Verizon to kill off unlimited data plans for existing customers

[quote name='red flare graf']I've had a 4G unlimited plan since last September and have never managed to go over 1GB.. Taking away unlimited plans won't really effect me, but I can see why some heavy users would be upset. It's really unfortunate that it's the same price as 2GB, though, as I've been thinking of ways to lower my costs and all I can do is go down to 1000 text messages from unlimited and save $10 per month..[/QUOTE]

Yeah the most data I've ever used is around 3.5 GB and that's without ever using wifi. So its not a tragedy for me to lost my unlimited.
 
[quote name='DCpinoy']That actually doesn't sound too bad. almost close to what my family is paying now except we would lose our unlimited data. Hopefully my mom still gets her employee discount with these plans (she works for USPS).[/QUOTE]

Most employee discounts don't seem to work for data and texts anyway. I get 18% off as a state employee, but it only goes toward the voice plan.
 
The June 28 launch date marks the potential end of the unlimited data plan for many customers. While Verizon no longer offers unlimited data as an option, millions still have no cap owing to a grandfathered plan. But after June 28, customers who take a subsidy when upgrading to a new phone must forfeit their unlimited plan and switch to a new capped one.
Click to expand...

So basically, as long as I don't upgrade my phone, I can still have unlimited data?
 
[quote name='Hibiwa']Damn, ticking off just the minimum usage for 1 smartphone comes up with a recommended $100 2GB Shared Data Unlimited Talk and Text before taxes and fees.

That's crazy.[/QUOTE]

Yep.. No real way to shave anything off in order to save money with Verizon, unfortunately.
 
Well if your company has a deal with them you *might* save some money. The county I work in I get 15% off the voice, 12% off data. Remember when verizon tried to pull that bill pay fee a few months back? it took them like 2 days (or less) for them to back off after the internet went into an uproar. I have the feeling that Verizon is going to back down or come up with something easier to swallow.
 
I missd that you can now share your data plan across your devices instead of needing a seperate plan for say your iPhone and iPad. Moot since I have a wifi only iPad currently, but makes me more likely to get a 3g/4g one whenever I upgrade as it would be nice when traveling and the wifi in the hotel is $10-15 a night.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Yeah, it sucks.

And I don't think they have unlimited texting any more either. At least not for iPhone. I upped from 200 (or 250?) messages for $5 a few months back as I was going to go over, and the only option I had was for 1,000 for $10.

Should have just went over that month as it was just a chick I was dating briefly that was texting me a ton, and that didn't work out so I haven't come close to 250 messages since and it won't let me drop back down for a year now I think.[/QUOTE]
I don't know if they do for individual plans (or will offer it any more in the future), but the family plan I'm on has unlimited texting. And I'm on an iPhone 4S.
 
[quote name='Burning Karma']I don't know if they do for individual plans (or will offer it any more in the future), but the family plan I'm on has unlimited texting. And I'm on an iPhone 4S.[/QUOTE]

Unlimited messaging is still available on the website for individual plans, but unlimited data is not.
 
I dunno...this might kill Smartphone sales in the long run if Verizon and other companies follow this plan. The manufacturers themselves might get pissed because no one is buying their product because of these high costs that Verizon imposes on customers. Basic phones sales may rise as a result of this.
 
[quote name='red flare graf']Unlimited messaging is still available on the website for individual plans, but unlimited data is not.[/QUOTE]

Weird that I didn't have an unlimited option on the site when I upped mine on my existing account a couple months back. Not that I would have opted for it if it cost more than the 1000 one anyway. Most of the people I text are on iPhones so we're using iMessage rather than regular texts anyway.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Weird that I didn't have an unlimited option on the site when I upped mine on my existing account a couple months back. Not that I would have opted for it if it cost more than the 1000 one anyway. Most of the people I text are on iPhones so we're using iMessage rather than regular texts anyway.[/QUOTE]

Shows as $20/month for me, I think that's $10 more than 1000. I plan on downgrading to save the 10 bucks.
 
Is there a list of the details of the plans other than some stupid calculator? Though the prices don't seem that good to begin with, the real kicker will be what extras the plan has / doesn't have. Mainly if roaming is extra, the cost of MMS (sometimes they bill/label sep from "text"), the cost of each connected device, etc
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']I missd that you can now share your data plan across your devices instead of needing a seperate plan for say your iPhone and iPad. Moot since I have a wifi only iPad currently, but makes me more likely to get a 3g/4g one whenever I upgrade as it would be nice when traveling and the wifi in the hotel is $10-15 a night.[/QUOTE]

Don't forget it costs $10 per tablet, or $20 per non-phone device to be able to share the data.
 
My wife and I both have an Android phone. We don't use all our minutes or all our text messages allowed each month. Now they're going to force me to buy more (unlimited) minutes and texts that I won't use. This new plan will raise my cost by $30 a month.

I'm going to have to evaluate the other options out there. I might move to another carrier or buy new phones with cash. There's also the option of moving to third party company's that Verizon leases it's bandwidth to like "Page Plus". They're very cheap but evidently they have shitty customer service because of the low prices. The advantage is that they're using the Verizon network so you have good coverage and most of the phones on Verizon will work there. I'm not upgrading until the next iPhone is released so I have time to think about it.

I'm hoping enough people will jump ship between now and then that they are forced to modify the plans. I just can't imagine paying $720 more over the course of a two year contract.

To make matters worse, they recently added a $30 upgrade charge. So a new iPhone will cost you $230 from Verizon. If you buy two of them that's $460. The total cost out of pocket unsubsidized for two is $1300. $1300 - 460 = $840 the subsidy saves you.

In my situation, since I would pay $30 a month more with the new plans, I'll only be saving $80 by taking the phone subsidy but I'd be losing my unlimited data plans in exchange for 4GB shared.
 
[quote name='Blaster man']I'm hoping enough people will jump ship between now and then that they are forced to modify the plans. I just can't imagine paying $720 more over the course of a two year contract.[/QUOTE]

The only way prices will stay reasonable is if the govt gets involved and regulates the industry properly.

Otherwise they have us bent over a barrel and they know it.
 
Doing the math, with just 1 single smartphone this will cost me another $20 minimum for the 2gb plan. that's before taxes, fees etc.

So yeah, I'll be looking for another service next year after my contract is up. Coverage be damned, I'm not paying more for less.
 
[quote name='red flare graf']Shows as $20/month for me, I think that's $10 more than 1000. I plan on downgrading to save the 10 bucks.[/QUOTE]

Yep, the 1,000 messages is $10 a month. The 200 (or 250 whatever it is) is $5.

[quote name='elessar123']Don't forget it costs $10 per tablet, or $20 per non-phone device to be able to share the data.[/QUOTE]

True, which still stinks but is better than having a totally separate data plan required (or paying $20/month to tether the iPhone).

[quote name='camoor']Wouldn't an easy solution be to have the govt offer free wifi in the main cities like Asia or Europe do?[/QUOTE]

Yep.

Though in most major cities it's super easy to find free wifi between cafes, restaurants/pubs, fast food places etc. that have free hot spots these days. It's not the same as city wide wifi, but I've never had a problem finding a free hot spot within a couple blocks around my city or places I've traveled lately. Obviously very different outside of major cities though.
 
[quote name='Blaster man']What if you don't want unlimited and you do want Verizon's network for the next (LTE) iPhone?[/QUOTE]

Then you're going to have to wait and pay for it through VZW. Nobody offers service that piggybacks off of the VZW LTE network at this point.

I run an unlocked Galaxy Nexus with an ATT SIM from Straight Talk. Being an pentaband phone it operates on their HSPA+ data network. 5Mbps down on average is plenty fast enough for my use but may not be for others. I like the freedom of being off contract and having a lower bill.
 
[quote name='TC']Then you're going to have to wait and pay for it through VZW. Nobody offers service that piggybacks off of the VZW LTE network at this point.

I run an unlocked Galaxy Nexus with an ATT SIM from Straight Talk. Being an pentaband phone it operates on their HSPA+ data network. 5Mbps down on average is plenty fast enough for my use but may not be for others. I like the freedom of being off contract and having a lower bill.[/QUOTE]

Can you use AT&T's iPhone with that plan? Can you use AT&T' LTE smartphones through it? They do have a small LTE network now, right?
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Yep.

Though in most major cities it's super easy to find free wifi between cafes, restaurants/pubs, fast food places etc. that have free hot spots these days. It's not the same as city wide wifi, but I've never had a problem finding a free hot spot within a couple blocks around my city or places I've traveled lately. Obviously very different outside of major cities though.[/QUOTE]

It's fucking sad that American information sharing is going to fall behind that of Europe and Asia because folks here can't get behind state-run utilities. Just like electricity, water, road maintenance, etc - wifi works better when it's state-run.
 
[quote name='Blaster man']Can you use AT&T's iPhone with that plan? Can you use AT&T' LTE smartphones through it? They do have a small LTE network now, right?[/QUOTE]

Yes. I don't believe won't work on the operate on their LTE service. It will run on the HSPA+ side.
 
[quote name='Blaster man']Can you use AT&T's iPhone with that plan? Can you use AT&T' LTE smartphones through it? They do have a small LTE network now, right?[/QUOTE]
Yes. Yes. No.

[quote name='camoor']It's fucking sad that American information sharing is going to fall behind that of Europe and Asia because folks here can't get behind state-run utilities. Just like electricity, water, road maintenance, etc - wifi works better when it's state-run.[/QUOTE]
LOLZ...I always knew you were a dirty commie.
 
I think Sprint just had one piece of ammo handed their direction to keep their unlimited data plans when LTE hits in the 2nd half of this year and the iPhone 5 rolls out in Sep/Oct.

Sad that this change now has me at going to AT&T if I ever moved my account from Sprint. Was previously looking at Verizon, though no chance of that under this mess of a shared data plan.
 
[quote name='Blaster man']Maybe Verizon will back off.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/arti...ed_Share_Everything_launch_could_sink_carrier[/QUOTE]

The plan will work best for a family with several smartphones or a technology-savvy user with multiple 3G and 4G devices, she said. "The vast majority of consumers have one smartphone and a few Wi-Fi-only devices, including tablets," and they would not necessarily be helped, she said.
Click to expand...
Hah, no shit. In other words, Verizon is about to screw the vast majority of it's customers.
 
Yeah, they really need to add these shared plans as one option, and keep the simple $30 for 2 GB plan for people who only want a plan for their smartphone and nothing else.
 
You know what I realized yesterday that I still don't see people mentioning?

You get free mobile hotspot with the new plan.

You keep your wifi tablets, and connect your tablets through your mobile hotspot.

You say fuck you to Verizon, and don't add tablets to your plan.

Or, you can pay them $10 a month extra per tablet to not have to use your phone as a mobile hotspot. It's not like the extra $10 gives you any more data anyways...

Verizon... It took you 18 months to come up with this?
 
I missed that as well. I wonder if they were getting heat about charging $20 a month for using phone as a hot spot without any extra data included. That always struck me as legally dubious.

But if that's true, great for me since I have an iPhone 4s and wifi only iPad 2 and usually travel with both.
 
[quote name='TC']I made a switch and it's been saving me a bunch of money. It's not for everyone, but if you want unlimited voice, texts and around 2gb of data it can be had for $47 per month with some homework. Great for single line accounts.

http://androidandme.com/2012/05/opi...our-wireless-contract-and-switch-to-pre-paid/[/QUOTE]

I just read that Straight Talks ToS ban streaming audio, video, and conference calls. Sounds like a bunch of deal killers to me.
 
If this is true, I might switch wheen my contract end

the plan was the main reason I came to them
 
[quote name='elessar123']You get free mobile hotspot with the new plan.[/QUOTE]

I didn't realize that, though I'm sure that would put me over the 2GB limit that I'd be willing to pay for.

[quote name='Blaster man']I just read that Straight Talks ToS ban streaming audio, video, and conference calls. Sounds like a bunch of deal killers to me.[/QUOTE]

If that's true, I'd have to agree. My phone is my internet radio and my bedtime Youtubes.
 
[quote name='red flare graf']If that's true, I'd have to agree. My phone is my internet radio and my bedtime Youtubes.[/QUOTE]

Googling it, I see some folks saying that you can get away with it so long as you dont use too much data per day/month but technically it's against the ToS and you can be kicked off the network for it.
 
[quote name='elessar123']You know what I realized yesterday that I still don't see people mentioning?

You get free mobile hotspot with the new plan.

You keep your wifi tablets, and connect your tablets through your mobile hotspot.

You say fuck you to Verizon, and don't add tablets to your plan.

Or, you can pay them $10 a month extra per tablet to not have to use your phone as a mobile hotspot. It's not like the extra $10 gives you any more data anyways...

Verizon... It took you 18 months to come up with this?[/QUOTE]

Good luck using that free mobile hotspot with a 1gb data limit.... I used to use my phone a hotspot constantly because I traveled a lot for work. Luckily it was an unlimited plan, but between doing things like instant watch on Netflix, some PC & handheld gaming, downloading updates for my phone & pc, downloading software, presentations & docs for work, video conferencing, etc. etc. I'd say I probably averaged about 15gbs per month if I recall correctly. You want to use up a data limit real fast then tether your phone or use it as a hotspot. That 1gb data limit will be gone in days...
 
[quote name='Clak']I don't care about the hotspot feature, my tablet never leaves a wifi access area.[/QUOTE]

For me it would be useful for business trips. Our conference hotels tend to charge $10-15 per day for in room wifi.

Data limit shouldn't be an issue for me as I don't care about streaming video/music when traveling. Just email, web surfing and updating my newspaper apps etc.
 
This seems like it will be beneficial to a small percentage of Verizon's customers. Anyone with multiple lines and/or devices and want to use the hotspot feature. For everyone else, (most of their customers) I don't think this is going to be of any benefit.
 
Yeah. They really need to not change anything other than kill the unlimited at upgrades (force people on to one of the capped plans) and make all this other stuff optional.
 
Yeah I mean, I don't need unlimited minutes at all, I'm on the 450 plan right now because most people I call have Verizon anyway, same with texts, I've never gone over either. I'd rather be capped at 2-3gb a month and keep my price than pay for these new plans.

Verizon is seriously having a Netflix moment right now. They're about to piss a lot of people off.
 
[quote name='Clak']Yeah I mean, I don't need unlimited minutes at all, I'm on the 450 plan right now because most people I call have Verizon anyway, same with texts, I've never gone over either. I'd rather be capped at 2-3gb a month and keep my price than pay for these new plans.

Verizon is seriously having a Netflix moment right now. They're about to piss a lot of people off.[/QUOTE]

Same here I have the 450 plan with 250txt messages and data which with my educators discount comes to about 70 bucks :|

No way I am shelling out 700 bucks for a phone to keep my unlimited data.
 
Yep that's about how much I pay,. and I think when I used the calculator and used the 2gb plan it was going to be at least $20 more.
 
[quote name='Clak']So yeah, I'll be looking for another service next year after my contract is up. Coverage be damned, I'm not paying more for less.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='Clak']Hah, no shit. In other words, Verizon is about to screw the vast majority of it's customers.[/QUOTE]

the new plans are 100% optional you know. feel free to stay on your existing plans.

The deal works for me. Current:
1400 shared mins/unlimited txt for 2 iPhones = $120
2GB data $30/each = $60

So $180 for 1400 shared minutes, unlimited TXT and 2GB data each.

For $150 we can get unlimited minutes, TXT and 4GB data shared. Or $160 for 6GB data, which is probably what we will do - the hotspot feature is a huge plus since our iPad is WiFi only.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top