VZW Share Everything Plans

[kilofoxtrot]

Don't pick on the new people please.

Sorry about that Cory.... I just saw 3 posts from 3 different people, each with just 1 post count, and assumed they were trying to "stir the pot".

My bad people... lesson learned.

 

[BostonBeats88]

Just thought that I would share this to clear up any confusion:


"Dear Bennett,


I hope your day has been going well so far, my name is Jocelyn and I am happy to answer your questions today. I know if I still had Unlimited Data I would be concerned about this as well.



I apologize, but since your account is not verified I cannot review any account specific information. Fortunately, I can still give general information in regards to your question. If you do have any account specific questions, please send Verizon Wireless a new email, using your billing account password as verification.



Please rest assured that if you have already ordered your device prior to Verizon Wireless instating any plan changes, you will be retaining the Unlimited Data feature. Verizon Wireless will not be moving you to a shared data plan based on your activation date.



I am happy I was able to clear up any confusion about your Unlimited Data plan.


Thank you for choosing Verizon Wireless and enjoy the rest of your week!


Sincerely,

Jocelyn
Verizon Wireless
Customer Service"

 

[Issemann]

There's no benefit to staying with VZW anymore. It costs the same as att for their individual plans, and the share plans are even more expensive.

Yes, there still is one benefit... The fastest, most reliable network in the U.S. Unfortunately, VZ finally figured out that they can use this as a drug to make us dependant on them turning us into the data whores that we really are.

HTC Rezound running Scott's CleanROM

 

[jroc]

Like someone mentioned...it does benefit ppl with multiple phones, lines on a family plan. With unlimited minutes and text already.

For me...its a big savings. I will be also giving up unlimited data one 1 line and losing 2GB of data on another. So I dont think I will be doing it.

It really benefits ppl like this that just got a family plan. Cuz it will already have tiered data plans. Those that had family plans before tiered data...not so much.

 

[johnriii]

While Verizon is the first to announce this, I'm sure AT&T will follow with something similiar.

and so will Sprint, eventually.

Sprint Kills Unlimited Data For Everything Except Smartphones | PCWorld

 

[johnriii]

Believe it or not, All companies are going this route at some point. These plans actually save me money simply because, I'm the only one who uses a lot. With wifi everywhere, it's the word unlimited that you guys like, but I bet you guys don't use as much data as you think.

Honesty, I think people are being babies about all this.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Android Central Forums

WiFi everywhere?? you must be the exception to the rule, because Wifi here in KC is very limited to very particular areas. either way, we must all relearn how to use data in moderation, or pay the piper. this is what ALL the carriers are going to demand of us.

 

[johnriii]

I have to admit, there are a lot of panic comments here.. The simple answer is, you don't have to change a thing. You are "not" being force to switch to this plan. If you have unlimited data you keep it, if you are upgrading to the "subsidized" S3 ( like I know a lot of you are..) just do it by the 28th. If you are not upgrading like me ( waiting on the G-Note 2 ) nothing changes. And when my phone comes out all I will have to do is pay "Retail Price" for it and I keep my unlimited data through my contract ( July 2013 ) and "after" my contract.. Purchasing phones at retail prices your plan stays the same.. "forever" If you could afford it, you could change phones every month if you wanted to pay retail.. After June 28th though, any subsidized phone "will" yank you off your unlimtied data plan.. period.. Any phone you buy retail after June 28th will not.. This new structure will benifit some, and increase cost for others, it's a case by case basis situation but suprisingly, it not that bad of a deal for 2 lines / 6 gigs on the best 4G LTE out there.. Ya gotta pay to play with the best

I agree with everything you say, but how many of us can afford to buy a $600 phone every two years? in my case, it would be $1200 because the wife and I upgrade at the same time. I like your simplification of the situation, but the huge majority of people cannot do that. with that said, I'm going to bite the bullet and upgrade next July, deal with sharing 10GB with my wife, and learn of the few and far between WiFi spots in my area.

 

[droid747]

I agree with everything you say, but how many of us can afford to buy a $600 phone every two years? in my case, it would be $1200 because the wife and I upgrade at the same time. I like your simplification of the situation, but the huge majority of people cannot do that. with that said, I'm going to bite the bullet and upgrade next July, deal with sharing 10GB with my wife, and learn of the few and far between WiFi spots in my area.

simple, don't buy brand new phones from verizon. Get used ones in great condition off of ebay/craigslist/forum market places for less than half full retail price.

 

[Cory Streater]

I buy new and resell every 6 months. Never signed a contract in my life. I skip $10 a seat movie theatres and expensive coffee drinks to make up the rest of the difference

 

[cyberdalek]

Cory, can someone at AC address this article? Especially paragraphs 7 and 10. He tells people to activate an old phone or buy a used old phone off Ebay instead of buying an unsubsidized phone. To me that's not a solution. Also, he claims that the press are having a tough time understanding this. What's difficult to understand?

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9228077/Verizon_defends_new_shared_data_plans

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[dpham00]

Cory, can someone at AC address this article? Especially paragraphs 7 and 10. He tells people to activate an old phone or buy a used old phone off Ebay instead of buying an unsubsidized phone. To me that's not a solution. Also, he claims that the press are having a tough time understanding this. What's difficult to understand?

Verizon defends new shared data plans - Computerworld

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

My wireless bill would go up nearly 50% and I would lose unlimited data in exchange for 1gb. That does not seem to be a savings to me. Of course, there are people who it would benefit. But, overall, Verizon isn't doing it out of the kindness of their heart or simplicity. After all, what is more simpler and easier to understand than unlimited data for $30? He mentioned that you know what your bill will be, well, not really since you have to worry about data overages with the new plan.

 

[Cory Streater]

"Mesnick said he's confident the plan will succeed, partly because Verizon interviewed 50,000 customers in advance to field their opinions........ We knew the unlimited news would be perceived negatively, so we weren't surprised"

That say a lot about how they feel about their customers opinions.

Edit:

In the article they linked to in that story:

"A Verizon Wireless spokeswoman said early Wednesday, one day after the launch, that the carrier is "very pleased with the response to our announcement."

Yeah, from their board members! What the hell are these people smoking?

 

[PJnc284]

yup. Only way anything will get changed is if their stock takes a dump and the shareholders get angry which would likely take a significant amount of churn. Doubt we'll see that though.

 

[Cory Streater]

2-hours ago from Forbes:

"Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE: VZ) has been named as a Top 25 ”Dividend Giant” by ETF Channel, with a whopping $2.4B worth of stock held by ETFs, and above-average ”DividendRank” statistics including a strong 4.66% yield, according to the most recent Dividend Channel ”DividendRank” report. The report noted a strong quarterly dividend history at Verizon Communications Inc, and favorable long-term multi-year growth rates in key funda"mental data points."

Source

 

[PJnc284]

yup. And Verizon's stock is currently at its highest point since 08 and still climbing. Basically we're out of luck.

 

[cyberdalek]

"Mesnick said he's confident the plan will succeed, partly because Verizon interviewed 50,000 customers in advance to field their opinions........ We knew the unlimited news would be perceived negatively, so we weren't surprised"

That say a lot about how they feel about their customers opinions.

That's the problem with a monopoly, be it four companies or just one, they don't have to care about their customers. What choice do we have?
Prepaid is only a choice until the big 4 decide that the spectrum and towers are too congested to lease them out anymore. Which coincidentally will happen at about the time a large amount of people switch to prepaid from the big 4.
The consumers are screwed and we'll just have to get used to it or cancel our phone service.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[cyberdalek]

How long do we really think Verizon is going to let us keep our unlimited by not signing contracts. They need us locked in for 2 years, that's where their money comes from.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[kilofoxtrot]

how can four companies be a monopoly?

 

[venious]

That is what they said about the memory manufacterers too, until they were caught price fixing to help keep memory prices high.

Sent from my HTC One S on T-Mobile

 

[PJnc284]

How long do we really think Verizon is going to let us keep our unlimited by not signing contracts. They need us locked in for 2 years, that's where their money comes from.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

There's no discount on your plan if you buy off contract so Verizon probably doesn't care assuming you're going to stay anyways. That's one less device they have to subsidize and still money in their pockets.