I miss having unlimited data but don't miss the AT&T network
And that's why I don't understand the big deal about T-Mobiles whole no contract deal. From what I can tell doesn't change them from jacking up the price the more data you want. I've still got unlimited data w/ VZW and even though I do have reservations about it if I know I can keep it grandfathered in I'll probably re- for up another 2 years. If they try to move me to a shared plan I'll probably bolt.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums
If you try to renew your contract at any point for any length of time, you will lose unlimited. If you take the subsidized price on a new phone (and thereby signing another 2 year contract), you will lose unlimited.
The only way to keep unlimited now is to 1) do absolutely nothing...keep the same phone and let your contract run out, which will then switch to a month-to-month service under the same terms as your current contract or 2) pay the full retail price on a new phone ($500-800) and again let your contract transition over to monthly.
The only possibility for trouble there--especially if you choose to buy a phone at full price--is that, because you technically no longer have a current, valid contract, I don't see how VZW is in any way obligated to continue that service indefinitely. They could choose to yank your unlimited at any time with 30 days notice, and I doubt you could do anything to stop them because they're not bound by a contract--just a monthly agreement.
And that's why I don't understand the big deal about T-Mobiles whole no contract deal. From what I can tell doesn't change them from jacking up the price the more data you want. I've still got unlimited data w/ VZW and even though I do have reservations about it if I know I can keep it grandfathered in I'll probably re- for up another 2 years. If they try to move me to a shared plan I'll probably bolt.
Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums
1.) Sometimes I think people forget that most smartphones (especially the latest-and-greatest that we all love) cost far more than $250. Don't want to pay the retail price? Sign a contract and let the carrier subsidize it for you. Don't want to be locked into a contract? Buy it used or pay the unsubsidized price. You have options.
2.) VZW does not care about you or me. They DO have the best network and that costs money. They're doing what they can to maximize profits and the elimination of the unlimited data does that. The number of people who will leave altogether are comparatively minimal. Where will you go that's going to give you service that's just as good, with unlimited data, for less? Nowhere. They have the power.
3.) Do you use more than 2GB per month? Guess what - you're not the average consumer. They want you to pay more for using more...or they want you to leave and won't miss you.
Possibly, though I think that most people would be surprised to find out how little data they really use. Smartphones aren't tablets - they're comparatively cumbersome for sustained usage.I'd imagine that "2GB average" all the carriers like to tout will probably be 3GB or 4GB by the time the year is over. But then again, you have customers that barely use 500MB per month.
Let's say the monthly average among smartphone users is currently at 500MB (up 46% from the 2012 average). If you're using 5GB per month, you're using 10 times as much bandwidth as the average user.Ok so I've been playing around with the data usage utility. Using approximately in the neighborhood of 4-5 GB a month. Would that make me a a data hog? It doesn't seem like a lot to me. Or that I'd be bringing VZW network crashing to it's knees. The other surprising item was Pulse is the app that consumes the most data by far and I feel like I don't even use it frequently.
I use about 3-4 gb a month myself. I will really miss the option of watching Netflix during my commute to and from work. It is clear it is all about the $$. smart phones were made for data and now they want to severely cap you or make you pay dearly to keep that data. The writing is on the wall with my bionic it's lagging alot, speakers don't work with headphones and now the charging port is acting up. I'm most likely going to grab the galaxy s4.