Bye bye Unlimited Data

[Hawkeye16]

I did something similar - although I combined with a few family members. My unlimited plan was costing me ~$110 a month even after my 26% discount.

The plan with 6 or even 8Gb shared is cheaper for me in the long run. Plus it was my only option to upgrade to the iPhone 5. I was a single user with a grandfathered unlimited plan

 

[Leonard1818]

It's all a matter of choice and knowing your data usage. if you don't use that much, family share plans are great. For me, it doesn't make sense. I have the MLB streaming package and watch games on my phone with 4G when I am not at home. 3G was just too slow and never worked well. One game of streaming will quickly use 1 GB or more of data. Plus I stream Sirius radio, and on 3G alone would use up 2 to 3 GB a month just streaming that. So keeping unlimited is critical for me. But I am not the normal verizon user. But with so much more streaming options becoming available, like now being able to stream the thursday night, sunday night and monday night NFL games with the Verizon NFL app, normal users will quickly become similar to me and use a lot of data. That is what Verizon is betting on. People will have to increase their data allotment, which means bigger profits. The unlimited data user is disappearing as people upgrade their phones. Eventually Verizon will just tell me to go to another provider since those that are left with unlimited data will just be a very small drop in the bucket. I would imagine in a few years, unlimited data will be gone for everyone.

Your insight regarding the matter far exceeds the typical macrumors member. kudos.

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I could go to a tiered plan, but 3GB is the same price as the unlimited plan. So it realistically makes ZERO sense to change that

Does your carrier not subsidize your phone if you re-sign a new contract?

 

[ROLLTIDE1]

Also keep in mind that many fan discounts do not apply to shared data plans. This also applies to Verizon accounts

 

[Leonard1818]

Also keep in mind that many fan discounts do not apply to shared data plans. This also applies to Verizon accounts

I've had two verizon reps tell me that my corporate discount will apply to the DATA package only.

So 22% of $60 or whatever. so around $13.

I can't forsee them dropping corporate discounts for those switching to a shared plan. That would negate the whole benfit of corp. discounts.

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Very good analogy! And it sounds like you also have a good handle on the long tail implications. That's the key. Many people can't see past the moment, let alone 3-4 years down the line.

I've been preaching this forever... people just don't get it. They cry and moan about the changes but can't (or won't) say what their data use is... likely because they've never bothered to check!

The only thing I'm a bit PO'd about is that I've been carrying unlimited data for so long thinking that I'd be grandfathered in (but still subsidized) for the 4G iphone. Turns out that is not the case. I was going to call and complain, explain my situation and my data usage over the last 2 years and that I would have gone to a tiered data plan for my wife and I long ago had I known we were not going to be able to carry over our unlmited. The thought was to escalate it until someone allowed me to pro-rate a 2GB data package back several months.

I deemed this not worth the headache in the long run. I should've known better anyway.

 

[HeyGreggie]

rather be with it than without it. I wont be updating my phone plan until Verizon comes up with something other than shared everything.

There should be an option for people who are the only phone on their plan.. becaues there's nothing for us to share.

So I'll continue to keep my nationwide talk & text with unlimited data

 

[CrAkD]

iPads are only $10 on share plan that and FaceTime are the only things making me consider giving up unlimited for a share plan.....but I won't do it ill just jailbreak

 

[cperchard]

geez, american tarrif's are ridiculous!! Guess we have to have one thing cheaper than you guys i suppose! (UK)

 

[bryann9182]

I lost my unlimited data upgrading too.

Chose a 2GB data plan seeing as how it's currently the same price as what I am paying now for unlimited.

How easy is it to go over 2GB if you just use basic apps like twitter, instagram, and some web browsing? I never stream youtube, netflicks etc unless im on wifi, and I always use wifi at home.

 

[rbf1138]

Wait, if I currently have an unlimited data plan, I can't use Facetime over cellular?

 

[drew0020]

I kept my unlimited data and will never get rid of it until the day is forced upon me by AT&T. For my situation, the mobile share plans are a complete rip-off.

In my opinion and when I model my usage I always assume my data usage will only go up and not down in the future. At least for the OP, money is not an issue, but for others I can see them trying to save a few $$ and then being stunned when their data is higher than they anticipated.

 

[sulpfiction]

People don't realize with LTE you will use almost twice as much data

Huh? Only way you use "twice as much data" is if ur usage doubles. This BS about LTE increasing data usage is crazy. I have an LTE iPad and I use no more data then I ever used on my 3G iPad. Why? Because my usage habits are the same.

 

[Leonard1818]

I lost my unlimited data upgrading too.

Chose a 2GB data plan seeing as how it's currently the same price as what I am paying now for unlimited.

How easy is it to go over 2GB if you just use basic apps like twitter, instagram, and some web browsing? I never stream youtube, netflicks etc unless im on wifi, and I always use wifi at home.

Just log into your account online or call and ask. They should be able to show you your data use patterns over the last x periods. that should give you a handle on what you need in terms of data.

For example, the last 2 years, my wife and I have used .6 GB on average with a maximum not exceeding 1.5 GB. We could effectively TRIPLE our average data consumption under the share everything and still be within our limits.

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I kept my unlimited data and will never get rid of it until the day is forced upon me by AT&T. For my situation, the mobile share plans are a complete rip-off.

In my opinion and when I model my usage I always assume my data usage will only go up and not down in the future. At least for the OP, money is not an issue, but for others I can see them trying to save a few $$ and then being stunned when their data is higher than they anticipated.

One bit of math I did when considering was this:

(Verizon)

If I switch to their shared plan and go over, I will be automatically charged $15 and will get 1 GB of data.

HOWEVER, by switching to the plan, I get $450 of my phone cost covered. Considering a 20-month contract, $450 divided by 20 months is $22.50 per month. So essentially, I'm "saving" $22.50 per month by having Verizon subsidize my phone cost.

I could go over my cap EVERY month and get charged $15 and STILL come out ahead versus buying my new phone off-contract at full price.

 

[Doombringer]

I switched to a shared plan. It actually works out to be a little more per month, but it does give myself and my fiancee unlimited talk and text (we had a pretty restrictive plan before). Since my fiancee is moving away from her family, she's going to be calling/texting them a lot more often, so...

 

[ROLLTIDE1]

depending on your discounts it may or not change if you switch to a shared plan . I know that our company old discounts applied to data and also to voice but with shared data there is only one discount on the account . So you might be giving up more than just unlimited data if you switch to shared data

 

[nikhsub1]

I saved a ton per month by switching... I was on the 2100 minute plan, unlimited text and data on 2 phones and 3GB on another phone plus one iPad that was not on an unlimited plan, also on 3GB. This was ~$305/month or so. Each phone has never used over 1GB/month except mine, I've used almost 2GB a couple of times but that is it. I switched to the 10GB shared with all the above and my new bill total is ~$217/month... As for overages, ATT always let's you retroactively change plans to avoid overages - so If I used 12GB of data for some reason I would just retroactively switch to the 15GB shared plan, then I could always switch back down.

My thinking is that even with LTE you do what you do on your phone, I don't game or really watch much video on my phone - I don't think that will change. Also, 5GB then throttled is not unlimited data IMO anyway and that was the push that made me shed the 'unlimited' plan.

 

[mantan]

Thanks, you nailed it. It is fear based, and admittedly it was that fear that kept me from switching years ago when there was no perk... I just thought I might save a buck. But no, I kept it plan always saying "but if I go over...."

Add to the mix that 'unlimited' is really misleading anyway. If you are throttled at a certain threshhold to a speed that keeps you from doing things that got you to that point (i.e. streaming lots of video) or you spend your time worrying about getting to that threshold by the end of the month......you really don't have an unlimited plan.

The cost is about the same, but the ability to add a hot spot and the discounting price for adding tablets makes it compelling.

 

[mcarthon]

This is pure assumption. And I live outside the metro area. I don't sit and watch kittens playing piano videos when I'm in the city.

I didn't say this is for everyone - somehow in true Macrumos fashion it comes off that way. For me, MY family, MY usage, MY budget... it made complete sense.

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I thought of those same scenarios. II think its still very presumptuous to think LTE is really going to consume that much more data. It's strictly dependent on your consumption habits. You can always, at anytime bump up your data cap.

Have you reviewed your past data usage? I found it very insightful.

Its odd how people in this thread (not you, I'm generalizing) compute "twice as fast, use twice the data". The only things that will consume more data are higher bit rate videos and audio. All other usage will likely be the same.

No one said it was twice as fast only you have said that. I said with LTE it is very possible to almost use twice as much data as you have been using. And looking at past data usages does nothing if your going to be using LTE. It's a totally different animal.

And a simple jailbreak which I always do will remedy FaceTime over LTE with my unlimited so no worries there.

 

[MassiveAttack]

My wife and I both bought the original iPhone is '07, have upgraded each year and retained our unlimited plans. They are coveted, as we all know.

Well, last night I looked through our usage (i track it). Only once, since '07 have we ever went over 3 Gbs a month.

So tonight I converted to Mobile Share...

My previous plan

• 700 anytime minutes
• Unlimited text & mobile-to-mobile
• 2 Unlimited iPhone data plans
• 1 2gb per month iPhone data plan (our son's)

Cost = $194 per month



New Plan

• Unlimited text and talk
• 6 Gb Shared data

New features

• Facetime over 3G
• Personal Hotspots on all devices

Cost = $195 per month

For our situation, it made total sense. My wife and I both have wifi iPads, and MacBooks, the tether will come in handy!

Also, I will never want a 3G iPad ever at this point, sure you can share data now, however you will pay a $30 per month fee for the device. I had a 2nd Gen iPad with 3G and it was such a waste of money, I never used it enough to justify the plan or the premium.

I know some of you hold tightly to that unlimited plan, I did too. But realistically, with the throttling, does it really make sense to keep it anymore?

Anyone else considering the same?:

What an awful decision. Any time you give up unlimited data, you lose and carriers win. Don't cry when you exceed your data cap because of LTE. Pat yourself on the back.

 

[Hitch08]

I'm considering the same switch

I'm considering the same:

Here is my current bill:
$60.00 (850 minutes - First iPhone)
$30.00 (Unlimited Data for 4S)
$30.00 (Unlimited Texting - Family Plan)
$10.00 (Second iPhone)
$15.00 (200 MB's Data)
$10.00 (Third iPhone)
$15.00 (200 MB's Data)
$10.00 (Fourth iPhone)
$25.00 (2 GB's Data)
$30.00 (Unlimited Data for 1st gen iPad)
$235.00 (TOTAL)

Bill under Mobile Share:
$120 (10GB's Data)
$120 (Four Smart Phones @ $30/phone)
$240.00 (TOTAL)

Granted, it is $5 more/month. However, my wife's iPhone is the one with unlimited data on it and she never uses 200 MB's/month. We have 3 iPads in the family. Only the one has 3G. So, we could use all three tethered to iPhones. Also, I don't use much data on the iPad that has unlimited data. I've been resistant to give up the unlimited data on the iPad, despite the fact that I don't need it. It would cost me (IIRC) $50 to add 5 GB's of tethering to my iPhone.

So for $5/month, I can spread 10GB's of data across 4 iPhones, 3 iPads and our MacBook's. Unless my math is off, it seems like a viable option.

 

[jazoi]

Add to the mix that 'unlimited' is really misleading anyway. If you are throttled at a certain threshhold to a speed that keeps you from doing things that got you to that point (i.e. streaming lots of video) or you spend your time worrying about getting to that threshold by the end of the month......you really don't have an unlimited plan.

The cost is about the same, but the ability to add a hot spot and the discounting price for adding tablets makes it compelling.

This is exactly how I feel. If you hit that threshold then whats the sense of being throttled. Your phone would feel useless for the time it was except for a few activities. The way I look at it, unlimited is not unlimited, its 5GB.

 

[Leonard1818]

So for $5/month, I can spread 10GB's of data across 4 iPhones, 3 iPads and our MacBook's. Unless my math is off, it seems like a viable option.

Not a bad idea IMO. The crucial factor of all of these decisions is "how much data do you currently use and how much do you forsee yourself using in the future?".

The other thing to consider is that when it comes time to upgrade devices, you will be buying them outright rather than having them subsidized. So while you may be paying $5 more per month for the "gotcha" plan, it will really be costing you much more if you ever intend to upgrade your devices.

 

[GravityEyes]

What an awful decision. Any time you give up unlimited data, you lose and carriers win. Don't cry when you exceed your data cap because of LTE. Pat yourself on the back.

Oh the horror. Really, is there any point in living now without my unlimited plan? Be right back, going to see if I can locate a reasonable cliff to drive off later tonight.

 

[MassiveAttack]

I'm at a loss as to how people are contemplating being suckered into these family share plans and give up their unlimited data.

 

[Leonard1818]

What an awful decision. Any time you give up unlimited data, you lose and carriers win. Don't cry when you exceed your data cap because of LTE. Pat yourself on the back.

It would be AWESOME if you would qualify your statement with some sort of facts.

Heck, at this point, I'd take a solid "consider this scenario..." to back up these worthless posts that keep coming up.

If you aren't adding to the discussion, don't bother posting.

 

[boomhower]

I'm holding onto my unlimited for as long as possible. With my current usage I could comfortably go to a Share plan but I know as soon as LTE gets here usage will go through the roof.

Plus the price would go up considerable. Going from $10 to $30 for my step-sons dumb phone is well, dumb. It's all he needs, sorry but my 13 year old doesn't need a smartphone.