Verizon's new plans

[hansgroter]

They've lost their minds haven't they. It's all about stealing hardworking Americans money. Greed is the reason for uneducated business decision. Sounds like sonone at vzw might be getting a hige bonus this year as their loyal customers and employees bend over.

 

[jimbl]

I just got a text from a rep. She says that you have until the 28th to upgrade or you are forced into a plan

Rezound via Tapatalk 2

So even if you are on an unlimited plan (in contract) and your upgrade isn't until next year, you will be forced into one of the new plans (tiered or shared) come the 28th?

Edit: I just read the screenshot of the text a few posts after and I think that answered my question. When you upgrade (after the 28th) you are forced into one of the new plans, not that you have until the 28th to upgrade or be forced into a new plan.

 

[skatergirl]

ok then, let's assess my situation, putting in a minimal data usage scenario:

CURRENT PLAN = $130:
$60 for 2 lines at 550 min/mo family loyalty plan
$20 for 2 additional dumb phone lines at $10 per line
$30 unlimited data one line
$20 300 mb/mo data one line

SHARED PLAN = $190:
$80 for 2 lines of smartphone
$60 for 2 lines of dumb phone
$50 for 1gb shared data

So, assuming I used minimal data, it would cost me nearly 50% more per month on the shared data plan. Yes, I get unlimited calls and text, which is useless to me since I don't even get close to 550 minutes and no one on my plan uses regular text (Google Voice FTW). Now, even when paying nearly 50% more, I am only getting less than 2% of the bandwidth that I got on the current plan.


I am getting shafted either way you look at it, from a basic user standpoint, or from a power user stand point.

You are definitely one who will not benefit from these new plans and in fact be "penalized."

Me, well, my monthly bill would remain the same, plus I could hotspot. I also have one dumb phone that will be put out of service either in November when its contract ends or before depending on the early termination fee. My bill will actually end up being less within five months.

 

[Cory Streater]

I'm totally with everyone on this, but I'd also add that Americans will eventually accept these plans and deal with it. This concept is nothing new in Europe, and they pay more than we do -- even with these adjustments. And I couldn't even find "shared plans" on the Orange nor Vodafone website, which means each family member will pay the same as the first.

And it doesn't make any sense, price increases or not, to stick with Verizon if you can get equal coverage with another carrier for less. If Sprint and T-Mobile work for you and you're okay with their speeds (which in T-Mobile's case are pretty good), then economically it made since to drop Verizon long before they announced this. Either way, I would strongly suggest testing other networks before switching to them. At least in one case, you definitely get what you pay for.

It stings (a lot) to give up unlimited data, and forced to use tiered data plans, but personally I'm more concerned about what $4-5 prices are doing to my pocketbook. Talk about expensive tiered plans.

 

[Nakrohtap]

I'm totally with everyone on this, but I'd also add that Americans will eventually accept these plans and deal with it. This concept is nothing new in Europe, and they pay more than we do -- even with these adjustments. And I couldn't even find "shared plans" on the Orange nor Vodafone website, which means each family member will pay the same as the first.

And it doesn't make any sense, price increases or not, to stick with Verizon if you can get equal coverage with another carrier for less. If Sprint and T-Mobile work for you and you're okay with their speeds (which in T-Mobile's case are pretty good), then economically it made since to drop Verizon long before they announced this. Either way, I would strongly suggest testing other networks before switching to them. At least in one case, you definitely get what you pay for.

It stings (a lot) to give up unlimited data, and forced to use tiered data plans, but personally I'm more concerned about what $4-5 prices are doing to my pocketbook. Talk about expensive tiered plans.

Wow. That sounds like the gas price increase. Basically, you pay it or you don't drive. If everyone raises their prices while eliminating unlimited data, what can you do?
For me, I just can't leave. I have 4 lines, 3 of them with different renewal dates. I tried Sprint in late 90s/early 2000s and could never get a signal where I lived.
Bottom line...this blows and I am pissed.
Why not just create the data bucket and share that between all of your lines? In most cases, people would benefit, while Verizon gets their way in eliminating unlimited data.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[anon(94115)]

So even if you are on an unlimited plan (in contract) and your upgrade isn't until next year, you will be forced into one of the new plans (tiered or shared) come the 28th?

Edit: I just read the screenshot of the text a few posts after and I think that answered my question. When you upgrade (after the 28th) you are forced into one of the new plans, not that you have until the 28th to upgrade or be forced into a new plan.

Correct. If you order a phone right now, you are fine. If you do it on the 29th, you have to move to one of the plans

 

[kulkaholic]

Wow. That sounds like the gas price increase. Basically, you pay it or you don't drive. If everyone raises their prices while eliminating unlimited data, what can you do?
For me, I just can't leave. I have 4 lines, 3 of them with different renewal dates. I tried Sprint in late 90s/early 2000s and could never get a signal where I lived.
Bottom line...this blows and I am pissed.
Why not just create the data bucket and share that between all of your lines? In most cases, people would benefit, while Verizon gets their way in eliminating unlimited data.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

Let's be honest, is it the fact that unlimited data is gone or the value for your price.

Most people on these boards are not huge data users because they use WiFi where available. So to me the value of the service decreases because my coat increases. Heck it is nit even tiered pricing that irritates me, it is the line cost that irritates me.

Unlimited calling has zero value, unlimited texting, zero value. Paying 70 a month for line usage for one smart phone and two cell phones is garbage when I have to reduce my usage by over half to match costs because my cell phone costs just increasd exponentially.



Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Android Central Forums

 

[Dovahkiin]

Let's be honest, is it the fact that unlimited data is gone or the value for your price.

Most people on these boards are not huge data users because they use WiFi where available. So to me the value of the service decreases because my coat increases. Heck it is nit even tiered pricing that irritates me, it is the line cost that irritates me.

Unlimited calling has zero value, unlimited texting, zero value. Paying 70 a month for line usage for one smart phone and two cell phones is garbage when I have to reduce my usage by over half to match costs because my cell phone costs just increasd exponentially.

Subtly sharing clothing details I see? Well, two can plaid that game.

 

[leroybrute]

You are definitely one who will not benefit from these new plans and in fact be "penalized."

Me, well, my monthly bill would remain the same, plus I could hotspot. I also have one dumb phone that will be put out of service either in November when its contract ends or before depending on the early termination fee. My bill will actually end up being less within five months.

That hotspot feature will be limited to devices on the vzw network. So your non verizon tablet and non verizon laptop will be excluded. That is what I was told when I was having a discussion with them.

 

[xxfallacyxx]

All the talk about this plan only being a disadvantage to "power users"... I did a test last night, and to stream a single episode of Dirty Jobs in standard definition over 4G takes 188mb.

Let's be honest here. You can't just stream one episode of that show.

That aside, it's not a big deal with wifi availability, but there are definitely times when my 4G signal is stronger or faster than the local wifi. Prime example is on the train into Boston. Sure the MBTA has free wifi, but it's provided by AT&T and unless you're in the right car you're not going to catch the signal. On top of that, the data speeds provided are pitiful.

More common than that though, I recently moved to a new office at work and I do not get the company wifi signal here. This means that now all of my data is coming from 4G.

Personally the biggest gripe is that VZW and other carriers and phone manufacturers incentivize smart phones, use all of the features and data availability as selling points, and then go and change the plans to essentially limit the use of the very same features they advertised. In a single day I could stream more than 1GB+ of data just by playing my music from Google Music through my car stereo while on a road trip. Most days I don't see that though. I guess my point boils down to the fact that the device has the capability, and technology and the internet era is pushing towards cloud use and constant connectivity, and now VZW seems to want to go blindly against the current.

BTW since the 28th of May I've used 1.55GB of data. Definitely not being a power user as far as anyone should be concerned.

 

[leroybrute]

I cant speak for anyone but myself, but I regularly hover around 5 gigs a month and I do not tether. I have a long commute to work and streaming audio is my main source of entertainment. My point is, that "power use" is possible without cheating the system. What people are missing is that one day in the near future "power" use will be normal use and the Wireless companies have set up the ground work to over charge us for every single inch of it.

So yeah, Im not ok with it. However Im not making it my mission to let Verizon know how unhappy I am. Ill game it...one more subsized phone for me and the next wont be. Aslong as they let me keep the unlimited feature Ill keep it. Once they dont, Ill have to to explore my options.

I agree with you. My daughter went overseas and took her incredible with her and left her Rezound behind. She was gone 28 days so for basically one month didnt touch her rezound. Her data for the month was 3.6 gigs. With data syncing between email accounts, facebook, twitter, and app updates, it is very easy to break 2 or 3 gb a month. Im in my mid forty's and I travel with work and im tethered to my tablet and hotspot. I download maybe 1 movie a month, but I have twitter, and keep track of my kids with facebook. I have quite a bit of emails also and use dropbox some. I tend to use 12 gb to 24 gb a month. I guess if I didn't have the hotspot I would use 6 to 8 gb. I can imagine someone that downloads movies, music, etc. every day would run 50 to 75 gb a month. So it is going to be an adjustment for me.
I don't feel like an abuser but I guess I am.

 

[tarnak]

There a a snippet on komo4 news (I think that was it) that the Feds were going to look into Verizons new data plans, hopefully its true and they force a change for the better.

 

[tmettler5]

It seems to me, from a VERY preliminary look, the whole point behind the "share everything" plans is to move people to individual tiered plans to be able to charge for data and minutes/texting.

 

[skatergirl]

That hotspot feature will be limited to devices on the vzw network. So your non verizon tablet and non verizon laptop will be excluded. That is what I was told when I was having a discussion with them.

From the Verizon web site:

<<Hotspot is included at no additional cost for capable smartphones and tablets. Turn your device into a personal mobile hotspot and share your connection and your plan's allowance with multiple WiFi-enabled devices.>>

Doesn't say anything to the effect that it has to be a Verizon tablet.

 

[leroybrute]

From the Verizon web site:

<<Hotspot is included at no additional cost for capable smartphones and tablets. Turn your device into a personal mobile hotspot and share your connection and your plan's allowance with multiple WiFi-enabled devices.>>

Doesn't say anything to the effect that it has to be a Verizon tablet.

I do have 2 hotspot enabled phones and I do hook up to everything. I just had a different impression that it was used differently with the shared plans. I got the point in the other thread. Thanks for the info twice.
I suppose I should get off of here for the day. Feel dumb about the same thing twice in a day, its time to do something different! lol

p.s. Thanks for liking this post skategirl! HaHa rude

 

[Arelunde]

With everyone else, there is no doubt in my mind this is one of the lowest points in Verizon's history! I have a frigin 1980s Razr flip phone as a $10 addition to my line for my father who is totally non-tech and makes maybe four or five calls a month. Now I have to pay $30 a month for it???? What are they THINKING???

 

[xxfallacyxx]

~2 hours (less actually) streaming music from Google Play Music: 890mb

I'm closing in on 2GB, probably will see that next week if not sooner.

 

[Ry]

With everyone else, there is no doubt in my mind this is one of the lowest points in Verizon's history! I have a frigin 1980s Razr flip phone as a $10 addition to my line for my father who is totally non-tech and makes maybe four or five calls a month. Now I have to pay $30 a month for it???? What are they THINKING???

So you're going to switch to the Share Everything plan?

 

[tmettler5]

I was in a VZ Corporate store today, and was told that after the 29th, any family plan that includes a smartphone will automatically be forced to the Share Everything Plan if any lines are upgraded. I specifically asked about a tiered individual plan, and she told me that was not a possibility, and that our options were to upgrade any lines before the 29th to keep our current plan, or NEVER upgrade, and buy phones off contract. After that, all bets were off. She even said that to use a tiered plan, you had to pay FULL RETAIL for a phone (I'm not sure I buy that one.) I was also told that at some point, regardless of plan or upgrade, unlimited data was going away.

 

[Ry]

I was in a VZ Corporate store today, and was told that after the 29th, any family plan that includes a smartphone will automatically be forced to the Share Everything Plan if any lines are upgraded. I specifically asked about a tiered individual plan, and she told me that was not a possibility, and that our options were to upgrade any lines before the 29th to keep our current plan, or NEVER upgrade, and buy phones off contract. After that, all bets were off. She even said that to use a tiered plan, you had to pay FULL RETAIL for a phone (I'm not sure I buy that one.) I was also told that at some point, regardless of plan or upgrade, unlimited data was going away.

and that goes against what has been announced so far.