Verizon Going With Tiered Data.

[Araldo]

I will be ok with this because I use my phone ALOT at work, where we have wifi. This will be where most of my data comes from.

 

[Eloquence]

Guys, let's remember that we are already on unlimited data plans!! If we don't change plans after the tiered plans are introduced I think we should be okay.

Also, all signs (at least on Android phones) point to this happening. Why? Because if you look at the new myVerizon app that was just pushed out with our updates it has a nice fancy widget that reports .... <drum roll> ... Data Usage!! And the app happens to be VERY handy for seeing over usage for data as well!

Just my take, but I think the days of unlimited data are almost over. Verizon needs to make more money -- think of LTE and more efficient networks with people paying based on usage! Much more money for VZW!!

We'll be safe though, for now. Until we get a new phone. Crap. That's gonna be soon for most of us isn't it?

-Elo

 

[ozzzy3z]

I currently have 2 LG Dare's on a family plane. Contract is up in August. Plan on going to our first Android devices when we re-sign.

Two questions (sorry if they seem silly):

1. Will the data plan I currently have on the LG Dares count toward me being "grandfathered in" on an unlimited plan when I renew my contract in August?

2. Can I sign up prior to August 29th even though no phones are available to secure the unlimited data plan?

I hope one of the two options above works - the thought of going back to Sprint makes me cringe... (poor coverage in my area)

 

[Pavilion]

We're already in contract, so they probably can't change it. If that happens, they are breaking the contract and we can leave without paying ETF. And I personally will sell my Droid X and go with the Galaxy S in Sprint then. (though, I will miss Droid X and the big red)

 

[bbuck002]

I currently have 2 LG Dare's on a family plane. Contract is up in August. Plan on going to our first Android devices when we re-sign.

Two questions (sorry if they seem silly):

1. Will the data plan I currently have on the LG Dares count toward me being "grandfathered in" on an unlimited plan when I renew my contract in August?

2. Can I sign up prior to August 29th even though no phones are available to secure the unlimited data plan?

I hope one of the two options above works - the thought of going back to Sprint makes me cringe... (poor coverage in my area)

I would definitely call a rep...but my thoughts are:
1. it depends on your data plan, i'm not sure the lg dares are considered smart phones that require data plans, (if they are and you have unlimited then yeah prob gonna be grandfathered)

2. again call a rep, ask them to move you contract date up so you can order the phones now (tiered data rumored to start july 29th)...
my contract actually expired on dec. 29th and they moved my date to july17th so i could order at launch, also meant i got ne2 discount and instant online rebate so i only paid 150.00 for the Dx. if the csr you are on the phone with says no to moving your date, just escalate to a supervisor b/c you are allowed to do this...it will also cancel out the 20 dollar early upgrade fee if you get your contract date moved up...

good luck and get in the system with plans asap (before july 29th)

 

[bbuck002]

i can't see myself leaving verizon
i also can't see not being grandfathered b/c i have had unlimited data for at least 3 or 4 years now and they would have a shitstorm legally to deal with if they broke everyone's contracts...

 

[awells527]

Even when the 4G roll-out happens, that won't help us until we get a 4G-capable phone, right? And that's even if they follow Sprint and cap 3G while leaving 4G unlimited.

 

[xdroid]

I really hate data caps. It really takes all the technological advancements we've seen and renders them pointless. What's the point of having new features and capabilities when once you hit the cap all those features become either useless or a liability (if you haven't realized you've hit the cap, and continue to use your browser racking up overage charges) until you roll over to a new month? I can seriously tell you that if I were still on a private plan (I had my plan absorbed by my company's share plan) and this change went into effect, my 'need' for a smartphone would no longer exist. I would rather have a basic phone with basic service than carry a $600 brick in my pocket that costs me $80+ per month.

This is coming from someone who has slowly started to leverage the functionality of his smartphone but still prefers to use a powerful desktop at home and a powerful docked laptop at work. I use an average of between 200MB and 400MB per month but sometimes over 3GB on my blackberry prior to getting the droid X (in other words, hardly ever using the browser at all). To me, unlimited means never having to worry about overage charges and not necessarily about being able to use 100GB of data in a month if I wanted. It's about not having to worry that if I download this email attachment, it could cost me another $5 on my next bill.

 

[mig991]

If the "unlimited cap" is more than 29.99 I am out. My phone is awesome and I love it, no doubt. But it is a luxury, something I have because I can, not because I NEED. I set a limit of what I would pay for a cell phone in my mind and that number is $75 a month (I am currently at $71). If my plan ever goes over that I am gone and will get a plain old cell that does nothing but makes calls.

I am also not going to be checking my downloads to see if I am 'close' to my cap all month either, too much room for manipulation by the carrier to be had.

I just got in with the X, so if I get 2 good years than so be it.

 

[Shuck14]

I will revolt if I can't have my unlimited data plan. Whose with me?

 

[xdroid]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I am in charge of my company's Verizon account of 25 lines. I had a hard enough time dealing with text messaging charges (which finally are no longer a problem) and still have problems with roaming charges. I already have to deal with 5 broadband card users who I have to constantly remind to check their usage every month, I certainly don't want to deal with 20 more. And we're just a small business...imagine if I had to deal with 100 lines? ARGH!

 

[OldSmoky]

Verizon wants to take a bigger and bigger chunk of your disposable income. Eventually people are going to say enough is enough.

 

[Arative]

I'm currently an iphone user, my contract is up Jan '11 and I was looking to switch to Verizon then. The rumor that Verizon is going to move to a tiered data plan has moved my plans up.

I called a Verizon Store near me to ask about the tiered data plan. The lady there didn't know anything about it. She said I couldn't get a X until 8/3, so I asked if Verizon did go to a tiered data plan, and I ordered my phone before they announced it, would I be grandfathered in. She said yes.

Not sure if she is just trying to make a sale or what, since she hadn't heard about a tiered data plan but said I would be grandfathered in. I would imagine though that the tiered plan on Verizon would be similar to AT&T and would only apply to new users.

 

[uberdag]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I am in charge of my company's Verizon account of 25 lines. I had a hard enough time dealing with text messaging charges (which finally are no longer a problem) and still have problems with roaming charges. I already have to deal with 5 broadband card users who I have to constantly remind to check their usage every month, I certainly don't want to deal with 20 more. And we're just a small business...imagine if I had to deal with 100 lines? ARGH!

Why not just get those people an android phone and tether their data through the phone with the varoius methods? unlimited like? understand I know the 5gb data plan for 60 dollars(also have another unlimited one for 60) I have set up for some rural furniture stores i help out with IT on. I also realize a phone with unlimited data would be more but they would have the phone as well wich sounds like they already do. I am, was looking into doing this for one of the stores with the limited data usb plan.

time is ticking though

 

[Piiman]

yeah so i just read on android central that verizon is saying that all of us X users, IN ONE WEEK, are using 5 times more data than any other phone on their network!!!
I've def noticed my data has JUMPED WAY UP since getting the X...just wait til the Droid2 comes out (with froyo love) and then we get the froyo update!!! one word-FLASH! if i'm not grandfathered i will definitely find a way to hit them legally for breaking my contract (which i'm sure we will be grandfathered, just depends on how long)
i mean i pay for unlimited for a reason...
you gotta love how they drop this more officially after they release this beast of a phone...if you have the X and are not on unlimited you better switch before the 29th and tell all your friends...
when they do go to tiered plans, i really hope they follow the data plans for verizon netbooks, b/c there is a 5gb per month plan, and for all but the HEAVIEST users that would be fine...you would have to download music and movies all day for a week to go over that (exaggeration!)
ok enough of my rant, had seen that article last night and been mulling it in my head til now...i will prob give verizon a call soon to check on things...

VZW better take their Blockbuster app off the phone then. Otherwise that over priced movie could cost even more, lots more. I also wonder how many NFL games you can watch and stay under 2gb ? If VZW is having a hard time with data usage then shouldn't they not encourage high bandwidth apps like those?

I wonder if their overage charge will be as ridiculous as the 50.00 per gb they charge if you go over your hot spot 2gb allotment?

Wouldn't you just love to rent a movie and find out it cost you $54.99 instead of 4.99??

 

[Travisimo]

VZW better take their Blockbuster app off the phone then. Otherwise that over priced movie could cost even more, lots more. I also wonder how many NFL games you can watch and stay under 2gb ? If VZW is having a hard time with data usage then shouldn't they not encourage high bandwidth apps like those?

I wonder if their overage charge will be as ridiculous as the 50.00 per gb they charge if you go over your hot spot 2gb allotment?

Wouldn't you just love to rent a movie and find out it cost you $54.99 instead of 4.99??

Blockbuster is wifi only, no?

 

[ckochinsky125]

Blockbuster is wifi only, no?

Its not wifi only

 

[Zog Bog]

I signed a one year contract with the intention of switching over to 4g next year. However if Verizon moves to unreasonable pricing structures then I will leave for sprint, at least until this becomes a reality (PE Firm Plans Open LTE Network to Challenge AT&T and Verizon).
My data usage since getting the X six days ago is already approaching 2gb (without tethering).

 

[Piiman]

Its not wifi only

And don't forget the NFL app. If they're really concerned about their bandwidth consumption and not just making more money. Then they should really change their current advertising campaign where they are positioning the X as a mobile media/tv/movie device. They're pushing VCast, NFL app, BlockBuster and I'm sure there are others.

But hey you can't charge those outrageous overage fees if you don't have a hard cap. Have you seen what they charge if you go over your hot spot allotment of 2gb?

 

[ashykat]

It's very doubtful they will not grandfather us, because as said, it would be a change of contract and we could leave. I would go to T-Mobile. Cheap cheap cheap. I hope I don't have to do that, but I will because I already feel like Big Red nickels and dimes too much.

 

[butthead007]

Firstly, the blockbuster app only world on wifi. So that is much ado about nothing. Much like this entire post. There is absolutely no proof whatsoever to back up engadgets story. One of the benefits they're touting right now is their plans are unlimited. So they're going to pull a schizophrenic 180 degree turn around in a two week time period? No.

Also, don't you think frontline reps need to be trained on this? Where is the paper trail cause God knows everything else seems to leak out.

It amazes me how downright irrational people get over a rumor reported on a tech blog. Stop it. Your families will question your health as you sit at your computer frothing at the mouth. And people like me are going to question your sanity based on your reaction to a rumor.


Tiered data pricing will more than likely happen. I am betting when LTE rolls out.

 

[AMDXP]

Firstly, the blockbuster app only world on wifi. So that is much ado about nothing. Much like this entire post. There is absolutely no proof whatsoever to back up engadgets story. One of the benefits they're touting right now is their plans are unlimited. So they're going to pull a schizophrenic 180 degree turn around in a two week time period? No.

Also, don't you think frontline reps need to be trained on this? Where is the paper trail cause God knows everything else seems to leak out.

It amazes me how downright irrational people get over a rumor reported on a tech blog. Stop it. Your families will question your health as you sit at your computer frothing at the mouth. And people like me are going to question your sanity based on your reaction to a rumor.


Tiered data pricing will more than likely happen. I am betting when LTE rolls out.

I completely agree with you here. We have 1....count them...1 tech blog that's reporting this.

Until Verizon issues a Press Release stating this and what the tiers are, what the pricing is for each tier and how much data for each tier, and how much overages are, We are reacting before we have any valid information.

I agree...this is going to happen. I figure 1 of 2 things will happen:

1.The Tiered data plan will be for 4G only. (Initially only about 30 markets will have 4G (LTE) ) 3G will remain unlimited. ****NOTE FOR THIS ENTRY*** This initial rollout will be for USB 4G Cellular Modems for laptops, Cell phones are not expected until sometime next year.

2. Won't matter if your 3G or 4G, when you get a new contract you have to go with tiered pricing.


It's only a rumor. When the facts are revealed they could be terrible, or could be not so bad at all.

 

[ckochinsky125]

I will revolt if I can't have my unlimited data plan. Whose with me?

Im with you but if they do this i may just switch to say sprint since they have 4g in my area and have unlimited plans and i would save money anyway

 

[butthead007]

I completely agree with you here. We have 1....count them...1 tech blog that's reporting this.

Until Verizon issues a Press Release stating this and what the tiers are, what the pricing is for each tier and how much data for each tier, and how much overages are, We are reacting before we have any valid information.

I agree...this is going to happen. I figure 1 of 2 things will happen:

1.The Tiered data plan will be for 4G only. (Initially only about 30 markets will have 4G (LTE) ) 3G will remain unlimited. ****NOTE FOR THIS ENTRY*** This initial rollout will be for USB 4G Cellular Modems for laptops, Cell phones are not expected until sometime next year.

2. Won't matter if your 3G or 4G, when you get a new contract you have to go with tiered pricing.


It's only a rumor. When the facts are revealed they could be terrible, or could be not so bad at all.

Well, I have stated this many times and people seem to ignore it. Yes, I do work for VZW.

 

[Old Man]

Tiered data pricing will more than likely happen. I am betting when LTE rolls out.

And that is apparently pretty much what Verizon executives have also been saying after the initial rumors came out earlier in the week, nice to see the same story coming from different levels in the company.

Although some people seem to assume it, tiered data plans do not inherently mean the end of unlimited data. The comments on many blogs and web sites about Verizon likely following AT&T's pricing and structure for data plans seems to only be conjecture and to not have much basis other than that is what is already existing. There could be an unlimited tier as well as one or more additional lower capacity, lower cost tier options.