Verizon adds 591k postpaid net additions in Q4 2016

[dpham00]

For those interested:

"

• Verizon had 591,000 retail postpaid net additions in the fourth quarter. The carrier remains the top dog in retail postpaid subscribers, with 108.8 million connections. Retail prepaid connections were 5.4 million at year's end.
• Retail postpaid churn increased slightly by 14 basis points to 1.1%, largely driven by churn in tablets, while phone retention remained high.
• The ongoing transition away from subsidized phones toward installment plans continued, with two-thirds of postpaid phone customers now on non-subsidized pricing plans. At the end of 2016, 46% of postpaid phone customers are enrolled in a device payment plan."

Verizon Communications Q4 Results Remain Stable -- The Motley Fool

 

[sulla1965]

The empire strikes back

 

[Almeuit]

The empire strikes back

Yep . I give it to Verizon being somewhat more lenient when it come to their plans. Making smaller plans for the single people, better prepaid, etc. That helps people want to swap.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

Without subsidized pricing, full retail for them, I no longer will be getting my phones thru Verizon. Call it device payment plan if you want, just another name for contact and Verizon got you to pay full price for phones now. Have to give it to Verizon, they know how to yank things from people, get more money out of your pocket, charge full price for phones and people still think it's a great deal.

 

[Ry]

Without subsidized pricing, full retail for them, I no longer will be getting my phones thru Verizon. Call it device payment plan if you want, just another name for contact and Verizon got you to pay full price for phones now. Have to give it to Verizon, they know how to yank things from people, get more money out of your pocket, charge full price for phones and people still think it's a great deal.

..how different is that from other carriers?

And deals can be had. I bought a Moto Z Droid for $120 and a Google Pixel for $240 without any trade-ins or bill credits.

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

..how different is that from other carriers?

And deals can be had. I bought a Moto Z Droid for $120 and a Google Pixel for $240 without any trade-ins or bill credits.

Didn't say it was different. That's the problem with people, they are sheep and follow to much.

Point being..people need to be careful of what they ask for. Everyone hated contracts, didn't like them, so Verizon introduced no contract lines and do DPP. So now you pay full price for phones. I'll use the flagship phones... S7 edge $820 including the $20 activation fee, going to to $30, then there is tax which is $56 in my state, making total $876.. Contract price is $299, $40 upgrade fee for total of $339. But now you are tied to a contract, but you can pay the ETF to walk away of $350. If you walk away right away after the first 14 days your total is $689. That is $187 less then DPP if you leave right away, if you stay longer, you save more.

So being scared of contracts, asking for no contracts cost the customers more money. And yes there is cheaper phones, but those are also cheaper on contract or free. You can get phones free on DPP now, but that is contract and the walk away price will be higher for most of the duration of the 2 years. With contract you could walk right away and been cheaper.

My whole point of this is Verizon made it more expensive to get phones thru them and yet people keep flocking to them. I get the reliability part, but when are Verizon customers going to get tired of getting kicked in the *all's by Verizon.

Remember when Verizon told us most customers didn't want unlimited data? So now we have these data plans. What people asked for is an "option" of less data for less money, how did that work out for us? We got options of less data for more money. I love it when I'm at the Verizon store and hear the rep say it's only $450 month, how they can say that with a straight face I don't know. Cell phones are like drugs, very addictive. One addiction is legal and one isn't, both expensive. LOL

 

[Ry]

Didn't say it was different. That's the problem with people, they are sheep and follow to much.

Point being..people need to be careful of what they ask for. Everyone hated contracts, didn't like them, so Verizon introduced no contract lines and do DPP. So now you pay full price for phones. I'll use the flagship phones... S7 edge $820 including the $20 activation fee, going to to $30, then there is tax which is $56 in my state, making total $876.. Contract price is $299, $40 upgrade fee for total of $339. But now you are tied to a contract, but you can pay the ETF to walk away of $350. If you walk away right away after the first 14 days your total is $689. That is $187 less then DPP if you leave right away, if you stay longer, you save more.

So being scared of contracts, asking for no contracts cost the customers more money. And yes there is cheaper phones, but those are also cheaper on contract or free. You can get phones free on DPP now, but that is contract and the walk away price will be higher for most of the duration of the 2 years. With contract you could walk right away and been cheaper.

My whole point of this is Verizon made it more expensive to get phones thru them and yet people keep flocking to them. I get the reliability part, but when are Verizon customers going to get tired of getting kicked in the *all's by Verizon.

Remember when Verizon told us most customers didn't want unlimited data? So now we have these data plans. What people asked for is an "option" of less data for less money, how did that work out for us? We got options of less data for more money. I love it when I'm at the Verizon store and hear the rep say it's only $450 month, how they can say that with a straight face I don't know. Cell phones are like drugs, very addictive. One addiction is legal and one isn't, both expensive. LOL

The innovative Uncarrier made all carriers shift to this.

Also, you don't have to buy a new phone if you don't want to. That's the problem with people. They are sheep, trying to keep up with everyone else with the hot new phone and follow too much.

 

[Lodingi]

The way I see it, Verizon is taking advantage of its customers. When subsidized phones were available, customers were still paying full retail for the phone. It was factored in to your plan. I've always heard chatter of a $25 per line fee factored in to your plan to cover the subsidy. Now we have no subsidy, with no reduction in price. Add in the increase for UDP, and the monthly rates border on insane.

I'm in the process of finding a new carrier for my family (4 lines). T-Mobile would be the best option if they had adequate coverage in my area. I've been testing a T-Mobile line the last 3 weeks and I cannot port over to T-Mo at this time. Too many lapses in coverage. Sprint has no coverage in my area, leaving on AT&T as an option. Now is AT&T really an option? They seem more like Verizon than not.

It seems Verizon & AT&T are behaving more like a government. When they want more money in their coffers, they raise your taxes (rates). I know I'm being extreme, but they're very similar.

 

[Almeuit]

Didn't say it was different. That's the problem with people, they are sheep and follow to much.

How could they not follow the market if the carrier eliminates the other options?

 

[dpham00]

How could they not follow the market if the carrier eliminates the other options?

Trust me, if it's in Verizon's best interest to do contract then they will keep and promote that option. They would of course still do dpp as an option.

 

[Almeuit]

Trust me, if it's in Verizon's best interest to do contract then they will keep and promote that option. They would of course still do dpp as an option.

I agree -- I was just confused on how consumers are "sheep" because they chose an option that was presented. Most are presented with "Full Price" or "0% device payment plan" so they choose DPP. I guarantee some would still do contracts if offered but since it isn't for most they had to change.

 

[Ry]

How could they not follow the market if the carrier eliminates the other options?

Verizon is evil and the T-Mobile sheep think Legere is their bff.

 

[Almeuit]

Verizon is evil and the T-Mobile sheep think Legere is their bff.

I am on T-Mobile and don't think he is my bff . I guarantee with my data usage on T-Mobile he doesn't consider me his BFF either lol.

To be honest T-Mobile is far from perfect. Good deals from time to time but their billing system is the worst thing ever invented. So many people try and get their credits and have to go through hell which is unacceptable.

 

[dpham00]

I agree -- I was just confused on how consumers are "sheep" because they chose an option that was presented. Most are presented with "Full Price" or "0% device payment plan" so they choose DPP. I guarantee some would still do contracts if offered but since it isn't for most they had to change.

I wouldn't say that people are sheep but people tend to take the path of least resistance. I tell people how i get such great deals... Then they say... Eh... Too much trouble. That's fine... To each their own.

It also isn't a coincidence that Verizon intentionally lowered full retail on phones to get people to move people from contract to dpp then now that most are dpp, raise the price back up.

 

[HawaiiD]

..how different is that from other carriers?

And deals can be had. I bought a Moto Z Droid for $120 and a Google Pixel for $240 without any trade-ins or bill credits.

Different carriers you say? With T-mobile My plan includes 5 lines with 3+2 free lines(black Friday add on) unlimited data, 14 GB mobile Hotspot each line,unlimited text, unlimited calling, free roaming data in over 140 countries
(Japan was great last year, going again this summer), free WiFi calling back to the States, with 100+ MB download speeds to boot in my neighborhood in Hawaii for 127 dollars plus 8 dollars in tax and fee a month.
I wonder what a similar 5 line plan with Ala cart add on's would cost per month on The Big Red?
I would guess? you could probably pay almost half off of the regular price of a smart phone with the difference you save on my plan in a single month.

 

[Ry]

Different carriers you say? With T-mobile My plan includes 5 lines with 3+2 free lines(black Friday add on) unlimited data, 14 GB mobile Hotspot each line,unlimited text, unlimited calling, free roaming data in over 140 countries
(Japan was great last year, going again this summer), free WiFi calling back to the States, with 100+ MB download speeds to boot in my neighborhood in Hawaii for 127 dollars plus 8 dollars in tax and fee a month.
I wonder what a similar 5 line plan with Ala cart add on's would cost per month on The Big Red?
I would guess? you could probably pay almost half off of the regular price of a smart phone with the difference you save on my plan in a single month.

This reply has nothing to do with my comment on phone pricing.

If I buy a phone at T-Mobile, I'm still paying full price - either once or monthly for 24 months.

Same as Verizon.

 

[dpham00]

Different carriers you say? With T-mobile My plan includes 5 lines with 3+2 free lines(black Friday add on) unlimited data, 14 GB mobile Hotspot each line,unlimited text, unlimited calling, free roaming data in over 140 countries
(Japan was great last year, going again this summer), free WiFi calling back to the States, with 100+ MB download speeds to boot in my neighborhood in Hawaii for 127 dollars plus 8 dollars in tax and fee a month.
I wonder what a similar 5 line plan with Ala cart add on's would cost per month on The Big Red?
I would guess? you could probably pay almost half off of the regular price of a smart phone with the difference you save on my plan in a single month.

Anything a la carte will be expensive. But five lines with 1 TERABYTE total hotspot with ZERO de prioritization is $50 account access, 5x $10 line access, 5x $30 udp, 5x$30 mhs. It is of course more than T-Mobile but if you want 1 TERABYTE of unrestricted hotspot then the legacy 200 gb per line plan is much cheaper.

Of course if you need what you specifically mentioned then Verizon would be much more expensive. Everyone should pick what is best for them.

 

[Almeuit]

Anything a la carte will be expensive. But five lines with 1 TERABYTE total hotspot with ZERO de prioritization is $50 account access, 5x $10 line access, 5x $30 udp, 5x$30 mhs. It is of course more than T-Mobile but if you want 1 TERABYTE of unrestricted hotspot then the legacy 200 gb per line plan is much cheaper.

Of course if you need what you specifically mentioned then Verizon would be much more expensive. Everyone should pick what is best for them.

You can't do 1 TB anymore though .. or you'll most likely be disconnected due to their restriction. Or is the restriction only for the phone data? I thought it was all data usage ?

 

[Almeuit]

This reply has nothing to do with my comment on phone pricing.

If I buy a phone at T-Mobile, I'm still paying full price - either once or monthly for 24 months.

Same as Verizon.

This is true.

 

[LeoRex]

Anything a la carte will be expensive. But five lines with 1 TERABYTE total hotspot with ZERO de prioritization is ....

...no longer an option. If you try to pull down that much data (200GB) on one line, never mind five, Verizon will jettison your account quicker than R2 and 3PO from the Tantive IV.