Wait for 4g TB or pick up DX w/ unlimited 3g data

[jonathan13]

Wait for 4g TB or pick up DX w/ unlimited 3g data... Also CPO or not?

Okay guys I need some opinions on this. I hope this type of question is okay to ask here (I checked to see if there was anything against it in the stickies at the top of the section and found nothing so I think I am good- If not, will a Mod please lock it up and slap my wrist for being an idiot lol)

I have been saving my upgrade for a little while now in hopes that the HTC Thunderbolt would release soon and I could take advantage of the 4g coverage in my area. Unfortunately it has been delayed as we all know and there is no current ETA. This did not bother me too much because I am fairly certain it should make the Q1 deadline, and I was just going to get a cheap used android device to hold me over in the mean time since my D1 died on me. My new problem is that I just found out in the forums a couple of hours ago that Verizon confirmed that there will be no unlimited 4g data plan, and on top of that I have this bad feeling that the tiered pricing is going to be decently expensive comparatively. I will not pay more than the $30 per month I pay now when it costs Verizon less to run the LTE network.

So my question is do you guys think that the tiered packages are going to offer a decent amount of data for $30 per month? - say maybe 2GB or so? or will there even be a $30 option at all? - somewhat worried that there may be a cheaper one but that it will fall well short of being anywhere near 2GB.

Second question, should I wait for a possible month for the TB to be released to find out how much the tiered pricing is or is it safe to say that I am close to right about the pricing and should stop dreaming of a TB and go ahead and use my upgrade on the Droid X and enjoy my unlimited (5GB) 3g data?

Just looking for anyone's opinion on the matter. Thanks in advance guys! And like I said if for some reason this type of opinion question is not allowed please lock/delete this thread.


EDIT: Also I forgot to mention that if I do break down and go ahead with the DX purchase I was contemplating getting a CPO one for cheaper- What are your thoughts on that? I was going to get it with only a 1 year contract so that it stayed under warranty the entire time I had it but I am somewhat worried that it may turn into a horror story of me constantly having to call in and have them send me a replacement for whatever reason.

 

[scottfree]

I would wait and see I would get the incredibe over the X

sent from stock dx

 

[flooritnfly]

OP, I am in the exact same boat as you. However, I was at Verizon the other day and the guy there told me the "data plan pricing is not changing just because of 4g"....plus I read that the tiered data plans won't be going into effect til mid-summer and I know the Thunderbolt is 2-3 weeks out at the most, HOPEFULLY (getting really sick of these delays).

So if the guy is right and the data plan will at least start off at $30/mo. unltd. then I will get the TB, easy decision.

If it's not, I don't know what I'm gonna do. That essentially means I could've gotten a Droid X 3 months ago and that would really piss me off.

 

[jonathan13]

glad to hear I am not the only poor sap in this conundrum. I guess I may hang onto hope that the guy you talked to at Verizon may have been correct. The way that article I read was worded though makes me worried that he is incorrect. And with the TB being less than a month away at most i guess there is no harm in waiting to find out since I have already waited this long. I just have very little patience.. especially when it would not take much at all on Verizon's part to keep the public informed.

As for the incredible, it is a great phone- I actually owned it before and liked a lot of what it had to offer. But for the very reason of previously owning it I would like to try something different which is why I am leaning towards the DX.

Have either of you heard any good or bad things about the CPO phones? I could possibly save quite a bit going that route but I can't decide if it is worth the risk or not.

Thanks for the input

 

[LifeIsABeach]

glad to hear I am not the only poor sap in this conundrum. I guess I may hang onto hope that the guy you talked to at Verizon may have been correct. The way that article I read was worded though makes me worried that he is incorrect. And with the TB being less than a month away at most i guess there is no harm in waiting to find out since I have already waited this long. I just have very little patience.. especially when it would not take much at all on Verizon's part to keep the public informed.

As for the incredible, it is a great phone- I actually owned it before and liked a lot of what it had to offer. But for the very reason of previously owning it I would like to try something different which is why I am leaning towards the DX.

Have either of you heard any good or bad things about the CPO phones? I could possibly save quite a bit going that route but I can't decide if it is worth the risk or not.

Thanks for the input

No one knows what Verizon's 4G pricing will look like or if it will be tiered. Anything at this point is just a rumor. I would wait and see.

 

[jonathan13]

well I definitely would have agreed with you until I read what the CEO or CFO or whoever said in that document on zdnet.com . . . she confirms that they will move to tiered pricing and then says "[customers] will get a taste of this soon when the Thunderbolt releases" I assume that means the tiered pricing will debut when the phone does

Is there any other way to take it? Or could this be made up? I want to believe it isn't true lol I really do!!

 

[eriscrazy]

I bought a CPO fascinate about a month ago for my wife and I have zero complaints about it. Comes with a 1 year warrenty, can be insured, and came looking just like a new one.

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

 

[billyk]

Interested in the tiered data topic.

I'd hope that the TB releases with unlimited @$29 and then grandfather those owners in when the full-up tiered structure goes into effect mid-Summer.

I would HAPPILY do without a dual-core processor (Bionic) if it means that I can lock-in at my current 3G data rates.

Also, if you are looking for a DX, consider WalMart. They are free there if you want a 2-yr contract.

 

[jonathan13]

eriscrazy- thanks for sharing your experience with the CPO phone. I have heard a lot more positive reviews than I have negative.

billyk- Yes I agree 100%, I would gladly get the TB the day it dropped if it had an unlimited 4g plan for the current $30 rate per month. I don't MIND going to tiered pricing as long as it is reasonable but I seriously doubt it will be.

As for the grandfathering in I am not sure exactly how that will or won't work out but I do know that they will not break anyone's contract so if it originally comes out with unlimited 4g at $30 per month and you sign up for that in your contract, they cannot take that away from you until you sign a new contract AKA upgrade to a new phone. So technically if you could live off of insurance replacements at $90 a pop and keep it under 2 replacements a year then you could keep the TB and the unlimited data as long as you wanted.

If I get in on a possible unlimited 4g data plan when the TB comes out and then they later switch to tiered you better believe I am going to milk that unlimited contract as long as I possibly can!! lol

 

[BodyBagz]

As far as CPO phones go, I have a co-worker who bought 2 Droid X`s for $149 each as CPO`s...he has had zero problems so far(4 months in), even after I rooted them. They both looked just as pristine as my brand spankly new one that came from Verizon 1 month after launch. Like anything else, YMMV...but it is a very appealing option..

Now, the 4G vs 3G issue. Rumors are what they are, but I tend to put a lot more "stock" in rumors when they are coming from 1 of the Top xecs in the whole company...you may see otherwise..."Without giving any specifics, Verizon Communications CFO Fran Shammo indicated at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom conference yesterday, that Verizon will move to "tiered" data plans for smartphones later this summer. They have not finalized any type of pricing structure yet. Mr. Shammo said, "We are still working on the models." When speaking about their current unlimited data plan, He elaborated, "Everyone knows that isn't long-term. We will move to tiered pricing in the mid-summer time frame."

To me, this isnt an "if" it will happen thing...its a "for-sure-gonna-happen"...in about 3-4 months. The question you have to ask, which you already did, is do you want to lock in an Unlimited 3G plan now, knowing you are in a 4G area, simply because you dont have a 4G capable phone yet? To be honest, I am super-duper glad that I wont have 4G for another year...that pushes me to my next upgrade...

Sorry I didnt offer you any real help...but, if it does make a difference, the Droid X kicks much buttocks like Sylvester Stallone when he was in his mid 20`s....

 

[kparks]

wait for the tb and get unlimited 3g and 4g

 

[jonathan13]

As far as CPO phones go, I have a co-worker who bought 2 Droid X`s for $149 each as CPO`s...he has had zero problems so far(4 months in), even after I rooted them. They both looked just as pristine as my brand spankly new one that came from Verizon 1 month after launch. Like anything else, YMMV...but it is a very appealing option..

Now, the 4G vs 3G issue. Rumors are what they are, but I tend to put a lot more "stock" in rumors when they are coming from 1 of the Top xecs in the whole company...you may see otherwise..."Without giving any specifics, Verizon Communications CFO Fran Shammo indicated at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom conference yesterday, that Verizon will move to "tiered" data plans for smartphones later this summer. They have not finalized any type of pricing structure yet. Mr. Shammo said, "We are still working on the models." When speaking about their current unlimited data plan, He elaborated, "Everyone knows that isn't long-term. We will move to tiered pricing in the mid-summer time frame."

To me, this isnt an "if" it will happen thing...its a "for-sure-gonna-happen"...in about 3-4 months. The question you have to ask, which you already did, is do you want to lock in an Unlimited 3G plan now, knowing you are in a 4G area, simply because you dont have a 4G capable phone yet? To be honest, I am super-duper glad that I wont have 4G for another year...that pushes me to my next upgrade...

Sorry I didnt offer you any real help...but, if it does make a difference, the Droid X kicks much buttocks like Sylvester Stallone when he was in his mid 20`s....

I agree with you 100% about putting more stock into things that are stated by actually Verizon "higher ups". And until this recent article I read yesterday I was sure that they would hold off on tiered pricing until mid-summer, but reading this where the individual basically said that we will get a taste of tiered pricing when the TB releases makes me worried that some type of tiered pricing may begin then instead of mid-summer and then be revised at a later time. HOPEFULLY this means they will offer SOME tiered pricing as a taste but still also offer an unlimited option to those who wish to have it. That would be fantastic. I'm going to go ahead and wait and see what the TB brings with its release because I snatched up a used Droid Eris yesterday so that will fulfill my Android addiction for the time being lol And you did offer some information and helped broaden the discussion so thank you sir!