Is the monthly rate increase definate?

[Icarus1337]

I've heard rumors that VM is going to increase the $25 a month rate. Has this been confirmed?

 

[Scyy]

I haven't heard anything about this.

 

[musick]

I've heard rumors that VM is going to increase the $25 a month rate...

Where did you hear this?

 

[Etegral]

There's been no confirmation at all, just people speculating that they will. Other carriers cost over twice as much as VM is charging for unlimited data, and with the influx of people using data-hungry Android phones on the network, it seems inevitable that the price will increase. Whether they will 'grandfather' us into the plans we have now or force us to pay the higher price is to be seen. Of course, it's just speculation, so there is no timeframe, and it may never happen.

 

[musick]

....it's just speculation...

You know what they say about assuming....

 

[Icarus1337]

You know what they say about assuming....

You make an ass out of u and me.

Several of my friends have said they're going to increase. I've checked the site, but found nothing. I know that some companies releasesome info like this on blogs or other sites, but I dont know a thing about blogs.

 

[musick]

You make an ass out of u and me...

Unless your friends work for VM, I would doubt their claims.

I would much rather see VM impose caps than increase rates. In my mind, I think that the increase in number of subscribers would make up for the increase in use, considering the "average" user.

The only reason I have a cell is because the price is fair. $25/ month is a fair deal. Any increase will likely send me back to the days of shag carpet, 8-tracks and answering machines.

 

[weddle]

Even though the price would still probably beat a contract, I'm sure alot of people would be angry.including me lol but I don't see myself switching over it

 

[greg4android]

Knowing Virgin Mobile, who knows what they'll do.

in their previous national launch of the UNLIMITED broadband2go USB MC760 device, they didn't go up on the rate for a good 7 months.
they went from UNLIMITED $40 **TO** $50 CAPPED 2.5GB.

I am sure its a matter of time, but I have NOT read anywhere officially
of this happening to the BEYOND TALK plans.

 

[ravenas]

I haven't heard anything either.

FWIW I've been a customer of VM since it's earliest pay-as-you-go days. Prices have only gotten better for voice & text. Data has been a challenge to them what with all the eager freeloaders, but they respond through various caps. What happens with the cap is that your service gets throttled. I prefer that to Verizon & AT&T's overage charges. I like to know what my bill is going to be month-to-month. I guess they could offer an upgrade in bandwidth service if you are a heavy user and don't want to be capped. But I expect it would be something you opt-in to as a feature add-on.

I did sign up for the VM MiFi last year at $40/month unlimited. I'm still grandfathered into that price (pay by auto-charge) and my cap is 5GB before throttling occurs. I can live with that since 3G is my backup data service. I pay for Comcast broadband at home (25mbps down) at $40/month. Out and about I'll either use whatever free WiFi I find or switch to my MiFi. (VM tells me on my sign-up page that if I change my $40 plan I won't get it back though. I'll have to go to the $50/mo 2.5GB plan.)

I barely break 2GB in a month. I don't usually stream video while on 3G so all my data is mostly audio and text.

In my experience VM throttles users if bandwidth gets sucked up not increases fees. But in field tests the big boys weren't pulling down speeds that much better. Verizon flopped next to VM in Houston, for instance.

 

[greg4android]

Yeah the price increase was for new users on the mi-fi/mc760.
as long as you kept paying, you stayed on the $40 plan/5gb/throttle.

the $50 only applied to new users.

I was on the MC760, but we got high speed internet here, so I dropped VM internet, and sold my M760 (whew, just in time)

I did sign up for the VM MiFi last year at $40/month unlimited. I'm still grandfathered into that price (pay by auto-charge) and my cap is 5GB before throttling occurs. I can live with that since 3G is my backup data service. I pay for Comcast broadband at home (25mbps down) at $40/month. Out and about I'll either use whatever free WiFi I find or switch to my MiFi.

I barely break 2GB in a month. I don't usually stream video while on 3G so all my data is mostly audio and text.

.

 

[Scyy]

Knowing Virgin Mobile, who knows what they'll do.

in their previous national launch of the UNLIMITED broadband2go USB MC760 device, they didn't go up on the rate for a good 7 months.
they went from UNLIMITED $40 **TO** $50 CAPPED 2.5GB.

I am sure its a matter of time, but I have NOT read anywhere officially
of this happening to the BEYOND TALK plans.

Is it literally capped at 2.5GB? Or is it like every plan out there where it just starts throttling at the soft cap? Because I was under the impression it was still technically unlimited, just a lower cap for throttling which honestly is likely what will happen on these phones. There is already a soft cap of 5 or 10GB's where it gets throttled to 256kbps on beyond talk.

 

[weddle]

I haven't heard anything either.

FWIW I've been a customer of VM since it's earliest pay-as-you-go days. Prices have only gotten better for voice & text. Data has been a challenge to them what with all the eager freeloaders, but they respond through various caps. What happens with the cap is that your service gets throttled. I prefer that to Verizon & AT&T's overage charges. I like to know what my bill is going to be month-to-month. I guess they could offer an upgrade in bandwidth service if you are a heavy user and don't want to be capped. But I expect it would be something you opt-in to as a feature add-on.

I did sign up for the VM MiFi last year at $40/month unlimited. I'm still grandfathered into that price (pay by auto-charge) and my cap is 5GB before throttling occurs. I can live with that since 3G is my backup data service. I pay for Comcast broadband at home (25mbps down) at $40/month. Out and about I'll either use whatever free WiFi I find or switch to my MiFi. (VM tells me on my sign-up page that if I change my $40 plan I won't get it back though. I'll have to go to the $50/mo 2.5GB plan.)

I barely break 2GB in a month. I don't usually stream video while on 3G so all my data is mostly audio and text.

In my experience VM throttles users if bandwidth gets sucked up not increases fees. But in field tests the big boys weren't pulling down speeds that much better. Verizon flopped next to VM in Houston, for instance.

I'm ok with the caps lol. I agree with you about the overages too...i can jangle my net slowing down if it is meaning that I'm not paying any extra money.
i guess I'm just cheap lol, but I like my 25 a month. Its nice having good service I can afford on top of all my other bills

 

[new optimus]

I dont have vm though I was thinking about switching for the $25 plan, my opinion though is dont advertise unlimited if your not able to provide it, they could be reinvesting profits into the network to handle increased traffic but they would rather give big bonuses and higher stock returns so they have to screw over people that take their rhetoric at face value.

 

[ScottColbert]

Knowing Virgin Mobile, who knows what they'll do.

in their previous national launch of the UNLIMITED broadband2go USB MC760 device, they didn't go up on the rate for a good 7 months.
they went from UNLIMITED $40 **TO** $50 CAPPED 2.5GB.

I am sure its a matter of time, but I have NOT read anywhere officially
of this happening to the BEYOND TALK plans.

Nor have I and VM has had the 25 buck plan since May of last year when it rolled out the blackberry, rumour touch and the loft. If they do anything-and I'm sure they will sooner or later, it will be a combo of plan price increase and data cap.

So long as the data cap on the Optimus isn't 1 gig like Cricket is doing it, I''ll be fine.

 

[weddle]

Do you think the grandfather clause would apply to those who have a monthly plan already? Or would they make us pay the increase too? I'd be ok with either an increase in pay or a data cap (reasonable), but not both. I don't feel I should have to pay more for, in essence; less.

 

[AQAA]

Do you think the grandfather clause would apply to those who have a monthly plan already? Or would they make us pay the increase too? I'd be ok with either an increase in pay or a data cap (reasonable), but not both. I don't feel I should have to pay more for, in essence; less.

Since that has been their track record, maybe it has legal ramifications somehow not to keep the price for those already subscribed.
One could assume LOL.

 

[weddle]

Maybe...just have to wait and see I suppose. Hopefully it just stays a rumor though

 

[jetfactor]

don't know anything about VM doing anything like that

and on a different note... beware! AT&T is about to screw it's internet customers with putting a 150 GB/month cap starting may 2.

 

[ap3604]

I did sign up for the VM MiFi last year at $40/month unlimited. I'm still grandfathered into that price (pay by auto-charge) and my cap is 5GB before throttling occurs. I can live with that since 3G is my backup data service. I pay for Comcast broadband at home (25mbps down) at $40/month. Out and about I'll either use whatever free WiFi I find or switch to my MiFi. (VM tells me on my sign-up page that if I change my $40 plan I won't get it back though. I'll have to go to the $50/mo 2.5GB plan.)

Yeah the price increase was for new users on the mi-fi/mc760.
as long as you kept paying, you stayed on the $40 plan/5gb/throttle.

the $50 only applied to new users.

This is veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrry interesting to me. Thank you for posting this info ravenas and greg4android.

Since I joined Virgin Mobile I've been worrying the same thing: "Are they going to increase the $25/mo plan or will I be grandfathered?"

I actually have been thinking about returning the Optimus V and switching to Page Plus Cellular because of this unknown in the back of my head (nice to have 3g data but I don't really need it) but since your saying that Virgin Mobile grandfathers people into old plans I'll be happy to stick around

 

[jp3515]

ap,
You mentioned page plus cellular. Do you live in the midwest? The only reason I am asking is that I live in the Toledo Ohio area ( where there are quite a few page plus stores ) and am thinking of switching to VM with the Optimus. I was wanting to ask someone in or around Toledo how their voice and data coverage is in this area. Thanks

 

[pastafarian]

Moved to Virgin Mobile forum. Discuss away!

 

[TVCCS]

ap,
You mentioned page plus cellular. Do you live in the midwest? The only reason I am asking is that I live in the Toledo Ohio area ( where there are quite a few page plus stores ) and am thinking of switching to VM with the Optimus. I was wanting to ask someone in or around Toledo how their voice and data coverage is in this area. Thanks

I am using an Optimus V in Toledo and the coverage is decent...nearly as good as a Sprint phone I have as well...which it should be, and is. However, the results at your individual location(s) can differ depending on your local tower. I have gotten speeds as high as 2MB up and 800k down in this area, but it's usually less. If possible, it's best to get a phone from a store you can return it to if you find your results unsatisfactory. I may have an extra V for sale (new) as well, if you're interested.

 

[jp3515]

T,
Thanks for the response. I am currently under contract with another carrier for another month or so. I appreciate your response with you being in my area. May I ask how your coverage is as far as making and receiving calls? I would probably be considered a light user as far as data goes since I wouldn't need it for work purposes. So mostly need to just have good coverage as far as calls and texts. Since I am not in the market just yet I need to wait to purchase the phone as I am also moving my family to VM. Thanks again for your comments it is really helpful.

 

[jp3515]

All.
I e-mailed VM yesterday and asked them if plan prices increase will current customers keep paying the current beyond talk plan prices. Waiting on a response.