Meteor won't LET me have the Hero.....

Tusky

chrislad wrote: »

I still don't see why a massive issue is being made. Firstly, the first 30 days of your internet is free when you upgrade or get a FTC.

Is that only for billpay or for PAYG also ?

rizzee

Just Bill Pay.

Tusky

Would love if there was some sort of 'data pack' option on payg.

wobbles

I personally dont agree with the compulsary add on. However i can see where meteor are coming from with this. Why you would by a Hero and not have access to the internet is beyond me. Its designed to be constantly connected to the internet to update inboxs, profiles etc.

Signing a waiver is the only way that i can see to avoid this. That way, the store and customer care can say, 'well you were informed of the costs and choose to not to get the add on.' That way theres no way customers can blame the store/customer care for 'not being told'.

Meteor are only trying to solve a problem before it happens. How they are enforcing that may not be the best, but they are entitled to do what they want on their network.

Walkman

Meteor will let you have the Hero they just want you to get the add on too. as mentioned get it with the add on then remove it, no big deal

dragona

Walkman wrote: »

Meteor will let you have the Hero they just want you to get the add on too. as mentioned get it with the add on then remove it, no big deal

That is obviously my only option. Though pretty pointless.I would quite happily sign a waiver if it were offered! I was just told no phone without add on. Oh well!

Bluefoam

dragona wrote: »

That is obviously my only option. Though pretty pointless.I would quite happily sign a waiver if it were offered! I was just told no phone without add on. Oh well!

Just be careful, android does so much in the background that it eats data. - I've used 150MB in a couple of days, just fluting about. If you do get one, you should delete all the data settings.

I can't blame Meteor asking you to sign up for the data plan, it is a subsidised phone. If you get an iPhone with O2, they screw you on monthly subscription charges + the price of the phone + make you sign up for 18 months.

ryanmatty

Just turn of connecting to the mobile network by going to:
Menu
Wireless Controls
Mobile Network
and turn it off

This stops ur phone for using the mobile network to connect the net

Zombrex

Bluefoam wrote: »

I can't blame Meteor asking you to sign up for the data plan, it is a subsidised phone.

I think that hit the nail on the head

The phone costs 500 euro Meteor give it to you for 99 euro. They will obviously want something for that reduction, and since it is an smart phone that makes a lot of use out of Google web apps (really I think the OP buying a Hero and only using it on Wifi it is a bit of a waste of a phone) it is obvious to push data plans.

Data plans are the future, that is where all the money is going to be made in the next couple of years. The Hero is Meteor's iPhone. It seems reasonable that they would use it to push data plans.

I still think Meteor's data plans are too expensive though, with the Hero you probably need Unlimited (I went through 250MB in a few days just watching a few YouTube clips on the bus home), which is 15 euro on top of my current bill.

Dankoozy

Wicknight wrote: »

I think that hit the nail on the head

The phone costs 500 euro Meteor give it to you for 99 euro. They will obviously want something for that reduction, and since it is an smart phone that makes a lot of use out of Google web apps (really I think the OP buying a Hero and only using it on Wifi it is a bit of a waste of a phone) it is obvious to push data plans.

how integrated is all the googlestuff in the OS? surely you can remove and use stand-alone apps since so many are available?

Bluefoam

Dankoozy wrote: »

how integrated is all the googlestuff in the OS? surely you can remove and use stand-alone apps since so many are available?

Seriously, there is a huge amount of data passed back and forth. Nearly all the apps I've used have been using data in the background - there really is no point in having this phone without a data plan... You could turn off data, but you'd be better of buying a cheaper more simple phone if you just plan on using wifi.

The hero is great at browsing etc... but the big benefit is all the passive stuff it does, and all the apps, that their own agenda...

the_manchine

It may not be possible to disable everything on it as you'd like. Especially as it's what the phone is designed to do.
I found that using google maps on my Omnia used to bring up a data connection every X mins even though I thought I'd closed the app. Unless the average user knows what to look for in terms of symbols indicating that the phone is online they could get stung.

Dankoozy

Bluefoam wrote: »

Seriously, there is a huge amount of data passed back and forth. Nearly all the apps I've used have been using data in the background - there really is no point in having this phone without a data plan... You could turn off data, but you'd be better of buying a cheaper more simple phone if you just plan on using wifi.

The hero is great at browsing etc... but the big benefit is all the passive stuff it does, and all the apps, that their own agenda...

and most of that data is probably wasted/unnecessary phone home & statistic-collecting data and sent in verbose formats like JSON and XML.

are these apps non-removable or something? surely there is a way of disabling them without turning off data altogether

Kohhal

I went down to pay(€160) for and collect my HTC Hero from Meteor in Liffey Valley which I had reserved. Getting it on the Connect 20, 18 month contract with €5 data for €25/month all in. Then I'm told, i have to pay a €300eur DEPOSIT on the phone??? Ridiculous!!!! (so basically pay for the phone and then they want the first year in bills up front too)

Does anyone know if this guy in the shop is correct? If so it's madness, I walked out...

dave13

I think this is usually if you have a no/bad credit rating.

samhail

yeah its all part of their credit rating system.
absolutely nothing the guy in the shop could have done about it.
its not the worst deposit people have had to pay.

Kohhal

Don't understand it, 160 for phone, 300 deposit and commit to 18 month contract - makes no sense

brianblaze

Kohhal wrote: »

I went down to pay(€160) for and collect my HTC Hero from Meteor in Liffey Valley which I had reserved. Getting it on the Connect 20, 18 month contract with €5 data for €25/month all in. Then I'm told, i have to pay a €300eur DEPOSIT on the phone??? Ridiculous!!!! (so basically pay for the phone and then they want the first year in bills up front too)

Does anyone know if this guy in the shop is correct? If so it's madness, I walked out...

Happens all the time, for no good reason. Even on sim only, 1 month contract connections... The most I've seen them do is take it down to e100, but you will have to pay.

Nothing that the guys in store could have done about it.

chrislad

Believe me, the staff member was just as annoyed as you!

long_b

Kohhal wrote: »

Don't understand it, 160 for phone, 300 deposit and commit to 18 month contract - makes no sense

I'd imagine it's to guard against people running up ridiculous bills and then legging it ?

cojomo2

brianblaze wrote: »

Happens all the time, for no good reason. Even on sim only, 1 month contract connections... The most I've seen them do is take it down to e100, but you will have to pay.

Nothing that the guys in store could have done about it.

no you won't.. This happened to me, their system is a joke.. Went into grafton st, they wanted 50 euro deposit, I refused, later was in dun laoighre , wanted 300! I rang them up to express my feelings.. Theyvtold ne to put it in writing, so I scanned a letter and mailed it to them , no reply after over a week, rang again and got talking to a rude credit control manager and eventually got the deposit waived...

My girlfriend is joining meteor soon, I'm dreading the though of the whole process again..their system stinks and is totally random..

Kohhal

long_b wrote: »

I'd imagine it's to guard against people running up ridiculous bills and then legging it ?

Why ask for ID and proof of address so. And nowhere in any terms and conditions are deposits mentioned, reeks of false advertising if you ask me

docentore

I didn't even had a proper bill just printout of e-bill and worked fine. No deposit or whatsoever taken. But I was porting from three and going with surf tariff.

Kohhal

I went into the Grafton St. store a couple days ago and got the phone, not even a mention of a deposit from the guy, unreal.

blondeonblonde

iphone/internet phone noob here... just wondering has anyone here bought the Hero with 5 euro bundle? Have been thinking about getting one of these on the 18 month, 20 euro/month contract and adding the bundle for 5/month...Personally I have no experience of using mobile internet so have no idea of the costs.... but for checking emails/facebook/maps etc would the 5 euro add on be enough? How much would you need to be using the phone in order to exceed the 250mb add on?

samhail

250mb/month is more than enough for light enough browsing/internet and emails. i had it online checking my company emails for a few weeks there and didnt come close to using 250mb (im at 243mb left to use over the next 2 weeks)
i do have wireless internet at home and use that if i needed it on my phone though but dont all that often

wealthyboris

I've been heavily using a HTC G1 and now the HTC Magic for about 9 months now... I constantly download / update applications, YouTube, I have it synced with 2 Email Accounts and 3 IM clients, it runs Facebook and BBC News updates and pulls some RSS Feeds all day long and I browse about 30 webpages per day, all on 3G...

I would regard this as heavy use, I'm never off the thing - and the most data I've ever used in a month is about 400Mb.

Kensington

I gotta agree with the above two posts. Unless you are intending on listening to streaming internet radio through the HTC, 250MB should be more than enough for you.

phili_g

Can anyone tell me if you can get the Hero on the lower priced bill plan (Connect 25 for 12 month contract or Connect 20 for 18 month)

My brother went in to get his upgrade and was told he had to sign up to connect 50 which I think was wrong information

If anyone got the Hero on the 25 euro or 20 euro a month packages can you let me know the cost of the phone?

mooman

I got mine on connect 20 for €150. I can't get an unlimited data plan though

Fresh Pots

mooman wrote: »

I got mine on connect 20 for €150. I can't get an unlimited data plan though

Got mine on connect 20 for €109. (Upgrade)They made me take the €5 data add-on but I just cancelled it a day after.

mooman

squared wrote: »

Got mine on connect 20 for €109. (Upgrade)They made me take the €5 data add-on but I just cancelled it a day after.

Mine was an upgrade too their pricing policy seems fairly random. The data bundle is well worth the €5 a month in my opinion, 250Mb goes waaaay further than I was expecting I'm glad I didn't get unlimited now.

Fresh Pots

mooman wrote: »

Mine was an upgrade too their pricing policy seems fairly random. The data bundle is well worth the €5 a month in my opinion, 250Mb goes waaaay further than I was expecting I'm glad I didn't get unlimited now.

I guess it is handy but I'm happy enough just using the wifi in home and at work. Meteor sales assisants must think we're all dumb, "The phone won't work properly if its not connected to the internet." is what I was told, had to laugh at them!

dave13

well it pretty much wont work as people expect without the add-on.To me theres no point in just using it at home and in work on wi-fi as I have a computer in these places and it can do everything better than the hero can. Its when im able to do stuff out and about that the hero shines.

mobius42

Ares wrote: »

well it pretty much wont work as people expect without the add-on.To me theres no point in just using it at home and in work on wi-fi as I have a computer in these places and it can do everything better than the hero can. Its when im able to do stuff out and about that the hero shines.

Exactly. Whenever anyone asks me should they get a smartphone, the first thing I ask them is whether or not they are going to get a data addon and use mobile internet. If they say no, then they are wasting their money buying a phone like the Hero.

rizzee

mooman wrote: »

Mine was an upgrade too their pricing policy seems fairly random. The data bundle is well worth the €5 a month in my opinion, 250Mb goes waaaay further than I was expecting I'm glad I didn't get unlimited now.

Exactly, you'd be suprised how little you use.


Now please get rid of that stupid signature :P

mooman

rizzee wrote: »

Exactly, you'd be suprised how little you use.


Now please get rid of that stupid signature :P

No chance I'll be gloating about this one for the next few years:D

Kohhal

I got mine on connect 20 too for 160eur so you can defo get it. Meteor Lucan wanted 300eur deposit too but I got it in Meteor grafton st for above price and no deposit.