There's a storm brewing...

[VideoEngineerAJS]

Exactly what i was suggesting as to why they would give us Netflix/OnLive and Unlimited 4G to start.

remember how they said "Thunderbolt will give us a taste of what tiered pricing will be going forward"

I don't think he was speaking as if the prices were already set, i think he was speaking as if the launch is going to be used to give them an idea of what to set tiered pricing at.

We need an epiphany smiley. That makes a little bit more sense than even what I said.

 

[anon(149276)]

Very interesting...

One thing to keep in mind here is that your data usage will not dramatically change when LTE goes live. If your widgets only need 2 MB a day under 3G, then they'll still only need 2 MB per day over 4G. Same with browsing: if it only takes a few hundred kb to load the AC homepage under 3G, it will take the same via 4G but will just do it faster and then stop downloading, so your actual data usage remains the same

One of the big misleading things are those articles out there that say that you could blow through your 5 gig cap with 4G in less than an hour... but that's assuming that you are downloading full speed nonstop, and you would likely never do that. Netflix and Skype remain to be seen, but even on iOS Netflix doesn't chew through data at an alarming rate, so I'm not too worried.

Also, put me down for a vote of Verizon giving us unlimited 4G til June and using us an guinea pigs for 2 months in order to gather enough info to calculate how much data the average 4G user consumes in order to build proper pricing plans

I don't think you'll see an explosion of data but I do see a modest uptick with most users. That video that used to download at 800kb will be switched to the HQ version. Replacing home Internet seems to be on some people's minds. And obviously apps like pandora and slingbox/dishnetwork are bigger users than average apps. And I personally have become interested in the utorrent remote app. That could move my stuff to my phone extremely easily.

Personally I don't see how they can't have a high data limit or unlimited option. It's just simply the way the world is trending. You have companies that want switch to cloud computing and video chat. And without the bandwidth it's pointless. I think they'll bite the bullet with the first wave of users to learn how it's used

 

[thedeceiver]

Anyone find it strange that VZW Facebook page is pushing the Xoom today on it's page, yet the iPad2 launches tomorrow? I'm thinking the silence around Thunderbolt has nothing to do with the iPad2 but is strictly confined to the technical issues they are having.

 

[biff6789]

Exactly what i was suggesting as to why they would give us Netflix/OnLive and Unlimited 4G to start.

remember how they said "Thunderbolt will give us a taste of what tiered pricing will be going forward"

I don't think he was speaking as if the prices were already set, i think he was speaking as if the launch is going to be used to give them an idea of what to set tiered pricing at.

p.s you guys gotta download that Verizon Thunderbolt showcase app, it has a screensaver thats pretty cool

Yup, you and I seem to be on the same page here...

Verizon said that comment you quoted above, we've been hearing rumors that data will be unlimited at the TB's launch, and then just recently we had the CFO of VZW say tiered plans are coming toward the end of June

...all those things seem to jive with what we're saying here about TB users being guinea pigs for them for a few months. Granted, they could change this at any time, but so far the information we have seems to suggest that you and I will be right on this one

We'll leave it to Ben to corroborate

 

[NCX]

Yup, you and I seem to be on the same page here...

Verizon said that comment you quoted above, we've been hearing rumors that data will be unlimited at the TB's launch, and then just recently we had the CFO of VZW say tiered plans are coming toward the end of June

...all those things seem to jive with what we're saying here about TB users being guinea pigs for them. Granted, they could change this at any time, but so far the information we have seems to suggest that you and I will be right on this one

We'll leave it to Ben to corroborate

I think thats the news he can't share because he wants to be 100% sure

 

[pnicho]

Anyone find it strange that VZW Facebook page is pushing the Xoom today on it's page, yet the iPad2 launches tomorrow? I'm thinking the silence around Thunderbolt has nothing to do with the iPad2 but is strictly confined to the technical issues they are having.

I still think it has something to do with the ipad. I went into Best Buy the other day to see if they had a dummy unit in and asked what her computers said for a release date. She read me everything including the notes and it said the 10th but then had notes saying it was delayed because they didn't want to launch around the same time as the ipad.

 

[unibolt]

How could we "supposedly" be a week out and not know the plans yet? They know, their just not saying yet cause they don't want to kill the buzz of the phone.

I think thats the news he can't share because he wants to be 100% sure

 

[paulmike3]

How could we "supposedly" be a week out and not know the plans yet? They know, their just not saying yet cause they don't want to kill the buzz of the phone.

It'll be a bigger buzz kill to get the much-anticipated accouncement and then having it include news that will prevent alot of people from buying the device. I'd rather know the bad news now and not get blindsided on a happy day that we're all eagerly anticipating.

But that's just me.

 

[unibolt]

Yea, but Verizon knows that once you go to get the phone and its ACTUALLY in your hand, the data plans wont make much of a difference because at that point they know they got you!!

It'll be a bigger buzz kill to get the much-anticipated accouncement and then having it include news that will prevent alot of people from buying the device. I'd rather know the bad news now and not get blindsided on a day that we're eagerly anticipating.

But that's just me.

 

[thedeceiver]

It'll be a bigger buzz kill to get the much-anticipated accouncement and then having it include news that will prevent alot of people from buying the device. I'd rather know the bad news now and not get blindsided on a happy day that we're all eagerly anticipating.

But that's just me.

You're talking about the data tiers?

 

[VideoEngineerAJS]

It'll be a bigger buzz kill to get the much-anticipated accouncement and then having it include news that will prevent alot of people from buying the device. I'd rather know the bad news now and not get blindsided on a happy day that we're all eagerly anticipating.

But that's just me.

This is why I think the less we hear the better. I don't think they would drop a bomb on us when they release the phone. That's why they came out and said that tiered plans are coming in June.

 

[elemerica]

How could we "supposedly" be a week out and not know the plans yet? They know, their just not saying yet cause they don't want to kill the buzz of the phone.

Because plans can be changed at any time. If they're not 100% certain that everything will be ready by the 17th, it's in their best interest to NOT publicly give a date.

 

[pgs239]

Anybody else here preorder at best buy? if not it's going to be fun being the first to let you guys know about any bells and whistles I find while playing with it, assuming BB gets it a day early. i hope that's the case so I have time to check out the features, no way i'm taking a brand new phone out with me on St. Patty's.

 

[paulmike3]

You're talking about the data tiers?

Yeah. We know VZW has a few screws loose, but if they think consumers are going to be happy about a $300 device, $15+ more a month, and capped data, they have the wrong people making decisions.

 

[biff6789]

How could we "supposedly" be a week out and not know the plans yet? They know, their just not saying yet cause they don't want to kill the buzz of the phone.

True, but now that T-Mobile just barely released their new data plan intentions, perhaps Verizon went back to the drawing board to calculate new options now that they know what all 3 of their competitors will charge for "4G".

I've mentioned before that I'm a financial analyst like Ben (but for a diff company), and it's our job to calculate every scenario possible (expensive data, free data, tiered data, etc... in this example) and then present all those scenarios to the CFO or whoever so that they can make the most cost-effective decision. So I can all but guarantee the finance team at VZW has at least calculated some pricing models for LTE at launch as an option. And since those "options" could still theoretically be implemented, Ben can't say which will happen yet. Not til he gets the "green light" he's been referring to.

This is why I told Ben yesterday to sabotage the information in any he can so that management thinks its best that we get unlimited data

 

[thedeceiver]

Yeah. We know VZW has a few screws loose, but if they think comsumers are going to be happy about a $300 device, $15+ more a month, and capped data, they have the wrong people making decisions.

I tend to agree. However, they may be willing to take that chance until their network proves out. They may not want a flood of users on an untested animal. Now, if their long term strategy was a $300 device, $15+ more a month, yes, I'd agree their user base will shrink.

 

[Tortan]

Anyone find it strange that VZW Facebook page is pushing the Xoom today on it's page, yet the iPad2 launches tomorrow? I'm thinking the silence around Thunderbolt has nothing to do with the iPad2 but is strictly confined to the technical issues they are having.

Maybe it is just like they are doing with all of the old droid phones to clear inventory; trying to sell as many of the Xooms before the new MaxiPad comes out!

 

[paulmike3]

I tend to agree. However, they may be willing to take that chance until their network proves out. They may not want a flood of users on an untested animal. Now, if their long term strategy was a $300 device, $15+ more a month, yes, I'd agree their user base will shrink.

LTE is the future for VZW. I would hope they're not going to kick it off with a test to see how much we're willing to pay. If anything, the early adopters will get a break on pricing, not a beating (hence the summer tiered plan comments).

 

[deltwalrus]

Can we please stop with the references to Apple's tablet as a feminine hygiene product? It's tasteless at best, and very fanboy-ish to boot. If you don't like the name or the device or the OS or the company, that's your prerogative, but the wacked-out conspiracy theories and name-calling just brings the discussion down a notch.

I'm hoping to join the Android user community very soon (can you hear me NOW, Verizon?!), and I'd like to think it's populated with intelligent, well-spoken geeks. Not rabid fanboys. We have enough of those in the Apple camp to go around.

 

[dannyb884]

Hopefully one of the reasons VZW is charging $300 for the TB is because they're thinking about keeping the unlimited plan the same? Wishful thinking, but that would be some good news to hear.