Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 95

OmniSky plans to charge $54.95 - $59.95 per month for Compaq iPaqs users. The reason for the price increase is because the company says there is a difference to its initial research showing that iPaq owners tend to log on more than Palm or Jornada users. Isn't unlimited logon's and usage in the contract? So if Palm users start logging on more than Ipaq users, their gonna raise the price on us to. I think that it's already too expensive for the speed and service we're getting from Omnisky or Yada Yada. I think a data capable Phone and service from AT&T or Verizon is much cheaper and a more reliable alternative.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: San Diego, CA USA
Posts: 89

Not for the next year at least

quote:

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their gonna raise the price on us to.

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Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 95

I�m not guaranteeing that they�ll raise the price for palm users right now. What I�m trying to say is that the reason they raised the price for iPaq owners was because Omnisky says they are using the service more than Palm users or anyone else. Omnisky offers unlimited usage, so why would they start complaining now about to many logons if unlimited logons/usage is what they advertise. So what happens when there is a large boost of usage from Palm and Handspring users or any other PDA group? I�m sure that they make up some excuse and raise the price. What happens when 3rd Generation Networks kick in? They charging Ipaq owners $59.95 now for 19000 bps, what do you think they charge for 3G? And that�s if you can even use your current hardware with 3G. I�ve email both Yada and Omnisky about the Minstrel S being operable on 3G networks and have yet to get a reply back from them.

Here is a thread on 3G networks. http://discussion.visorcentral.com/...?threadid=13843
Here is a cnet article on Omniskys new pricing. http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-200-5865992.html

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: San Diego, CA USA
Posts: 89

Not that unusual

Brooklyn, it is also often the case that when a platform costs more, then so do the peripherals and associated software. For instance, it is generally cheaper to buy a disk drive for a PC than it is to buy the same drive for a Unix box (Solaris, HP etc.). Same goes for the software... you can buy the same database software for NT as you can for Solaris (Oracle, Informix, Sybase etc.), but the Unix versions will cost you more.

Probably the same reasoning that iPAQ owners will pay more. First of all their device costs more than other PDAs, so their owners probably have more disposable income. And two, there are more Palm devices out there than iPAQ devices. Economy of scale... with fewer potential sales for the iPAQ, they will have to charge more for the service to make it worth doing.

As with any of these technologies their viable time in the market is limited. When new technologies arrive then we will have to ditch our current wireless devices and buy new peripherals that are compatible with the new networks. And the new networks will probably be competitively priced in order to woo new customers to switch over from the older established networks.

Besides, even if they do raise their price in a year, I can always switch to another carrier. Since OmniSky is buying time from Verizon and AT&T networks. The consumer (you) can do the same thing. Often at a lower price than what OmniSky is charging.

Brooklyn, you sound like you are upset about this and so far it doesn't affect us in the Palm world. As a good friend of mine once said "Worry is interest paid in advance on a debt you may never owe". So, please don't worry about this until it happens. And if it does, then we will vote with our dollars...

Registered: Apr 2001
Location:
Posts: 21

Can it be a speed thing

Doesnt the Compaq iPaqs users use a faster connection the palm devices? if it does that might be the diffrence in price.