Is it worth losing Verizon Unlimited Data plan for a phone upgrade?

[Nick]

OK, so my wife currently has a Droid Charge. I have a Galaxy Nexus. Her line is up for renewal. Mine is up in September.

I have purposely held off on upgrading my phone because we are currently grandfathered in to an unlimited data plan.

However, the way this now works is that if you take advantage of upgrade pricing on a new phone (and lock into a new 2 year plan), you also get a new contract that has data caps. I normally use just under 2gb of data, but i have used as much as 5 before. As a result, I would probably end up on the 6gb plan.

Here's the question ..... I don't want to lose unlimited data, but the problem is that the plan prices we pay already include subsidies for phones. So if I am not taking advantage of phone upgrades, I am essentially negative on the plan.

A 6GB / mo shared plan is about $5 a month cheaper than what we pay now for our two lines with data. I use wifi at home, at my in-laws house, and most other places I go; the only time I am really on the network a lot is when I am in the office or traveling, which isn't all that often.

I guess I just feel like I don't want to give up my "unlimited" data, even though I realistically am not using insane amounts of data anyway.

Anyone been through this decision making process? I can buy phones that are 1 - 2 years old used for about the same price as a new phone costs at renewal.... my wife wanted an iphone and I get an older iPhone 4 for about $150 - $180 used in good shape, or an iPhone 4s for about $250 -$300. A new iPhone 5 with a contract renewal on Verizon is $199. Out of pocket it would be over $500 - $600, I think.

 

[ScottySkis]

I had issue last year. I was told I only use about 2G a month which was in the same.$ monthly range as for before, when I close some months they text me my percentage as a quarterly if I getting close. If she starts to go over they can chance her plan to 5 g for next month. I'm on internet a.lot with my phone . Also just use free wireless service as much as possible.

 

[hippiechick]

Ha, just dealt with this last month, when I killed my latest Droid. I went in to the store and the guy told me that I could have one or the other, keep the unlimited, or get the discounted phone. Not true.
I was like you, I don't use a ton of data, but you never know, the newer the apps are, the more they seem to access the net, and Verizon is like any other company, they will do what they can to make a buck.
Well, if you don't buy a phone through Verizon, they HAVE to honor your unlimited plan. Period. They just won't tell you that. Just buy a phone on eBay and take it in. Unless you're one of those folks that is dead set on having the latest and greatest, you can get pretty good deals from reputable stores on eBay.

 

[Nick]

Ha, just dealt with this last month, when I killed my latest Droid. I went in to the store and the guy told me that I could have one or the other, keep the unlimited, or get the discounted phone. Not true.
I was like you, I don't use a ton of data, but you never know, the newer the apps are, the more they seem to access the net, and Verizon is like any other company, they will do what they can to make a buck.
Well, if you don't buy a phone through Verizon, they HAVE to honor your unlimited plan. Period. They just won't tell you that. Just buy a phone on eBay and take it in. Unless you're one of those folks that is dead set on having the latest and greatest, you can get pretty good deals from reputable stores on eBay.

Yeah that's essentially what i'm looking at doing, buying a 1 - 2 year old phone instead. I love the newest and greatest though .

I guess what irks me is that in a way i am paying for a new phone anyway, I just don't actually get to get one. The plan prices are higher than they should be because of phone subsidies. They have to make that $400 drop from retail price back somehow. If you figure it's over 24 months then you have to figure phone upgrades are baked into by at least 15$ a month .

 

[andyzee]

I had a similar issue, my solution, I switched to Sprint and have no complaints.

 

[hippiechick]

Yeah that's essentially what i'm looking at doing, buying a 1 - 2 year old phone instead. I love the newest and greatest though .

I guess what irks me is that in a way i am paying for a new phone anyway, I just don't actually get to get one. The plan prices are higher than they should be because of phone subsidies. They have to make that $400 drop from retail price back somehow. If you figure it's over 24 months then you have to figure phone upgrades are baked into by at least 15$ a month .

Yep. The money will be handed over to someone, regardless. IMHO, I'd rather hand it over to a smaller company than a corporate giant like Verizon (even though that's who I have, and they DO have good service...). Tricky money making maneuvers like what they're doing just irritate me.

 

[Nick]

I had a similar issue, my solution, I switched to Sprint and have no complaints.

I'd do it quickly but Verizon has the best network hands down. I've tried Sprint for a company phone before and it was terrible.

That was a few years ago though. Has it gotten better?

 

[o3jeff]

I have Sprint as my personal phone and have no complaints. Have Verizon for a company phone and the biggest difference that I noticed is their data is quicker.

 

[mlctvt]

I faced the same prospect a couple of months ago. I decided to leave Verizon for Republic Wireless.
$19 per month for Unlimited phone, data and texts. Yes no typo, $19 per month! It comes to $43.00 with taxes in CT for 2 phones for me and my wife.
I was just sick paying over $100 month for 2 phones and only 1 was a smartphone. Now we both have smartphones and we're saving almost $100 per month.

The plan is cheap because they try to do as much as possible over wifi including voice calls. When not on wifi it uses the Sprint network WITH roaming from Sprint partners when out of the Sprint network.

You have to buy the phone up front for $249 and there is only 1 phone available now. Motorola Defy XT that uses the older Android operating system. It's only 3G not 4G.
Republic just annouced an alternate plan where you could pay just $99 for the phone but the plan goes to $29/month.

I've had mine for a couple of months now and there have been very few downsides. Coverage in CT is excellent and unlike other cheap plans that use the Sprint network this one does have data roaming. Many others like Net10, Ting etc don't have data roaming.
The Mount Snow area I get good cell phone coverage but the data is very slow 1X, I'm not able to get 3G data probably due to the data roaming agreement with Verizon, alltel etc. Since my condo there has wifi when I'm at the condo I actually get better call quality than I did with Verizon.
Most of my usage is over wifi since it's connected to my work network and my home network. Coverage on the road via Sprint has been great.

Tech-heads probably wouldn't like this plan since no 4G and they don't have the latest hardware but for my use it's been fantastic.
They offer a 30-day money back guarantee if you're not satisfied. I tried it for the 30-days and decided to keep it. I ported my old Verizon phone number to Google Voice and I forward it to this new phone number. I use Google voice for all calling and texts although you could get a new number from Republic and use their native voicemail too.

One downside I should mention is Republic can't do MMS, so no pictures or videos attached to texts. Since I seldom send pictures with texts this doesn't bother me. You can always email or facebook your pictures.

 

[bvibert]

I'll be in the same boat next year. My plan is to just suck it up and take the data cap plan, with a new phone. Like you said, you're paying to subsidize the new phone in the plan rate anyway, so why not get a new phone out of it? I use my data service quite a bit, I never even turn wifi on unless I'm having trouble getting a data signal, but so far I haven't even come close to going over what the capped plan is. The only thing that sucks is the data is shared on the family plans now, so we may need to bump it up a bit between my wife's usage and mine.

Let us know what you end up doing, as it may affect my decision later on..

I had a company issued Sprint phone for a couple of weeks over the summer and the coverage wasn't nearly as good around my home and work, where I use my phone most often. It also had ZERO coverage in Guadalajara Mexico, which was the reason they issued me the phone to begin with. My co-worker with Verizon had excellent coverage. I have no interest in switching to them.

 

[Mpdsnowman]

Lol. Every time I go into a verizon store which isnt very much they want me to upgrade my phone. I have a basic samsung and I never really liked the thought of letting the internet control my cell phone life...I find that it is the equivalent of putting all your eggs in one basket and obviously from this thread it seems imo some people are being led like cattle.

The fear of god...what if I go over my data cap?? what if I dont have the luxury of posting to my facebook?? what if I cant follow my twitter feeds and god forbid.....I get locked into a two year deal.

Its smoke and mirrors guys. For what its worth..go cheap! unless your business is truly internet based then that is different. Stay within limits. You might find your lives are actually better off without all the apps, bells, whistles and things that make your neck ache and your mind clueless as to what is actually going on around you... As far as a two year contract who cares. How many really switch within two years to me two years goes by in a fingersnap! its nothing.....

Am I ranting lol...well sort of...lol Cant blame me....I remember when you used to light up a concert with your lighters...and not cell phones.....I remember when you could just trust your judgement...and not an app....and I remember when you lost something it wasnt a big deal unlike now when you loose that fancy thing in your hand....you loose a major part of your life..

sorry....i just see it differently is all...

 

[andyzee]

I'd do it quickly but Verizon has the best network hands down. I've tried Sprint for a company phone before and it was terrible.

That was a few years ago though. Has it gotten better?

I've had Sprint in the past as well and they weren't that good, they have improved greatly. Can't speak to coverage in CT tough. My suggestion, give them a try, if you don't like them, you have something like 2 weeks to cancel.

 

[Mpdsnowman]

Lol when I went to jay last week, my buddy had sprint and lost communication outside burlington lol..He couldnt use his phone at the resort. I have verizon it was fine....

If you live and work in a metropolitan area sprint is a great system. The problem is it is independent and doesnt utilize other towers...only theirs...so outside their network is no network at all. cant even roam....

 

[andyzee]

Lol when I went to jay last week, my buddy had sprint and lost communication outside burlington lol..He couldnt use his phone at the resort. I have verizon it was fine....

If you live and work in a metropolitan area sprint is a great system. The problem is it is independent and doesnt utilize other towers...only theirs...so outside their network is no network at all. cant even roam....

Maybe right. Sux if you go to Jay on a regular basis.

 

[mlctvt]

The Sprint native network does suck in Vermont. It's basically just along the highways I-91 and I-89.
If you have a plan that roams on Sprint partners the coverage should be about the same as Verizon since it will roam on Verizon towers.

I think Republic Wireless is the only MNVO that has voice and data roaming on Sprint partners when out of the native network area. Most Sprint MNVOs like Ting, Net10, Boost, Metro PCS, Virgin Mobile etc use only the Sprint native network.

 

[andyzee]

Going from NJ to VT I find Sprint to no worst than Verizon

 

[Edd]

I have Sprint unlimited and its pretty good but I've certainly noticed Verizon phones are more reliable in the boondocks, like where ski areas tend to be. Although I'm at Sugarbush now and the service here is quite good. Surprised.

 

[o3jeff]

I'm pretty sure Sprint roams on the Verizon network so you should have coverage where ever they do.

 

[ScottySkis]

Nice do need internet access, I use a log of on my plan at work on average several hours of day, only time I went over data plan in last year was from watching streams of radio, other then that just youtube on free WI FI and you will not go over.

 

[ScottySkis]

I'm pretty sure Sprint roams on the Verizon network so you should have coverage where ever they do.

It gets expensive quickly.