterday and what was clear to me was that in no way is this even close to happening. In fact two of the cell phone companies that were listed in the article said that they were not in talks with Amazon for this. The article that I read was not through Forbes.

The whole possibility of this happening came across to me as a maybe at best.

Re: Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers

songbird — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 15:25:21 GMT

I've never in my life had a tracfone. I just never wanted to. I always buy an unlocked phone (from Amazon) then go shopping for a carrier. I've been doing this since I got my first smart phone. Suits me fine.

Re: Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers

patbz — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:43:30 GMT

Re: Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers

Cakers3 — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 18:00:25 GMT

I have only seen that AT&T, Verizon and one other carrier have announced that they are in no negotiations with Amazon right now and possibly never.

Remember the Amazon Fire Phone? Didn't that drop to 99¢ and then discontinued as a failure?

Not sure what Bezos is trying to accomplish here but is there a decline in Prime memberships or, most likely, is he trying to justify another looming membership price hike?🤔

Re: Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers

jackiejenny — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 18:22:57 GMT

I hope not.

I never want to see one company think they can take over the world.

Re: Amazon In Negotiation for Low Cost Cell Phone Service w/ Popular Cell Carriers

buyornot — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 04:49:31 GMT

@jackiejenny wrote:
I hope not.

I never want to see one company think they can take over the world.

Amazon does it pretty well though, they sure have been a very big help to me-they have a lot to do with me being able to stay in my home alone.