Unlimited 3G or Tiered 4G

[Spartan616]

So I really, and I mean REALLY want a HTC Merge/Lexicon. But my contract still has about another year left. So I have time to actually pass the HTC Merge and get a better device with 4G. But as we all know, Verizon is going to start their 4G tiered pricing service either 2011Q1 or end of 2010 (I think).

I'm in a real bind deciding which will be better in the long run. The fact of the matter is if I get 3G service I won't have to worry about paying extra for going over my data plan, even though most users (from what I've read) normally don't go over 2GB because they also use wifi. On the other hand 4G will be much faster (in theory) than 3G and will be able to enjoy it more than what 3G can offer. However with the tiered pricing, it may be easy to go past the data limit and will have to pay for the extra usage.

If you were in my shoes, what would you do?

 

[Menno]

I voted tiered 4g, Here's why:

-depending on how it's done, this could be a boon for even heavier users like me, especially if they allow for Data only plans. I rarely talk on my phone as it is. Give me a VOIP app and a bucket of minutes and I'll be satisfied.

Not to mention faster speeds=win.

I spend $90 on my bill right now. If they go data only (even if they still require money for texting... that is $70 for me to spend on tiered 4g data (as opposed to $30 for 3g and $40 for voice right now) Even with ATT's bull**** rates (which I don't see V matching) that's a heck of a lot of data.

 

[moosc]

i think tiered plans will be good for every one. i have 3 phones with data my X uses 10gb a month, the other barely crack a 1gb but i pay 30$ if they shaved a feweb bills i would be happy.

 

[gvillager]

Wait till they announce what the pricing and tiers are going to be before making a decision.

 

[quetzalcoatl]

I'm in a real bind deciding which will be better in the long run. The fact of the matter is if I get 3G service I won't have to worry about paying extra for going over my data plan, even though most users (from what I've read) normally don't go over 2GB because they also use wifi. On the other hand 4G will be much faster (in theory) than 3G and will be able to enjoy it more than what 3G can offer. However with the tiered pricing, it may be easy to go past the data limit and will have to pay for the extra usage.

Where I agree that most people do not go over than amount right now with the introduction of faster speeds I see the amount of data increasing very quickly.


Cisco Visual Networking Index Forecast Predicts Continued Mobile Data Traffic Surge -> Cisco News

?Today, the average mobile broadband connection generates 1.3 gigabytes of traffic per month-which is equivalent to about 650 MP3 music files. By 2014, the average mobile broadband connection is projected to generate 7 gigabytes of traffic per month-which is equivalent to about 3,500 MP3 music files.

This is moble broadband not cell phone but if anyone thinks that the same type of increase willnot occur with cell phones as well they are just putting their heads in the sand. Lets just say the adverage cell user uses half this about of data right now that would be 650MB a month but with the same increase we are talking about 3.5GB a month. Which is where the caps are placed come into play.

Wait till they announce what the pricing and tiers are going to be before making a decision.

And how future proof the numbers are.

 

[anon(40232)]

I think 3G/4G is going to be more of a location decision. For me, 4G is not realistic, at least for all of 2011. Maybe once they roll 4G out to other people beyond those 30 cities, but for now, even thinking of paying for 4G is silly.

I'm guessing you are in a 4G rollout city?