Rent Your Next Phone Rather Than Buy It
Dec 31, 2008, 8:21 AM by Eric M. Zeman
A new start-up based in New Jersey is offering people stuck in lengthy wireless contracts the opportunity to switch handsets without paying full price. Rentobile has bought cell phones from the major cellular carriers at full price, and then rents them to those interested in using a new handset even though they are in the middle of a contract. The company has between two and five handsets for each carrier, and rents them out at $20 to $50 per month, depending on the handset. Handsets can be rented for as long as a customer wishes, but Rentobile encourages customers to change handsets often.
Samsung Refreshes Galaxy S Series with S Pen, New Cameras
Samsung Refines its Foldable Phones
Samsung Upgrades its Wearables
iPhone 14 Plus Offers a Big Screen For Less
iPhone 15 Series Goes All-In on USB-C and Dynamic Island
Comments
Great idea!!
this is one of the best ideas ive seen in the wireless industry. I guess the only drawback is that your not renting to own. I wouldnt be surprised if we see the carriers of these handsets starting a program very similar to this. And to have thier business posted on rcr wireless news and phone scoop should attract a ton of business for the new company. I hope the best of luck to them. Cause i see alot of people that come in and cant afford to buy a new phone. This will also be great for the consumers who dont have insurance and have no warranty. they can rent a phone until thier upgrade comes due.
and if anyone can get some contact info for the group, that would be great. I would love to get some small flyers printed out to pass around to some of our white glove customers who need new handsets.
...
when you go online, you can become a member of there site and rent something like the iphone for 28 bucks. also the n96 for the same price.
...
Why? Horrible Idea
The people that this is intended for are the same people who break their phones all the time. They didn't take care of their phone they originally purchaces, why would they take care of this new one?
You say this like accident don't happen and or people are honest and don't steal stuff. Give me a break about 40% of the people we see loose or break their phones are very responsible.
on the other hand people that love the newest technology on th...
(continues)
on the other hand people that love the newest technology on th...
(continues)
...
the people who this is meant for are the people who get sick of their phones very quickly. for isntance I get sick of my cell phone after 3 months.
...
NO NO NO A THOUSAND TIMES NO
This did not work in 1995, this is not going to work now, people do not want to RENT a cell phone, even though the carrier subsidizes the price, it is still THEIR phone...they OWN it, they customize it, they are not going to rent it when they can own one for the same price...this company will not last, just like the MVNO idea, this will fizzle...
i dont think it will last
Good idea but i dont think it will last, why IMO its expensive. The majority of cell phone owners are the Average joe workers and the average price plane is 50 to 100 bucks including fees and taxes, and thats just call plans lets not go into data, blackberry or PDA plans. So to tack on an additional 20 to 50 bucks on top of that i dont see the average joe coughing up that much change.
I agree with the fact that it won't last in my opinion. First, no matter how well you clean the phone you will have to get used to the phone being banged up, scratched, worn, and used before you get it. The phone may have plenty of problems with it be...
(continues)
(continues)
Disgusting!
I don't want to rent a phone that potentially hundreds of people have slobbered all over.
I just spent 400 hundred to have the new Boulder, and I'm happy doing it that way.
Maybe that's just my OCD coming out, but no thanks for this kid!
I just spent 400 hundred to have the new Boulder, and I'm happy doing it that way.
Maybe that's just my OCD coming out, but no thanks for this kid!
lol...kind of a good point.
and you know all of the cool phones will be $50 a month. so after 6 months youre already at the price of a new phone.
and you know all of the cool phones will be $50 a month. so after 6 months youre already at the price of a new phone.
Yeah but keep in mind there are disgusting people out there that blame the carriers because they drop their phones and break them. This is perfect for them. (Pay more in the long run then actually purchasing a phone.)
...
Whatever
Just hit the site and the first two phones I clicked on said 'temporally out of stock'.
It won't last.
It won't last.
Try before you buy?
This could be a good way for customers who are coming up on an upgrade to try a new phone before purchasing and signing a new two year. I work in cell phones and one of my biggest gripes is when people bring there phones back stating it wasn't what they expected or it didn't work the way they thought it would. This could be a great way for us in the industry to cut down on charge backs and bre's and cut down on the cost of sending the returned phones back to the carrier. IMO
haley72 said:...
This could be a good way for customers who are coming up on an upgrade to try a new phone before purchasing and signing a new two year. I work in cell phones and one of my biggest gripes is when people bring there pho
(continues)
...
