Does it all really matter?

[Dmags]

I know, I know...we all wait for news on the latest release of hardware and software. Looking to watch videos on the phone, downloading more apps that consume more data. I think it will be really cool to be able to use Flash and other data intensive things with a Android enabled phone.
BUT...If verizon follows in the footsteps of others and limits data usage. Is it really going to matter. Yea I can watch video clips for the first week or two of the month, then I can't without paying more money. I can use really cool apps for the first week or two of the month, then I can't...with out paying more money.
I have a Droid by Motorola...It does what I want it to do and yes I think the new Droids will be wonderful...But I don't see myself buying any future Droids with a luming data cap on the horizon.
What do you think?

 

[IOWA]

We don't all have Verizon. Perhaps this should have been posted in the VZW section.

 

[HTC-Fandroid]

Well here in the Uk we are already finding the networks are capping but as always there be ways these things sort themselves out after a while.



HTC-F

 

[Dmags]

We don't all have Verizon. Perhaps this should have been posted in the VZW section.

I'm am aware we all don't have Verizon. Some carriers are already doing it and others are considering it, thats why I didn't post it in the VZW section.

 

[markml0528]

w

 

[vbetts]

They all had a cap before. Only difference is the cap is known and reduced down a lot. Sprint has a cap of 5-6gb per billing cycle. I've never gone over 1.

 

[chrisinsocalif]

I don't mind a data cap as long as its not too low. AT&T's 2 gigs seems a little low where 5 GB seems more practical to me.

 

[vintagewalrus]

Last I heard Verizon said that caps where off the table for now. Has this changed?
You are correct though, data usage is going to continue rise exponentially. Companies that try to limit the flow rather than widening their pipes are going to be washed out to sea.
I think it is a great idea to have tiered data plans just like voice plans. Just as long as there is a quasi unlimited option. Whatever that means at the time. Right now 5G seems about right. In ten years that may mean 5T. We shall see if we be lucky.

 

[Triska]

My guess is that if you have an unlimited data plan, Verizon will grandfather you in if/when they make the change as long as you don't make any changes in your data plan. I have an amazing voice/data combo plan that I've had for the last four years with two different phones. However, I will lose the plan the minute I get a Droid because it requires a separate data plan and by adding it will make the data plan I have with my voice plan obsolete.

 

[IOWA]

Last I heard Verizon said that caps where off the table for now. Has this changed?
You are correct though, data usage is going to continue rise exponentially. Companies that try to limit the flow rather than widening their pipes are going to be washed out to sea.
I think it is a great idea to have tiered data plans just like voice plans. Just as long as there is a quasi unlimited option. Whatever that means at the time. Right now 5G seems about right. In ten years that may mean 5T. We shall see if we be lucky.

Yeah especially with apps like pandora, slacker, slingbox, netflix, and blockbuster just now starting to hit the mainstream. Not to mention tethering now being offered again. Data use is going to skyrocket on handsets, and charging by the gb doesn't make sense unless you don't want to invest in your network.

Everyone remember how isps used to charge by the hour? Yeah look what happened when they stopped and just made it unlimited. Internet growth skyrocketed, and it finally became a billion dollar industry.

Any kind of bandwidth caps on any isp, be it landline, mobile, or satelite is a huge step backwards.

 

[ZDroid1]

The at&t data plans seem unfair to some. My wife uses 250 - 300 MB a month, so she can't get the 200 MB plan for $15. The structure of the plans forces people like her to pay for 2 Gigs of data, most of which they will NEVER use.

 

[ar_mobile]

To my best knowledge the only provider in the UK with unlimited data offer is GiffGaff. That's why me and my family cancelled our O2 contracts.
It is PAYG SIM only offer though (which makes it dirty cheap), so you'll need an unlocked phone.
GiffGaff is on O2 network if your wonder about coverage.

 

[Tre Lawrence]

I think data usage may begin to supplant voice plans as a revenue generator for telecom industries.

 

[nas2389]

also, i signed up for a 2 year contract with the 30 dollar a month data package, even if verizon comes out with tierred data packages next week i don't think they'd be able to make it retroactive. meaning, if u have an unlimited data package now then your going to keep it at least until u get a new phone. i think verizon would be met with intense criticism if they automatically downgraded everyone to tierred data packages. don't take all my word as fact though, this is just what i think .

first of all even though the data plan for verizon is 30 dollars for "unlimited" it still is technically a 5gb cap on it. so you are not getting true unlimited with anyone's data plan. that is how at&t's "unlimited" data plan was as well. so there already really is a cap on things its just that most people never even reach the cap. and if verizon were to switch to the exact same data plans or close to them like at&t has i assume it would probably be dealt with the same way as well as far as people who already have the 30 dollar plan. when at&t switched, anyone who had the 30 dollar plan could keep that and be grandfathered in as long as you never remove that package you can keep it for as long as you would like. i find it very hard to think that they would be able to get away with stripping people of their current plans and forcing them onto the new ones unless the customer wants to.

 

[imtoomuch]

first of all even though the data plan for verizon is 30 dollars for "unlimited" it still is technically a 5gb cap on it.

Do you have proof of that? I've read otherwise.

Verizon can't really change the terms of the dataplan for those under contract. For example, I have only had the data plan for a month and I am getting unlimited for $24.99. It must remain unlimited for my two year contract even if Verizon caps data usage tomorrow. If they were to change mid-contract they would definitely face a class-action lawsuit even if the fine print says terms are subject to change. Any contract is only as good as your lawyer and bound in writing means nothing anymore.

$30 a month for a cellphone data plan is already crazy. If they cap the $30 plan at something ridiculously low (like 2GB) they will be approaching home internet service prices without the speed.

AT&T service sucks so they were crazy to do any capping. As soon as the iPhone trend dies and/or other providers get it AT&T is going to be in for a world of hurt.