Verizon Ending Unlimited Data for Grandfathered Users

[wxman2003]

*sigh* maybe GSM isn't all that bad after all. If I'm going to get screwed I may as well buy something I like outside of a contract and pop a SIM card in it. I've got a few months yet to go for myself, but when the Asus Padfone or something else I like comes out it might be worth winding down my 10 year stay with Verizon and get used to the idea of getting bent over by AT&T instead. At least I'd have more of a choice of phones on the unlocked market.

Oh well, as the old curse goes, may you live in interesting times......... :musicus:

The problem is that 4G coverage is so lousy in the US, that there really isn't much of a choice right now, and Verizon knows it. I could not go back to lousy 3G speeds.

 

[Sarrith]

Yea I'll still prolly get the maxx. I mean I only fear for my unlimited plan cuz now I would get netflix on my phone . Other than that I can't see going over 4gb

 

[Mayhem]

Lol gone a long time ago.

I guess this will be our last NE2 then. It says eligible to upgrade at a discount, so...

 

[Sarrith]

I guess this will be our last NE2 then. It says eligible to upgrade at a discount, so...

$50 loyalty discount for the person that had the "primary line." I'm going through this myself right now


Saw this question in another thread - Could you buy a phone at full price, and swap phone numbers with an existing line that has unlimited data and keep unlimited data??

 

[Yeahha]

I guess this will be our last NE2 then. It says eligible to upgrade at a discount, so...

NE2 was less than 2 year contract pricing on a 2 year upgrade...now the pricing for an upgrade the same as 2 year contract pricing or more if it is an early upgrade.

 

[Thom]

Here's something to consider. When it will happen it will be for new conversions from 3G to 4G LTE. Those who were already grandfathered in when going to 4G have a contract for the two years they signed up for.

So ... it would appear that ... if you are a heavy data user and are on 3G unlimited now and have the option to go to 4G ... now would be an excellent time to do it.

... Thom

 

[wxman2003]

The other issue for those that don't switch is that verizon can throttle back your 4G speeds if you remain with your unlimited contract until it expires. So after 2GB of data, the speeds may become so slow that it is useless. One way to force you over to a new plan.

 

[JJBetty]

Ughh.......My contract is up on June 1st. I originally had a Samsung fascinate that had so many issues they gave me a 4G Droid Charge. I am not in love with the Charge. I may have to look elsewhere which is something I never considered in my 12 yrs with verizon.

 

[Yeahha]

The other issue for those that don't switch is that verizon can throttle back your 4G speeds if you remain with your unlimited contract until it expires. So after 2GB of data, the speeds may become so slow that it is useless. One way to force you over to a new plan.

That is incorrect for 4G LTE on VZW. Block C provisions that VZW agreed to when the purchased their part of the LTE spectrum prevent them from throttling LTE speed based on useage of the consumer. There are strains on the network that cause some places to get lower speeds on average at times but they can't legally throttle LTE once you hit a limit...They can and do throttle 3G unlimited customers.

 

[wxman2003]

That is incorrect for 4G LTE on VZW. Block C provisions that VZW agreed to when the purchased their part of the LTE spectrum prevent them from throttling LTE speed based on useage of the consumer. There are strains on the network that cause some places to get lower speeds on average at times but they can't legally throttle LTE once you hit a limit...They can and do throttle 3G unlimited customers.

That's good to hear. Perhaps the FCC needs to enforce the rules when Verizon purchased all that new bandwidth a few years ago along with Google. If you remember they were required to implement it within two years, which they never did. Now Verizon is trying to sell it off. They should be held accountable for that.

 

[trophynuts]

doesn't bother me. I knew it was coming.

 

[Chi-TownTx]

Interested to see what the future brings for carriers in the U.S.

At one point Sprint was king of the castle with the largest network etc. They fell behind in the data race though and thus made Verizon what it is today. If Sprint can hold onto their unlimited data option i can for see them once again being on top after a couple of years.

I would imagine an influx of new subs from people looking to escape the tiered market would grant them a sudden influx of cash to upgrade their network. That is if they can continue to hold out until that time comes.

 

[Ezduzit08]

I hope this isn't the case.

 

[Yeahha]

That's good to hear. Perhaps the FCC needs to enforce the rules when Verizon purchased all that new bandwidth a few years ago along with Google. If you remember they were required to implement it within two years, which they never did. Now Verizon is trying to sell it off. They should be held accountable for that.

They purchased it in 2008 and began implementation by 2010 it may not have been consumer ready...and IIRC the parts they are trying to sell off [use as a barganing chip IMO] is not block C they plan on the block C part of the spectrum to be their official LTE footprint which is good as long as they can't get around those provisions that Google had put in place (they are fighting some of the including the throttling one last I saw)

 

[AntimonyER]

Well Kellex has an op-ed on the other half of the CFOs comments regarding the shared data plans. They said they don't see losing any revenue over the move, or in other words, it won't save anyone any money at all, and in fact he exclaimed the tier pricing as a way to improve revenues as time goes on.

"We know the world is going to a mobile data and cloud culture, and we will be happy to make massive amounts of money off you too."

 

[TheMortallyWounded]

If they do, fine. I'll just drop Verizon. Period. End of discussion.

 

[Yeahha]

I don't think current tiers will be viable as data use increases...they want smartphones to be the standard but the current models are too restrictive with the projected growth of data/month over the next 5 to 10 years...the carriers know this...I think a pay what you use scale with a small fee for data to be part of the account would work better for the consumer and be more viable long term ($15/month for data after 1 GB $5/GB) but that would be money down the drain currently for the carriers...even a simple $10/GB would work better than the current tiered model IMO. I am quite interested to see what they try to put forth as shared data allowances and what tools they will provide for consumers to use to balance their accounts (I pay for 2 lines I don't want the other person who uses my line to chew up my whole allowance...)

 

[dockmaster]

That's what happens when VZW has 93million customers and ATT has like 91million and the other companies...Sprint, TMOB have basically none. VZW and ATT can control the market. They dont give a shit about customer service, all they need to care about is the share holders. Plus they own the politicians who could mabey do something about it. But then again, people yell for the free market....there you go....basically 2 stores.
If TMOB and Sprint could boost the coverage area and offer unlimited for a drastic price reduction, people would bail. I have no loyalty to VZW even though I have 3 phones in the house.
The same thing is happening to cable TV and satellite TV. A few companies own everything, no competition to speak of.

Guess its time to start printing Verizon Sucks bumper stickers!!
I had a neon orange "Disco Sucks" one that got gazillions of thumbs up in the late 70's on hwy 101 in the Bay area!

Rock on

Billd

 

[pool_shark]

I read article last week about the billions of dollars per month that they make from tiered plans.
They need our money to keep filling the pockets of their executives.
The millions they get in bonuses now are barely enough to feed their families.

 

[Wontfinishlast]

So then if we have an individual line we're just screwed? Shared data plans don't do jack for me... That's a terrible excuse to say that shared data will make it all OK... :-(

 

[Yeahha]

So then if we have an individual line we're just screwed? Shared data plans don't do jack for me... That's a terrible excuse to say that shared data will make it all OK... :-(

I would think they will still have individual plans or a plan that is called shared data but has the same cost/limits as the current tiers

 

[Fahrenheit85]

Well between slow updates, not getting the Note (and other top end phones), and now this. I think I'll go over to an AT&T store to see if i can get the same service for the same price.

 

[derek533]

And I bet you they'll roll this out right about the time the iPhone 5 comes out. You watch and see.

 

[suprmallet]

Time for Sprint to start trumpeting the Network Vision upgrades.

 

[iowabowtech]

Anybody here ever been on Straight Talk? Curious whether or not its a viable option.