Droid Bionic vs. Droid Plans

[bucrepus]

I am thinking of getting a bionic but have these issues:
1. My current 3G plan on my droid is unlimited. VZ says if I get a new Thunder bolt or Bionic, I have to change plans to a 'unlimited' 4G/3G plan.
2. If I get a 4G plan NOW, it will probably expire before they actually get 4G service in my area. Their 4G map looks to be in a very infant stage compared to their actual coverage area; the end of 2013 seems unreachable for total coverage.
3. If I get the 4G plan now, which will be totally useless for me since there is no 4G any where around, will the same plan be offered when it expires in 2013, or will the tiered plans only be in effect.
4. The VZ guy says he has heard of the 4G being tiered, but not the current 3G plans that VZ offers, they should stay the same and can be renewed. I wish I could get the Bionic and keep my current 3G plan, but no joy.. It looks the same, but is a diff. plan / item #

Anybody got any other thoughts or suggestions. I would love to go 4G, but don't want to change my whole account (3 droids, data card) on a plan that will not be re-offered in 2 years , maybe..

Thanks for any ideas,

BUC

 

[Hand_O_Death]

If you get a 4G phone with an unlimited contract, and then later VZW goes tiered, you are grandfathered in until you update your contract which is usually by upgrading your phone again. They can not change your contract unless you allow it, if they did, you could back out and keep your phone (which you could then sell and go to another company). So if you get a 2 year, keep the 4G unlimited and just go month to month until the end of time, you would be good as long as you do not use a contract upgrade again.

 

[lament]

So if you get a 2 year, keep the 4G unlimited and just go month to month until the end of time, you would be good as long as you do not use a contract upgrade again.

Right which means you stick with your old phone until the end of time.. something nobody wants to do.

The other option is to buy the phone out of contract, but that's $500-$600.

 

[DolfanCole]

Right which means you stick with your old phone until the end of time.. something nobody wants to do.

The other option is to buy the phone out of contract, but that's $500-$600.

But you could sell the old phone and get around $150 to $200, depending on the phone and it's condition at sale.

 

[Suntan]

I don?t have any clue how it will work during the ?transition? period, switching the masses from 3G to 4G, but in the long run I just can?t see it making any sense for vzw to make 4G cost more than 3G.

By that I mean, any cost hikes or data caps they implement after 4G hits critical mass will likely be foisted upon 3G offerings too. I don?t think they would want anyone to take a moment to stop and think, ?Hey, I don?t really need 4G and I can save $10 a month if I just stick with 3G.?

So in the long run, I don?t see it being likely that a person can just pick a 3G phone to get a cheaper data plan. Same way Sprint did it.

Yeah, you can try and get grandfathered in to a sweet(er) deal during the transition and then do everything to keep from having to sign a new contract, but my guess is it will be cheaper in the long run to just play vzw?s game if you like getting new phones on a fairly regular basis.

-Suntan

 

[dbermanmd]

I am thinking of getting a bionic but have these issues:
1. My current 3G plan on my droid is unlimited. VZ says if I get a new Thunder bolt or Bionic, I have to change plans to a 'unlimited' 4G/3G plan.
2. If I get a 4G plan NOW, it will probably expire before they actually get 4G service in my area. Their 4G map looks to be in a very infant stage compared to their actual coverage area; the end of 2013 seems unreachable for total coverage.
3. If I get the 4G plan now, which will be totally useless for me since there is no 4G any where around, will the same plan be offered when it expires in 2013, or will the tiered plans only be in effect.
4. The VZ guy says he has heard of the 4G being tiered, but not the current 3G plans that VZ offers, they should stay the same and can be renewed. I wish I could get the Bionic and keep my current 3G plan, but no joy.. It looks the same, but is a diff. plan / item #

Anybody got any other thoughts or suggestions. I would love to go 4G, but don't want to change my whole account (3 droids, data card) on a plan that will not be re-offered in 2 years , maybe..

Thanks for any ideas,

BUC

unless you need, i mean actually need 4G for business reasons or use it in a way to generate income or save you on expenses, i would save your money and wait until you have 4G available to you.