To lose unlimited data...

[ulnek]

hi. i'm just asking for people's opinions about verizon not grandfathering their unlimited data. so i've been looking at how much data i use a month (through the mobile app they have at the end of each billing cycle) and i don't seem to use more than 1gig for most months (two months i went over just a bit). i'm up for upgrade on the aug 20 and i wanted to get the droid maxx at the new contract price. is it worth it losing the unlimited data given i don't even really use that much? would it even save me money to lose it because right now i'm paying $100 a month? that's $60 for the 450mins/unlimited text and $40 for the unlimited data. because eventually i would have to redo my contract anyway since i don't think i want to keep buying phones at full retail price or waiting a year for used phones to be affordable enough.

i'm sure a lot of verizon customers who have unlimited data have thought about this. how did you make (or going to make) your decision?

thanks.

 

[YAYTech]

Do the math. For me, when I priced what my new plan would cost, it was $30-40 a month more than I pay now for a plan I share with my wife (hers is a "dumb" phone). I save $400 on the phone with a 2 year contract, but pay $30-40 more a month for the plan. That's $720-$960 more over 2 years, so overall I would pay them $320-560 more, and not have unlimited data. It hurts to shell out full price for the phone, but it's a big savings over the course of the contract.

That said, I've found a local "authorized retailer" that is able to manipulate our two lines' upgrades and get me both the contract price and save my unlimited data. Not all retailers can do this (or are willing to), and I think you have to have a "dumb" phone line to shuffle some things around on to do it, so it's not an option for everyone.

As for my opinion, I'm split. As a business owner, I wouldn't want to be trapped infinitely in contracts that hurt my business. As a customer, I don't want to give up my unlimited data.

 

[Dreamliner330]

With more and more services going to the 'cloud' and Verizon rolling out VoLTE (where all your voice calls will use data) its a bad idea to give up unlimited data. Considering its the only thing Verizon meters anymore, that should tell you the future of data usage.

 

[SteelGator]

For most users, I don't think losing unlimited will matter. Many folks here are power users, and stream movies/music and use their phone as a wifi hotspot. In those cases, you will want unlimited. In the case of the original poster, he has not gone over 1 GB, so I would think it would be cheaper for him to move to a new plan and get the contract price for a phone. Unless he expects his usage pattern to change, there is little risk of going over the 2 GB plan.

 

[Cincybearcatfan]

Truth is, WHEN (or if) that ever really happens, getting rid of grandfathered unlimited data will take the flick of a pen. Verizon can terminate their policy of grandfathering unlimited data anytime they want. It's their playground, they just let us play in it.

 

[SteelGator]

Truth is, WHEN (or if) that ever really happens, getting rid of grandfathered unlimited data will take the flick of a pen. Verizon can terminate their policy of grandfathering unlimited data anytime they want. It's their playground, they just let us play in it.

+1
I think they are waiting for as many as possible to dump it on their own. Eventually there will be so few of us, they will almost have to do away with all of the unlimited plans. The announcement will start with something like "less than 5% of our customer still have an unlimited plan . . ."

I know they are moving their corporate contracts away from unlimited, so it is only a matter of time. I doubt many of the corp folks are using 2+ GB anyway.

 

[cnotes2019]

It will come next year once volte has a big foothold in place Q3 2014

 

[Aquila]

Have you read this thread: http://forums.androidcentral.com/ve...ta-verizon.html?highlight=keep+unlimited+data ?

It is possible for some accounts to get the upgrade price and keep unlimited data through a transfer of upgrade and some strategic activations.

Aside from that, one knowledgeable member points out that you can wait for a good sale from a vendor like Best Buy, activate a new line, cancel it and eat the EFT and in some cases you're getting a device for 30-40% off that way 100%-((EFT + Sale Price)/Full Retail Price).

 

[ulnek]

Have you read this thread: http://forums.androidcentral.com/ve...ta-verizon.html?highlight=keep+unlimited+data ?

It is possible for some accounts to get the upgrade price and keep unlimited data through a transfer of upgrade and some strategic activations.

Aside from that, one knowledgeable member points out that you can wait for a good sale from a vendor like Best Buy, activate a new line, cancel it and eat the EFT and in some cases you're getting a device for 30-40% off that way 100%-((EFT + Sale Price)/Full Retail Price).

yea i saw that but it seems like you need two accounts, one to upgrade then just switch the phones between the two lines. i only have one line and have no intention of having two smartphone lines.

- - - Updated - - -

thanks for all the replies. i'm still unsure about what to do. it'll be $300 with no more unlimited or $700.

 

[Dreamliner330]

i'm still unsure about what to do. it'll be $300 with no more unlimited or $700.

You could wait 3 months and pick it up for $400 on ebay/craigslist, keep your unlimited data and still have warranty...

 

[Emperor]

I have 3 lines on my plan with VZW and the all have unlimited data. I agree that it is a pain to pay full price for a phone, but unlimited is a must for me. I travel a lot and use tons of data. Last month I used 14GB of data and my two children used approximately 8GB each. Movies, music, and Video calls in Google Hangouts. Verizon Edge is scheduled to be active starting 8/25/13, but even this option doesn't apply to unlimited data plans. If you can afford to do it, hold on to unlimited data as long as possible. Once it's gone, you may never get it back.

 

[GMasonDragonDad]

I traded unlimited data for unlimited calls, text and free wifi hotspot. I can now use the phone for my job's endless conference calls, and not have to worry about using viber to save on text messaging. wife has an iPhone so iMessages do not count against her totals. besides.. I can tether the kids ipad while driving around without him complaining.

 

[ulnek]

You could wait 3 months and pick it up for $400 on ebay/craigslist, keep your unlimited data and still have warranty...

yea i was thinking that. hope i can find one. didn't have luck finding an s3 for that price months after release.

 

[Highland Droid]

Just a heads up - I picked up a Maxx for my wife tonight at a corporate store, and they WOULD NOT allow me to use an upgrade on a 2GB data line and activate the phone on her UNL data line. Rep claims that they do not allow that anymore and that the system is "smart" enough now to prevent it. I told him I could still do it by letting him activate the Maxx on the 2GB data line and then just swap them later myself. He admitted that I could do so, but I also didn't have the person with the 2GB data line with me and didn't know how to get a hold of her if I had her phone (the Dinc2 she's currently using) deactivated. lol

So I went ahead and had them "upgrade" my wife's line to a 2GB line so she could get her Maxx tonight. She's never used more than 1.5GB in a single month and is usually under 1GB. For what it's worth, the rep was certain that even grandfathered UNL plans are going away "soon".

I feel like I got bamboozled, but in the end, my wife got the phone that she needs. Her GNex was not cutting it anymore.

 

[ulnek]

Just a heads up - I picked up a Maxx for my wife tonight at a corporate store, and they WOULD NOT allow me to use an upgrade on a 2GB data line and activate the phone on her UNL data line. Rep claims that they do not allow that anymore and that the system is "smart" enough now to prevent it. I told him I could still do it by letting him activate the Maxx on the 2GB data line and then just swap them later myself. He admitted that I could do so, but I also didn't have the person with the 2GB data line with me and didn't know how to get a hold of her if I had her phone (the Dinc2 she's currently using) deactivated. lol

So I went ahead and had them "upgrade" my wife's line to a 2GB line so she could get her Maxx tonight. She's never used more than 1.5GB in a single month and is usually under 1GB. For what it's worth, the rep was certain that even grandfathered UNL plans are going away "soon".

I feel like I got bamboozled, but in the end, my wife got the phone that she needs. Her GNex was not cutting it anymore.

see that's what people are saying, that unlimited will get cancelled anyway. i might kick myself for not taking up the discounted price and be forced to give up my unlimited anyway. i guess i'll see in a few months. i'm supposed to be able to upgrade today, but i'll wait. i can't see myself getting anything that has less than 3000mah as a battery with my use though so either maxx this year or maxx next year will be my upgrade.

 

[karn101]

Just a heads up - I picked up a Maxx for my wife tonight at a corporate store, and they WOULD NOT allow me to use an upgrade on a 2GB data line and activate the phone on her UNL data line. Rep claims that they do not allow that anymore and that the system is "smart" enough now to prevent it. I told him I could still do it by letting him activate the Maxx on the 2GB data line and then just swap them later myself. He admitted that I could do so, but I also didn't have the person with the 2GB data line with me and didn't know how to get a hold of her if I had her phone (the Dinc2 she's currently using) deactivated. lol

So I went ahead and had them "upgrade" my wife's line to a 2GB line so she could get her Maxx tonight. She's never used more than 1.5GB in a single month and is usually under 1GB. For what it's worth, the rep was certain that even grandfathered UNL plans are going away "soon".

I feel like I got bamboozled, but in the end, my wife got the phone that she needs. Her GNex was not cutting it anymore.

It's still possible. You just had to do it online. Unfortunately, that person did screw you out of the unlimited data, which is disheartening. Curious though, which line had the upgrade? The unlimited one, or the 2GB one?

 

[Aquila]

You have 14 days to take it back, revoke any contract changes that they have made, especially those they misled you about. Your line goes back to the way it was, you get your money back, you give them the phone, the next day you can do it right.

Read this thread: http://forums.androidcentral.com/ve...ta-verizon.html?highlight=keep+unlimited+data

It's bad enough that they make you jump through hoops, but don't let them lie to you.

 

[vzzoom]

Maybe I was extremely lucky but I did get the Motorola Maxx for $299 and kept unlimited data. I was talking with the rep and he was selling me on the maxx (I already wanted it) so i just listened. Told him this is the phone I want and was going to pay full price for it. They told me since it was launch day that the phones in stock were only for renew contracts. I told them I really wanted it and was interested in the bundle deal (case, screen protector ect). Then he talked with his manager and came back and said since i was on an old family plan, he could by pass the you can't buy the phone at full price and use a dumb phone on the plan as the upgrade and transfer it to my line keeping my unlimited plan (all his words not mine, I read this was possible before hand). This process took of coming into the store, checking in, talking to the rep and activating the maxx took an hour and a half.
The key points:
go to the store when its slow
be very kind and a good listener (I made it seem like he was a really good salesman, not saying he wasn't)
maybe the bundle made them rethink not being helpful
have a dumb phone line ready for upgrade before hand

 

[LOTL2]

I traded unlimited data for unlimited calls, text and free wifi hotspot. I can now use the phone for my job's endless conference calls, and not have to worry about using viber to save on text messaging. wife has an iPhone so iMessages do not count against her totals. besides.. I can tether the kids ipad while driving around without him complaining.

How did you manage this? Im on Verizon's Nationwide Talk & Text Unlimited for $89.99 pr/month and have unlimited data on my Droid X. Total bill is around $130 pr/month. This includes a corporate discount of 20% off of the data.
What are you paying if you dont mind me asking? I need tethering for my job and on occasion when im DJ'ing, but dont use it much.
Definitely wouldn't be worth paying an extra $20 pr/month.

Edit: Just got off the phone with Verizon Rep and also confirmed this on Verizons website. He said if i moved to the Share Everything Plan it would cost me $88 pr/month for 2GB of data and that would include use of the Wifi Hotspot. With my 20% discount it would only cost me another $8 to go to 4GB pr/month
So instead of the $113.98 pr/month im now paying for unlimited with no Wifi Hotspot, ill get either 2GB or 4Gb of data for less money and with the Wifi Hotpost included.
Well i guess its so long unlimited and hello Share Everything Plan. Now to sit back and read some more reviews on the Maxx before i pull the trigger.

 

[whoover]

I gave up limited data last October. I have three smartphones on a shared 1GB/month and that's usually plenty because all of us are on wifi when at home. If I'll be out (like on vacation) I up it to 2Gb for the month. (You can change your data plan online as often as you want.)

Unless you stream video on the phone (when not on wifi), there aren't very many things that use lots of data. Most interactions with the cloud are fairly small, except for video streaming. Even navigation is a few MB per hour. If you don't use more than 1GB historically, unless you start watching a lot of Netflix on the phone, your probably won't in the future.

And yes, when Verizon moves to voice over IP they will move to 100% data metering. It's inevitable.