You Will Be Forced Off Unlimited If You Try To Buy A Phone Full Price At A Corporate Verizon Store

[pc747]

Here is the reality of what is going on. When these carriers first put out they were dropping UD (unlimited data) they saw the massive uproar so they left something in place to keep those who were bent on leaving satisfied. Instead they started working on the people on the fence, those that did not use as much data and could be swayed by unlimited talk and text, a free phone, or a holiday deal (ie double data, buy one get one, etc). The goal is to slowly get people on the fence and pick them off making the UD pool smaller. Once they get that pool to a magic number of customers that they can handle losing they will just cut it off completely and force those customers into having to make a decision.

Whether it be AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, or some other company, the reality is they all have their good and bad. As a consumer find a way to adapt. Look at where the venue is and the rules of the game and make adjustments along the way. Last I checked Best Buy offered devices at pretty close to the carrier pricing and offer a better insurance plan that also covers lost and stolen. We also have more companies offering top end phones at sub $500 pricing that you can purchase from them.

Remember you as a consumer have power and can make or break a company. If enough consumers stop buying a product you can bet a company will make a change or someone will enter the market with an alternative. Those corporate stores are there to serve the consumer.

 

[pc747]

@DroidModderX, remind the people at those stores that if people stop coming and buying phones from their stores that Verizon will see no need for them anymore and will contract out the job of signing customers to Best Buy or a retail store. As a company is only going to spend money to make money. If the money they are spending isn't yielding them a return then they will shut it down. Verizon is going to make their money and you as a consumer have a choice on how you will go about continuing your business for VZW. There is a reason employees at corporate store encourage customers to rate high on the survey of their visits.

In the end we are a community full of experience and knowledge and we will find away or we will move on.

 

[SquireSCA]

@DroidModderX, remind the people at those stores that if people stop coming and buying phones from their stores that Verizon will see no need for them anymore and will contract out the job of signing customers to Best Buy or a retail store. As a company is only going to spend money to make money. If the money they are spending isn't yielding them a return then they will shut it down. Verizon is going to make their money and you as a consumer have a choice on how you will go about continuing your business for VZW. There is a reason employees at corporate store encourage customers to rate high on the survey of their visits.

In the end we are a community full of experience and knowledge and we will find away or we will move on.

Profits... People use that like a 4 letter word... but in the end, we only have jobs, because of profits. We have the luxury of debating this inane topic, because of profits... LOL

When they first offered UDP... it was on 3G, and let's be honest, VZW's 3G is about as fast as dial up. Saying that it is Unlimited, is a bit misleading to begin with... It's like saying that for your 1981 Yugo, there is no speed limit... well, the reality is, how fast can you really go with that kind of car? Putting it on a road with no speed limit won't make it go faster, and you won't get to your destination any sooner... But people would pay a premium, "just because"...

So $30 unlimited back then, didn't really add up to much. Not so today, when wireless rivals cable and DSL...

Suddenly, the notion of charging an extra $30 a month for letting people drive their Yugo's without speed limits doesn't make as much business sense when there are 100x as many people on that road, and they are all driving Lambo's and Ferrari's that can actually push the speed envelope...

 

[ezrider55]

I ordered my LG G4 from Verizon and changed out the sim card when it came in. Not a word about loss of unlimited. I have 5 phones on the plan and use under 1GB/mo. myself. My kids and ex, well that's another story. Maybe it is just the millions of customers they would lose, who would bad mouth them, that keeps our plans safe. they tried throttling and the Govt. jumped in so they will keep trying.

 

[cr6]

When they first offered UDP... it was on 3G, and let's be honest, VZW's 3G is about as fast as dial up. Saying that it is Unlimited, is a bit misleading to begin with... It's like saying that for your 1981 Yugo, there is no speed limit... well, the reality is, how fast can you really go with that kind of car? Putting it on a road with no speed limit won't make it go faster, and you won't get to your destination any sooner... But people would pay a premium, "just because"...

So $30 unlimited back then, didn't really add up to much. Not so today, when wireless rivals cable and DSL... .

You're extremely misinformed here. If you would have taken the time to read the link I provided a couple pages back, you'd see that 4G is actually more efficient at sending copious amounts of data over their lines, so it's actually costing the carrier less for UDP customers using more. The majority of users still on UDPs aren't on it with a 3G connection so I can't understand why you keep bringing that up, they're using UDPs on 4G LTE connections. The fact is, carrier's are ALWAYS changing their plans in order to maximize profits, and Verizon (with the largest 4G network in the country) knew they had a gold mine on their hands and figured the best way to maximize profits was by charging more for their data, when in reality it isn't costing them a dime. Just like text messages.
I would suggest taking some time to actually research your argument, because as it stands, it's based on misinformation. Being upset at others for using their unlimited data plans to their advantage, because you ditched yours seems it bit skewed. Why would you care how people use their unlimited data?

S5 tap'n

 

[SquireSCA]

You're extremely misinformed here. If you would have taken the time to read the link I provided a couple pages back, you'd see that 4G is actually more efficient at sending copious amounts of data over their lines, so it's actually costing the carrier less for UDP customers using more. The majority of users still on UDPs aren't on it with a 3G connection so I can't understand why you keep bringing that up, they're using UDPs on 4G LTE connections. The fact is, carrier's are ALWAYS changing their plans in order to maximize profits, and Verizon (with the largest 4G network in the country) knew they had a gold mine on their hands and figured the best way to maximize profits was by charging more for their data, when in reality it isn't costing them a dime. Just like text messages.
I would suggest taking some time to actually research your argument, because as it stands, it's based on misinformation.

S5 tap'n

I know it is more efficient. It doesn't change anything though, because it isn't free to build and support that infrastructure.

It may cost the carriers less on a per person basis(maybe), but that doesn't negate that their heavy data usage client base increased by a magnitude of what... 10? More over the past several years?

That you think that the data isn't costing them a dime, shows how little you know about this...

VolTE networks don't just grow on trees, son...

 

[cr6]

Being disrespectful isn't helping your case. Let's try to keep our discussion civil so this thread doesn't get shut down, like they have in the past.

S5 tap'n

 

[SquireSCA]

Being disrespectful isn't helping your case. Let's try to keep our discussion civil so this thread doesn't get shut down, like they have in the past.

S5 tap'n

What part was disrespectful?

And for the record, I didn't see anything that he said to me as being disrespectful either...

 

[cr6]

I'm not your son, and using that in the context you did was disrespectful. Let's keep it civil...we all have our different views.

S5 tap'n

 

[SquireSCA]

I'm not your son, and using that in the context you did was disrespectful. Let's keep it civil...we all have our different views.

S5 tap'n

It's an expression... You are really reaching there... LOL

 

[liftedplane]

And a lot of people with UDP plans are doing just that, and soaking up stupid amounts of data...

and you have data to back this ridiculous claim up with? let me guess, all black people are criminals too right?

I don't stream all day... I load stuff onto the phone, hundreds of hours of music, etc... There is wifi almost everywhere you go these days... I understand that some people do stream all day... But how many do it, BECAUSE they are on UDP? I mean, you drive a certain amount each year because you have to get places... but if you got unlimited gas for free, I am betting that the average person would drive a lot more, "just because its there"... And after a few years, that "I deserve that because I have had it" mindset kicks in, where they think that they actually need that much gas now, which in most cases is not accurate...

Yet again another ridiculous point, driving your vehicle and using your phone are two completely different things. You put a bunch of music and videos on your phone? I guess I could start ripping videos from youtube to watch on my phone... I guess I just have to preemptively know which ones I want to watch. maybe I need my crystal ball. I know, Xfinity could soak all interstates with free wifi signals... then I can connect to my home internet account through their wifi while on my MOBILE phone when driving and use data from my home internet instead of my cellular internet.

there problem solved...

It's like the SD slot "issue"... How many people really need 175 apps and 11 weeks worth of music and the entire series of LOST in HD on their phone? But to hear people whining about new phones not coming with sd slots, you would think that the world was ending... When in reality, most of the crap on their phone is there because "they had the space", not because there was any real need. If phones had never come with SD slots, they wouldn't even think twice about it.

wait what? you just contradicted yourself.... I can put hundred of hours of video and music on my phone... oh wait... no SD card, and 32gb internal storage is paltry compared to what I have now.

I guess I could use verizon's cloud storage or any other solution... oh wait, that takes data.... hmm... looks like I've got a real conundrum

People hate feeling like something is being taken away from them, even if they don't really have a need for it anyway...

Again.... YOU'RE OPINION... not fact... just because YOU don't need it doesn't mean other's actually have no need for it

If they offer an Unlimited plan in the future, it will be well over $100 a month.

and you know this how? verizon is like an ADHD child... you have absolutely no way of knowing what they will and won't do

And in today's world, $30 is nothing. That you pay full price, doesn't mean anything.

just because $30 is nothing to you does not mean it's nothing to others. and yes having to pay full price means a fair amount

It isn't like you paid some extra premium. You paid what the phone sells for. It's a $600 phone, so you paid it.

You can't be this daft can you? remember these phones are SUBSIDIZED meaning there is a portion of our bill we pay that goes towards the cost of the phone when we originally purchased it... AFTER we go off contract and retain unlimited we still pay this... it doesn't magically disappear off our bill.

So yes, in essence we are paying a premium, we are paying for the minutes we use (remember very few of us have unlimited minutes, that really wasn't a thing when we got our plans) our texts... yeah unlimited... data... sure unlimited, (I still pay for unlimited data regardless of whether they offer it anymore) oh... and that pesky fee I pay for having my phone subsidized.. that I'm still paying, because my phone is still "subsidized" oh... and if I do decide to upgrade in the store, I have to pay the upgrade fee.... please don't tell me you agree with the upgrade fee.... that's absolutely ridiculous that there's a fee to upgrade you're phone... honestly we are paying them to do their effing jobs.

here's let's break down my bill

I have 2 smart phones, 2 dumb phones, my smart phones have unlimited data, I have unlimited texts and 2100 minutes a month. my bill averages about $320 a month.

let's look at the more everything plans we'll say 10gb of data 2 smart phones 2 dumb phones and well unlimited texts and minutes.

data $80 for 10gb
$40 per smart phone that's $80
$20 per dumb phone that's $40
taxes surcharges... not entirely sure but we'll throw another $20 on just to be safe.

hmm... that's only $220 a month for the same thing I already have... minus the data that is oh wait... TEC on my phones so... let's add another $6.99 x 3 (I only have TEC on three devices) so $21

well... that's $240 (rounding down) a month, wait, that's more than.... hold on a second.

my bill $320
current price w/ less data $240

$320-$240=$80 looks like I could afford the 20gb plan and still come out ahead $20... oh... but if I go over like I have this month already while sitting at 24gb with ZERO tethering.... I'll pay through the nose.

so don't tell me I don't pay a premium for unlimited data cause I sure as hell do... I pay $80 extra a month than I could supposedly "live" with by your standards.

Average that out over 24 months and you paid $25 on top of your $30 plan.

see above

You are still coming out way ahead financially. Verizon doesn't owe you anything, and soon the gravy train will end. I could have stayed on it indefinitely, but I have a life and so I don't use enough data to justify staying on the UDP and having to cough up $600-$700 ever year or so for a new phone... I make good money, I could do that if I wanted to, but I would rather just pay my bill each month and use that cash for something else.

two quotes up

I wish costs didn't go up. The same 600cc motorcycle that cost $7k a few years ago, is now $12k. It is marginally better, but unless you are Valentino Rossi and can extract that last inch of performance out of it, it isn't $5k better... but that's what they cost. I don't have the luxury of demanding that they give it to me at 2007 prices. LOL

again comparing apples to hot dogs.... the cost of living goes up... also greed in these companies and the need to stuff their pockets with our money and doing everything they can to take advantage of the sheople in this country means that the cost can be ARTIFICIALLY inflated to better suit their needs. There's absolute zero transparency with big red, we have to take "their" word that "their" network can't handle "our" traffic... and we have zero recourse.

remember when Samsung, Sony and other major TV manufacturers got slapped a few years ago for artificially keeping the price of TV's raised to... oh no.... make more profits.

so no these companies only care about one things, the bottom line, how much money can they squeeze from their customers before we can't afford it, then how can they squeeze some more. it's like banks making literally BILLIONS of dollars on overdraft fees... yet they are allowed to loan $9 dollars for every $1 dollar you put into your account... yet they complain if you pull more than you have... and it's all done by computers... not people.

verizon does not have our best interests in mind, verizon is not trying to keep the field level between high data users and low data users, verizon is simply doing what verizon can do to make a profit any way it possibly can

 

[liftedplane]

it was on 3G, and let's be honest, VZW's 3G is about as fast as dial up.

actually it was closer in speed to first gen DSL... I used it regularly on my LG VX8100 over bluetooth tethering while in AIT in 2006 then then in the field later that year with my unit.

oh that's back when data used your minutes instead of... well data.

 

[pc747]

Profits... People use that like a 4 letter word... but in the end, we only have jobs, because of profits. We have the luxury of debating this inane topic, because of profits... LOL

When they first offered UDP... it was on 3G, and let's be honest, VZW's 3G is about as fast as dial up. Saying that it is Unlimited, is a bit misleading to begin with... It's like saying that for your 1981 Yugo, there is no speed limit... well, the reality is, how fast can you really go with that kind of car? Putting it on a road with no speed limit won't make it go faster, and you won't get to your destination any sooner... But people would pay a premium, "just because"...

So $30 unlimited back then, didn't really add up to much. Not so today, when wireless rivals cable and DSL...

Suddenly, the notion of charging an extra $30 a month for letting people drive their Yugo's without speed limits doesn't make as much business sense when there are 100x as many people on that road, and they are all driving Lambo's and Ferrari's that can actually push the speed envelope...

Exactly.

I think it is just in our nature. If we are happy with the direction a company is going we overlook the money they make. It is only when a company do something we dislike that we want to put a scope on their books.

Unless a company is intentionally misleading the consumer (ie Blue Diamond) it is the job of a company to make money. Whether your job is to sell widgets or services or help a company sell widgets or services you do it for a profit, unless you work for a non-profit organization.

Personally I want the company I spend my money at to make a profit so they can continue to make more products and hire staff to support their product. My reason I am still with one of the big two (AT&T/VZW) was because I tried the others and saw what it was like when they didn't have the money to invest in infrastructure or employees to support the operation. You get a message that says "sorry but in order to keep your costs down we do not have reps at this hour please call back during normal business hours".

In the end we will adapt. It is like the fight over unlocked bootloaders, half of the people now can care less and the other half made enough of a noise where we have a small market of devices geared toward us. Those that really do not need UD will move on and those that do will find their niche in the market.

 

[Sajo]

We are soooo far off course. Wow. Shut er down!

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[SquireSCA]

and you have data to back this ridiculous claim up with? let me guess, all black people are criminals too right?

Nope. although according to the FBI Uniform Crime Reports, Black males age 18-49, which make up only 4% of the total population, account for 53% of all homicides... Not sure what that has to do with this discussion, probably just an invocation of one of the logical fallacies of debate?

Yet again another ridiculous point, driving your vehicle and using your phone are two completely different things. You put a bunch of music and videos on your phone? I guess I could start ripping videos from youtube to watch on my phone... I guess I just have to preemptively know which ones I want to watch. maybe I need my crystal ball. I know, Xfinity could soak all interstates with free wifi signals... then I can connect to my home internet account through their wifi while on my MOBILE phone when driving and use data from my home internet instead of my cellular internet.

I do have several hundred songs on my phone, and a couple movies. And of course I have Netflix.

I am not saying that people don't use lots of data. Use as much as you want! I am saying that if you are using 100gb a month, but only paying for a 2GB plan, then you should consider yourself lucky for as long as VZW allows you to enjoy your loophole.

there problem solved...

I don't have a problem, as I am not in danger of losing my plan and having my rate double or triple.

wait what? you just contradicted yourself.... I can put hundred of hours of video and music on my phone... oh wait... no SD card, and 32gb internal storage is paltry compared to what I have now.

See above. I am not saying that people should not have all the data that they want or need. But to expect to not have to pay for it indefinitely, isn't very realistic.

Also, not having an SD card is your fault, no? Next time pick a phone that has that if that is important to you. There are several great models to pick from.

I guess I could use verizon's cloud storage or any other solution... oh wait, that takes data.... hmm... looks like I've got a real conundrum


Again.... YOU'RE OPINION... not fact... just because YOU don't need it doesn't mean other's actually have no need for it[/QUOTE}

This is not, nor has it ever been about anyone's need for it. Only whether or not you should have to pay for it.

and you know this how? verizon is like an ADHD child... you have absolutely no way of knowing what they are and aren't going to do

Perhaps. I think that applies to most businesses, and our government as well, no?

just because $30 is nothing to you do not mean it's nothing to others. and yes saving to pay full price means a fair amount

Whether it is nothing to me, or a big something to you, is really not a concern of VZW. They charge what they charge and we are ALL free to go elsewhere if we don't feel we are getting value for our money, regardless of the amount.

You can't be this daft can you? remember these phones are SUBSIDIZED meaning there is a portion of our bill we pay that goes towards the cost of the phone when we originally purchased it... AFTER we go off contract and retain unlimited we still pay this... it doesn't magically disappear off our bill.

So yes, in essence we are paying a premium, we are paying for the minutes we use (remember very few of us have unlimited minutes, that really wasn't a thing when we got our plans) our texts... yeah unlimited... data... sure unlimited, (I still pay for unlimited data regardless of whether they offer it anymore) oh... and that pesky fee I pay for having my phone subsidized.. that I'm still paying, because my phone is still "subsidized" oh... and if I do decide to upgrade in the store, I have to pay the upgrade fee.... please don't tell me you agree with the upgrade fee.... that's absolutely ridiculous that there's a fee to upgrade you're phone... honestly we are paying them to do their effing jobs.

No, you are not paying a premium. You get the price break in addition for signing a contract that does not so much include a premium, as much as it simply guarantees a 24 month revenue stream that they are willing to eat 2/3 of the cost of the phone in order to secure.

again comparing apples to hot dogs.... the cost of living goes up... also greed in these companies and the need to stuff their pockets with our money and doing everything they can to take advantage of the sheople in this country means that the cost can be ARTIFICIALLY inflated to better suit their needs. There's absolute zero transparency with big red, we have to take "their" word that "their" network can't handle "our" traffic... and we have zero recourse.

You always have a recourse. Walk away and go to another carrier.

remember when Samsung, Sony and other major TV manufacturers got slapped a few years ago for artificially keeping the price of TV's raised to... oh no.... make more profits.

Yes, profits. The reason for being in business in the first place.

so no these companies only care about one things, the bottom line, how much money can they squeeze from their customers before we can't afford it, then how can they squeeze some more.

You don't have to be with VZW, or even have a smart phone. It is a choice. You could go to a prepaid all inclusive plan for $60 a month if you want.

it's like banks making literally BILLIONS of dollars on overdraft fees...

Yes, if you spend money that you don't actually have in your account and they cover the charge for you, they charge you a fee. Don't spend more than you have and it isn't an issue. Or use a credit card instead. But wait, they charge interest! Greedy bastards!

yet they are allowed to loan $9 dollars for every $1 dollar you put into your account... yet they complain if you pull more than you have... and it's all done by computers... not people.

verizon does not have our best interests in mind, verizon is not trying to keep the field level between high data users and low data users, verizon is simply doing what verizon can do to make a profit any way it possibly can

Like every company in existence, including the one you work for, no doubt...