Verizon killing unlimited data plans for good

[Nick]

Lame

http://www.bgr.com/2012/05/16/verizon-grandfathered-unlimited-data-plans-ending/

I've been grandfathered in one for a while, and I am definitely a huge data hog. I don't understand how the industry is going this way. Imagine if your ISP at your home charged you for used bandwidth?

I'd be completely screwed if that happened.

 

[mlctvt]

I currently have Verizon (grandfathered data at $30) but I'm going to try the Republic Wireless $19 unlimited voice/data plan this summer. I'm on the beta track. http://www.republicwireless.com/
It relies on wifi to transport most calls & data and they use the sprint network when not on wifi. They ding you if you use too much over traditional phone networks but I think it should fit my needs.

Verizon sucks and there's no way I'm going back to AT&T

 

[Nick]

i like the service from verizon. And the coverage. I just hate added fees or hidden stuff.

 

[ScottySkis]

Yes I also have grandfather in lower price, I been delaying getting a better phone because of there high prices, I been thinking about t mobile.

 

[riverc0il]

You gotta wonder if this will be another corporate "oops" like BOA debit card charges or Netflex splitting DVDs and streaming. This HAS to open the door for other carries to bring on new customers.

I don't have any data on my phone. It isn't worth the charges to me. I know I am in the minority. I might consider paying for the basic lowest rate if that price was unlimited. It is just too much money for what they are offering. Granted, I don't do any work out of the office.

 

[jlboyell]

i currently have 4g with unlimited. i knew they would catch up to me eventually. i have honestly been happy with verizon service, so i never changed or looked into different carriers, had it since high school. are any other carriers offering unlimited? if i am forced to go to their tiered system, im going to change to an unlimited carrier, as i use my phone more than my computer. are there any carriers that offer unlimited data?

 

[meff]

Imagine if your ISP at your home charged you for used bandwidth?

I'd be completely screwed if that happened.

You might be screwed: http://www.boston.com/business/tech...rging_heavy_downloaders_extra/?p1=Upbox_links

 

[Edd]

are there any carriers that offer unlimited data?

Only Sprint as far as the big 4 carriers go. That's their hook these days. I'm pretty happy with the service, It costs me $90 / month (including taxes and fees) for unlimited data and text, and like 450 minutes talk time. Not cheap in my book but that's a different conversation.

 

[SkiDork]

for all you unlimited folks, what sort of data usage are you doing monthly on average?

 

[drjeff]

for all you unlimited folks, what sort of data usage are you doing monthly on average?

That's the question that *most* people don't really know. And based on many of the reports that i've ready about industry usage, a majority of customers would actually see at worst no increase, and very often a decrease in their monthly rates with a tiered system vs. an unlimited, as it seems that it's just a small percentage (less than 10% of customers if I recall correctly) who use the lions share of data usage.

I know that I'm grandfathered into an unlimited through an old employer, at a rate below what Verizon was typically charging. When I look at their tiered plans, for essentially that same rate, I'll be perfectly fine with one of their tiered plans if it comes to that with either their 1st or 2nd tier data usage amounts per month based on my historical data.

I'm not one of those people who download full length movies and/or 10 youtube clips a day to my phone. Some websurfing, texting and calling is all I use it for

 

[SkiFanE]

for all you unlimited folks, what sort of data usage are you doing monthly on average?

I missed the unlimited AT&T boat, but have 4GB (I think). Since my phone was reset (errr...I mean wiped out by effing iTunes) on 4/21 I've only used 700MB of data (so about 4/5 fo a month). My teen is on hers alot more and she has never gone over, or even close to half. I don't know what one would have to do to exceed their plan, unless they never are near wireless hotspots or something.

 

[ScottySkis]

I missed the unlimited AT&T boat, but have 4GB (I think). Since my phone was reset (errr...I mean wiped out by effing iTunes) on 4/21 I've only used 700MB of data (so about 4/5 fo a month). My teen is on hers alot more and she has never gone over, or even close to half. I don't know what one would have to do to exceed their plan, unless they never are near wireless hotspots or something.

I did go over data roaming one month and monthly bill was double what normally is.

 

[Edd]

Looks like I've only used 3.3GB since I bought the phone last October. That is not much but when I stream music at home or work I'm using wifi.

I went to Montreal recently and used GPS a lot. They charged me big time for using so much data over the border. My bill tripled.

 

[mlctvt]

I usually use under 2G per month I think the only time I was over 2G was the month I got the phone. Most months I'm at just around 1.2G

 

[andyzee]

Don't matter to me, I dumped Verizon a year ago due to their data packages and decided to go with Sprint, best move I could have made. I get discounts through work, besides unlimited data, Sprint had the best discount 28% off. Always thought of Verizon as having the best service, I find Sprint just as good.

 

[Geoff]

You gotta wonder if this will be another corporate "oops" like BOA debit card charges or Netflex splitting DVDs and streaming. This HAS to open the door for other carries to bring on new customers.

I don't think so. The difference is that the cellular providers pay a huge amount for all that spectrum. To provide 4G amounts of bandwidth to a lot of users, the providers have to reduce power of the base stations and add a lot more. Every time you add an antenna, you're paying monthly money to somebody. A 4G network ends up being about 10x more expensive to operate than a 3G network. Somebody has to pay for it. AT&T and Verizon both have nationwide footprints and aren't going to get into an all-you-can-eat feature war since they're both in the same boat. A 2nd tier provider like Sprint can do it but most of us need cellular service in fringe areas around ski resorts where their service is useless. If you live in a metro area and don't travel much, a 2nd tier provider is the way to go.

My problem with tiered service is I'm a power user once in a blue moon when I have to push some big files around. I'd end up with that odd month where I have a $1,000 cell phone bill. The bean counters who review my expense report would have a cow.

 

[AdironRider]

Im a desk jockey, and am fully addicted to Pandora which is of course blocked by the IT bitches.

I use 2-2.5 GB a month, but rely on my phone for a lot as when Im not at work Im rarely by a computer.

 

[severine]

Im a desk jockey, and am fully addicted to Pandora which is of course blocked by the IT bitches.

I use 2-2.5 GB a month, but rely on my phone for a lot as when Im not at work Im rarely by a computer.

That's the bulk of my data: Pandora or other streaming music. Helps me get through the day at work and I can't do it on my employer's network. Definitely went over 2GB last month, prob this month, too. I even stream in the car, since I get terribly radio reception. Will miss unlimited when it's gone...

 

[andyzee]

I don't think so. The difference is that the cellular providers pay a huge amount for all that spectrum. To provide 4G amounts of bandwidth to a lot of users, the providers have to reduce power of the base stations and add a lot more. Every time you add an antenna, you're paying monthly money to somebody. A 4G network ends up being about 10x more expensive to operate than a 3G network. Somebody has to pay for it. AT&T and Verizon both have nationwide footprints and aren't going to get into an all-you-can-eat feature war since they're both in the same boat. A 2nd tier provider like Sprint can do it but most of us need cellular service in fringe areas around ski resorts where their service is useless. If you live in a metro area and don't travel much, a 2nd tier provider is the way to go.

My problem with tiered service is I'm a power user once in a blue moon when I have to push some big files around. I'd end up with that odd month where I have a $1,000 cell phone bill. The bean counters who review my expense report would have a cow.

So when is the last time you tried Sprint?

 

[Geoff]

So when is the last time you tried Sprint?

2 1/2 years ago. My company gave me a Sprint Blackberry Tour. It made a nice paperweight but it was pretty useless as a smartphone for my travel pattern. With Verizon, I can drive from Killington to Boston and keep a phone call up just about the whole way. There is one spot on Route 4 where calls drop. There are a few low areas on I-89 where calls drop. I get 3G data the whole way. Sprint has a tower on Pico and I get limited connectivity in Killington but otherwise has no data connectivity anywhere between Killington and Concord, NH. Sprint roams onto Verizon for voice calls but only at certain towers. At my summer house and out on the boat, Sprint doesn't work at all.