Zer01 Looks Worse The Deeper People Dig - As Laptop Magazine takes back CTIA award...
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Zer01 Looks Worse The Deeper People Dig
As Laptop Magazine takes back CTIA award...
04:32PM Monday Aug 10 2009 by Karl Bode
tags: business · wireless · scam · consumers
Last month we noted how skepticism was mounting about the viability of a new telecom operator by the name of Zer01, who had been getting great press for their plan to offer a VoIP-centric mobile service with unlimited voice and data for $69.95/month. As more people dig into the operator and its seemingly endless army of MLM promotional wizards, the company has started to look increasingly more shady, with IDG News running a new piece casting yet more doubt on Zer01. The more news outlets dig, the more garbage they find:
Lewis, Hanchey and Teresa Curtis, who served as CFO for Global Verge for a few weeks, all have been involved with multilevel marketing programs that have had legal troubles in the past. Hanchey founded a multilevel marketing company called Lifewave that sells a variety of health products. He's named as a defendant in a lawsuit in the Superior Court for Gwinnett County in Georgia, related to the program, which is the subject of criticism online from people who suggest that the products don't work.
It has been interesting to see the press develop their critical thinking skills and skepticism in hindsight. Laptop Magazine, which was originally so smitten with the unlaunched technology they gave them a CTIA award, now says they're taking the award back. The award's being pulled "because of serious ethical questions that have arisen about the company," says the magazine. The award is still featured prominently on Zer01's website.

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TKJunkMail @ 10th Aug 04:40PM:
What passes for tech reporters on internet is pretty poor

Just goes to show that what is passing for technical internet reporting is pretty poor. Many of the web sites that report on new high tech products are nothing more than clipping services that report what they get in press releases. They do no investigative reporting at all. And Laptop magazine is about 1 month behind on outing the people behind Zer01. Many people called them on their error weeks ago.

See comments here:
»news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10277712-1.html
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ptrowski @ 10th Aug 04:41PM:
The MLM scam artisits...

Even tried posting in this thread...

»Re: so whats the difference?
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pnh102 @ 10th Aug 04:52PM:
Re: What passes for tech reporters on internet is pretty poor

Sounds a lot like the MO of most traditional media outlets these days... blast out anything that sounds sensational and then verify things later on.
--
Blagojevich / Madoff 2012!
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ptrowski @ 10th Aug 04:56PM:
Re: What passes for tech reporters on internet is pretty poor

Those are always my favorite. I love the "5G speeds, that's 2 levels about 3G speeds" comment. :)
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funchords @ 10th Aug 04:56PM:
Re: What passes for tech reporters on internet is pretty poor

said by TKJunkMail :

Just goes to show that what is passing for technical internet reporting is pretty poor.
What's passing for journalism is pretty poor.

»www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWs12ccbOiE

--
Robb Topolski -= funchords.com =- District of Columbia -- KJ7RL
Evil does seek to maintain power by suppressing the truth, or by misleading the innocent. --Spock and McCoy stardate 5029.5
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adisor19 @ 10th Aug 05:19PM:
Re: What passes for tech reporters on internet is pretty poor

wow... words fail me..

Adi
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en102 @ 10th Aug 05:21PM:
Re: What passes for tech reporters on internet is pretty poor

The sky is falling... big gov't is 'owning' my laptop run for your lives.
;)

Talk about fear mongering.
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iansltx @ 10th Aug 05:23PM:
Re: The MLM scam artisits...

FYI, no smartphone ever got sent to me.
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iansltx @ 10th Aug 05:29PM:
$70 isn't even competitive anymore

$100 - Sprint Simply Everything
$90 - Sprint Everything (talk and messaging)
$80 - Net10 (talk and messaging, AT&T or T-Mobile)
$50 - Top plans on CricKet and MetroPCS, roaming extra, web included
$50 - Boost Mobile (talk, text/MMS, web)
$50 - Virgin Mobile (Sprint, talk, messaging is another $10)
$50 - Total Call Mobile (Sprint, talk, text, international text)
$45 - Straight Talk (Verizon, talk, text, 30MB web/MMS, 411)
$40 - Page Plus Cellular (Verizon, talk, text, 20MB web/MMS)
$30 - Low plans on CricKet and MetroPCS, most areas they serve
$25 - Lowest plan on CricKet, highly competitive areas
$25 - Lowest plan on Pocket Communications (includes talk, text, MMS, competing with CricKet)

Remind me again why I'd want to buy a smartphone and pay $70 per month for unlimited voice and data, with voice going over unreliable VoIP, when there are options out there for significantly less that use the actual voice network for actual voice (what a thought!).
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delusion ftl @ 10th Aug 06:09PM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

As hard as I try I cannot figure out why any consumer bothers to pay cell phone bills more than 50-60 dollars a month if they live in some semi-metro or more populous area. There is so many options, but for some reason they are constantly signing up for two year cell phone leases to get some fancy "tv commercials and good marketing told me i need to get this" new cell phone/toy. Why bother to keep yourself on a stupid mobile phone lease plan?

According to an ATT rep who we spoke to at work recently the average iphone user bill is about 110 dollars a month for their iphone plan.

Putting a 69.99 plan next to the average users 110 dollar iphone plan sounds great. But in reality BOTH are overpriced.

When i see someone with an iphone, i don't think. oooh nice phone, i think.. ah someone who is an easy to market to bandwagon follower, and/or has tons of spare money with no idea how to use it wisely.
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anon @ 10th Aug 06:43PM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

No kidding. We have three phones on an AT&T family plan and can't use the minutes fast enough before the rollover expires a year later. Currently we've got about 4500 banked. I have unlimited data on my phone (yes, it tethers to my laptop just fine via Bluetooth and USB). Cost: Under $110 per month, total for all three. That works out to less than $34 per month for effectively unlimited use the way we use them.

Unless you are an addicted sad sack who just can't put the phone down and live in the real world I can't see any phone plan being worth $100+ just for one phone.
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en102 @ 10th Aug 06:39PM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

True - in the cities that Cricket/MetroPCS offer 3G mobile. Initially when this came out, it even offered 'free' roaming in Canada.

Boost mobile is iDEN, which is VERY slow (yeah, I used a Nextel BB 7100i).

The closest for DATA is Sprint Everything, or a data card.
If I'm not mistaken, I 'can' get a data only PDA package, correct ?
--
Canada = Hollywood North
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chakey @ 10th Aug 06:43PM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

said by delusion ftl :

When i see someone with an iphone, i don't think. oooh nice phone, i think.. ah someone who is an easy to market to bandwagon follower, and/or has tons of spare money with no idea how to use it wisely.
Or maybe someone who doesn't mind paying more per month to get a superior product? Isn't that Apple's business model? They seem to be doing pretty well at it...
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Laughing Man @ 10th Aug 06:52PM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

Bought myself a tracfone last year, after everything is said and done I have a cell phone bill of $80, a year :D
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Telco_Tech @ 10th Aug 07:21PM:
$70 a month is worth it to me...

...for the data alone. I would cough up $70 a month if I could get reliable, fast, truly unlimited / unhindered mobile data as stated in their claims. The voice capabilities (feasibility concerns aside) would simply be an added convenience for me.

- Tate

--
Down with AT&T!
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sven_kirk3 @ 10th Aug 07:24PM:
Why is there award for a product/service...

that doesn't exist yet? It is like calling Sven Motors car manufacturer of the year 2010. When there is no Sven Motors.

I knew that they were a scam from day one. Website reeked (still does) of poor quality. Promising MLM deals/billing.
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r81984 @ 10th Aug 07:38PM:
Pyramid Scheme

From their webpage- "By leveraging talented experienced telecommunications consultants and our partner vendors ZER01 can provide a complete end to end solutions which will enhance your mobile business and inject life into all campaigns in every market sector."

It is a pyramid scheme, so I doubt anyone will buy this. I know I will not buy anything from a pyramid scheme.
Now I am sure it works, (even the voip mlm pyramid schemes had a real working product) but you just can't trust a business model like that.
--
For those of you playing a drinking game.... MY FRIENDS!
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sivran @ 10th Aug 08:14PM:
So, did anyone NOT smell the bullshit?

No really, did anyone actually believe Zero1 was for real?
--
In dadkins' memory, Think outside the Fox...
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NY Tel @ 10th Aug 08:57PM:
Re: So, did anyone NOT smell the bullshit?

said by sivran :

No really, did anyone actually believe Zero1 was for real?
When the website first launched, I checked off the box saying I would like additional information. Months passed and then I got an email asking me if I was interested in being an investor.
I replied NO and I never heard from them again. Sniff.... :huh:
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patcat88 @ 10th Aug 09:06PM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

First, data. You don't get data with the budget unlimited voice plans.

Second, most people wind up tossing their phone against a wall when they anthropomorphise their phone into the person on the other line that they are yelling at.

Third, they need a new trinket of bling to show off to their vapid friends to get 1 minute of attention.
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patcat88 @ 10th Aug 09:08PM:
Re: So, did anyone NOT smell the bullshit?

Anyone who had a blonde busty sales consultant from ZER01 show up.
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hottboiinnc @ 10th Aug 09:16PM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

There is no way Straight Talk uses the VZ network. That map of their coverage is NOT even close to the VZ network. It has to be using someone else's network.

And why would TracFone use CDMA when they use ATT and T-Mobile for their network?
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iansltx @ 10th Aug 09:35PM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

$150 Straight Talk uses Verizon's network.

Actually, I'll make that $300. The coverage map on their site is out of date; it shows pre-Alltel coverage.

Their retail phone packaging even says Verizon on it; you just have to look.

Also, Tracfone has agreements with Verizon, US Cellular, AT&T, T-Mobile and a handful of smaller carriers, depending on the area.

Sorry man, but you're COMPLETELY wrong on this one.
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sonicmerlin @ 10th Aug 11:39PM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

said by ridethelight :

No kidding. We have three phones on an AT&T family plan and can't use the minutes fast enough before the rollover expires a year later. Currently we've got about 4500 banked. I have unlimited data on my phone (yes, it tethers to my laptop just fine via Bluetooth and USB). Cost: Under $110 per month, total for all three. That works out to less than $34 per month for effectively unlimited use the way we use them.

Unless you are an addicted sad sack who just can't put the phone down and live in the real world I can't see any phone plan being worth $100+ just for one phone.
Now all you need to do is use Google Voice and you can slash that voice plan to the bare minimum minutes.
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sonicmerlin @ 10th Aug 11:41PM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

said by patcat88 :

First, data. You don't get data with the budget unlimited voice plans.

Second, most people wind up tossing their phone against a wall when they anthropomorphise their phone into the person on the other line that they are yelling at.

Third, they need a new trinket of bling to show off to their vapid friends to get 1 minute of attention.
The first two are true, the 2nd one especially of me lol. But the third one isn't really a fair assessment. I love gadgets, and there are millions more out there who feel the same way. Gadgets and future tech represent a concept, a sort of RPG-like advance of our civilization. It creates a special, excited feeling within one's stomach or heart or whatever that people like myself really like.
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sonicmerlin @ 10th Aug 11:43PM:
Um...

Can we put the company's creators in jail again before they screw over more people?
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anon @ 11th Aug 07:05AM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

You just proved the point. The iphone is NOT a "superior" product (it does some things great and some things poor) it simply is marketed as such and in such a way that clueless consumers think they actually need that sort of device. Then they line up and hand over money. Kudos to Apple with their skills of bilking money out of consumers, but casts a somewhat embarrassing shadow on those consumers who've fallen for it.
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anon @ 11th Aug 12:51AM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

While I cant speak for all carriers, Cricket offers on their 45 dollar plan unlimited 3G EVDO Rev A data (same tech as verizon and sprint)
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anon @ 11th Aug 07:25AM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

I already do...three accounts.
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anon @ 11th Aug 07:17AM:
msg deleted

deleted by a moderator
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hottboiinnc @ 11th Aug 07:47AM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

I'm not wrong. I didn't know TracFone (as i don't use TracFone) still uses CDMA after they moved to GSM several years ago.

Also the VZW map is before any of their major mergers. They had more coverage before the Alltel deal.
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ptrowski @ 11th Aug 08:19AM:
Re: The MLM scam artisits...

said by iansltx :

FYI, no smartphone ever got sent to me.
Thanks for the update on that.
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chakey @ 11th Aug 08:45AM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

The point is that this industry is a consumer driven, individual business. You choose what works best for you, not what some nay-sayers think works best for everyone. For an increasing amount of people, Apple makes sense for them as an individual. Marketing or not, that's the way it is.
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CylonRed @ 11th Aug 08:48AM:
Re: What passes for tech reporters on internet is pretty poor

The journalism school of Rush 'I am useless to society' Limbaugh and the rest of the wacko right...
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CylonRed @ 11th Aug 08:51AM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

quote:
Why bother to keep yourself on a stupid mobile phone lease plan?


My FIL is an engineer and he thinks he HAS to be on a contract and if he goes on a new contract then none of our phones will work but his (we have my wifes parents on our plan). Did I mention he is a PHD in Electrical engineering? Did I also mention that he knows I have been off contract for 3 years now but he just got a new contract earlier this year and I did not but I still have phone service?
--
Brian

"It drops into your stomach like a Abrams's tank.... driven by Rosanne Barr..." A. Bourdain
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iansltx @ 11th Aug 12:33PM:
Re: $70 isn't even competitive anymore

Just because you didn't know what you're talking about doesn't mean you're not incorrect.

Just because the coverage map says one thing doeesn't mean it's so however. Look on HowardForums.com for a bit and you'll see that people who have actually tested the StraightTalk service report that it's available in all Verizon service areas.
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