Verizon switching to AT&T-style limited data plans?

[TheWhiteBandito]

New article on Engadget about Verizon to be switching their data plans as soon as the end of this month. Thoughts?

Verizon switching to AT&T-style limited data plans later this month? -- Engadget

 

[HoldenCaufield]

I read that too. Anybody know what the source is and/or how likely this is to happen?

 

[TheWhiteBandito]

My guess is that it will be very likely. It might not be identical but it will certainly be limited.

 

[swagner53]

Glad i got my contract in. If they force us to change then they can't enforce early termination and i will switch to sprint. I don't want a device i can't use freely.

 

[Theodosius]

That's just great. I won't be able to update until early September. I intended to get the Incredible and use it's unlimited data.

 

[vandyblackandgold]

That's just great. I won't be able to update until early September. I intended to get the Incredible and use it's unlimited data.

it was only inevitable. even if you had got an incredible and got in on unlimited data, it was likely that your next phone in sept 2012 will be LTE based and will only offer tiered data.

 

[dm33]

Will existing customers be grandfathered in? If not seems that you can terminate without a fee.

Tiers aren't so bad if they're reasonable. $25 for 5 GB is ok. Some carriers have had an implied 5 GB limit anyway. Anything less than that is gouging.

Instead they've using it as an excuse to gouge right when data usage is about to really take off. Typical gouging monopoly (collusion) attitude. They'll price it so high that new uses for data will never be affordable. Video conferencing will not be practical.

I'd bail in a heartbeat to T-Mobile, even with practically non-existent coverage for unlimited data. Whats the point of having a 3G network if you're gouged when you use it.

Argh. Sad day. Cable is next.

 

[Theodosius]

I imagine you'd be grandfathered in. And yes, $25 for 5GB wouldn't be bad, but if it was like ATT I would be upset.

 

[neyel8r]

i think it sux! i was planning on going crazy with the unlimited data. oh well. let's wait & see what kind of ridiculous prices they charge for the data plans..

i think i just renewed my 2-yr contract by purchasing the Inc.. i'm just waiting to receive it the mail. does this mean since i have separate voice & data plans that they're gonna make me switch to a new, probably overpriced data plan? the plan i have now on my Voyager is compatible with the Inc, so i don't want or need to change it & i'd like to keep my unlimited data for $30/month, thank you. it doesn't look like that's gonna happen..

ugh, what a bunch of crap! i think i might just return the Inc (if i EVER receive it) & switch to Sprint & get the Evo. i should be able to do that since i haven't activated the new phone yet, right?

take that, big red!! you try to screw me around, i'll switch to another carrier!

 

[TheWhiteBandito]

I could totally live with 5GB for $25, but not 2GB for $25 like AT&T has. yes, you will be grandfathered in as far as I know.

 

[vandyblackandgold]

I could totally live with 5GB for $25, but not 2GB for $25 like AT&T has. yes, you will be grandfathered in as far as I know.

i could live with 2gb. most people can. might mean some people would have to go back to actually listening to the radio or cd's while driving around.

personally i dont think its that big of a deal.

a lot of the people that it is really going to hurt are the people that are tethering and downloading and not paying for it.

 

[UncleMike]

i think it sux! i was planning on going crazy with the unlimited data...

People using data simply because they can do so without additional expense is (or should be) one of the primary reasons for carriers considering tiered data plans.

IMO, for most people the appeal of unlimited data is that they'll have a predictable monthly bill. This may not be true for forum-visiting customers, but I think it holds true for the overall customer base.

 

[Demache]

Its pretty much inevitable. The My Verizon app just had an update and besides being a major UI overhaul, they introduced a new feature. The data usage widget. Take note of the absence of a voice and texting widget. There is only one practical reason to use this widget, and its not to show off how much data you can go through in a month.

 

[byteware]

>>There is only one practical reason to use this widget, and its not to show off how much data you can go through in a month.

The widget, interestingly enough, uses more data simply to tell you how much data you have used.

I personally agree that the tiered plans are all about gouging (for Verizon, AT&T Really can't handle the data).

And the idea of them gouging us in preparation of 4G is absolutely ridiculous. Think about it, you could hit 5 GB in a day, and not blink an eye lash with 4G.

 

[sergey]

Well my question is this...

If they change it to the tiered plans and don't grandfather existing customers, then it is a clear violation of the contract and any existing contract is now null and void.

So then does this mean I can get the droid x at the new contract price even though I just got my droid a few months ago?

If that's the case, then I'm ok with tiered data- I use my data plan, but I'm not sucking down GBs a month, and I could always use a shiny new phone

 

[IOWA]

i could live with 2gb. most people can. might mean some people would have to go back to actually listening to the radio or cd's while driving around.

personally i dont think its that big of a deal.

a lot of the people that it is really going to hurt are the people that are tethering and downloading and not paying for it.

My quote from the other tiered data post with VZW.

No, this is untrue. As technology moves forward, we are using more and more data, sometimes unknowingly.

Advertisements in apps? - Data.

Gtalk? -Data

Market? -Data

YouTube? -A Handful of these a week can set you over your limit by itself.

Pandora? - See the youtube reference.

Background Sync? - Data

Browsing the web? -Data

Email Sync? - Data

New/Faster/Better capabilities are coming, with faster than ever speeds that make loads of stuff we never thought of doing possible with our mobile devices. Imagine if Comcast/ATT/Roadrunner etc put small arbitrary bandwidth caps on home service. Imagine what wouldn't exist, like online gaming, video streaming from youtube/hulu etc, pandora, all these services wouldn't exist, or would be very poor at best, because no one would be able to afford it. The list goes on and on. ATT and VZW are taking a step backwards here, and I'm glad to see Sprint and T-Mobile publicly come against bandwidth caps.

-Another thing, bandwidth caps don't even make sense.

If you bought a smartphone to use it as a smartphone, then bandwidth caps are not for you. People need to look towards tomorrow, and the next day, instead of yesterday. That is what got ATT in trouble with their crappy ass network, and why they are facing so much flak from the media and people about their 2-bit crap network. It's a crying shame they were #1 subscribed to for YEARS, and yet are 3rd out of 4 carriers when it comes to their 3G network. That's what happens when you don't look to the future.

The last thing I want, is "Oh crap, I can't watch this youtube video my co-worker sent me until I get home, because I'm close to my ridiculously small bandwidth limit. " Especially with the premium VZW charges, you guys should be outraged.

If you really think this is going to somehow save you money, your wrong. One overage, *just one*, can equal the cost savings for your entire two year contract or more. I don't want to have to worry about data caps when I'm using an already pricey internet plan when compared to what people pay for landline service.

And just want to throw this in, with the emergence of faster networks, 4G and the like, what's the point of having 4G if you can't use it? Would you buy a Ferrari and only be able to drive it 10 miles per month? (or face overages)

 

[soondolee]

^ very nice. i really agreeeeeee

 

[thedrizl]

amen Iowa. like i said in another post, i'll bet Dan Hesse is grinning ear to ear right now.

 

[Frisco]

Would you buy a Ferrari and only be able to drive it 10 miles per month?

We sure see a lot of Corvettes and Talons crawling along on the freeways at 20 or 25 mph.

Of course, once off they get to peel out from stop signs and red lights for a few precious seconds.

Perhaps we'll get to occasionally roam at 4G.

 

[tsanuri]

amen Iowa. like i said in another post, i'll bet Dan Hesse is grinning ear to ear right now.

Well he is talking a good fight right now but for the most part so goes AT&T and VZ so goes the rest of the carriers.

 

[Old Man]

I personally agree that the tiered plans are all about gouging (for Verizon, AT&T Really can't handle the data).

Tell that to the people who have been complaining about currently having to pay for those with high data use when they don't use it, such as the people wanting to not have any data plan and be limited to voice and Wi-Fi. It too often seems that people take anything that doesn't support their personal perspective is seen as being directed at them without considering that it may actually be intended to try to benefit others with different views.

The reality is that there are a range of smartphone users, so maybe there needs to be a range of data plans. The concept of making people pay based on use rather than making everyone pay the same regardless of use certainly seems fair. And apparently the approach of per MB charges had many problems. So the general concept of tiered data plans actually sounds like it could be a good thing. What could be a concern is the caps and costs related to the tiers. Assuming that Verizon would follow AT&T's numbers is pure conjecture and while I understand the logic, it reminds me of the old saying that when #1 follows #2 they become #3.

In fact, more recent reports and comments from Verizon representatives seem to indicate that an unlimited tier would remain available if tiered data plans were implemented and that tiered pricing may not be implemented until being applied to LTE service.

 

[Frisco]

Excellent post. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[DroidPower]

Phone minutes have become a NORM for service providers, DATA is where the money is right now and probably down the road. More and more capabilities of cell phones/smart-phones are DATA driven, and more of a cost factor for service providers to supply technical equipment for increase supply of handling OTA DATA.

The money maker is DATA.

 

[UncleMike]

...The reality is that there are a range of smartphone users, so maybe there needs to be a range of data plans. The concept of making people pay based on use rather than making everyone pay the same regardless of use certainly seems fair. And apparently the approach of per MB charges had many problems. So the general concept of tiered data plans actually sounds like it could be a good thing. What could be a concern is the caps and costs related to the tiers...

I also think it's fair, but don't want to have to worry about exceeding a cap. One way alleviate such concerns would be to apply AT&T's rollover concept to data - unused data from previous months could be used to give some flexibility to the caps. Maybe they could even allow users who have a recent history of exceeding their caps even with a rollover, could move up to a higher cap and have it applied retroactively. I know that would never happen, but it would certainly make people more comfortable with data caps.

 

[jasperwill]

since i have gotten my phone i have used alot more data then i did on my blackberry because of all the extra possibilities including: youtube, internet, pandora. this last month without even using pandora i used 1.83 GB of data (this thread just made me check). since my largest month on my BB was around 200 megs im really surprised by the amount of data i use now. i bet if i do stream pandora as much as i was the first month (8 hrs a day 4 days a week) the amount of data would be closer to 3 gigs what do you guys think?
EDIT:
according to ATT data calculator 8 hrs a day and 4 days a week of music streaming would come to roughly 3.6 GB of data by itself!
i dont usually use that much but it gives me an idea of how much data i would use if i did listen to music at work all the time. (they wont let us stream anything over the corporate network)