Verizon Ending Unlimited Data for Grandfathered Users

[Wizard Prang]

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...

Agreed - they can change anything that they want... but they cannot force you to stay

IIRC, upgrades are ever 20 months, and contracts are for 24. Is it possible to renew a contract without upgrading a phone? I would think so, but there's so much I don't know...

 

[Wizard Prang]

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.

Agreed. What I meant was that there is a limit to what we are willing to pay to keep unlimited. Two years from now, who knows what options will be on the table?

 

[AntimonyER]

Agreed - they can change anything that they want... but they cannot force you to stay

IIRC, upgrades are ever 20 months, and contracts are for 24. Is it possible to renew a contract without upgrading a phone? I would think so, but there's so much I don't know...

Well, I know Verizon has said the switch to tiered is based on getting an upgrade at subsidized price, but what they are really saying is they won't be writing any more contracts with unlimited data. If you want a 2 year contract, you have to give up unlimited.

 

[Cares]

Well, I know Verizon has said the switch to tiered is based on getting an upgrade at subsidized price, but what they are really saying is they won't be writing any more contracts with unlimited data. If you want a 2 year contract, you have to give up unlimited.

Basically they could terminate your service or absurdly increase the cost of unlimited since you're off contract now. I believe they might do this in 2 years when everyone on unlimited is fully off contract.

 

[AntimonyER]

Right, I think the method behind the madness is that by going the route they are, when they finally decide to end unlimited data for $30, they can just announce a date, and that is that. Not saying they will necessarily do it, but there could come a point 2 years down the road where they need the bandwidth, and culling the unlimited folks would be a way to do it... Although I think for most people, a subsidized upgrade is more valuable than unlimited data, so I doubt there will be many left in 2 - 2 1/2 years.

 

[Redflea]

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

Seems like a number of people are taking this approach...I did sea a post from one person that the net increase in their monthly bill was more than the $9.99 for the additional line added - have you done a before/after compare yet to see what the actual increase has been?

I think you'll like the Razr Maxx...my wife and son have one now, and I'm impressed. Usual Moto build quality, great radios, very nice speaker, battery life like you can't believe, runs fast and smooth on GB (and 4.04 ICS upgrade is about to drop). My son was on 4G all day on Saturday, almost 10 hours on battery with 3.3 hours screen time, and he was still at 50%! On my GNexus I would have been down to 20% and had to charge back up to 100% twice for that type of usage.

 

[AntimonyER]

My increase was exactly $14.71, $9.99 for the line, $4.72 in fees and taxes.

 

[Redflea]

My increase was exactly $14.71, $9.99 for the line, $4.72 in fees and taxes.

Thanks...figures it would not be as simple as $9.99.

So that's 24X$14.71=$353 for the total monthly charges for the line.

Then add in $249 for the GS3 32BG, + taxes on the full retail price (unless you get it from Costco, who only taxes you on the actual price you pay). In CA, assuming the phone was around $650 retail (not sure, 32GB might be more), and average tax rate, that would be:

Phone = $650
Taxes $650*0775 = $50

So comes out via upgrade to:

Line/tax - $353
Phone - $249
Taxes - $50 (On full price est. of $650)
Total - $652

If you just bought the phone at $650 you'd pay about $50 in taxes on that, so $700, a bit more for a straight purchase.

So if someone has to add a line to upgrade to keep unlimited data on their other line, they could save a few bucks on the HW while keeping their unlimited data on the other line. But neither approach (full price purchase or line upgrade) is cheap!

 

[AntimonyER]

Yeah, it's basically a wash cost wise. But it's basically a free (no interest) payment plan on your phone...

 

[MrB206]

Yeah, it's basically a wash cost wise. But it's basically a free (no interest) payment plan on your phone...

Lol. That's a great way of putting it.

 

[polysaturate]

Yeah, it's basically a wash cost wise. But it's basically a free (no interest) payment plan on your phone...

..and then you put the $300 in a 2 yr fund/CD and watch it accrue interest, right?

Wait, wait...if we're using Verizon with a smartphone, we're probably not frugal in the first place

 

[euph_22]

..and then you put the $300 in a 2 yr fund/CD and watch it accrue interest, right?

Wait, wait...if we're using Verizon with a smartphone, we're probably not frugal in the first place

Yes...watch that $300 grow into $308 in no time.


Well, in 24 months actually. Minus fees, of course, which will absolutely kill you if you cash out a fixed term CD early.

 

[Redflea]

Interesting post from Rootzwiki, Scott62185.

Oh god, I can't believe I'm taking this even further, but here goes:

Just spoke w/ a rep regarding if I add [a new] line now vs after 6/28, considering I'm on an individual plan right now: If I wait to add the line until after the 28th (again, because I have an individual plan now), that will automatically kick me off my unlimited data because I will have to be put on a family plan UNLESS I want to add the line and just have 2 individual lines which would cost, according to the csr's estimate, $30 more a month vs. if I add the line now, putting me up to the family plan now so whenever I add a line in the future, as long as I don't upgrade my primary unlimited line, I can keep my unlimited data.

So, for those of us who are on individual plans now, it may be wise to add the line now and go up to the family plan if we think we ever may want to do that in the future as it will cost more to do so in the future as we will have to have separate individual lines which will end up costing more if we don't do it now. Phew!

For those already on the family plan, it seems you guys are safe to add a line after 6/28 and keep your unlimited data.

 

[jroc]

^ this is exactly what I did a few months ago. It was mainly to help my tech addiction...lol.

I now have 3 line family plan, one upgrade available now. But...one line I didn't get in on the double data deal. But I still have unlimited on the main line.

 

[Doit2it]

Nice Verizon! They gave use 2 weeks notice on the new Share Plans, but only 2 days on elimination of the data widget and no more unlimited account transfers.

Verizon Kills Data Usage Widget Ahead of Shared Data Plans

Verizon Will Ban Unlimited Data Plan Transfers on Thursday | PhoneNews.com

Update 07/01/2012: The article about ban on unlimited transfers was false. The writer has printed a retraction that should show up when you follow the link above.

 

[thedrizl]

Does this really surprise anyone?

 

[tml478]

Omg I work for Verizon please just go into a store on the 28th or after and talk to a rep that seems with it. A corporate not Indirect store. There are plenty of ways to keep unlimited. Don't believe all you read on the internet. Or if you do go to sprint their coverage is awesome. Att is doing the same thing. It will be rolled out by the end of the year if not first quarter 2013. If you choose to go to the new plan it really does save money for most people. If it doesn't then you do t have to switch

 

[OutOfPhase]

Omg I work for Verizon please just go into a store on the 28th or after and talk to a rep that seems with it. A corporate not Indirect store. There are plenty of ways to keep unlimited. Don't believe all you read on the internet. Or if you do go to sprint their coverage is awesome. Att is doing the same thing. It will be rolled out by the end of the year if not first quarter 2013. If you choose to go to the new plan it really does save money for most people. If it doesn't then you do t have to switch

How?

 

[Wizard Prang]

If you choose to go to the new plan it really does save money for most people.

Who?

 

[Clementine_3]

Who?

Not me, that's for sure.

How?

Never, ever buy another phone that is subsidized or just never, ever buy another phone. Those are the only 2 ways I know of...

 

[OutOfPhase]

Never, ever buy another phone that is subsidized or just never, ever buy another phone. Those are the only 2 ways I know of...

I knew both of those, I was hoping they would have some other way.

 

[Clementine_3]

Yeah, that was not meant to helpful

 

[cmybliss]

Yeah, that was not meant to helpful

Bwahahaha!

 

[jroc]

Who?

Folks already on a family plan with tiered data plans and unlimited talk n text, like me. The GB amounts suck tho....They do. I have a 3 line plan and there is no way I could go with 10GB shared between 3 phones. Seen something the other day about higher GB amounts....need to find out more info on that.

I already have unlimited talk n text so the new plans will save me a great deal. Dont plan on giving up unlimited data I have on 1 line tho, so I wont be going to the shared plans.

The plans can save some ppl money, mainly new folks that came to Verizon after tiered data plans came out.

 

[sergey]

Verizon is not screwing us over. We let this happen. When AT&T ended unlimited, some people switched out of anger but for the most part people stayed with them and a whole bunch more signed on with them. Now if 40, 50% of users left then and there and it hit AT&T's earnings big time, we'd still have unlimited data.

But if AT&T got away with it and is making more money off the users, then all the other companies want to get in on this as well.

You can fight this by adding lines, buying phones at subsidized prices whatever, but the bottom line is that they are still making more money. I'm sure there are other ways of keeping unlimited data- like negotiating with CS. But in the end, tiered data is here to stay. And this is it.

The share everything plan is it. Nobody cares about minutes or texts anymore. It used to be, but not anymore. Data is the little crack rock- everybody wants it, everybody can't get enough, and everybody will pay more for it.