faunt@cisco.com (Doug Faunt N6TQS 415-688-8269) (07/08/90)
The Radio Shack CT-102 is for sale for $299. What does the Telecom collective conciousness think of the unit? Are there better deals available in the SF Bay area? What is the lowest base cost rate available for service in the Bay Area? Thanx for the information.
Lars Poulsen <lars@spectrum.cmc.com> (07/11/90)
In article <9543@accuvax.nwu.edu> faunt@cisco.com (Doug Faunt) writes: >The Radio Shack CT-102 is for sale for $299. What does the Telecom >collective conciousness think of the unit? Are there better deals >available in the SF Bay area? What is the lowest base cost rate >available for service in the Bay Area? Radio Shack's ads indicate that the $299 price is conditional on signing up for service "with certain minimum commitments" with the carrier indicated by the vendor, and that the price is $599 if you just want the phone. A footnote says something like "service commitment does not apply where prohibited by state law". I seem to remember that the California PUC ruled against dealer kickbacks. This raises several questions, which I am sure somebody can answer: (1) Is the CPUC ruling a "state law" ? (2) When the "service commitment does not apply", which price applies ? If I can buy the phone for $299 with no strings attached, I might spring for it, just to be able to take it with when travelling. (Would I be eligible for roamer service if I did not have a subscription active at home ? What is the cheapest base subscription anywhere in the country if I needed a "phantom home" ?) Lars Poulsen, SMTS Software Engineer CMC Rockwell lars@CMC.COM
faunt@cisco.com (Doug Faunt N6TQS 415-688-8269) (07/11/90)
Lars Poulsen writes: >Radio Shack's ads indicate that the $299 price is conditional on >signing up for service "with certain minimum commitments" with the >carrier indicated by the vendor, and that the price is $599 if you >just want the phone. I checked that first. You can get the telephone for $299, no strings attached, in California, since the PUC ruling. Doug Faunt
john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) (07/11/90)
Lars Poulsen <lars@spectrum.cmc.com> writes: > (1) Is the CPUC ruling a "state law" ? > (2) When the "service commitment does not apply", which price applies ? For practical purposes the CPUC ruling is law. RS cannot require you to sign up for service when you buy the unit. > If I can buy the phone for $299 with no strings attached, I might > spring for it, just to be able to take it with when travelling. (Would > I be eligible for roamer service if I did not have a subscription > active at home ? What is the cheapest base subscription anywhere in > the country if I needed a "phantom home" ?) You must have service from someone somewhere before you can roam. This is necessary for your unit to have a unique telephone number that isn't on a reject list. Besides price, be sure that your "token" home system has roaming agreements with the carriers you want in the areas you want. For instance, I have been told that LA Cellular has roaming agreements with almost no one. This can make roaming a real chore outside of the greater LA area. John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@bovine.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !
PMW1@psuvm.psu.edu (Peter M. Weiss) (07/11/90)
In our little 'berg (actually State College, PA), RS requires a three month service agreement with the B-wire carrier CellularPlus. I think that they waive the one-time service initiation charge, which does _not_ include physical install nor mobile antenna. And since you will be entering into a service agreement at the $299 price, then they (Cell+) will run a credit check against you. Peter M. Weiss | pmw1@psuvm or @vm.psu.edu 31 Shields Bldg | University Park, PA USA 16802 | Disclaimer -* +* applies herein
brian@apt.bungi.com (Brian Litzinger) (07/19/90)
From article <9577@accuvax.nwu.edu>, by lars@spectrum.cmc.com (Lars Poulsen): > In article <9543@accuvax.nwu.edu> faunt@cisco.com (Doug Faunt) writes: >>The Radio Shack CT-102 is for sale for $299. What does the Telecom >>collective conciousness think of the unit? I can't speak for the 'Telecom collective conciousness', however, I like the phone. > Radio Shack's ads indicate that the $299 price is conditional on > signing up for service "with certain minimum commitments" In California you are not required to sign up with their carrier and you still get the $299 price. You simply pay the $299 plus state and local sales tax and carry the phone out of the store. You can then have the service activated by anyone you wish. Also the units are field programmable so getting them activated is pretty easy. I and several of my friends have done so. Most of use have added a battery and some small circuitry and made transportables out of the units. The unit is actually a Nokia-Moriba (sp?), which is sold by Nokia ... (sp?) as a car-portable, i.e. easily transported from car to car because the base unit is so small. But just add a battery and you've got a transportable. And for your information: Standby Current: 0.25 Amps @ 12 Volts Active Current: 1.50 Amps @ 12 Volts (at least in my unit as tested with a bench power supply) (and HP current meter) By the way, I've was able to avoid the $25 activation fee. I'd been looking for a cellular phone for awhile and several of the companies I'd left cards at had called me to see if I had bought a phone or needed cellular service. Just about all of them were willing to waive the $25 connect fee. Also, just about all the custom calling features are free. The company I liked the best is called 'Communication Specialists' and they are located in the Jet Center at the San Jose Airport. You can reach them at 408 294 8656. (Please try to be discreet about the $25 being waived). I'm not affiliated when 'Communication Specialists' except that I am a customer. <> Brian Litzinger @ APT Technology Inc., San Jose, CA <> brian@apt.bungi.com {apple,sun,pyramid}!daver!apt!brian <> Disclaimer: Above are my opinions and probably wrong.
faunt@cisco.com (Doug Faunt N6TQS 415-688-8269) (07/19/90)
Thanks for the information. I went into a Radio Shack last night to buy one, but they didn't have one, so they cheerfully gave me a "rain check" that gives me the right to buy one for the $299. through the middle of September. Also, one of the salespeople said that $299. for that one, and $499. for the hand-held were going to be the new regular price "soon".
srm@dimacs.rutgers.edu (Scott R. Myers) (07/26/90)
Typically when Radio Shack puts an item on sale a few times during a short time period or once for quite a long time it either means the will be selling it at that regular price or the are discontinuing it for a newer model which probably will still be around the same sale price. That's been my experience with them so that information is more than likely true. Scott R. Myers Snail: 1418 Kerbaugh St Phone: (215)225-1622(HOME) Philadelphia, PA 19140 Arpa: srm@topaz.rutgers.edu Uucp: ..!topaz!srm