Verizon Tiers

[jdg1]

Does anyone really have a clue if or when Verizon will be implementing new data tier plans.
I like others am anxiously awaiting the Bionic but I am also wanting to get a 4G phone on contract ahead of the new tiers. Are there "TIERS" fictional or the real thing. I just have to ask. I would hate to have been sitting around stressing for nothing. Waiting on what I think will be my dream phone for these last few months has been stressful enough.

 

[Oxn]

Tier pricing is coming. Likely to come before the Bionic hits, but not garanteed.

I myself will take that chance. If Tiered pricing hits before Bionic, then i am getting a Droid Charge. If not then i am getting Bionic.

I too wish they would tell us now. Since its likely to come before the Bionic, i would like to get the Charge now, instead of waiting 2 month a still end up getting the Charge.

 

[jdg1]

Tier pricing is coming. Likely to come before the Bionic hits, but not garanteed.

I myself will take that chance. If Tiered pricing hits before Bionic, then i am getting a Droid Charge. If not then i am getting Bionic.

I too wish they would tell us now. Since its likely to come before the Bionic, i would like to get the Charge now, instead of waiting 2 month a still end up getting the Charge.

I was leaning toward the Revolution but after reading a bit I think I'm back to the Thunderbolt (risky with all its issues) if I have to rush out and beat the tiers. For some reason I just can't get excited about the Charge.

I'm just curious why you feel that the tiers are soon approaching?

 

[DolfanCole]

I was leaning toward the Revolution but after reading a bit I think I'm back to the Thunderbolt (risky with all its issues) if I have to rush out and beat the tiers. For some reason I just can't get excited about the Charge.

I'm just curious why you feel that the tiers are soon approaching?

Can't speak for Oxn, but Verizon said they'd be coming in the summer.

 

[jdg1]

Any guess on the tiers?
$20 - 2GB
$30 - 5GB
$50 - unlimited

 

[Suntan]

I?m actually in the other boat. I?d like to know when they are coming because I am interested in waiting *for* them to come.

I only use about 600MB max a month now and if I could get one of those rumored family plans that allowed my wife to use my old smartphone, that would be a bonus for us.

-Suntan

 

[the one and only M]

Any guess on the tiers?
$20 - 2GB
$30 - 5GB
$50 - unlimited

I can live with 5 GB for $30. I believe Tony Malone said most customers would fall under 3 GB so maybe thats what they'll go with.

 

[Stang68]

I doubt they will have an unlimited price point. And don't forget, friends, LTE eats up data MUCH faster than 3G.

 

[jdg1]

I doubt they will have an unlimited price point. And don't forget, friends, LTE eats up data MUCH faster than 3G.

I believe they will have an unlimited tier but maybe the price is ridiculously high like there unlimited phone minutes plan. I'm sure there are some people and businesses willing to pay such a price because they have no way of actually predicting their monthly data use.

 

[DolfanCole]

There was also some chatter that Verizon might also have a family data plan, like their voice plans. In that case, you'd share the amount of data amongst all of the phones that need it. This actually might work out to be very beneficial to me. So, I'm not afraid of the tiered plans, at least not enough to make me go buy a LTE phone now with the hopes of being grandfathered in before they go in effect.

 

[Hand_O_Death]

Someone once brought up how they thought that Verizon would wait for one phone to be out from each carrier with LTE before they implement tiered pricing. That way it would be fair across the board. Of course, I doubt VZW would care enough about each phone company to hold something back like that, but ti would be nice If I could get the Bionic with unlimited. But even with 4G, I doubt I would go over a 5GB usage limit personally, (as of right now I do not have Netflix, couldn't say if I got that later.)

 

[Markurski]

I spoke with a VZW rep the other day and asked him and he said that if you are on the unlimited plan now and the tiered rates come out, that you will be grandfathered in. He said the unlimited plan follows the phone number. So, if you get a new number, cancel your service and then come back later or are a completely new member, then you would fall under the new data tiered rates. He did say that you can switch to the tiered rates if that suits you, presumably if you are a light data user. However he said you wouldn't be able to switch back at a later date.
I wonder how true this is though...I can't imagine VZW letting you have unlimited data forever, especially with these 4G phones. I have been with them for 11 years now and have no plans on leaving anytime soon. With what he's saying, I could have unlimited until I die or VZW goes under!

 

[DolfanCole]

I spoke with a VZW rep the other day and asked him and he said that if you are on the unlimited plan now and the tiered rates come out, that you will be grandfathered in. He said the unlimited plan follows the phone number. So, if you get a new number, cancel your service and then come back later or are a completely new member, then you would fall under the new data tiered rates. He did say that you can switch to the tiered rates if that suits you, presumably if you are a light data user. However he said you wouldn't be able to switch back at a later date.
I wonder how true this is though...I can't imagine VZW letting you have unlimited data forever, especially with these 4G phones. I have been with them for 11 years now and have no plans on leaving anytime soon. With what he's saying, I could have unlimited until I die or VZW goes under!

I would think it would go into effect whenever you renewed your contract. So, if you're grandfathered in, but then upgrade down the road, the new contract terms with tiered pricing would kick in. Now, if you buy phones at retail and never touch the contract or renew, that might be a different story.

 

[Suntan]

I would assume it would go the way it has always gone when VZW changed their plans. You?re allowed to keep the old plan until you ?volunteer? to move to the new plan. ?but quickly after the new plans come out, all new phones released are somehow ?not capable of running? on the old plan. So if you want to get a new phone (even at full price) you have to ?volunteer? to update your plan to the new contract.

At least that was how I remember it the last time.

If so, you?d likely still be able to get a Tbolt/Charge/Rev with unlimited 4G. But if the bionic came out after the new plans, it would likely only be supported on the new plan.

-Suntan

 

[Cruiserdude]

Well I was the one who had been saying it would seem fair for them to wait until each manufacturer had a device out, but now with it coming out in August, it seems morw likely that they'll use the Bionic to launch unlimited. That way they can advertise like the new plans somehow make phones like the Bionic possible, but mainly so their data plan sales will go up because of the Bionic, but they can act like it was because the new plans were a good idea. It's not like they can admit its a step back and accept a sales slump.

Its still all speculation, but it was enough to make me grab the Charge when I could get it for $149, and I couldn't be happier.

 

[ShiZero]

If you buy the phone off of Ebay or at full retail while your contract is still running, there's nothing that should affect your current plan. What now, every time you activate a device the ESN is going to be checked against your plan to make sure you're on a tiered data plan, otherwise the phone won't work? I can see them doing that if you jump from a flip phone to a smartphone, but not between smartphones of same type.

 

[Suntan]

If you buy the phone off of Ebay or at full retail while your contract is still running, there's nothing that should affect your current plan. What now, every time you activate a device the ESN is going to be checked against your plan to make sure you're on a tiered data plan, otherwise the phone won't work? I can see them doing that if you jump from a flip phone to a smartphone, but not between smartphones of same type.

It?s all conjecture at this point. But back in the day, when 3G was just out for a little bit, older phones would be allowed on the old plan, newer phones required you to update to the new plan.

-Suntan

 

[burwil]

Any guess on the tiers?
$20 - 2GB
$30 - 5GB
$50 - unlimited

I think that's being optimistic. I read something other day about the average Android owner using about 580 MB/month while the typical Apple owner about 520 MB. I'm logging my phone usage now. I don't do any streaming but have a number of widgets that ping weather, twitter, stocks, sports scores among other things. I use my phone alot. And I'm around what I quoted above for the average Android user.

 

[VideoEngineerAJS]

Any guess on the tiers?
$20 - 2GB
$30 - 5GB
$50 - unlimited

I think that's being optimistic. I read something other day about the average Android owner using about 580 MB/month while the typical Apple owner about 520 MB. I'm logging my phone usage now. I don't do any streaming but have a number of widgets that ping weather, twitter, stocks, sports scores among other things. I use my phone alot. And I'm around what I quoted above for the average Android user.

With LTE, I would hope they would go 7-8GB. Not that it matters as I have unlimited LTE for the time being, but I'm sitting at 6.32GB with 4 days left in my billing cycle. I average around 5GB a month and that's with using wifi anytime I'm at home.

 

[bkorver]

I would hope the tiered plans are reasonable. If they are, I will most likely end up with a Moto Bionic. If not, I will most likely end up with a Moto Photon...