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Thunderbolt Launch Day Speculation/Rumor Thread

Verizon forces me to get a 3g data package on my LG enV touch which I currently dont use any data on. All I use it for is voice which does not need to be 3g.

Ok, but that's a little different than what you were originally saying. Requiring a data plan on a phone is one thing. However, requiring a "4G" data plan on a phone versus a 3G data plan is something totally different. I don't think they'll care which plan you have, but they will require a data plan. That's nothing new. IMO they 'require' data plans on phones so they can make up revenue for the losses when paying full price for the smartphone & turning around & selling 'em for around $200 a piece (pre LTE phones). You and I both know that you don't need the data plan on your enV in order for it to work though.
 
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Ok, but that's a little different than what you were originally saying. Requiring a data plan on a phone is one thing. However, requiring a "4G" data plan on a phone versus a 3G data plan is something totally different. I don't think they'll care which plan you have, but they will require a data plan. That's nothing new. IMO they 'require' data plans on phones so they can make up revenue for the losses when paying full price for the smartphone & turning around & selling 'em for around $200 a piece (pre LTE phones). You and I both know that you don't need the data plan on your enV in order for it to work though.

If your phone is capable of using a new technology, they will charge you for it regardless of whether you use it or not. They are not going to put an LTE antenna in a phone and allow you to not use it. Believe it or not, they aren't blanketing the US with 4g to make people happy, they are doing it to make money.

Anything is possible at this point, I would love for Verizon to prove me wrong.
 
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If your phone is capable of using a new technology, they will charge you for it regardless of whether you use it or not. They are not going to put an LTE antenna in a phone and allow you to not use it. Believe it or not, they aren't blanketing the US with 4g to make people happy, they are doing it to make money.

Anything is possible at this point, I would love for Verizon to prove me wrong.

All I'm saying is that just because you buy a TB, does not mean you're required to have the 4G service. You will still be able to use the 3G service. A SIM card is required for 4G, and if that card is not in the phone it will utilize the 3G service (or you'll use a 3G SIM card, one of the two).
 
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All I'm saying is that just because you buy a TB, does not mean you're required to have the 4G service. You will still be able to use the 3G service. A SIM card is required for 4G, and if that card is not in the phone it will utilize the 3G service (or you'll use a 3G SIM card, one of the two).

You hope.

I'd be willing to bet the phone won't operate correctly or at all without the SIM card.
 
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All the videos i have seen with TB's missing sim cards, the phone keeps bugging the user about not having the sim card. Maybe that is just because they were pre-production/test models, but I wouldn't want to use it if it constantly reminded me about the sim card. Also, I don't believe Verizon has any 3g cards and dont see any need for them to produce one.

The only videos I have seen using data or voice were of TB's with sim cards and the ones without them didn't seem to be receiving any data (possibly not activated or something).
 
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All the videos i have seen with TB's missing sim cards, the phone keeps bugging the user about not having the sim card. Maybe that is just because they were pre-production/test models, but I wouldn't want to use it if it constantly reminded me about the sim card. Also, I don't believe Verizon has any 3g cards and dont see any need for them to produce one.

The only videos I have seen using data or voice were of TB's with sim cards and the ones without them didn't seem to be receiving any data (possibly not activated or something).

Yeah, that's all I'm finding too. Just pre-production devices. Maybe it will require 4g. Who knows what they'll do. Is the 4G tiered pricing based on usage?
 
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Yeah, that's all I'm finding too. Just pre-production devices. Maybe it will require 4g. Who knows what they'll do. Is the 4G tiered pricing based on usage?

I would assume so as i don't see any other way of defining the tiers. I guess they could do something similar to ISP's and tier it by max speed but that would suck and I dont know if they are able to control certain peoples download speeds.
 
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check this out...

Go to 5:18

It's confusing... he says you dont need a SIM for 3G service on the thunderbolt & w/o the SIM, it'll revert to 3G service. Then he says, 'but when you get the thunderbolt you'll have to sign up for 4G service' which require the SIM.

interesting. So if what he said is true, we are both correct. Did you notice the lock screen bugging him about not having a sim card? That would bug the he!! out of me.

BTW, i think we are in the wrong thread. If you want to continue this debate we should move to the tiered 4g plan thread or something.
 
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Verizon doesn't need a sim for 3g, but has one for 4g, thus requiring the sim to activation. You have no choice but the sign up for the 4g data plan. If you take out the sim you revert to 3g with much slower speeds, but still pay for 4g. No way around it.

No way around it? I'm fairly certain there are testers using it in 3G right now w/no issues. Especially considering the fact that the entire nation is not in a 4G area. IMO your claim is just like the rest of ours... speculation.
 
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Talked to the verizon rep today about some general business and asked at the end of our conversation when the thunderbolt was coming out and she said sometime in April. Feel free to rip verizon a new one, because I believe that puts the release date outside of their original first quarter promise.

As a long time verizon customer I EXPECT an honest explanation of what is going on!!!! I don't care if they want to sell more apple products just tell us the truth! If that’s the case I understand the business side of it and I'm cool with verizon making more money selling iphones/ipads. If it’s a problem with the development that’s fine also, just tells us the DAMN truth!!! My patients is running very thin with verizon and the clock is ticking. Waiting for a phone that should have been released soon after the EVO and the cluster F%#& releases that Verizon has lately, my business will soon be going elsewhere!!!!!
 
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