Jumped off unlimited bandwagon, saved at least $10 bucks per month, but hard to give up unlimited

[DRKayak]

I have been going over my Verizon talk minutes for 3 out of the past four months. New job. Average penalty, $15.00 per month.

I have never gone over 4GB of data each month for the life of my plan. I'm not a video viewer, only stream Pandora occasionally and download podcasts both over the air and via WiFi.

I have really resisted giving up unlimited data. Just grinds on my heart to lose such freedom, but now my wallet say, "It's the money, stupid."

So, saving at least $10 per month on base plan for 4GB data plus probable $15 per month voice overage. That could add up to $300 per year. Wow! Just paid for a chunk of my next phone off contract if I decide to go that way.

I have been rocking my Rezound since November last year. Love this phone, but excited to see the HTC One come to Verizon someday.

Your experience will vary of course.

 

[dpham00]

You can use voip for free calls...

 

[Bosgarage57]

I love my unlimited, currently have used 30gb this month, mostly becuase I just discovered netflix, trying to watch everything before my 30 day free trial is over. I hate that you had to get rid of unlimited, but thats some nice savings.

 

[TBolt]

Re: Jumped off unlimited

I have 2 family members on my plan. Last I checked, I'd pay more if I switched. The unlimited talk & text would be nice, though.

I miss my solo plan.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[bunky1971]

lets have a moment of silence for another unlimited plan that can never be resurrected.......

I'd NEVER NEVER NEVER give up unlimited - Its a matter of principle - $30 - 2 GB or $30 Unlimited - I choose unlimited (spoken in Cyphers - I Chose the Matrix voice)

 

[MrSmith317]

Wow this is going to turn into a "I use XYZ data per month" thread quickly so I just wanted to comment to the OP (and anyone else thinking of the same) that there are ways around talk minutes with unlimited data(as dpham pointed out). There's no way around a data cap. One day the carriers will probably switch back to unlimited to try to entice people back after losing customers to prepaid or the competition. That or like the home data carriers they'll finally get it through their skulls that they aren't going to make more money nor will they protect their infrastructure by switching to the tiered data plans.


***Just an after thought, why hasn't anyone sued one of these companies for offering "unlimited" and receiving "very limited" data service? Phil...you listening? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Joker35]

Well i gave up my unlimited data plan a month ago. My wife wanted my old Dinc & we are on a family plan. it would of cost us $20 more a month if i kept my unlimited. I will miss it just because it was unlimited, but I never went over what we will have now.

 

[anon(94115)]

For you all that bailed on unlimited, I get why though I wouldn't have.

The first thing I would do is start collecting wifi spots. Everywhere I would go for a month I would see if there is a free one.

Next I would learn Tasker so I would never forget to switch wifi on and risk an overage. I would set up a task to turn on and connect at work and home automatically

Sent from my thumbs with no brain censorship

 

[dpham00]

Re Jumped off unlimited bandwagon, saved at least $10 bucks per month, but hard to give up unlimited

Wow this is going to turn into a "I use XYZ data per month" thread quickly so I just wanted to comment to the OP (and anyone else thinking of the same) that there are ways around talk minutes with unlimited data(as dpham pointed out). There's no way around a data cap. One day the carriers will probably switch back to unlimited to try to entice people back after losing customers to prepaid or the competition. That or like the home data carriers they'll finally get it through their skulls that they aren't going to make more money nor will they protect their infrastructure by switching to the tiered data plans.


***Just an after thought, why hasn't anyone sued one of these companies for offering "unlimited" and receiving "very limited" data service? Phil...you listening? Inquiring minds want to know.

that's the whole thing. if you EVER decide to use more data, then you are SOL if you switch to tiered(unless you want to do AoL). If you only check email and browse the web moderately, then nothing to worry about. But even if you browse the web and check e-mail heavily over mobile web, there is a chance that you will go over. any sort of streaming and you will go over. 2gb a month = 67mb a day.

-I have seen skype use over 600mb an hour.
-Tethering to a laptop for Netflix at the highest setting uses over 2gb/hour
-Streaming from Spotify can be 80mb/hr or more
-Browsing graphic intensive websites would also use a lot of data, but if you browse just AC mobile all day, then you probably won't use that much data.


I highly doubt Verizon would ever switch back to unlimited - ever. Verizon is a premium service that demands a premium price (whether or not it's worth it is up to the individual). If you are willing to go to another carrier, then sure, you may be able to get unlimited. But me, I will never switch, unless you can prove that another network is better. With Verizon, I get service where others get none - even in underground concrete parking structure - where my att and tmo friends get no service, i get data and voice (albeit weak). But for me, a cell phone is most and foremost for emergencies. Anyway, sorry for ranting off topic.

Sent from my Droid RAZR MAXX / Atrix Lapdock

 

[skatergirl]

It's really hard to say what any carrier will do in the future. I mean, seriously, I was talking to someone yesterday about when Verizon was Airtouch and you got 30 minutes a month for $30. I think no matter how you slice it or dice it, unlimited or tiered, you are getting a pretty good deal for your money.

Everyone complains about losing the unlimited and for some, it is just a security blanket. If you don't want to lose your unlimited, then pay for the phone outright, divide up the difference in price by the length of your contract and add that to your $30 a month and you would most likely be paying about $42.50 a month for unlimited data. And guess what, that is what most people are paying a month for 10+MB home Internet and a lot of home Internet services now have caps.

I switched because it was a good business move for me. $650 a year more in my pocket instead of Verizon?s pocket was strong incentive for me to give up my unnecessary security blanket. I have been on the new plan since it launched and I am not having any problems staying at my limit. And if I know I am going to be needing more data, I can buy it ahead of time and take a little from that $650 savings.

 

[TBolt]

I'm always amazed when people say they're using 10GB, 20GB, 30GB (as in this thread) or more of Verizon's 4G. I never go over 2GB. These folks must never enable the Wi-Fi feature on their phones.

 

[DRKayak]

You can use voip for free calls...

My phone is for business, my wife's for personal. I wouldn't want to risk a business call over Voip. Just a personal decision. Each user has their own requirements and requests.

 

[danhartman26]

Re: Jumped off unlimited bandwagon, saved at least $10 bucks per month, but hard to give up

I hate to see unlimited go, but I switched about a month ago too.

It made financial sense for me. I saved $30/mo; then I moved my mom to my plan, saved her $10/mo and got her on her first smart phone.

I miss unlimited in principle, but I have 6GB plan, and i never go over 2GB, so I should be safe

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Android Central Forums

 

[Bosgarage57]

I'm always amazed when people say they're using 10GB, 20GB, 30GB (as in this thread) or more of Verizon's 4G. I never go over 2GB. These folks must never enable the Wi-Fi feature on their phones.

for me in a small town doesnt have wifi all of the place, heck why would I try to use someones wifi when I have 4g with great speeds? Its unlimited ,why not use it.

 

[TBolt]

for me in a small town doesnt have wifi all of the place, heck why would I try to use someones wifi when I have 4g with great speeds? Its unlimited ,why not use it.

I knew there could be some special circumstance. Glad you're not getting throttled by Verizon.

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[dpham00]

Netflix at the highest setting uses over 10gb in 5 hours... Really depends on what you are doing, but 10 minutes of video a day is not that much, for me at least.

I'm always amazed when people say they're using 10GB, 20GB, 30GB (as in this thread) or more of Verizon's 4G. I never go over 2GB. These folks must never enable the Wi-Fi feature on their phones.

 

[kulkaholic]

Re: Jumped off unlimited bandwagon, saved at least $10 bucks per month, but hard to give up unlimit

For me its not necessarily an unlimited thing. I work two Jo s with an hour drive to and from home. When I ride my motorcycle I like to stream music or have the choice when driving my car. I do not have a WiFi option at my one job. Still though those are creature comforts that I can get around.

What chaps my tush is the horrible line fee they charge. They do this to supposedly defray the cost of of subsidizing phones yet in a 2 year period I will have paid over 900 in line charges for one phone. That's not defraying when I am still paying a third that is gouging for a profit. $30 for a dumb phone is just as obsurd.

Unlimited talk and text have zero value for me. I am always under my minutes and always under the old text plans.

Now my wife wants an iPhone. I love her and will do almost anything for her and I will find a way to get her a I phone. But it will be through another carrier and I will stream content in the 30-40gb range and let that be my statement of defiance since they don't care to hear my displeasure over their new plans

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[68laurieann]

In our house with 4 smart phones, we were lucky enough to jump on the unlimited data plan 20 months ago. Today I go into a Verizon store to inquire about what it would cost for 4 smart phones with 4GB shared data. The cost would be $50 more a month than what we are paying now. No thanks!

 

[majorpayne]

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to save money and would move off of the unlimited plan if it didn't cause my plan to go up...

I was a good son in law and took over my Mother in laws phone and Grandmother - in law's phone to save them about 70 a month plus tax. So currently I have 5 lines. 2 Smart phones with unlimited on each and 3 dumb phones. I have 1400 mins allowed and unlimited Text and Data. I only 10 days into the next bill and I have only used 165 min. Most of the time everyone we know is on Verizon. so it's very common for me to only use 6-700 mins or less. I currently pay 229 AFTER taxes for 5 phones and 205.29 before taxes.

With the new plan (using about 2-4 gig a month of data on 2 phones) they suggest the following We Recommend 4 GB Shared Data Unlimited Talk & Text Monthly Access* $240 *Does not include taxes and surcharges Now this does not include my 17% discount that the one above does include but that only applies to the primary account.

So all in all 205.29 (17% discount) vs 240 (no discount)

 

[skatergirl]

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to save money and would move off of the unlimited plan if it didn't cause my plan to go up...

I was a good son in law and took over my Mother in laws phone and Grandmother - in law's phone to save them about 70 a month plus tax. So currently I have 5 lines. 2 Smart phones with unlimited on each and 3 dumb phones. I have 1400 mins allowed and unlimited Text and Data. I only 10 days into the next bill and I have only used 165 min. Most of the time everyone we know is on Verizon. so it's very common for me to only use 6-700 mins or less. I currently pay 229 AFTER taxes for 5 phones and 205.29 before taxes.

With the new plan (using about 2-4 gig a month of data on 2 phones) they suggest the following We Recommend 4 GB Shared Data Unlimited Talk & Text Monthly Access* $240 *Does not include taxes and surcharges Now this does not include my 17% discount that the one above does include but that only applies to the primary account.

So all in all 205.29 (17% discount) vs 240 (no discount)

That was nice of you to be the good son in law! That being said, there are users who will not benefit from Verizon's new plans.