C Spire Launching iPhone on November 11th, 'Unlimited' Non-Streaming Data and 500 Minutes for $50

Streaming restrictions? Give me a break. Data should be data.

And while we're on the same topic, minutes should be minutes. None of this daytime/evenings at 6pm garbage. These cell phone companies will do so many dumb things to make an extra buck.

How do they differentiate between a streaming connection and regular downloads?

No streaming???? LOL.

Thats like...."Here, take these keys to a brand new Porsche....its yours. But um....it has no wheels."

DOH!

What a rip off.

No streaming on the cheaper "unlimited" plans. Were you planning on paying an unlimited amount of money for unlimited service?

They offer a more expensive unlimited data with streaming included.

The thing about streaming is that it is a constant stream of bits which puts a sustained load on the network and adds up very quickly.

Available 11.11.11??? wtf

It's a cult thing. I would steer clear of it.

Wow, very interesting turn. Now I wonder if Virgin Mobile might get the iPhone 4s next year.

I have to have my streaming, but I can see for those who don't use it often, this is a great way to save some cash. Boy these plans are getting complicated!

C Spire is a MVNO Operator

FYI - C Spire (Previous Cellular South, Inc) is a MVNO operator, not a true carrier. (They do own some AWS Spectrum).

MVNO stands for Mobile Virtual Network Operator. Basically, they're companies like TracFone which offer cell phone service on the big carrier networks under their own brand. The MVNO cuts a deal wholesale with Verizon/Sprint/AT&T/T-Mobile for traffic on their nets, then turns around and sells that capacity at retail to customers.

Usually MVNOs try to target people who aren't being served by big carriers, or who the MVNOs think aren't being served. For instance, there's Jitterbug, which is cheap, low-usage phones with large-print buttons and displays for the elderly (Is that still around?). Or there's TracFone and it's sub-unit Straight Talk, which do cheap pre-paid. Most MVNOs are, in fact, brands for pre-paid service.

Some other MVNOs have tried to target other demographics, even "high end" users. Like Amp'd Mobile, which was one of the first providers to offer an unlimited talk plan. (Now deceased.)

The upside of an MVNO is that they'll offer deals you don't get from the big carriers. The downside is twofold. One, you usually don't get any smartphone options. Two, they're not as reliable as the big boys. Take Amp'd for instance--they got started in 2005, and were out of business in 2007. So even if you find something which works for you, you might find out it doesn't last. The only way MVNOs can make their plans more attractive than the other carriers is by lowering their margins, which doesn't lead to great revenue numbers.

Today, the majority of US MVNOs run on the Sprint network, although T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T each have some. (And C-Spire is on Verizon.)

No streaming???? LOL.

Thats like...."Here, take these keys to a brand new Porsche....its yours. But um....it has no wheels."

Hmm, more like, "for driving on city streets only -- no highways".

I don't know their internal decision making, but if I were to hazard a guess, I would say telcos use night/day minutes due to usage. Since most people would probably talk more during the night than the day, nights probably use more bandwidth. So telcos probably try to spread the call time evenly over the entire day rather than have huge spikes. That's my theory, feel free to (respectfully) correct me.

but nights are free....so your theory is incorrect

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nah u can do better

i pay 35$ for unlimited data, text & calls

but you live in Germany...

The prices worldwide for 3G or 4G network access are still a symbol for the distance we have between us and the "always online society".