Verizon Quietly Makes Some Major Changes.

[DroidModderX]

Last week in the midst of all the CES madness Verizon made a few major changes to their policies. They have totally done away with 2 year upgrades for basic phones and smartphones. They had previously done away with 2 year contracts, but had decided to let existing customers continue to buy discounted phones with 2 year upgrades. That practice has been suspended. You will now have to buy your phones full price or put them on a payment plan going forward.

Verizon has also increased the upgrade fee from $20 to $30. The upgrade fee is just plain ridiculous. I think the fee should be illegal as it is no worse than someone grabbing $30 out of my pocket. It is literally just a fee for the privilege of buying a phone from Verizon. This fee is the most infuriating part of dealing with Verizon. If you can get an unlocked version of the phone you want that works on Verizon's CDMA network you should do that going forward to avoid this insane fee.

We had already heard reports that Verizon would be excusing heavy data users from their network, but they have made this official. Any Unlimited data user that averages 200GB of data or more per month will receive a notice to transfer the line to a New Verizon Plan by 2/16/17 or be disconnected from the service. Verizon has found lots of unique new ways to give loyal 10+ year customers like me the big red shaft, and they can do it because T-mo and AT&T just can't compare when it comes to speed and coverage. These new changes have all been confirmed by an inside source so you can bank on them! Anyone considering a change? I will hang on to my unlimited data as long as I can, but as soon as its taken away I'm GONE!

 

[Beardface]

Considering? No, I abandoned Verizon back in November for Project Fi and haven't been happier. I know I am in a bit of a unique circumstance living in an area where Fi gives me some good service, but if you have the ability to do the same yourself, I highly recommend it.

Plus, the Pixel XL is a pretty good phone on its own right

 

[Dusty]

Ditto on the Project Fi front. I left VZW about 3 years ago and maybe 5 times (at the MOST), of traveling in and out of the U.S., have I found myself in a position where VZW would have been flat out better. Even then, it was less than a few hours before I found myself in a better position. Now, the only reason I keep a VZW account is for my wife, because she doesn't like negative change. The second she looses service because of me changing carriers I'm sure I'd get the StinkEye™.

Lemme tell you something... I don't want the StinkEye™, buddy. And whatever carrier causes me to get the StinkEye™ will be sorry that I got the StinkEye™; because poop rolls downhill.

 

[mountainbikermark]

Ditto on the Project Fi front. I left VZW about 3 years ago and maybe 5 times (at the MOST), of traveling in and out of the U.S., have I found myself in a position where VZW would have been flat out better. Even then, it was less than a few hours before I found myself in a better position. Now, the only reason I keep a VZW account is for my wife, because she doesn't like negative change. The second she looses service because of me changing carriers I'm sure I'd get the StinkEye.

Lemme tell you something... I don't want the StinkEye, buddy. And whatever carrier causes me to get the StinkEye will be sorry that I got the StinkEye; because poop rolls downhill.

I left Verizon a few years back, the wife wanted to stay with them so she got her own account, phone, and plan. She's happy with craptacular. I'm happy with spectacular.

Support Our Troops!!!
Beast Mode 4

<><

 

[xeene]

I'm staying with my unlimited till they tell me to take a hike. New plans would cost me twice what I'm paying now for same amount of usage. Hopefully by that time they will reintroduce new unlimited data plans

 

[boidsonly]

I left VZW years ago for T-Mo and have not looked back. Between WiFi calling and being out and about, I have all the coverage I need-with all lines (4) in the house on unlimited everything for $204/mo total. I made no empty threats about leaving VZW-I left...

 

[UrbanBounca]

I left Verizon back around 2010, went with a regional carrier that was eventually bought out by Sprint. Sprint was terrible, and I signed up with AT&T and a massive employee discount. It's not as fast, but I haven't noticed a difference in coverage in my area. I'm happy with them, and love the rollover.

 

[tech_head]

When they kick me off, I'll go to T-Mobile.

 

[Mustang02]

I'm only with VZW because of my UDP and Corp discount.

 

[justin090435]

I was fortunate to keep my unlimited data for so long with them. But the price gouging was beyond ridiculous. Left Verizon Nov '15 for T-Mobile. Aside from one night off a nationwide outage, my service has been on par if not superior to Verizon. My bill is a quarter what it was and I still can use my 100+ GB per month. They have disclaimers about slowdowns and deprioritizing my speeds after 26 GB. I have never seen it.

 

[Beardface]

When they kick me off, I'll go to T-Mobile.

Honestly if it gets to that point, give Project Fi a serious look if you can. It uses the networks of TMobile, Sprint, and US Cellular, with your device able to switch flawlessly to each based on which service is stronger at any given time. And when you're out and about if there is a WiFi network to connect to, it will automatically, and it'll encrypt the connection to keep you secure. And the payment plan is easy peasy... $20 per month, and then $10 per GB that you use, pro-rated for the exact amount you use (so if you only use 2.4 GB, the plan costs $44 for that month, $20 for the upfront fee, $24 because you used 2.4GB). Oh, and if you plan to travel internationally, the plan will work on major networks in I want to say 208 countries worldwide without any additional fees.

I've also had some issues with the device and the Customer Service is great as well. You just go into the Fi app, and ask for help, and it starts a Hangouts chat with a Cust Service rep who responds fairly fast. No need to wait on the line, no need to listen to hold music, they just show up and help you out. Such an unbelievable change from what I have been used to with Verizon and Time Warner Cable.

No, I don't work for Google, but I was a 16 year customer of Verizon who just got fed up with their fees and games. And for all the stuff they said about having this great network, my neighborhood in the middle of a 1m+ metropolitan area was a known dead spot they had no intention to remedy. Made the switch and haven't been happier. Now if only Google Fiber would hurry up and get to my neighborhood, I can fully cut the cord from the cesspool providers.

 

[LoneWolfArcher]

I've tried all of the carriers. None give me the coverage that Verizon does. I am still grandfathered into UDP and will stay with them because no other carrier allows me to sit in my tree-stand and get 4G.

For me it boils down to what you are willing to pay. Luckily for me I can afford them, but I understand that many cannot.

And I've been buying my phones for several years now so the 2-year contract things is meaningless to me. I also buy them from non-Verizon sources so the fee isn't an issue for me either.

 

[johnomaz]

I'd like to get Project Fi but I have 3 lines at TMobile and for what we get from them, we'd be getting way less from Project Fi. My buddy has Fi though and the service is great. TMobile has a few bad spots where we live and Sprint covers those well.

As for Verizon, its not like everyone didn't see this coming. I dropped Verizon 5 or 6 years ago when they got rid of unlimited plans.

 

[RyanPm40]

I don't think that upgrade fee is new at all. I paid $30 many months ago.

 

[Amagine]

If it wasn't for my wife wanting to stick with an iPhone, I'd give Project Fi a go. Also, like someone else mentioned, if she has a negative experience with a product, shes never going to be happy with it again. We're both in the mood to leave, but her phone has about 3 months left on the contract and mine has about 300 dollars left to be paid for. So we are just bidding our time