Just FYI: Saturday Jan 26th It Will Be Illegal in the US to Unlock Your Phone

[debrad0307]

Well, considering that all the telecoms are going to 4G/LTE I would venture to guess this means that all phones with LTE will be compatible. But, also we've seen a rise in every day people buying phones with global capabilities.
Look at the t-mobile kids who bought the htc dna droid off contract and took it to t-mobile.
Plus, we're seeing a retaliatory backlash against consumers who are not paying for the roaming charges when leaving the country because they could unlock it.
As far as cricket is concerned they will have to abide by the newly to be enforced lost/stolen/blacklisted directory for phones. So, if you leave Verizon with your galaxy Nexus without paying for the etf or the bill then they will block the esn/imeid number to render the phone useless.

Well they already do that with the phones.. I know Verizon will blacklist the esn if you have a balance with them. I would assume then that cricket will have to sell their own phones instead of advising that they can unlock and flash your current phone to work with their service.

Sent from my Synergized SCH-I535

[SquireSCA]

Well they already do that with the phones.. I know Verizon will blacklist the esn if you have a balance with them. I would assume then that cricket will have to sell their own phones instead of advising that they can unlock and flash your current phone to work with their service.

Sent from my Synergized SCH-I535

Again, all of this indicates that their primary goal is to lobby and purchase legislation that makes it harder for the competition to gain traction. This isn't about recovering subsidies, or protecting their networks or consumers. It's about making it harder for people to leave. They want laws to help them "protect their turf", for lack of a better word...

[zomnomnombie]

I am perfectly okay with this for subsidized phones for the length of the contract. There should be language to protect those that purchased outright or have carried their contract to fulfillment.

[huskur]

You won't be keeping Unlimited Data for long, no matter how much you pay for your phone...

I know people with "ancient" plans that still have them and are on month to month and have been for years. That is exactly what I plan to do. No changes at all BUT if Verizon does find a way to kill my unlimited data I will just go back to a basic phone. If I am having to constantly look for wifi so I don't overuse data then I might as well just have a small tablet to do it with. Since wifi is almost everywhere it will really only be their loss and on my end it will be a $30 monthly financial gain. So, let them do what they like.....but like I said.....if my unlimited is ever compromised I will just carry a tab like the Nexus 7 or GTab 8.

[SquireSCA]

I know people with "ancient" plans that still have them and are on month to month and have been for years. That is exactly what I plan to do. No changes at all BUT if Verizon does find a way to kill my unlimited data I will just go back to a basic phone. If I am having to constantly look for wifi so I don't overuse data then I might as well just have a small tablet to do it with. Since wifi is almost everywhere it will really only be their loss and on my end it will be a $30 monthly financial gain. So, let them do what they like.....but like I said.....if my unlimited is ever compromised I will just carry a tab like the Nexus 7 or GTab 8.

It will end at some point. VZW is making money hand over fist from tiered plans. You are out of contract, which means that they no longer have to honor your Unlimited plan. At the moment that some bean counter determines that the backlash will be minimal, your plan is done.

[jseah]

It will end at some point. VZW is making money hand over fist from tiered plans. You are out of contract, which means that they no longer have to honor your Unlimited plan. At the moment that some bean counter determines that the backlash will be minimal, your plan is done.

And yet I am sure there are still people that are on the old America's Choice plan and are using data under MOU, and Verizon hasn't gotten around to kicking them off. Verizon's track record is that they don't kick people off who are grandfathered. The only instance that I am aware of is with the unlimited international data plan, and that was because there was a real financial impact to the company (i.e. Verizon's international data roaming costs were probably higher than the money they charged the customer).

[SquireSCA]

Well, we shall see...

[huskur]

And yet I am sure there are still people that are on the old America's Choice plan and are using data under MOU, and Verizon hasn't gotten around to kicking them off. Verizon's track record is that they don't kick people off who are grandfathered. The only instance that I am aware of is with the unlimited international data plan, and that was because there was a real financial impact to the company (i.e. Verizon's international data roaming costs were probably higher than the money they charged the customer).

Right....my father in law is on the America's Choice plan of yesteryear and it is still serving him fine. The only way I will have a smartphone is if i have unlimited data. I don't like the fact having to always check how much data I have used and have to limit what I do so I don't go over by checking an email or reading engadget....ect. VZW pushes apps that use alot of data and personally as i just stated.....I don't need the headache and worry of if I am going to go over a cap while one of my kids watch youtube or netflix ect.

If Verizon extinguishes the unlimited totally I can hook up to wifi everywhere I go with a tablet. Time will tell

[xeene]

by the time verizon kills off unlimited data, there will be other unlimited data cellular alternatives. just wait till google gets in on cellular and cable action. verizon and comcast will have to rethink their milking strategies.

[Narsil]

by the time verizon kills off unlimited data, there will be other unlimited data cellular alternatives. just wait till google gets in on cellular and cable action. verizon and comcast will have to rethink their milking strategies.

I sure hope that's how it works. I'd really love for someone to give me a quality alternative to Verizon.