[Update] Verizon's New Family Data Plans Begin: It's Called the Share Everything Plan

[liftedplane]

That's not what any of the articles said. If that's the case, I'll admit I was incorrect. Every article said tiered plans were gone (and they will be) so it really makes no sense how VZ can switch you to something that won't exist.

**
And would you mind linking the twitter post that says that? I scrolled through 2 hours of tweets and have found nothing.

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I really really hope this is wrong, I'd even be willing to put some of my phones on tiered data and keeped my two unlimited ones if it meant I could use their subsidized updates and keep unlimited.

why would they get rid of tiered data though that doesn't make any sense. I can see shared data being useful for some, but not having tiered at all... that's just crazy

 

[syndicate0017]

I really really hope this is wrong, I'd even be willing to put some of my phones on tiered data and keeped my two unlimited ones if it meant I could use their subsidized updates and keep unlimited.

why would they get rid of tiered data though that doesn't make any sense. I can see shared data being useful for some, but not having tiered at all... that's just crazy

New customers will for sure not be able to get tiered data. The only plan option will be the family share. If what Rojo is saying is true, then existing customers on unlimited could upgrade and switch to tiered (not family share). Doesn't really make sense though. If they have the option to switch one set of customers over to that plan, then all customers should be able to get that plan.

 

[monkey_man]

I really don't get this cr*p!!!!

1. Why do Smartphones require to pay Data at all . Why don't they charge data only when Used? That's the way they did for basic phone. I like smartphone because it is so convenient, and I will gladly ditch your data tower and use my wifi if you don't charge me money for it.

2. Wireless technology is getting worse :icon_ devil:. AT&T had so many drop calls that people lined up to Verizon once Iphone's available. AT&T lost quite a volume of users on there, do they care? No! Instead they tried to recoup their lost with capping how much data users can use. More people chose Verizon due to the fact that they are much better than Sprint. Verizon are so burdened by large volume of new users that they realized old customers are now expendables. (New users definitely paid more than old users.) Verizon had to end phone discount, then Unlimited for new users, and now this . Verizon scrapped old method and go all out with new outlook. An outlook where one can't benefit of saving money using this new family plan when one doesn't sign up for a smartphone first! Masses said I quit on you! They decides to go elsewhere. I feel that it would create a similar scenario just like in the past. I really wish wireless can follow the price of gas when it can go up and down, so far... it just going up with less value.

 

[cybertec69]

Thanks for bringing that up jseah! I've been reading many articles but I am stuck on #3 as well. I'm on a family plan for a family of four, my dad and i have unlimited data while my mom and brother have dumb phones, but they both want to upgrade to a smartphone preferably the iphone 5 later this year. We don't want to give up our unlimited data, but if they upgrade after the 28th, will that drag everyone into the family share plan forcing us to give up our unlimited data?

YES

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[mattv111]

How does this work for people with 1 line? Would I still have to get a shared plan?

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[meishkov]

Seems like big red has us right where they want us... where they can dictate who keeps what under given said plan. Can't believe they've actually turned into an apple like company. Dang it. Was hoping they would be one of the last few true to the customer companies. All their bogus fees Just to upgrade to a new phone now, now axing unlimited for their loyalest of loyal fans, not sure if that's a word. Yea like what someone said earlier, price is goin up minimum of $20/month and the cost of delivering said data hasn't gone up $0.01 since all these new policies. Alright, time for boost mobile to put its head down and plow straight ahead with its horns pointed outwards and take command and control of the country's largest cellular base hahaha. Where's a superhero when u need one?!?

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[jseah]

New customers will for sure not be able to get tiered data. The only plan option will be the family share. If what Rojo is saying is true, then existing customers on unlimited could upgrade and switch to tiered (not family share). Doesn't really make sense though. If they have the option to switch one set of customers over to that plan, then all customers should be able to get that plan.

I think this may clear it up. This is from Verizon's own website at

Share Everything Plan: Unlimited Talk & Text with Shared Data.

I have an unlimited data plan on my account. Do I need to change it?

You're not required to move to Share Everything but if you do, unlimited data will not be retained on your line. As a Verizon Wireless customer you have choices when you upgrade at discounted pricing. You can choose from a standalone data package starting at $30 for 2GB or a Share Everything Plan. If keeping unlimited is important to you, you can choose to upgrade and pay full retail price for the phone.

Look at the bolded text. It appears to say that you can choose a tiered data plan without needing to switch to Share Everything. Being that this is Verizon's own website, I think this is official enough.

So in conclusion, if you want a subsidized upgrade, you WILL have to give up unlimited data. You DO NOT have to switch to Share Everything. You can keep the voice plan you currently have, but have to select a tiered data plan starting at $30 for 2GB. If you switch to Share Everything, then this will cause ALL of the lines in your family share to switch to Share Everything. This only applies to existing customers, as new customers will only have the Share Everything plan available to them.

 

[meishkov]

So basically we can keep unlimited after the 28th but only if we pay full retail for the phone and new every 2 discount is a thing of the past? So the only reason to do anything before the 28th would be to take advantage of the prices of phones ie $100 for razr or $200 for sg3 correct? After That if u wanna keep unlimited u have to pay like $700 for sg3? Hahaha man. I think I understand this right. I'm on OG so I'm in quite the dilemma here.

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[monkey_man]

Read this for most complete cover of this new plan. Very Clear and informative. Bookmark it as there will be updates about loopholes and such. :biggrin:

Confused about Verizon's Family Share plans? You're not alone | Mobile - CNET News

 

[jroc]

Read this for most complete cover of this new plan. Very Clear and informative. Bookmark it as there will be updates about loopholes and such. :biggrin:

Confused about Verizon's Family Share plans? You're not alone | Mobile - CNET News

Thanks for this...some of this has been covered by some of yall already. Kudos to those of you doing the leg work finding out the info. This is hopefully gonna stay true:

Would I still be able to continue getting subsidized phones when I upgrade if I want to keep my existing plan?

The answer to this question again is a big fat Yes! But there is one caveat. You can only upgrade and get a subsidized phone if you already have a tiered plan. In other words, if you have an unlimited data plan and you want the subsidized phone, you will have to switch to a tiered plan. You can either choose a new family share plan or you can also choose one of Verizon's current plans. That's right -- if you're already a Verizon customer, you can choose from one of the older plans even after the company stops offering those plans to new customers.

I already knew about the swapping upgrades on family plans. I just never took advantage of it....I think I will now....lol. I even had to activate on of the other phones to my unlimited line. I had no problem doing that too.

But....with the way things are going...Verizon will stop the upgrade swapping....

But bottom line....as more info comes out....its not looking as bad as it was before for existing customers. It just didnt seem right for Verizon to not care about the loyal customers THAT much.

 

[syndicate0017]

I think this may clear it up. This is from Verizon's own website at

Share Everything Plan: Unlimited Talk & Text with Shared Data.

I have an unlimited data plan on my account. Do I need to change it?

You're not required to move to Share Everything but if you do, unlimited data will not be retained on your line. As a Verizon Wireless customer you have choices when you upgrade at discounted pricing. You can choose from a standalone data package starting at $30 for 2GB or a Share Everything Plan. If keeping unlimited is important to you, you can choose to upgrade and pay full retail price for the phone.

Look at the bolded text. It appears to say that you can choose a tiered data plan without needing to switch to Share Everything. Being that this is Verizon's own website, I think this is official enough.

So in conclusion, if you want a subsidized upgrade, you WILL have to give up unlimited data. You DO NOT have to switch to Share Everything. You can keep the voice plan you currently have, but have to select a tiered data plan starting at $30 for 2GB. If you switch to Share Everything, then this will cause ALL of the lines in your family share to switch to Share Everything. This only applies to existing customers, as new customers will only have the Share Everything plan available to them.

I can't argue with that since it's right there, but it just makes no sense...how can you continue offering people a plan that no longer exists? It'd be different if they were ALREADY on the plan and they just never changed when Share Everything came along, but that's not the case.

 

[monkey_man]

Dear Friends... that's what we call DAMAGE CONTROL!... Please Remember what the heck happened to LAST Year. That plan just gone out of the window without any second thought. Floodgate happened as info leaked about June 28, and they had to change their stance abit by doing what they did back in July. It is easier to control individual angry customer than facing all 40+% of that 90 Millions Verizon's users. :icon_ devil:

 

[Drumwolf]

Honestly, there's nothing stopping my future carrier from doing the same. However, I won't be signing a two year contract. I'm buying my GSM phone outright and will go to T-Mobile prepaid $30/mo plan (Unlimited data {5GB unthrottled}, unlimited texts, and 100 minutes). If T Mobile starts getting Verizon-esque, I'll just hop to a new carrier. Until more people stop signing these 2 year agreements and forcing carriers to actually compete, more of this will come. This was the wake-up call I needed. I will never sign a mobile contract again.

Pretty much how I feel & which is why I can't talk anyone out of cancelling their account. You have to ask yourself "How much is just too much?" I just hope some realize that the cost/experience is starting to get out of hand.

 

[kodiak799]

After That if u wanna keep unlimited u have to pay like $700 for sg3?

That, or wait 6 months and buy one for like $450 on EBAY or clearance.

 

[cybertec69]

So basically we can keep unlimited after the 28th but only if we pay full retail for the phone and new every 2 discount is a thing of the past? So the only reason to do anything before the 28th would be to take advantage of the prices of phones ie $100 for razr or $200 for sg3 correct? After That if u wanna keep unlimited u have to pay like $700 for sg3? Hahaha man. I think I understand this right. I'm on OG so I'm in quite the dilemma here.

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Read my post in the Droid Forum section that will explain everything for you. And let me repeat again, you are NOT getting a $700 phone for $200, you will be paying for it, reason for the carrier locking you in for two years, it's not because they don't like you, it's because the phone needs to be paid for, and Verizon is surely not Santa, you will end up paying for the phone, just in smaller payments over a two year period.

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