Verizon Changes Data Plans again

[hookbill]

Everybody is getting so worked up over this 4G thing, it's amusing to watch how the mere mention of someone guessing a price turns into a flash point issue, like someone came out and made an announcement about it.

I think 4G is going to light up the boards with more complaints then we ever saw whith any OS release (I live 5 miles from Baltimore and I can't get 4G).

It's going to be fun to watch. I have no intentions of going to 4G until 2012. Mid 2012.

 

[czerdrill]

Everybody is getting so worked up over this 4G thing, it's amusing to watch how the mere mention of someone guessing a price turns into a flash point issue, like someone came out and made an announcement about it.

I think 4G is going to light up the boards with more complaints then we ever saw whith any OS release (I live 5 miles from Baltimore and I can't get 4G).

It's going to be fun to watch. I have no intentions of going to 4G until 2012. Mid 2012.

People say "I'm leaving Verizon" all the time. It's usually just a bunch of baseless talk. Along with "let's sue verizon for blah blah blah" If people want 4G people are going to pay for it no matter what it costs and Verizon is going to make millions of them. No one is leaving Verizon, and the threats make me laugh. I'll get it in mid 2012 also.

 

[sn2hotty]

Is it possible that enough smartphone users switched to the 150mb plan that they had to get rid of it because of all the money they lost? I'm almost always on WiFi and unless I stream Slacker or Pandora I never use over a few hundred mb. I almost went with the 150mb plan but decided it wasn't worth the effort to try to watch my data usage.

Now I'd love the feature phone package for my Droid that's still a 2GB/month thing.

In this economy, its very possible that's exactly what happened (more people switched over than they expected). My wife just lost her job in December, and we switched her Ally over to the $15 plan since she doesn't use nearly as much data as I do. If things got tough in the future, I was going to do the same thing with my plan (hopefully it won't get that bad!). Now I guess I'm stuck with the unlimited plan. Not that that's a bad thing, beause I, too hate the idea of watching my data usage, and I use data all the time during a long commute, but it was nice to know that if things get really tight, that was one of my options.

 

[motty69]

Other than the fact that you can't buy less than 5GB of data for 4G, the mobile broadband pricing for 4G and 3G is exactly the same;

Verizon Wireless - Mobile Broadband - Plans

I don't think VZW will charge a premium for 4G on smartphones if they aren't for mobile broadband. I could be wrong, but lets hope I'm not.

We're suppose to get 4G in Knoxville first half of this year and my upgrade is in May. I get a 19% discount on my data plan so hopefully I'll be rockin' unlimited 4G for $24 a month in June on my new Thunderbolt.

 

[ICANSEEYOU7687]

I have no doubt in my mind that verizon will be charging 10-15$ more for their 4g. And people will definitely pay it too.

I just hope they dont require LTE service on LTE capable phones. Because I cannot justify the faster speeds for the price. Sure its faster, but it drains more battery, and will let me save a few seconds while viewing web pages. As much as I would love 4g, 3g is good enough for me.

Of course, I said this when my old cell phone could only be a cell phone. I told myself I never needed a smart phone cause I have a laptop.... :motdroidhoriz:

 

[Quicksilver7714]

Does any one know when the new 75mb data plan goes into effect? Also when does the 150mb plan end?

 

[geoff5093]

Chances are if you buy a 4G phone, they WILL require you to pay for a 4G plan. After all they don't let you buy a smartphone without a data plan, even if you don't intend on using it for cellular data.

 

[motty69]

I have no doubt in my mind that verizon will be charging 10-15$ more for their 4g. And people will definitely pay it too.

I just hope they dont require LTE service on LTE capable phones. Because I cannot justify the faster speeds for the price. Sure its faster, but it drains more battery, and will let me save a few seconds while viewing web pages. As much as I would love 4g, 3g is good enough for me.

Of course, I said this when my old cell phone could only be a cell phone. I told myself I never needed a smart phone cause I have a laptop.... :motdroidhoriz:

Even though I really don't feel like they will charge more for 4G, if they do I think 3G data and 4G data will be different plans. Either that or you'll be required to get the $30 unlimited 3G and can choose to pay the extra for 4G if you want it. I'd be really be suprised to see the TB require a 4G data plan when it's available in so few areas.

 

[AtreyuRock]

Well I'm not up for an upgrade till 2012, so I'll wait it out, but I don't see myself paying more than 30 bucks for an unlimited data plan. I use messenger, play a few games, and surf the web on my phone, nothing I can't live without if the price gets too much for me.

 

[piquat]

As I stated in another thread, is all this really worth it?

I do fine, the current bill, at even double the price is a blip on the radar as far as my current budget goes.

There just isn't any value in 4g. What can you do with it that makes it worth more money? Netflix? If you believe data caps will come with it then it's COMPLETELY useless. Even without data caps, it's usage is dubious.

Couple that with an economy that has most people looking to save a buck anywhere they can.... I don't think Verizon should be counting too heavily on this revenue. Things aren't getting any better any time soon job wise. The country is hemorrhaging careers and replacing them with 'mcjobs' every day. Now is not the time to weasel more money out of consumers with products that have little value. They saw this with people moving to the 150MB plan... and then ignored it.

 

[GolfOx]

I have a rooted Droid2 so it could be overclocked {slightly} and do screenshots. Just want reliable 3G. I have unlimited plan and will wait until 4G shakes out to determine what to do. If U buy a 4G phone does anyone know if there is a user or Verizon setting that would restrict it to 3G?

 

[ICANSEEYOU7687]

I couldnt imagine not having the ability to turn 4g off... it requires a higher signal, and drains more battery. I know with the blaze from tmobile, and the EVO (atleast im pretty sure i saw someone do it) you can turn it off and only be 3g.

I cant say for sure, but like I said, I cant imagine them not...

 

[GolfOx]

Thanks, I hope that is so. Maybe the rumors about the DroidX2 being dual core 3G will give me the best of both worlds.

 

[KZIWarrior]

I couldnt imagine not having the ability to turn 4g off... it requires a higher signal, and drains more battery. I know with the blaze from tmobile, and the EVO (atleast im pretty sure i saw someone do it) you can turn it off and only be 3g.

I cant say for sure, but like I said, I cant imagine them not...

4G should actually use LESS power for several reasons. T-Moblows (and AT&T's forthcoming) '4G' (coughing, BU... SH...) use more power because they are not actually '4G' tech (i.e. the new radios, new signal meeting the LTE standards ect.) it's simply 'extended' 3G meaning the radios are having to work 'harder' to obtain the speeds. That being said it will depend on how well the OS (or more appropriately the Manufacturers) 'tune' the radio (similarly to how so many ROMs have drastically improved wi-fi power handling.

 

[geoff5093]

I couldnt imagine not having the ability to turn 4g off... it requires a higher signal, and drains more battery. I know with the blaze from tmobile, and the EVO (atleast im pretty sure i saw someone do it) you can turn it off and only be 3g.

I cant say for sure, but like I said, I cant imagine them not...

A pro for it though is that since it operates at a lower frequency, it has an easier time penetrating walls and other obstacles. One could say that may increase battery life since it will have a stronger signal when indoors.