Verizon Planning on "Turbo" Network Speed Mode with Micro-Transaction Tiered Data

[SquireSCA]

Regardless, your Unlimited plan is anything but, so before long they will force you off of it, if not directly, then by throttling and other methods that will simply make the plan undesirable so that you leave it voluntarily. That way they can say that you chose to leave it, and that they didn't kick you off. This is how lawyers think.

Same thing with texting. For the amount of data a text uses, they are charging you thousands of dollars per GB. If we start using other methods and dropping those plans, does anyone think that Big Red is gonna let millions of dollars, basically free money to them, slip away? Hells no. They will just add fees elsewhere so that they can keep the status quo.

 

[Trusstopher]

Regardless, your Unlimited plan is anything but, so before long they will force you off of it, if not directly, then by throttling and other methods that will simply make the plan undesirable so that you leave it voluntarily. That way they can say that you chose to leave it, and that they didn't kick you off. This is how lawyers think.

Same thing with texting. For the amount of data a text uses, they are charging you thousands of dollars per GB. If we start using other methods and dropping those plans, does anyone think that Big Red is gonna let millions of dollars, basically free money to them, slip away? Hells no. They will just add fees elsewhere so that they can keep the status quo.

But that comes back around to where we started, unless you makes changes that require a new contract, there is no way for them to add fees into your bill. I'm not sure how they could make texting over data undesirable without blocking apps (which is part of the whole net neutrality thing). There isn't a lot they can do to you if you switch to 10 cent/text right now and never use it nor ever make any changes that require a whole new contract.

 

[SquireSCA]

But that comes back around to where we started, unless you makes changes that require a new contract, there is no way for them to add fees into your bill. I'm not sure how they could make texting over data undesirable without blocking apps (which is part of the whole net neutrality thing). There isn't a lot they can do to you if you switch to 10 cent/text right now and never use it nor ever make any changes that require a whole new contract.

Net Neutrality won't block it. They will just put something out saying, "In order to help our customers streamline their bill, we will do away with separate messaging plans and consolidate everything into one easy to read package on their bill. You will now get everything for one competitive price".

Just wait, it will happen. 5 months ago they said that they had no plans to do away with the grandfathered unlimited plans, and suddenly they implement a throttling policy that just happens to be at the same data limit as the identically priced 2GB tiered plan? Their intentions are clear. They don't want you on that plan, so they can make changes to it so that you will opt to make changes to your plan to get the service that you were supposed to get in the first place.

 

[Trusstopher]

Net Neutrality won't block it. They will just put something out saying, "In order to help our customers streamline their bill, we will do away with separate messaging plans and consolidate everything into one easy to read package on their bill. You will now get everything for one competitive price".

Just wait, it will happen. 5 months ago they said that they had no plans to do away with the grandfathered unlimited plans, and suddenly they implement a throttling policy that just happens to be at the same data limit as the identically priced 2GB tiered plan? Their intentions are clear. They don't want you on that plan, so they can make changes to it so that you will opt to make changes to your plan to get the service that you were supposed to get in the first place.

There is their intentions and what they want to do and then there is what they can and will do. They can consolidate everything into one price, but I will still be happy on my old contract with separate talk and text plans.

 

[SquireSCA]

There is their intentions and what they want to do and then there is what they can and will do. They can consolidate everything into one price, but I will still be happy on my old contract with separate talk and text plans.

Perhaps, but not for nearly as long as you think. How long can that go on? I mean, your contract only lasts a max of 2 years, right? So after that, can they not raise the prices, the same way the cable company does, your utilities do, SiriusXM gives an annual price increase, etc...

 

[Trusstopher]

Perhaps, but not for nearly as long as you think. How long can that go on? I mean, your contract only lasts a max of 2 years, right? So after that, can they not raise the prices, the same way the cable company does, your utilities do, SiriusXM gives an annual price increase, etc...

I don't think they can... I actually don't know the answers, but it just seems like if they could change prices to someone once the two years was up, I would be paying closer to $100/month for my current data plan. I think the difference between the cable company and SiriusXM is that those are subscription services and not contracted services. I do not have a contract with my cable company and can walk away when ever I want but they have more freedom to make the changes they want, too. I'm also pretty sure that different bodies govern the way telcoms, utilities, and cable companies work.

 

[ilikemoneygreen]

I don't think they can... I actually don't know the answers, but it just seems like if they could change prices to someone once the two years was up, I would be paying closer to $100/month for my current data plan. I think the difference between the cable company and SiriusXM is that those are subscription services and not contracted services. I do not have a contract with my cable company and can walk away when ever I want but they have more freedom to make the changes they want, too. I'm also pretty sure that different bodies govern the way telcoms, utilities, and cable companies work.

I hope so, becuase if i go to month to month and my bill ups 100 dolars im going to be screaming at some vz rep who probably doesnt make enough money to care about the problem. :icon_evil:

 

[tituswife]

My guess is that it is even cheaper to send a text over the voice towers or else they would send it over the data connection.

I looked last month and they had a 250 text/month option for $5 a month and my current minutes plan $20 cheaper but now it is gone. I wish I would have grabbed it while it was there but now it is too late and I am stuck with the coupled talk/text plan. I think I may still opt for a switch $10 for 1000 and hope that $5 for 250 comes back.

The problem with 250/$5.00 is that it does not include mtm. My texts once, 99% of them being mtm, cost $14.25. Mtm weren't free, so I got stuck with cost. Switched to 500/$10.00 to get mtm. Stupid system, but that's their plans.

Sent from my stock Thunderbolt

 

[tituswife]

They can change whatever they want, whenever they want, we have seen examples of this already. And while you may not change your plan, when you upgrade your phone, if you want the contract discount you have to sign the new contract which will have that in it.

VZW stopped doing 12 month upgrades on 2 year plans last January, but those of us that were under contract before then were locked into the 12 month cycle, which I just used to get my Rezound. And in doing so, I had to resign a new 2 year contract, which states that I am no longer eligible after 12 months, but have to wait 20 just like everyone else.

The bottom line is that you signed a contract stating that they can make changes(but you cannot) whenever they want, and there is very little that you can do about it.

I'm not sure you're correct about contract changes with upgrade. Got this Tbolt in July, kept my unlimited data I had previously, and my old Alltel minutes plan, $75/1000 minutes for two lines. That's why I didn't even consider IPhone. I would lose my Alltel plan.

Sent from my stock Thunderbolt

 

[tituswife]

Another question, re Google voice. I could use it for texting, and as long as all my friends and family were willing to use my seperate Google voice number, texting would be free? That's $120/year savings.

Sent from my stock Thunderbolt