New Costco cell phone kiosks open - are different

[justRich]

Last month while in Gig Harbor, WA I saw the new Costco cell phone kiosk was open.
They were selling AT&T service plans.  They're best plan for me with 50 GB hotspot data was $56. per month - with a veterans discount.
I wasn't carrying my DD214 (a military service discharge form) or I probably would have signed up.

This month, in Cave Creek, AZ I visited the new Costco cell phone kiosk which is selling Verizon service plans!
"Okay, so what's the deal?" I asked the Verizon service rep manning the kiosk.
According to him, Costco is no longer using a "middle-man" service and the kiosk people are employees of the cell carrier, not independent contractors.
Apparently, different area Costco's are using whichever service provider that Costco deems appropriate to that area.

I explained my contact with the Costco AT&T people in Washington and my T-Mobile and Visible plans, etc.
Verizon has a competitive plan for nearly the same price as AT&T (also with a DD214 veterans discount) for me.

At the moment I am undecided.  The Verizon guy said that Visible doesn't have the same priority as Verizon when it comes to service speed.
And that Verizon regulates bandwidth priority to government, commercial and retail users.  I don't know what or how that affects me but I will be revisiting the Costco Verizon booth again soon.  I need more information.

 

[Bill Joyce]

Remember that a salesperson is there to make a sale.  

Which carrier is running the kiosk varies by store, not area.  In a larger area you can have AT&T at one store, Verizon at another and T-Mobile at a third.  

[Vladimir]

I have had Verizon for thirty years in the western US.

I am looking at switching to ATT. 

In rural areas, Verizon service has been going downhill at a rapid clip.  For years all my friends had been borrowing my Verizon phone to make calls.  These days I am borrowing my friends ATT phones.

Not sure how the reseller network works. 

One alternative is StarLink and a very cheap provider.  You get internet with StarLink and can also make phone calls using their wi-fi. 

Not that you save money, but you have service EVERYWHERE.

[jamtracy]

I worked directly for Verizon Wireless back in the day when we were in Circuit City's. Dam that was good money. Then Circuit City Closed all of their stores and I went back to the mall Kiosk. These two examples are the same thing as Costco now. I prefer when the carrier has their own employees.

All this said, I haven't been in a wireless store or at a kiosk in years. I do everything online. The silent salesman is the best salesmen. No pressure.

[GlennWest]

On 6/29/2023 at 10:29 AM, justRich said:

Last month while in Gig Harbor, WA I saw the new Costco cell phone kiosk was open.
They were selling AT&T service plans.  They're best plan for me with 50 GB hotspot data was $56. per month - with a veterans discount.
I wasn't carrying my DD214 (a military service discharge form) or I probably would have signed up.

This month, in Cave Creek, AZ I visited the new Costco cell phone kiosk which is selling Verizon service plans!
"Okay, so what's the deal?" I asked the Verizon service rep manning the kiosk.
According to him, Costco is no longer using a "middle-man" service and the kiosk people are employees of the cell carrier, not independent contractors.
Apparently, different area Costco's are using whichever service provider that Costco deems appropriate to that area.

I explained my contact with the Costco AT&T people in Washington and my T-Mobile and Visible plans, etc.
Verizon has a competitive plan for nearly the same price as AT&T (also with a DD214 veterans discount) for me.

At the moment I am undecided.  The Verizon guy said that Visible doesn't have the same priority as Verizon when it comes to service speed.
And that Verizon regulates bandwidth priority to government, commercial and retail users.  I don't know what or how that affects me but I will be revisiting the Costco Verizon booth again soon.  I need more information.

 

Wife has Verizon and I have Visible. Mine is faster than hers. 

[Payroll Person]

Verizon is public about priority. First responders, business accounts, then others, with the resellers likely last iirc.

I have a business Verizon. Even when there are 50k folks at a music store vent les than a mile from me, I don’t have an issue. They do bring portable towers, but my Verizon is snappy, while my consumer level att os less responsive.

Starlink at home is reasonable in speed. Near what they advertise. Just tested at a large high cost campground over the 4th. Many others with SL. Not bad, but Verizon was faster since we were on a busy corridor.