Verizon Ending Unlimited Data for Grandfathered Users

Wizard Prang said:

Everyone says "unlimited data is going away", but personally I think this feels... wrong. I have unlimited data on my home internet, unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling on my cellphones. Many of these things were limited and metered in bygone years, but not any more.

Under the new plan unlimited calling and unlimited texting are on the table. This is actually a good thing, though in dire need of some real competition (as opposed to the "same-as-the-next-guy" thinking that seems to pass for competition in this industry).

In Britain just about every cellphone carrier bundles unlimited texting with most of their plans, probably because the cost is minimal. Over here, for some reason, hardly any of the majors do. Why do they do this? My best guess is "Because we can". And texting is almost pure profit...

In an age where technology is getting cheaper and faster, and data availability becomes less of a luxury and more of a commodity - if not an outright necessity - it seems to me that cellular data is overpriced and, under the new plan, getting more so.

I believe that one day, unlimited will be the norm, until then, they should simply offer data at a flat rate (say $5/GB). That would be fair, reasonable and honest; naturally the majors would be horrified at such an idea.

That is why this attempt at removing unlimited data customers seems like such a retrograde step to me. The main reason that unlimited data is currently such a pain for the cellcos is because of their network capacity. This should improve over time. Data hogs who abuse the system are not part of this equation - they can and should be targeted and dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

Pardon my rant. And now back to our regular-scheduled programing.

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Which in another couple of years will be useless as all calls an text will be done through LTE data only. Its the classic bait an switch, give them something that they think is worth alot, only to get them to give up something that is really worth something in the near future.

Since the share plans were announced, I had wondered if instead of paying full price for a new phone you could buy a used phone without incurring a change of you account and loosing unlimited data. I got my answer today.

From an interview with Steve Mesnick, Verizon's head of marketing:

A "healthy percentage" of Verizon's smartphone customers currently have unlimited data plans, he said. In addition to buying a new iPhone at the full unsubsidized price of $649 in order to keep unlimited data, he suggested they activate an older device they already own or buy an inexpensive one on eBay.

"Mesnick, who oversaw creation of the new plans, said their central intent is "simplicity" so that a family or work group could predict how much they have to pay monthly instead of tallying several data plans on a single account. "What customers care about is 'what's my total bill at the end of the month?'" he said."

He's kidding right? Simplicity? These plans are not what I would call simple. Darn confusing if you ask me.

Forget the simplicity. This is what got me: "What customers care about is 'what's my total bill at the end of the month?'" he said." I, being a customer, do indeed care about my bill and know that $40. more at the end of the month (for less data) is not helping helping me. I care that he actually said that, probably with a straight face.

Doit2it said:

he suggested they activate an older device they already own or buy an inexpensive one on eBay.

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Huh? Wouldn't we already have a device active now?

i just added a line of service to my plan. i ordered the razr maxx (i need battery life) on the new line of service. i told the cs rep that i wanted to put the maxx on one of my existing lines of service and put a feature phone that i already have on the new line. she said no problem at all. she sent me not only the new phone and sim card programed for the new lines number but also a new maxx sim programed with my existing lines number . so all i have to do is activate the phone when it comes in with the new numbers sim, remove that sim and insert the sim with my old number and then activate my dumb phone on the new number.

oh yeah, i made sure that before and after i placed my order that my plan still showed not only unlimited data on the old lines but also my $20 data discounts as well

cmybliss said:

"Mesnick, who oversaw creation of the new plans, said their central intent is "simplicity" so that a family or work group could predict how much they have to pay monthly instead of tallying several data plans on a single account. "What customers care about is 'what's my total bill at the end of the month?'" he said."

He's kidding right? Simplicity? These plans are not what I would call simple. Darn confusing if you ask me.

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I guess I can see it both ways. In theory, a shared family data plan is simple and you know what you're paying. But you're on a shared family plan, so you have to watch your account daily to really know what your other lines are doing.

digdug1 said:

i just added a line of service to my plan. i ordered the razr maxx (i need battery life) on the new line of service. i told the cs rep that i wanted to put the maxx on one of my existing lines of service and put a feature phone that i already have on the new line. she said no problem at all. she sent me not only the new phone and sim card programed for the new lines number but also a new maxx sim programed with my existing lines number . so all i have to do is activate the phone when it comes in with the new numbers sim, remove that sim and insert the sim with my old number and then activate my dumb phone on the new number.

oh yeah, i made sure that before and after i placed my order that my plan still showed not only unlimited data on the old lines but also my $20 data discounts as well

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THis really is the way to go... Considering you are paying less extra than you do for 5GB, and you get unlimited forever, and still get an upgrade every 20 months...

AntimonyER said:

THis really is the way to go... Considering you are paying less extra than you do for 5GB, and you get unlimited forever, and still get an upgrade every 20 months...

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Yep. I did the same thing to pre-order the GSIII. We now have 2 lines that we can use for upgrades and leave my unlimited line untouched.

digdug1 said:

i just added a line of service to my plan. i ordered the razr maxx (i need battery life) on the new line of service. i told the cs rep that i wanted to put the maxx on one of my existing lines of service and put a feature phone that i already have on the new line. she said no problem at all. she sent me not only the new phone and sim card programed for the new lines number but also a new maxx sim programed with my existing lines number . so all i have to do is activate the phone when it comes in with the new numbers sim, remove that sim and insert the sim with my old number and then activate my dumb phone on the new number.

oh yeah, i made sure that before and after i placed my order that my plan still showed not only unlimited data on the old lines but also my $20 data discounts as well

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I never thought of this. I'm planning on buying phones at full price to keep my unlimited data. I could open another line on my family plan for $9.99 per month and get an upgrade every 20 months.

$9.99 x 20 = $200 plus $250 (phone after taxes) = $450 is cheaper than $600.

Cares said:

I never thought of this. I'm planning on buying phones at full price to keep my unlimited data. I could open another line on my family plan for $9.99 per month and get an upgrade every 20 months.

$9.99 x 20 = $200 plus $250 (phone after taxes) = $450 is cheaper than $600.

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You might be closer to $500 w/taxes/fees on those lines, but the general idea works...

It's interesting that they'd allow such a transaction, and it may just be the rep screwing up, since you normally need to add a data plan to the contract being created/renewed.

rehpyc said:

It's interesting that they'd allow such a transaction, and it may just be the rep screwing up, since you normally need to add a data plan to the contract being created/renewed.

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You do need to add data @ the time the order is placed, but as soon as you put a dumb phone on the new line, the data charge drops off.

You'd think they'd require data to stay on the plan for the duration of the contract, else what's keeping someone from having any number of ghost lines, using the upgrade for a smart phone, putting a dumb phone on the line to drop the data, and then selling the smart phone? This is assuming the primary account on the family plan has a smart phone and data already?

Edit: For example, my parents will not need anything beyond a dumb phone each. Could i use their upgrades to get smart phones at the subsidized price, put their dumb phones back on their lines, then sell the smart phones?

rehpyc said:

You'd think they'd require data to stay on the plan for the duration of the contract, else what's keeping someone from having any number of ghost lines, using the upgrade for a smart phone, putting a dumb phone on the line to drop the data, and then selling the smart phone? This is assuming the primary account on the family plan has a smart phone and data already?

Edit: For example, my parents will not need anything beyond a dumb phone each. Could i use their upgrades to get smart phones at the subsidized price, put their dumb phones back on their lines, then sell the smart phones?

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I don't believe that the option to purchase any subsidized smartphone and keep your unlimited data will be on the table after the 28th.

rehpyc said:

You'd think they'd require data to stay on the plan for the duration of the contract, else what's keeping someone from having any number of ghost lines, using the upgrade for a smart phone, putting a dumb phone on the line to drop the data, and then selling the smart phone? This is assuming the primary account on the family plan has a smart phone and data already?

Edit: For example, my parents will not need anything beyond a dumb phone each. Could i use their upgrades to get smart phones at the subsidized price, put their dumb phones back on their lines, then sell the smart phones?

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Yes there is nothing to stop you from doing this. Just be sure you do it through Verizon directly.

Wizard Prang said:

I don't believe that the option to purchase any subsidized smartphone and keep your unlimited data will be on the table after the 28th.

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You'll only ever lose your unlimited data if you buy a subsidized phone using the upgrade of the line that holds the unlimited data.

AntimonyER said:

Yes there is nothing to stop you from doing this. Just be sure you do it through Verizon directly.

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Awesome.. easy way to make some money to effectively reduce the cost of service for 2 years.

I've done this through Costco on my VZW account as well...just a couple weeks ago w/my wife's new phone. Use available upgrade on my mom's line on my account to get Razr Maxx (replacing her dumbphone). Add data plan to mom's account. Remove Razr Maxx from mom's line, put mom's dumbphone back on her line. Kill data plan on mom's line. (This all in the space of about 20 minutes at the kiosk in Costco.)

Razr Maxx arrived in the mail a couple days later, assigned to my wife's line and good to go, no data on mom's line, unlimited still on wife's line. Badda-boom, badda-bing. This capability has been around for as long as I can remember.

Wizard Prang said:

I don't believe that the option to purchase any subsidized smartphone and keep your unlimited data will be on the table after the 28th.

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You won't keep unlimited data if you take an upgrade and purchase a subsidized smartphone on a line that has unlimited data. That will require you to go to tiered on that line.

You will keep unlimited data if you take an upgrade on another line on your account, and then move the phone to your unlimited line. (At least, there is nothing in anything I have seen from Verizon, or from a conversation w/CSR, or conversation w/friend who is a VZW store manager, to indicate this will change after 6/28.)

Yea but again, don't give people the impression that unlimited line will remain unlimited forever... They're killing the unlimited data plans and that affects ALL lines, be it now or later.

MrB206 said:

Yea but again, don't give people the impression that unlimited line will remain unlimited forever... They're killing the unlimited data plans and that affects ALL lines, be it now or later.

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I accept that, but the moment they kill your unlimited, they are making a change, giving you the freedom to leave without penalty.

I guess they are hoping that we are all so smartphone-addicted that we well just roll over and pay more for less.

Want to bet, VZW?

I don't know that we're all rolling over... We have choices, but they're slim and one perk with one carrier is a deficiency with another, so you have to decide what's most important and buy accordingly.

kabachy said:

It would be interesting to see how many people will actually save money on theses plans. Since Verizon supposedly made these changes based on customer's request. Maybe someone should start a poll on this. I would but don't know how I have two smart phones and use about 7-10 gigs a month. This would raise my bill by $30 a month...not good

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I'm one of the few it would save money for...lol.

I just got a 3 line family plan, two 4G and one 3G phone.. Every line isnt unlimited data. 2 are tiered. I would save a good deal, at a minimum $80. I already have unlimited talk n text.

BUT...I would be giving up unlimited data on my main line.

This new plan kinda benefits those that never had unlimited data, like recent customers. But the data part of it falls apart IMO. I have 10GB and 2GB on the other two lines. Now....I see I can add 2GB later for like $10. But...does that stick, or do I do that every month? Can I stack the 2GB til I get to a high enough limit I want?

Also....I coulda got another 4G phone and did the double data deal and had both lines with 10GB. I never did...wish I woulda now... Btw..I saw one article mention Verizon said folks can keep grandfathered unlimited data plans and other things ...indefinitely. And called Verizon out for changing their minds over the years. Some ppl were under the impression indefinitely meant forever. Technically...it doesnt. Not trying to defend them...but if that was the wording they used....that was smart by Verizon.

Thats if they did use indefinitely. And like someone mentioned, them changing how you could keep unlimited data isnt wrong by them. You can still keep it....you just have to buy phones at retail prices... Its messed up...but I dont think this is any change to your existing plan that you can walk without paying an ETF. You dont have to have a new phone or the latest phone to use their service... But...I dont think you wanna or should make long time customers upset. Us long timers helped pay for alot of things over the years.

Wizard Prang said:

I accept that, but the moment they kill your unlimited, they are making a change, giving you the freedom to leave without penalty.

I guess they are hoping that we are all so smartphone-addicted that we well just roll over and pay more for less.

Want to bet, VZW?

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Well, the problem is, their new procedure means that all these unlimited lines will be out of contract, so Verizon can make a change at any time without violating contracts, two years from June 28th. I don't see unlimited lasting much longer than that, and then Verizon will force our hands...

I don't see Verizon ever actually FORCING you give up your unlimited, however, they will just make it so difficult to keep that most everyone will just give it up voluntarily. Keeping unlimited will be a pain. i.e. buying your phone for full price rather than with a subsidised discount, or purchasing a ghost line and then buying you new phone on that line and transferring it to your unlimited data line.

I'm sure some customers will jump thru all the hoops for a while but every month, the number of customers with unlimited data will get less and less.

Me and my family are relatively small users of data (2 to 2-1/2 GBs of data per month) so we'll keep our unlimited data until we upgrade our phones and then switch to a shared data plan. I figured it out every which way I can think of and our bill will be somewhere between $8-$9 bucks cheaper to withing a few pennies of what we're paying now, depending on which amount of shared data we choose.

I think Verizon gave a lot of thought to designing thier new shared data plans so that for the most part it's the heavier data users that will end up paying more. But as with most things in life, there will always be a few exceptions to the rule.

Best of luck to us all,