Verizon Plans to Move to Tiered Data Pricing in Summer

[lieblax]

How exactly will they be "grandfathering in" the current unlimited members? I guess this isn't a huge deal for me, as I live on a campus with wifi all around, I'll just have to start using it more often

Actually, you'll be allowed to continue to use your "unlimited" data plan even after your contract expires. However, after that, if you ever try to change anything about your plan or take advantage of introductory phone pricing you'll have to move to their updated tier plans.

That's how I understand it.

Does that include upgrading my phone?

 

[Dusty]

Does that include upgrading my phone?

You should be able to buy a phone (off contract price) and activate it under the plan. But you can't use a 4G device on a 3G grandfathered data plan. You can however buy a new (off contract price) 3G phone and activate it under an unaltered grandfathered plan. If you have to change anything about the plan to accommodate the phone you'll lose the grandfathered plan.

 

[lieblax]

alright thanks a ton

 

[tmal2]

How exactly will they be "grandfathering in" the current unlimited members? I guess this isn't a huge deal for me, as I live on a campus with wifi all around, I'll just have to start using it more often

Actually, you'll be allowed to continue to use your "unlimited" data plan even after your contract expires. However, after that, if you ever try to change anything about your plan or take advantage of introductory phone pricing you'll have to move to their updated tier plans.

That's how I understand it.

Does that include upgrading my phone?

Yes it does include upgrading your phone.

 

[socalsx]

So if you get a tb with unlimited 4g you could continue to buy phones at retail (off contract) and keep the unlimited 4g? That's how I'm reading it also

 

[kodiak799]

So if you get a tb with unlimited 4g you could continue to buy phones at retail (off contract) and keep the unlimited 4g? That's how I'm reading it also

Probably wishful thinking. They actually have no responsibility beyond honoring your contract, so the month-to-month work around might not last. Also, I would guess activating a new device could still trigger a service "event".

Ultimately it just comes down to how much and how long VZW wants to reward its loyal customers and early adopters. I can't envision a scenario where millions of people getting 8-10mbps on LTE start dropping home broadband and using 10-15gigs a month on their smartphone and VZW just ignores the issue. Goodwill will only go so far, and maybe they might continue to give you unlimited data at $30 but stuff you into the lowest speed tier of, say, 2-3mbps. That may work for some people, but honestly I only average an insufferable 700kbps and 3-4x that would merely be tolerable, assuming it's consistent 3-4x on average.

 

[Crankintopwater69]

How many times have we heard that 1-As President of the United States of America-taxes will not go up--------Wait for it!!!!!!--------Any HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

 

[TheSilentStapler]

That may work for some people, but honestly I only average an insufferable 700kbps and 3-4x that would merely be tolerable, assuming it's consistent 3-4x on average.

That sounds like an over the top speed for using a cellphone. I've got 15megabits at home, and I'd never see a reason to need faster. Especially on a phone.


I wasn't happy with their data package since day one. I think I've used less than 100MB through them since I got my phone in December because of using WiFi. So it's $30 going down the drain each month. Although I'm guessing if we try and change to one of their tiers after they change, we'll get slapped with a fee for changing our plan. ($300 if I change mine from Dell :icon_evil

 

[nonnasmyladie]

How exactly will they be "grandfathering in" the current unlimited members? I guess this isn't a huge deal for me, as I live on a campus with wifi all around, I'll just have to start using it more often

Actually, you'll be allowed to continue to use your "unlimited" data plan even after your contract expires. However, after that, if you ever try to change anything about your plan or take advantage of introductory phone pricing you'll have to move to their updated tier plans.

That's how I understand it.

I'm fairly sure that when you sign a new contract at the end of your term they will not offer you unlimited data. Unless your current contract has a clause stating it is renewable but I doubt verizon would do that bc they would want to keep their right to raise rates.


Sent from my Droid using DroidForums App

 

[Crankintopwater69]

coming from sprint with unlimited data and all that other good stuff and planing on getting bionic,kinda confused on all this tiered data pricing.when i get bionic,eventhough we dont have 4g-when we get 4g-will i have to get 4g cos its a 4g phone?and is this tiered data a good thing?plz chime in!!!!

 

[RETG]

We knew it was coming!
Prices still unknown!
And I bet within two-years, all US companies will be on a similar priced strategy.

So, even if I could jump, I wouldn't. Service is still the most important factor in my decision for provider.

 

[Dusty]

I'm fairly sure that when you sign a new contract at the end of your term they will not offer you unlimited data. Unless your current contract has a clause stating it is renewable but I doubt verizon would do that bc they would want to keep their right to raise rates.

No, you don't sign a new contract at the end of your 2 year or 1 year contract. At the end of your contract you simply go from month to month with your existing plan. But, if you adjust that plan in any way THEN you have to begin a new contract using current rates and limits.

 

[TheOldFart]

I'm fairly sure that when you sign a new contract at the end of your term they will not offer you unlimited data. Unless your current contract has a clause stating it is renewable but I doubt verizon would do that bc they would want to keep their right to raise rates.

No, you don't sign a new contract at the end of your 2 year or 1 year contract. At the end of your contract you simply go from month to month with your existing plan. But, if you adjust that plan in any way THEN you have to begin a new contract using current rates and limits.

True, but adjusting the plan in any way includes getting a new phone. I'm sure that you meant that, so I am just clarifying what you said. Any time I have gotten a new phone I have had to sign a new contract. My family plan is a grandfathered old 500 minute plan. Most of the dumb phones would force me to go up to the 700 minute plan minimum in order to buy one of them. Smartphones did not require us to do that. They could force me to add the 200 minutes that I have no need for for the extra $10 the next time I replace any of the phones on our plan. So far they haven't for our Droid and Ally.

 

[Dusty]

True, but adjusting the plan in any way includes getting a new phone. I'm sure that you meant that, so I am just clarifying what you said. Any time I have gotten a new phone I have had to sign a new contract. My family plan is a grandfathered old 500 minute plan. Most of the dumb phones would force me to go up to the 700 minute plan minimum in order to buy one of them. Smartphones did not require us to do that. They could force me to add the 200 minutes that I have no need for for the extra $10 the next time I replace any of the phones on our plan. So far they haven't for our Droid and Ally.

No, buying a new phone doesn't necessarily change your contract.

What you can't take advantage of is contract-required pricing... for example, buying an advertised for $100 WITH A CONTRACT. You can't buy it at the subsidized $100 price. But you CAN buy that same phone at the unsubsidized full price without starting a new contract and activate it under your current plan.

But there are little things that also must apply... What you can't do is to try to activate your just purchased unsubsidized 4G phone and attempt to activate it under your existing grandfathered 3G plan. You'd have to start a new 4G plan which means your "grandfathered" 3G plan is no longer valid.

Hope that makes it clear?

 

[shortsxit]

So if you get a tb with unlimited 4g you could continue to buy phones at retail (off contract) and keep the unlimited 4g? That's how I'm reading it also

They just said that 4G will be tiered. And there's no reason to think that if they do have unlimited 4G, that buying phones at full retail will keep your 4G unlimited. When Verizon introduced EVDO, they went from charging minutes of use to separate data plans. It didn't matter if you bought your new phones at full retail, they just made it so you had to buy the new data plan to even activate the newer phones.