Dumb move by verizon

[WhoMe]

What I'm going to try and do from here on out is sell my phones as soon as something I really want comes out and use that money to buy phone at full retail. Then just go month to month.

I'm disappointed but there is only one way to respond to these sorts of changes....with our wallets.

This whole subsidy game is kinda dumb anyway..it skews our understanding of what we are paying for and agreeing to. A part of me even welcomes this.

 

[liquidice]

Lame. 1 year contracts is the reason I went to Verizon and got the Thunderbolt because I was fed up with 2 year contracts and having a barely working phone by the end of the contract.

Too bad T-Mobile is getting bought out by AT&T - otherwise I'd look to switching back to T-Mobile next time around and going with one of their month-to-month plans that are $10/month cheaper than their contract plans.

Does Sprint still offer a new phone every year if you're a Premier customer? ... Did some digging, it looks like their new Premier plan requires you to be a customer with them for 10 years or have a monthly base plan of $89.99 or more per month.

 

[brownhornet]

Lame. 1 year contracts is the reason I went to Verizon and got the Thunderbolt because I was fed up with 2 year contracts and having a barely working phone by the end of the contract.

Too bad T-Mobile is getting bought out by AT&T - otherwise I'd look to switching back to T-Mobile next time around and going with one of their month-to-month plans that are $10/month cheaper than their contract plans.

Does Sprint still offer a new phone every year if you're a Premier customer? ... Did some digging, it looks like their new Premier plan requires you to be a customer with them for 10 years or have a monthly base plan of $89.99 or more per month.

Well you have to keep in mind with Sprint now there are two levels of Premiere. Gold and Silver. If you're premiere gold then you get the full upgrade at one year. I think silver get a partial one, $75.

 

[GoldLeader]

... How many people here NEEDED the Thunderbolt and how many just WANTED the Thunderbolt?

I started out wanting a ThunderBolt, but now I NEED it.
It's like Thunder-Crack.

 

[fatboy97]

I just came over from T-Mobile on the launch day of the Thunderbolt... a couple reasons I came over was I really liked the idea of a ONE year contract with Verizon, I gave up on TMO and finally I don't like AT&T... but along with the 1 yr contract was waiting for the Thunderbolt and knowing I'd like to get a new phone or see what new phones will be out this time next year.

 

[FutureTBoltOwner]

With 1-Year Contracts Out, Is Verizon Set to Introduce $50 Month-to-Month Unlimited Talk and Text Plan?


well at least this could be a partial solution for those looking to avoid contracts ... but this would only work if vzw allows you to add a data pack and doesn't decide to throw in any kind of no smartphones allowed clause, the only difference here is there would be no subsidizing of device prices, which isnt very appealing

 

[fatboy97]

With 1-Year Contracts Out, Is Verizon Set to Introduce $50 Month-to-Month Unlimited Talk and Text Plan?


well at least this could be a partial solution for those looking to avoid contracts ... but this would only work if vzw allows you to add a data pack and doesn't decide to throw in any kind of no smartphones allowed clause, the only difference here is there would be no subsidizing of device prices, which isnt very appealing

Maybe... and that is a big Maybe... if they keep a low unlimited data plan.

 

[FutureTBoltOwner]

Maybe... and that is a big Maybe... if they keep a low unlimited data plan.

highly doubtful is you ask me, will most likely make you add a tiered plan if they let you add data to this option, and I didn't see any kind of release date for this option so I'm gonna assume it will be out sometime after they officially kill 1 years and move to tiered

 

[PJnc284]

yeah even $50 + $29.99 for unlimited smartphone data wouldn't be bad if they went that route. That'd be a ~$20/month savings over the current unlimited talk/text + unlimited data plans. They'll probably off that right after they go tiered though. lol

 

[Makaveli1490]

I wonder how many people got the TB on 1 year

I just got mine last week thinking the same as several people on here

SMH

 

[shaddix]

This is no biggie. I got my tbolt on a 1 year. but after that's up, I will upgrade via amazon for 200 dollar price point on 2 year. After 10 months, I will sell that phone and open a new line via amazon. I will put a dumbphone on the previous line for the last 10 months for 13/month. The cost works out to being the same as a 1 year and getting your phones from vzw. And you have a free dumbphone to use.

 

[socal]

I wonder how many people got the TB on 1 year

I just got mine last week thinking the same as several people on here

SMH

I might be getting one this afternoon on a 1-year deal because of the change.

 

[papa54]

I might be getting one this afternoon on a 1-year deal because of the change.

I would guess that Verizon will be making a lot of deals soon as they are trying to get away from unlimited usage and want to start charging the new users and anyone who drops the unlimited plans will all be tossed into a teir paying plan..
they all got greedy and now Verizon sees some potential to be have more greed.
here in south east TN ,, the plans are soon to be changed except existing unlimited plans.. but in 2 years Verizon will probably ditch us with a Glitch just to gain another dollar...
bring back the pay phones and 10 calls.. yeaaaah...

 

[rookie83]

it's a bad decision for not every one wants to be locked in for 2 yrs. and if they have a problem with a phone and need a new one they have to wait for the end 20 months of a 2 year to get a new phone. They also have to lock in on two year with a phone that may be old tech when new tech is around the corner.

 

[FrankXS]

it's a bad decision for not every one wants to be locked in for 2 yrs. and if they have a problem with a phone and need a new one they have to wait for the end 20 months of a 2 year to get a new phone. They also have to lock in on two year with a phone that may be old tech when new tech is around the corner.

Although I certainly understand your point. You're not really "locked in". You're just gonna pay a whole lot more to upgrade prior to the 20 month point than you used to. I'm gonna hate it. I'm hoping, with the 4G technology in the TBolt, that I can last 20 months. I know I damn sure could not with 3G technology (like if I bought the iPhone4). In another 6-8 months there is gonna be 4G all over the place. Probably enough to eliminate much of the current 4G headaches people are having. I'm just thankful that I've got a 4G phone to weather the storm. Did I just say storm? Hehe

-Frank

 

[JRZLocal]

I would never pay full retail for a phone, and yeah I can see how getting rid of 1yr contracts could piss some people off, but there are always ways of getting a new phone before you're elgible to upgrade.

 

[Eclipse2K]

Although I certainly understand your point. You're not really "locked in". You're just gonna pay a whole lot more to upgrade prior to the 20 month point than you used to. I'm gonna hate it. I'm hoping, with the 4G technology in the TBolt, that I can last 20 months. I know I damn sure could not with 3G technology (like if I bought the iPhone4). In another 6-8 months there is gonna be 4G all over the place. Probably enough to eliminate much of the current 4G headaches people are having. I'm just thankful that I've got a 4G phone to weather the storm. Did I just say storm? Hehe

-Frank

That's my hope too. I'm not great at keeping the same phone for two years. In fact, I don't think I've done it since the days of the Moto RAZR. The G1 didn't last because I wanted off of T-Mobile. The Storm (weather the storm baby! lol) was a load of crap and Verizon sent me a Tour at no charge. The Tour lasted for about 6 months or so (I got it at launch) when it was replaced by a full price Droid. Later, I upgraded to the Droid 2 with an early upgrade and that lasted until I paid full price on a Thunderbolt. Yikes!

I would never pay full retail for a phone, and yeah I can see how getting rid of 1yr contracts could piss some people off, but there are always ways of getting a new phone before you're elgible to upgrade.

I'm glad you're strong enough. I tried that one. I always cave.

 

[Super_Mario]

I'm not sure why people here are acting like VzW is forcing anything on them? If you don't want a 2-year contract, don't get it. Simple.

 

[broadwayblues]

This is no biggie. I got my tbolt on a 1 year. but after that's up, I will upgrade via amazon for 200 dollar price point on 2 year. After 10 months, I will sell that phone and open a new line via amazon. I will put a dumbphone on the previous line for the last 10 months for 13/month. The cost works out to being the same as a 1 year and getting your phones from vzw. And you have a free dumbphone to use.

The only problem with this logic is the Amazon phone that you upgrade to will be on a new line, and Amazon won't let you change phones. I tried to upgrade my dumbphone line through Amazon until they told me that I cannot put the TB any line other than the one being upgraded, and cannot change it unless I pay an EFT. Amazon is an amazing company, but I don't understand the logic of that fast one there.

Ended up not getting the phone, but I really am thinking about upgrading now, while I can get a decent price on my Droid X. I am just out of the range of 3G right now, and I would hate for LTE to roll out here in a year and I didn't have a 4G device to take advantage of it.

 

[shaddix]

I believe that restriction ends after six months. I need to double check tho