No guarantee with data plans?

[pattikate]

If I've posted thius to the inappropriate forum, my apologies. (Please forgive the newbie ).

Anyway, I was speaking on the phone with a Verizon rep today. After hearing the reports and rumors of Verizon dropping their unlimited data plan this summer in favor of tired data plans, I had a question for Verizon. I asked the phone rep if I sign a new two year contract and upgrade to a new smartphone with the current unlimited $30 data plan, would I be grandfathered or locked in the the unlimited plan if Verizon should switch to a tiered or capped plan.

Her Verizon rep's reply:

"The contract agreement ONLY refers to your new phone pricing." Basically, she said if I upgrade to a new smartphone, and sign a contract, that will NOT grandfather me in to the unlimited data plan, should plans change in the future. So while I could be enjoying the unlimited plan after signing the deal, I could get an email 4 months down the road informing me that my unlimited will be dropped and I have the option of choosing a tiered and capped plan or reverting back to a feature phone if a capped data plan doesn't suit me.

How do you guys feel about this? I think it sucks. But then, it's appearing as if most major carriers will be phasing out unlimited eventually, doesn't it.

 

[hookbill]

If I've posted thius to the inappropriate forum, my apologies. (Please forgive the newbie ).

Anyway, I was speaking on the phone with a Verizon rep today. After hearing the reports and rumors of Verizon dropping their unlimited data plan this summer in favor of tired data plans, I had a question for Verizon. I asked the phone rep if I sign a new two year contract and upgrade to a new smartphone with the current unlimited $30 data plan, would I be grandfathered or locked in the the unlimited plan if Verizon should switch to a tiered or capped plan.

Her Verizon rep's reply:

"The contract agreement ONLY refers to your new phone pricing." Basically, she said if I upgrade to a new smartphone, and sign a contract, that will NOT grandfather me in to the unlimited data plan, should plans change in the future. So while I could be enjoying the unlimited plan after signing the deal, I could get an email 4 months down the road informing me that my unlimited will be dropped and I have the option of choosing a tiered and capped plan or reverting back to a feature phone if a capped data plan doesn't suit me.

How do you guys feel about this? I think it sucks. But then, it's appearing as if most major carriers will be phasing out unlimited eventually, doesn't it.

I understand what she said but what she said and what will happen may (and probably) will be two different things.

I was on an old plan for years that Verizon no longer offered. They had mentioned it to me a couple of times when I went to change the phone but I said no both times. Eventually I said yes but nobody told me I had to leave the old plan just because it wasn't being offered.

So I'm saying I'll believe it when I see it. I've been with Verizon now for at least 10 years, I'm kind of skeptical that they will force everyone into a new plan.

 

[pattikate]

So I'm saying I'll believe it when I see it. I've been with Verizon now for at least 10 years, I'm kind of skeptical that they will force everyone into a new plan.

I'm skeptical too, but as my luck would have it, I'll invest in a Smartphone thinking I've got unlimited data for an unlimited time period, then be told a few months from now the all-you-can-browse buffet is over. :icon_eek: I'm going to hold out hope that won't happen.

On a side note, I was looking through my Winter 2011 "Your Guide" from Big Red. There's a paragraph titled "Can Verizon Wireless change my agreement on my service?" It states: "We may change prices or any other term on your service or this agreement at any time, but we'll provide notice first".

Gee, thanks Verizon.

 

[takeshi]

In general, if you don't make any changes you'll be grandfathered.

 

[Backnblack]

On a side note, I was looking through my Winter 2011 "Your Guide" from Big Red. There's a paragraph titled "Can Verizon Wireless change my agreement on my service?" It states: "We may change prices or any other term on your service or this agreement at any time, but we'll provide notice first".

Gee, thanks Verizon.

They give you notice, if you accept the changes fine, if not they have to let you out of your contract with no ETF.

 

[Jordan8]

It's gonna suck when sprint is the only okayish carrier with unlimited data...

 

[Detonation]

On a side note, I was looking through my Winter 2011 "Your Guide" from Big Red. There's a paragraph titled "Can Verizon Wireless change my agreement on my service?" It states: "We may change prices or any other term on your service or this agreement at any time, but we'll provide notice first".

Gee, thanks Verizon.

They give you notice, if you accept the changes fine, if not they have to let you out of your contract with no ETF.

Bingo. But I have a feeling they will let people grandfather in their unlimited 4g to avoid the mess that would result from changing the contract, and just end up throttling it. Your "unlimited" 4g is really XGB of 4g and then unlimited 3g (or slower).

 

[FX4]

I have been with Verizon for ten years and three or four plans now. They do not change your plan once you own it. You stay grandfathered until you change equipment. It's the way they do business. I don't like a lot of things about Verizon's business practices but this is one thing I feel they do right. An agreement is an agreement with them. Certain other providers will modify your plan mid-stream. I have a wireless hotspot from Virgin Mobile (AKA: Sprint) and they changed the agreement three months after I bought the thing. I said see ya.

 

[loki993]

Ive been with Verizon for a while and I know other with Verizon. Ive never heard of anyone getting forced to change from and older plan to a new one. The only thing that I have seen them do is force you to change your plan if you upgrade, ie the phone you want to get doesn't qualify for the old plan you on. That's how Ive seen them change people. That would become an issue though until it was time to upgrade whatever phone you had unlimited data on though.

Bingo. But I have a feeling they will let people grandfather in their unlimited 4g to avoid the mess that would result from changing the contract, and just end up throttling it. Your "unlimited" 4g is really XGB of 4g and then unlimited 3g (or slower).

That's what I'm most worried about. I could definitely see them throttling people. Which sucks,its just like hey why don't we just punish all those early adopters that ran out and got our new phones.

Verizon doesn't care though, unfortunately.

 

[pattikate]

Let me throw this scenario out there and see what everyone thinks. Suppose I was to buy a 3G phone like the Droid X tomorrow. With the new phone (the Droid X) I had unlimited $30 data. Three months later Verizon announces a tired plan. Then a year from now I decided to upgrade to a 4G (Droid Bionic maybe). Does that mean I couldn't qualify for unlimited data by upgrading to the Bionic?

 

[UNC]

Let me throw this scenario out there and see what everyone thinks. Suppose I was to buy a 3G phone like the Droid X tomorrow. With the new phone (the Droid X) I had unlimited $30 data. Three months later Verizon announces a tired plan. Then a year from now I decided to upgrade to a 4G (Droid Bionic maybe). Does that mean I couldn't qualify for unlimited data by upgrading to the Bionic?

No. LTE plan is not the same as 3g. Even if the pricing is the same. It added a new line to my contract for 4g data. When that is added it equates to a plan change.

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