Can't Afford This Game They Try and Make Me Play

[Erisdenile]

So I am one of the lucky ones that still has unlimited data. But there's one problem. The fact that I have to buy phones off contract is not happening. It's not because I don't have the money (I'm 18 in school and working 25 hours a week making about 600-800 a month). But, the reality is I can't justify spending $800 on a phone. I can get a very good Windows machine for that much. Even $400 off craigslist is a bit much in my opinion. I looked at the shared data and have questions. Are the data options for the whole "family" or per phone? My family uses data like it's going out of style, using about 3GB a month per phone, with 4 people on this plan. When I looked at these plans I saw that the 10 GB option was the largest. I would really like a loophole to continue to get subsidized pricing and keep unlimited. But I don't think that is an option anymore.

 

[mesocyclonic]

With the shared data plans, sharing is the whole point: whatever data amount you choose will be shared by everyone on your plan. So if you each use 3 GB, you'd need a family share plan that has at least 12 GB if nobody changes their habits. Theoretically, VZW has some plans that are larger than 10 GB at increases of $10/2 GB if you need more (Verizon adds five new shared data plans up to 20GB | Digital Trends). You would then add $40 per smartphone and $30 per "dumb" phone on the family plan to the cost of the data plan you choose to get the cost for your family on Share Everything.

Just as a note, you'd also have the option of staying on a tiered plan (2 GB/$30 and up for your line only) if you upgrade so your family could keep their unlimited plans.

As far as loopholes go, I don't think there are any. Awhile ago, some people reported being able to get the GS3 online post-June 28 and kept their unlimited, but I'm sure VZW has fixed that. You could use another person's upgrade to get a new phone, but it sounds like everyone else is in the same boat as you using more than 2 GB per month. The other thing people have been doing is adding a dumbphone line for $9.99/mo with an old dumbphone by signing up for a new line, getting a new smartphone, and activating the smartphone on their old line while removing the data plan from the new line and activating the dumbphone on that new line. This saves over buying the phone at full retail, but still would be more than an upgrade price ($10*24 month contract=$240+smartphone cost+any additional fees).

Hopefully someone here has better news for you, but I'm pretty sure your choices are keep unlimited data or get a subsidized device, with no "loopholes" beyond the dumbphone trick.

 

[Ry]

So I am one of the lucky ones that still has unlimited data. But there's one problem. The fact that I have to buy phones off contract is not happening. It's not because I don't have the money (I'm 18 in school and working 25 hours a week making about 600-800 a month). But, the reality is I can't justify spending $800 on a phone. I can get a very good Windows machine for that much. Even $400 off craigslist is a bit much in my opinion. I looked at the shared data and have questions. Are the data options for the whole "family" or per phone? My family uses data like it's going out of style, using about 3GB a month per phone, with 4 people on this plan. When I looked at these plans I saw that the 10 GB option was the largest. I would really like a loophole to continue to get subsidized pricing and keep unlimited. But I don't think that is an option anymore.

Are all four phones smartphones?

You do know that as existing custmers, you don't have to switch to Share Everything, right?

 

[Erisdenile]

Yes all 3 are. And we were told next time we upgrade we be forced out of our unlimited plan and into tiered/shared. Only way to avoid was to buy off contract.

 

[natehoy]

Are all four phones smartphones?

You do know that as existing custmers, you don't have to switch to Share Everything, right?

It's true that you do not have to switch to a different plan, but if you accept the subsidy on a phone when you renew, that's a new contract and you will not be allowed to keep unlimited. If you want a new phone and unlimited, you'll have to pay retail for the phone. And, of course, since Verizon is a CDMA carrier, there are precious few non-Verizon phones available for use. So you're looking at some serious coin for a decent phone.

You can also look at the used market, just make sure you buy from a reputable seller or meet your seller at a Verizon company store and have the phone activated as part of the terms of sale, or you might end up with a stolen phone or one locked to an unpaid contract, also known as a useless brick.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[Ry]

It's true that you do not have to switch to a different plan, but if you accept the subsidy on a phone when you renew, that's a new contract and you will not be allowed to keep unlimited. If you want a new phone and unlimited, you'll have to pay retail for the phone. And, of course, since Verizon is a CDMA carrier, there are precious few non-Verizon phones available for use. So you're looking at some serious coin for a decent phone.

You can also look at the used market, just make sure you buy from a reputable seller or meet your seller at a Verizon company store and have the phone activated as part of the terms of sale, or you might end up with a stolen phone or one locked to an unpaid contract, also known as a useless brick.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

The original post only mentioned the new Share Everything plan.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums