Unlimited 4g ending Thursday?

[drew66]

BENNNN?? You around?

 

[experiment 626]

Later on, if you pay full retail for a different LTE device will you be able to switch and still retain the unlimited 4G data plan?

 

[alfieferenzo84]

Later on, if you pay full retail for a different LTE device will you be able to switch and still retain the unlimited 4G data plan?

correct but might not work if you buy from them.

 

[tony bag o donuts]

I think that 4g will come back to be unlimited.
They just don't have all the implementation in place?

Or the other side is they are doing this to push TB sales because of public backlash for not getting the device out sooner?

 

[dmcman73]

Actually that's probably incorrect. When I track my data usage, I'm not even close to eclipsing 5GB of data. In which case, I would opt for the 25 dollar 3GB plan (or whatever the cheapest plan with significant data allowance is)...so they technically would be losing money by going to tiered. From what I've read, it's only the top 5% of data users that would be affected by Tiered data...the rest of us would actually be saving money.

You are right. Right now Verizon isn't losing any money. It sort of like an all you can eat buffet. Sure you'll have a few people come in eating you out of house and home but for the 90% majority that eat like birds, you'll be making more money to cover your loss on the other 10% that eat more than they pay and still make a big profit.

 

[Groucho]

You are right. Right now Verizon isn't losing any money. It sort of like an all you can eat buffet. Sure you'll have a few people come in eating you out of house and home but for the 90% majority that eat like birds, you'll be making more money to cover your loss on the other 10% that eat more than they pay and still make a big profit.

Excellent analogy! The proposed AT&T / T Mobile merger may play a role in this as well. Verizon may see an opportunity to grab T Mobile customers. It has been reported that iPhone will not be available to T Mobile customers anytime soon if the merger is allowed. It is also loudly whispered about that if the merger is approved then Verizon has already positioned itself to take over Sprint. An article in the Washington Post today also talked about more and more consumers searching for and using free services for phone, text and email which allows reduction of their basic plans. Internet is rapidly becoming the dominant model in the profit plan so it makes sense that changes will abound at some point.

 

[PJnc284]

It is also loudly whispered about that if the merger is approved then Verizon has already positioned itself to take over Sprint.

fwiw Dan Mead (Verizon CEO) loudly said "we don't need sprint" yesterday at CTIA. Granted there's still time for a lot of backtracking.

 

[experiment 626]

I can't see what Sprint has to offer Verizon either.Verizon already has most of the prime bandwith and licences. Why deal with Sprint's debt,Nextel fate, and Wi-Max issues.

 

[VideoEngineerAJS]

I can't see what Sprint has to offer Verizon either.Verizon already has most of the prime bandwith and licences. Why deal with Sprint's debt,Nextel fate, and Wi-Max issues.

Agreed. Sprint isn't even a true player anymore I don't think. I know that they are still technically the 3rd largest carrier, but T-Mobile was truly starting to up its game and starting to move.

If I were an AT&T customer I would be concerned that this will just push their LTE implementation back even further. The fact that they started calling their HSPA+ network 4G and now them buying T-Mobile who has shown no inclination of converting to LTE has me wondering if AT&T truly does have an LTE game plan.

 

[tony bag o donuts]

No way this merger happens.
Gov't won't allow it.

 

[Cringey]

Not that it lends evidence but I just called today to try to upgrade to a TB 11 days before my NE2 eligibility date but the CS rep and her supervisor said no that they were told from above not to allow any early NE2 for the TB.

Could this be to keep people who want to use the NE2 to get grandfathered in?

If thats the case and they drop unlimited LTE in the next 11 days I would prob just wait till they do a voice/data LTE phone and get some sort of 3G android to kill the time.

 

[tony bag o donuts]

No it's because they eliminated NE2 unless you haven't upgraded in a while. All upgrades are now every two years not 20 months with a chance of them moving it up.

 

[Cringey]

No it's because they eliminated NE2 unless you haven't upgraded in a while. All upgrades are now every two years not 20 months with a chance of them moving it up.

Nah, This is my last NE2. Her words were something like "We were told this week not to allow any early NE2 on the Thunderbolt"

 

[anon(3092520)]

I don't see why everybody is so sure that they'll be grandfathered in with unlimited 4G beyond the length of their current contracts.

 

[PJnc284]

No it's because they eliminated NE2 unless you haven't upgraded in a while. All upgrades are now every two years not 20 months with a chance of them moving it up.

They got rid of the extra 30/50 discount. You can still upgrade at 20 months on a 2 yr and 10 months on a 1 yr contract.

 

[trublond]

I went to Best Buy this evening to upgrade the the TB. To my surprise, the Verizon computer system was down for activations!! So no new phone. When I got home I called Verizon and the guy said the system was done and nothing he could do. When asked about change the 4g plan he looked around for a little bit and asked his supervisor and they said there was no changes planned. But with that said he told me Verizon is famous for sending out same day changes so I am hoping this is not happening tomorrow.

 

[drew66]

I went to Best Buy this evening to upgrade the the TB. To my surprise, the Verizon computer system was down for activations!! So no new phone. When I got home I called Verizon and the guy said the system was done and nothing he could do. When asked about change the 4g plan he looked around for a little bit and asked his supervisor and they said there was no changes planned. But with that said he told me Verizon is famous for sending out same day changes so I am hoping this is not happening tomorrow.

Hmmm... the whole activation system was down? Interesting indeed.

 

[TreyDaPrince]

Hmmm... the whole activation system was down? Interesting indeed.

I don't think its just the activation system. I think its the whole thing!

Sent From Parts Unknown

 

[Nidaja]

I also called VZ tonight, because I am worried about the rumor of unlimited data disappearing tomorrow. My second line isn't eligible for upgrade until 4/4/11, and was going to be a phone with a data plan. SO...I called them to re-activate my retired OG Droid on that line, to lock in $30 unlimited today, then on 4/4 get the phone that the kid really wants. CS agreed to move up his upgrade date tonight and send us the phone he really wanted. He went to try and process, and couldn't due to total computer system death. He says he will call back as soon as its up.

Now, I'm a paranoid by nature, so of course I'm spinning this story to myself.....VZ claims comps are down, so no one can rush to get on an unlimited plan today (having heard the rumors) and then BAM tomorrow all is well in computer land and no one can get onto the unlimited data plan!!!!

 

[Droid800]

Yeah Verizon's systems are totally down. I tried to go in and order an iPad 2 tonight, but they couldn't. They were turning all of their customers away telling them to come back tomorrow.