Verizon Killing Unlimited Data Plans This Summer

[ROLLTIDE1]

Horrible news

Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) plans to eliminate the $30 per month unlimited data plan that it still provides to 3G customers who were "grandfathered" into the plan because they were data customers prior to the company's switch to tiered data pricing last July. Speaking at the 40th J.P. Morgan Technology, Media and Telecom conference, Verizon Communications CFO Fran Shammo said that as these 3G unlimited data plan customers migrate to 4G LTE, they will have to purchase the company's data-share plan (which Verizon plans to launch in mid-summer) and move off the $30 per month unlimited data plan. "Everyone will be on data share," Shammo said.

Verizon's data share plan is scheduled to launch in mid-summer but no pricing details have been announced. Shammo said that he believes this new plan will make it easier for families and small businesses to connect multiple devices. The industry, Shammo said, has constrained the market around connected devices because people think they need an additional data plan. "If I can add as many devices as I want, that is more efficient from a family perspective and a small business perspective," he said.

However, Shammo said that with the launch of this new data share plan, the industry will have to change a key metric--average revenue per user. Shammo said that Verizon will move to a "revenue per account" metric that will more accurately measure the company's business.

When asked how Verizon will drive customers to this new data share plan, Shammo said that LTE will be the anchor for the new plan and that as customers upgrade from 3G to LTE, they will have to be on a data share plan, allowing the company to sunset its unlimited 3G data plan. "A lot of our 3G base is on unlimited," Shammo said. "When they migrate off 3G they will have to go to data share. That is beneficial to us."

Read more: Verizon will kill 'grandfathered' unlimited data plans, push users to data share - FierceWireless http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/...are/2012-05-16

 

[kodiak799]

Hmmmm....What isn't clear is if the current LTE grandfathered unlimited plans will go away (or if you would be metered in 3G areas).

He does say everyone will be on data share plans, but it appears to be linked to an upgrade/new plan. So I think those of us with unlimited on LTE may be safe.

 

[PereDroid]

Partly good news, too.
I thought I was going to be a Verizon customer for life when I thought I would be grandfathered in forever with unlimited data.
Now I may not get to keep unlimited data but I also don't have to keep Verizon anymore.

 

[Dyerseve]

Partly good news, too.
I thought I was going to be a Verizon customer for life when I thought I would be grandfathered in forever with unlimited data.
Now I may not get to keep unlimited data but I also don't have to keep Verizon anymore.

This needs to be made loud and clear. Like their bulls*** convenience charge they tried implementing last year, they need to be made well aware of the backlash they'll face when they try and pull this. The only reason they're getting away with this is because people wont step up to them.

 

[ROLLTIDE1]

I am starting to think that it will only apply to family plans but then again I could be wrong

 

[syndicate0017]

I'm sticking with Verizon as long as I have unlimited data. If I'm forced to give up my unlimited data, I'll find a cheaper carrier.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[Aiesline]

I'm sticking with Verizon as long as I have unlimited data. If I'm forced to give up my unlimited data, I'll find a cheaper carrier.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Ditto.

 

[PereDroid]

Really? You trust VZW that much?
I'm thinking no one will have unlimited in 3 years or so....

And again: not all bad news. I have ATT calling me every couple weeks to get me to switch my entire office to ATT. I keep telling them no because we cannot get Unlimited Data from ATT. We have 35 phones at the office, all on Unlimited Data... well if we are going to lose it: I may just listen the next time they call.

 

[JohnnyS101]

They will get backlash, but the extra money they will make anyway from this will help them go through with it.

Sent from my DROID3 using DroidForums

 

[ROLLTIDE1]

Well the backed away from charging more for credit card payments so they do listen to complaints

 

[bdsullivan76]

If i lose unlimited in the future, verizon will lose me. I dont think a consumer outcry will change their plans. The ones with unlimited plans a quickly becoming the minority.

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk

 

[kodiak799]

But where are you going to go for unlimited data?

Unlimited data is something people cling to and most don't really need. Don't be surprised if the share plans create some value for consumers. If you're on wifi at home and work, $30 for multiple devices sharing 4gigs is a great deal for 95% of VZW customers.

 

[syndicate0017]

But where are you going to go for unlimited data?

Unlimited data is something people cling to and most don't really need. Don't be surprised if the share plans create some value for consumers. If you're on wifi at home and work, $30 for multiple devices sharing 4gigs is a great deal for 95% of VZW customers.

To me, its not about having unlimited where I'd go to. I was promised something when I signed up. I'm grandfathered in. If they choose to strip that away from me, why should I continue to support them?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[ScarletBuckeye]

I'll be looking at Sprint when I get forced to change...I'm only a year in my contract, I better not be forced mid contract

 

[LoudRam]

What am I missing here? Unlimited 3g? Unlimited 4g? Unlimited data is unlimited data whether you're on 3g or 4g. My data plan didn't change when I went from my dinc2 to the Rezound. I'm curious what the data limit and the price will be. Right now we have two data plans and my wife and I live on wifi so this might be a good thing for us. We'll have to see.

Sent from my HTC Rezound using Droid Forums