I am thinking about switching to them since my contract's about to run out. Any thoughts?

 

I dug around their web site and it looks like they're using Verizon's network (good) and trying to make it "cool" for 18-35 year olds. Whatever.

 

i feel like its going to be very very expensive

 

^^^but if you think about it... for a new carrier to start up... its not going to survive if they're expensive... AND like "mt6forlife" mentioned... if they are targetting 18-35 year olds... if they were to make it too expensive that age group (especially the lower end) won't be able to afford it... So, perhaps, they'll start off with reasonable plans... then if they make it... they'll start upping the rates...

but I'm going to look into it... and I have to find out how much it cost to get out of a contract... cause I just re-newed my contract with Sprint... I don't know why...

 

they are only using verizons evdo network

 

Actually, they are also using Verizon's network coverage, not just for EVDO. amp'd mobile is an MVNO, they don't plan on ever building their own towers.

As for their prices, pretty good. For 50 a month, I get 500 anytime minutes, unlimited N&W, unlimited M2M (even tho not many people have amp'd yet), unlimited Text messaging, 20 cents per pic/video message, and 3 months of unlimited internet. Not to mention every plan let's you go on amp'd Live. Pretty awesome. Contracts are 18 months and 18 months only. I asked about the contract lengths and they said that they are only going to offer 18 month contracts for quite a while.

Oh yeah, and you have 21 days to figure out if you like them or not. If not, return the phone to them for a full refund and no service charge for the time you used it.

 

how is 50 dollars for 500 minutes a month a good deal?

 

It's not 50 dollars for 500 minutes. Read my post again. I said for 50 dollars a month i get 500 minutes AND unlimted text messaging.

39.99 - 500 anytime, unlimited night & weekend, unlimited M2M.

9.99 - Unlimited Text Messaging.

 

I get 1000 daytime + free nights and weekend for $40 with Verizon. Unless you spend all day texting, i don't see how that's a great deal.

 

I do spend all day texting, thanks :-)

Besides, I would much prefer having less minutes on a phone that actually fully works rather than having more minutes but less features on a phone with crippled bluetooth, the inability to upload ringtones through the computer, as well as other features that Verizon disables, depending on which phone you have.

As for the 1000 anytime minutes, good for you, I wish I could get 1000 anytime minutes for only 40 a month, but I can't, because I'm guessing that is an older plan and it is not available for anyone now, because I'm not seeing it on their site anywhere. Plus Verizon does not have an unlimited text plan.

 

Well I use my phone mostly as a business tool to talk to customers. So ringtones and text messaging does nothing for me. Then again, I'm not 17 so maybe its a generation thing. The 1000 minute/mo thing is a promotion they run from time to time. I think I got it a year or so ago. They're local-only minutes but I think local is defined as CA/NV and since my business never takes me more than 50 miles from home, it works well for me. When I do travel, which isn't that often, its no big deal to pay a little roaming because I'm saving so much every month vs. having a national rate plan with similar minutes.

 

Since they are an MVNO whose data/video broadband capabilities are dependent on Verizon's EV-DO network, unless you spend most of your time in an area/market where you have coverage-you aren't going to get that content at "broadband speed." They make it difficult for you to figure out whether that's the case-they don't have local network coverage maps. You notice that they don't tell you upfront that after the first 3 months, the per MB data transfer fee is 30c/ (unless you sign up for the $20 unlimited data plan). I had to go through almost the entire checkout process to find that out.

 

Well if you look at their plans and click on any of them, it says that it's 30 cents after the first three months.

 

Really? Where? From here:
http://get.ampd.com/rate_plans/index.php
If you click on "View Details" for any of the plan, the only disclosure of data transfer fees is the following:

No statement of per MB cost, plus no disclosure that they round up to the nearest MB when they charge (which is what generally happens). The only place I can find on the .30/MB is during the checkout process under "Unlimited Megabyte Plan."

It just makes you wonder what other hidden costs/policies there are.