VZW Petition to Ditch Contracts Nears 100k; Verizon Offers Expensive Payment Plans

[liftedplane]

You're right. I apologize for coming across like that. I understand the position of those with unlimited plans, and their desire to keep it, their pains with cost, etc. I honestly do. I used to have an unlimited plan a few years ago, and made the conscious decision to upgrade to a better phone at a discount, and willfully and intentionally made the choice to do so. As a result I lost my unlimited data, but that was choice I made rather than paying full retail for my phone. Recently I had an occasion to go back to an unlimited plan. Either way I work hard not to be abusive. I use my phone a lot, but still don't manage to use over about 6GB a month.

• It frustrates me that Verizon gets tagged so hard for nixing their unlimited plan, for a few reasons:
• They still left a mechanism for older customers to keep their unlimited plan. They may not like it, but it is what it is. Verizon may have been better off just killing all unlimited plans a long time ago.
• I am in a position now to where I understand the cost associated the unlimited plans, operating and maintaining a great network, etc.
• A lot of people regard their unlimited data plan as being equivalent to the bill of rights. Having an unlimited data plan is not a guaranteed right in the US Constitution.
• Lastly, I feel like a lot of the folks here are a lot like people who complain about how screwed up this country is and then don't go and vote. Specifically, folks that say "If Verizon didn't have such great coverage I would leave in a second." This is a two part situation. 1. They have exceptional coverage because of the billions they dump into their network every year. 2. If you don't like it actually leave. If enough people do it, they will listen. Complaining without follow through helps nothing.

Again, Im sorry to come across as a mega-bit...jerk. I'm usually a really laid back girl. Ill work on that!

they did put in ways for us to keep our unlimited, Honestly why not let those of us who are unlimited stay if we want, let us use upgrades etc etc, and then just don't offer unlimited anymore, stop trying to force us of unlimited, that's all I ask. I'm not giving mine up come hell or high water, I have other lines I can use for upgrade and I probably will continue to. you seem mostly laid back, I was just pointing it out, that's the biggest problem with forums and the internet, zero voice inflection, it really makes it difficult sometimes to tell how someone it trying to make their point.

I can see where others are coming from, but blaming those of us who have unlimited and saying that we are abusing it, or that the majority are... well that horse is dead, we pay for unlimited we can't actually abuse it, Verizon did realize they were losing money so they made the change to tiered data. Make the data tiers higher that would be great, there is no reason we should have to use wifi to keep from going over our data, make it something like 5 10 15 or 6 12 18 that, I would go for, I could see myself switching for tiers that looked like that.

I'm not complaining about verizon so much as I'm just frustrated by how they make some of their decisions, I like my service, my family has been with VZW since they were Airtouch and I've had my line with them since 2006.

 

[cybertec69]

You're right. I apologize for coming across like that. I understand the position of those with unlimited plans, and their desire to keep it, their pains with cost, etc. I honestly do. I used to have an unlimited plan a few years ago, and made the conscious decision to upgrade to a better phone at a discount, and willfully and intentionally made the choice to do so. As a result I lost my unlimited data, but that was choice I made rather than paying full retail for my phone. Recently I had an occasion to go back to an unlimited plan. Either way I work hard not to be abusive. I use my phone a lot, but still don't manage to use over about 6GB a month.

• It frustrates me that Verizon gets tagged so hard for nixing their unlimited plan, for a few reasons:
• They still left a mechanism for older customers to keep their unlimited plan. They may not like it, but it is what it is. Verizon may have been better off just killing all unlimited plans a long time ago.
• I am in a position now to where I understand the cost associated the unlimited plans, operating and maintaining a great network, etc.
• A lot of people regard their unlimited data plan as being equivalent to the bill of rights. Having an unlimited data plan is not a guaranteed right in the US Constitution.
• Lastly, I feel like a lot of the folks here are a lot like people who complain about how screwed up this country is and then don't go and vote. Specifically, folks that say "If Verizon didn't have such great coverage I would leave in a second." This is a two part situation. 1. They have exceptional coverage because of the billions they dump into their network every year. 2. If you don't like it actually leave. If enough people do it, they will listen. Complaining without follow through helps nothing.

Again, Im sorry to come across as a mega-bit...jerk. I'm usually a really laid back girl. Ill work on that!

So you ditched your unlimited data plan for a tiered plan, so you can get a subsidized phone, how does that make any logical sense is beyond me, you do know with the new tiered plans, the one you signed on for, you pay an additional $40 a month for a smartphone besides the data costs. For a 2 gig plan you are paying $100 not including taxes and associated fees, so how did a plan like that save you any money, I pay $75 including taxes and fees a month for unlimited data and 450 minutes outside the network and 500 texts outside the network, unlimited inside for both , for me to join on the tiered plan would not make any logical sense, a new device at retail would run me let's say $700 max, subsidized would be $200-$250, so I pay less $400-$450 up front, now if I do the math it is no savings to me, as I am paying now $35 plus more a month for caped data, $35 times 24 months equals $840+ over two years that I would pay more to Verizon, plus I already payed $250 to get that subsidized phone, so that equals to $1,100+ over two years. I am not Einstein but I can see that this scenario makes no sense to me or anyone else for that matter. I am better off paying full price for the phone and still save over $400 over two years, heck it can even cost me less if I sell my current phone on swapa or Craigslist, and at the same time I still have unlimited. So can you tell me how you saved by going the locked down tiered road, Verizon really pulled one on you, they saw you comming from a mile away.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Dalvik_Cache]

Hey, it's not my fault I failed the third grade! But as an added bonus I saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico.

So can you tell me how you saved by going the locked down tiered road, Verizon really pulled on you, they saw you comming from a mile away.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[kodiak799]

,,,stop trying to force us of unlimited, that's all I ask.

Has VZW actually forced anyone off unlimited? Removing the subsidy is a form of price increase = supply & demand. That people are willing to forego a subsidy to keep unlimited data would indicate they actually value VZW unlimited data at more than $30 a month. It certainly stands to reason that people who absolutely "need" 5-6gigs a month or more would be willing to pay more, one way or another, than people who need just 1gig a month. No one has a gun to their head - if VZW were charging too much they would be seeing a mass exodus of customers, but in actuality they continue to gain subscribers.

My phone is pretty good. Taking away the subsidy only provides additional incentive to use it longer, so I'm not even sure how this phantom price increase affects me if it discourage me from wasting money on an unnecessary upgrade. I'm usually on wifi, but I've racked up some data when traveling. When I need to eventually upgrade, I'll have to do the math on whether it really makes sense to pay an extra $400 for a phone to keep my unlimited.

 

[pc747]

I switched off my unlimited plan to a tier plan and actually saved money (but that was because I switched carriers). Still for those with home internet they can get away with not having unlimited data. I watch netflix everyday while running on the treadmill and as of this very moment I still have over 40% of my allotted data left with 7 days to go. For those who do not use a lot of data it may make sense to give up their unlimited data so they can avoid buying a phone out right. Because if you use only 3 gbs of data a month (average) and you still pay 100+ a month for service after paying $799 for a phone, you really did not save much money imo. Until vzw drops the price (which is what the petition is about) for those paying full price for a phone they are still making money hand over fist.

 

[cybertec69]

I switched off my unlimited plan to a tier plan and actually saved money (but that was because I switched carriers). Still for those with home internet they can get away with not having unlimited data. I watch netflix everyday while running on the treadmill and as of this very moment I still have over 40% of my allotted data left with 7 days to go. For those who do not use a lot of data it may make sense to give up their unlimited data so they can avoid buying a phone out right. Because if you use only 3 gbs of data a month (average) and you still pay 100+ a month for service after paying $799 for a phone, you really did not save much money imo. Until vzw drops the price (which is what the petition is about) for those paying full price for a phone they are still making money hand over fist.

So please share with us how you save by going the tiered plan route, read my post above, then come back and fill me in please, if you have unlimited data plan, I don't care how you try to slice it and dice it, it does not add up to go tiered. And we're did you get your $100+ on an unlimited data plan, heck I pay $75 for unlimited, and $800 for a phone, really, where did you get that number.


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[kodiak799]

I don't care how you try to slice it and dice it, it does not add up to go tiered.

For individual users, that is probably true. The savings come with multiple devices, family or otherwise.

But I currently pay $80 for unlimited data, 450 minutes and 250 texts. 1gig with unlimited talk and text is $90, and $100 for 2gigs. There is value in that unlimited talk, if you need the minutes. In my case, I need more minutes about as rarely as I would need more than 1-2gigs of data.

The cell service still isn't, IMO, quite good enough for me to rely on for business. If VoLTE steps up the game, I could save additional money ditching my home VoIP. Even then, $10-$20 more per month would basically be a wash vs. paying retail for a phone. Comes down to whether you need the minutes or data more, but you certainly can't claim their tiered plans are inferior for all customers. For most people, it's pretty equivalent and competitive.

 

[liftedplane]

Hey, it's not my fault I failed the third grade! But as an added bonus I saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico.

Greatest response ever.

Honestly I can see why someone might upgrade, I rarely have 700 just laying around to buy a phone and the whole idea that I'll actually save it is pretty funny

---
I hate jelly beans, Google's jellybean is alright though.

Sent from my sickeningly sweet Galaxy Note II

 

[TatDroid]

Sadly they won't because they want you to drop unlimited and they will do whatever it takes to force everyone one off without actually taking it from us. At least the customer service guy you talked to didn't lie

Actually, I disagree. Every customer that goes "off contract" saves Verizon $15 to $20 per month, EVERY month, because they are no longer paying to subsidise your $600 phone. I find it hard to believe that it costs them more than that for high data usage. I would not be surprised if Verizon's profit margin is actually HIGHER on off-contract customers now.

 

[milski65]

I'm on unlimited with 2 additional data lines 2 gig each. It does not benefit me in any way with current setup. Noone can say otherwise. If I had foreseen current setup with Verizon, I would have set my kids up 2 years ago with smartphones and unlimited data on all. Only people that argue this are ones without unlimited. My opinion only.

Sent from my XT875 using Tapatalk 2

 

[milski65]

Whatever the reason, to this point Verizon has not just canceled unlimited for the current users that have it. That bears consideration. Does Verizon care about me personally? Nope. Does that matter to me? Yes. I pay a couple grand plus for that per year. Considering that, I'll use whatever data I can (currently 10-12 per month.

Sent from my XT875 using Tapatalk 2

 

[milski65]

To date I've spent close to 15,000 grand supporting Verizon's development. That's my stupidity. Noone else's. But for that kind of cash, I can be picky and have certain expectations.

Sent from my XT875 using Tapatalk 2

 

[liftedplane]

Actually, I disagree. Every customer that goes "off contract" saves Verizon $15 to $20 per month, EVERY month, because they are no longer paying to subsidise your $600 phone. I find it hard to believe that it costs them more than that for high data usage. I would not be surprised if Verizon's profit margin is actually HIGHER on off-contract customers now.

that wouldn't surprise me, I also wouldn't be surprised if verizon doesn't care and eventually takes my unlimited.

 

[pc747]

So please share with us how you save by going the tiered plan route, read my post above, then come back and fill me in please, if you have unlimited data plan, I don't care how you try to slice it and dice it, it does not add up to go tiered. And we're did you get your $100+ on an unlimited data plan, heck I pay $75 for unlimited, and $800 for a phone, really, where did you get that number.


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I based that off me paying my bill. For unlimited data with vzw my bill was $110 every month for 900 mins unlimited text/data. At&t for the same I am paying roughly $85. So as far as I am concerned that is a half tank of gas I am saving a month. I can care less about any thing else all I care about is the numbers I have to input when I do my online bill pay every month.

Until vzw and other carriers provide a plan where if I buy my phone out right my bill drops (similar to t-mobile's plan) there really isnt much difference I see other than the fact you have a phone that is not under contract and for vzw customers that does not provide as much oomph as it does a customer on At&t or T-mobile where they can just pop in another sim card (unless the vzw device is unlockabble with multi bands). Whether I but my phone full price or subsidized through vzw (at&t as well) my monthly bill remains the same. And in the end that is my main focus.

 

[blacksoxing]

I'm really curious how someone can abuse unlimited data. If I were to pay to eat at an "all you can eat" buffet, I'd leave after I have eaten all I can. Does that mean I'm abusing the buffet owner?

Well, if you load up your plate and barely eat anything...you just forced the buffet owner to throw away food that could have went elsewhere....

Same could be said about data. You could be wasteful with it, and cause delays for others.

So while that analogy is semi-useful, it has flaws.