4 ms·

>Can we please have this in the US? Absolutely not. How about not requiring an ID? There are plenty of carriers here that don't do that.

by swiley 5y ago

astura 5y ago
A post paid phone plan in the US is a contract with a rotating line if credit - that is why the ID is required. If you don't want to show id there's plenty of prepaid options (including with TMobile). You can also pay someone else to put you on their plan - the carrier only has the identification information for the plan owner.
- wil421 5y ago
  Just to add. Mint Mobile offers prepaid plans and doesn’t require a SSN. Harvard has a list I found on google. https://www.hio.harvard.edu/telephone-service https://www.hio.harvard.edu/telephone-service
- toast0 5y ago
  With today's postpaid plans that have almost no way to get an overage, what's the point of setting it up to require credit? The postpaid plans are usually more expensive than prepaid, and they require a SSN and I'm not going to make the difference back by investing the payment for a month.
  - cma 5y ago
    Because late fees are a primary profit source for cell carriers.
  - memco 5y ago
    When I asked about this on AT&T I was told that prepaid plans do not qualify for some type of peering system that increases coverage and reception by using other carrier's towers: I haven't looked into it more, but if this is true this would be a potential factor in choosing post-paid over pre-paid. Would love to know if this is true for AT&T or all carriers as if I can get pre-paid service of the same level as a post-paid plan I would make the switch.
  - astura 5y ago
    Carriers also have financing and/or renting of expensive equipment (phones) as part of their post paid plans. This is a very big deal for many people. Post paid plans can also have a minimum term/termination fees, which the carrier would be interested in collecting. Post-paid plans are also often grandfathered when prices increase for new customers.
    - swiley 5y ago
      So despite small ARM computers costing almost nothing these companies have managed to get everyone to overpay for and finance them then publish their SSN. Anything that touches the phone network is cursed.

>Can we please have this in the US? Absolutely not. How about not requiring an ID? There are plenty of carriers here that don't do that.

by swiley 5y ago

>Can we please have this in the US? Absolutely not. How about not requiring an ID? There are plenty of carriers here that don't do that.

astura 5y ago

A post paid phone plan in the US is a contract with a rotating line if credit - that is why the ID is required. If you don't want to show id there's plenty of prepaid options (including with TMobile). You can also pay someone else to put you on their plan - the carrier only has the identification information for the plan owner.

wil421 5y ago
Just to add. Mint Mobile offers prepaid plans and doesn’t require a SSN. Harvard has a list I found on google. https://www.hio.harvard.edu/telephone-service https://www.hio.harvard.edu/telephone-service
toast0 5y ago
With today's postpaid plans that have almost no way to get an overage, what's the point of setting it up to require credit? The postpaid plans are usually more expensive than prepaid, and they require a SSN and I'm not going to make the difference back by investing the payment for a month.
- cma 5y ago
  Because late fees are a primary profit source for cell carriers.
- memco 5y ago
  When I asked about this on AT&T I was told that prepaid plans do not qualify for some type of peering system that increases coverage and reception by using other carrier's towers: I haven't looked into it more, but if this is true this would be a potential factor in choosing post-paid over pre-paid. Would love to know if this is true for AT&T or all carriers as if I can get pre-paid service of the same level as a post-paid plan I would make the switch.
- astura 5y ago
  Carriers also have financing and/or renting of expensive equipment (phones) as part of their post paid plans. This is a very big deal for many people. Post paid plans can also have a minimum term/termination fees, which the carrier would be interested in collecting. Post-paid plans are also often grandfathered when prices increase for new customers.
  - swiley 5y ago
    So despite small ARM computers costing almost nothing these companies have managed to get everyone to overpay for and finance them then publish their SSN. Anything that touches the phone network is cursed.