Carrier Considering dropping grandfathered unlimited data

[Daniel L]

Tell me if this is a bad decision:

Paying $167.xx for 3 lines. (After 24% discount that applies only to some parts of the bill)
Line 1: Unlimited Data
Line 2: 3GB Datapro with $7.99 insurance
Line 3: Dummy line I used for 2 year upgrade subsidizations

If I switch to a mobile share plan with 25GB, it'll be $83.xx (24% discount) + $20 access charge x2 + $7.99 insurance x1. Naturally I'd drop the dummy line since it's worthless now. I'd be paying approximately $130 instead of $160.

Is my calculation off anywhere? I'd gain tethering on my own phone with the same amount of data. After 22GB I'd get throttled anyways on unlimited or on mobile share.

 

[Cowboy1629]

I did the same thing. I had 4 lines on my grandfathered plan. I was the only one with grandfathered unlimited data plan on the account. Two lines had the 3GB data plans that were always going over. One had a 200MB plan that went over a few times per year. We also paid extra for unlimited text.

Since we already had Directv I switch to the Unlimited plan. Even if all 4 lines paid for the new phones on the next plan our bill will still be cheaper than what it was before.

 

[Daniel L]

I did the same thing. I had 4 lines on my grandfathered plan. I was the only one with grandfathered unlimited data plan on the account. Two lines had the 3GB data plans that were always going over. One had a 200MB plan that went over a few times per year. We also paid extra for unlimited text.

Since we already had Directv I switch to the Unlimited plan. Even if all 4 lines paid for the new phones on the next plan our bill will still be cheaper than what it was before.

Thank you. Just wanted to make sure I'm making the right decision

 

[Steve686]

Grandpa's dead. Bury him.

 

[JUNNEL20]

I got rid of my Unlimited plan last year and have never been happier! I'm still paying about the same monthly bill but with a shared plan now for two phones. Never have we gotten over our 15GB plan.

 

[Orlandu]

I got rid of my grandfathered unlimited plan... for the new unlimited plan. My brother and his wife have been on my account for a while since I get a larger employer discount. When they announced the new unlimited plan if you have Direct TV, we just switched to his address as the primary and then we qualified since he was already a Direct TV subscriber. So now all 5 lines on my account have unlimited and we're paying less than before. Downside is no tethering options.

 

[greytmom]

Just a comment - my daughter used 31gb in June - did not get throttled. (Except by me, when I saw the usage. What the heck is she doing on that phone??)

 

[caligurl]

dropped unlimited 2 years ago.... was cheaper AND gained hot spot capabilities. (that enabled me to also get rid of the $10 a month I was paying for a very small amount of data for my ipad... AND I saved the money when upgrading ipad to a mini 4 by buying the wifi version....

 

[elistan]

I dropped unlimited last week. For our data usage, it just wasn't worth it.

 

[DrewDaHilp1]

I wouldn't give it up but that is just me. As time goes on phones have been getting faster and websites have gotten larger. Once they force me off my unlimited data, I'm switching carriers. I have two lines and pay 130ish. One unlimited and one dumb phone.

 

[tkukoc]

I dumped my unlimited about a year ago.. had 3 lines. I never went over 15gb a month.. saved me a ton of money. Sometimes it makes sense to keep stuff, in my case the newer plan gave me less of a bill and I could finally tether.

 

[JulesJam]

Just a comment - my daughter used 31gb in June - did not get throttled. (Except by me, when I saw the usage. What the heck is she doing on that phone??)

That's a good question. Idk about A&T but Verizon has a program you can use to monitor what your kid is doing on their phone. You get a break down of the times they are using the phone, who their top contacts are, a breakdown of the data use, etc. You have to pay $5/mo for this though.

 

[roland.g]

I dropped my GF'd unlimited last year. My wife and I went on 6GB shared with Rollover from unlimited on one and 5GB on the other. Even with our device installment payments on two phones, my total bill went down $10.

 

[bevsb2]

I dropped unlimited data 2 years ago also. In theory it sounded good, but I never use enough data on my phone to even justify 2GB. I'm saving about $20 a month.

 

[sahilpatel12]

And here i am, Still feeling blessed with my grandfather plan. Gald I opened an Business Account with att when i first bought my iphone 3g. Hence I had an Agreement with att that i will be getting an 2 yr no matter what. Because of it here i am still buying phones with 2 yrs. Just bought 4 7 Plus 128gb on 2 yr plans and paying about 250 bucks a month for 4 phones . Our my mom and dad but dad really uses the most outta them,pssh 8-10gbs a month on facebook..... damn

 

[burntice]

Did the same thing 18 months ago. It was hard to give up on the term 'unlimited'. I now happily pay 167 total for 4 lines 30gb+5 bonus with rollover data. Saved myself 40+ per month.

 

[iPunish901]

Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodby
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

at&t will have to take it away from me. i will be an avid streamer on sundays now that i have nfl sunday ticket. not sure how much data that will eat up, but it satisfying to know i still have my unlimited data.

 

[baypharm]

They will have to pry it away from my dead cold hands....

 

[TypeMRT]

I think the breakpoint is 3 lines using 40GB of data a month. I have 5 lines (2 unlimited, a 3GB, a 200MB, and a no-data) and use a combined 60GB monthly with a FAN discount for $240. Switching to the Mobile Share would cost over $400 - that's why I keep my grandfathered plans.

 

[mr1581]

hmmmm.... still can't seem to beat the unlimited data and old family plan.

 

[southflguy]

Tell me if this is a bad decision:

Paying $167.xx for 3 lines. (After 24% discount that applies only to some parts of the bill)
Line 1: Unlimited Data
Line 2: 3GB Datapro with $7.99 insurance
Line 3: Dummy line I used for 2 year upgrade subsidizations

If I switch to a mobile share plan with 25GB, it'll be $83.xx (24% discount) + $20 access charge x2 + $7.99 insurance x1. Naturally I'd drop the dummy line since it's worthless now. I'd be paying approximately $130 instead of $160.

Is my calculation off anywhere? I'd gain tethering on my own phone with the same amount of data. After 22GB I'd get throttled anyways on unlimited or on mobile share.

I just dropped unlimited last week and am saving over $100. It was more a psychological thing to get over, not an actual usage thing.

 

[aaplwatch]

ATT grandpa here. Just concluded a 2 year contract and I'm finally kicking ATT to the proverbial curb.

Now that we all technically own the phones, if you are on the grandpa plan you are making two monthly payments for the phone (if you don't buy it outright). One payment to Apple for the lease and one payment to ATT (since they won;t drop your bill even if you bring your own device to the plan).

They have to know they will lose most of the grandpa accounts by refusing to play ball. Maybe that's the plan.

 

[RedRabbits]

I, too, was in the "I'm never letting go" camp . That all changed this week. Earlier this summer I went on a 13 hour road trip . People in the car all took turns streaming Netflix/HBOGO on my phone. When I checked my usage last week, I noticed that I had used 15.1 GB of data that month. Other than that, my 3-month average was 10 GB (and that includes the 15 GB month). I guess I always kept my unlimited thinking "hell, some month I'll need it". Well, I maxed it out and only used 15GB. I've been overpaying for how many years?

So I switched my two lines to Mobile Share 16GB plan. Upgraded my 6s on ATT NEXT to the 7. And, even with the new device charge, I'll still save ~$10/month. (Bonus: I finally get tethering).

It was soo hard hitting "Confirm" as I was switching plans. But I ripped the band-aid off... and it feels good.

 

[greytmom]

That's a good question. Idk about A&T but Verizon has a program you can use to monitor what your kid is doing on their phone. You get a break down of the times they are using the phone, who their top contacts are, a breakdown of the data use, etc. You have to pay $5/mo for this though.

She's 32.

 

[Daniel L]

Thanks all. I made the switch today but it doesn't go into effect for another 2 weeks. Retentions ended up crediting the account for an additional $100 and added an additional 5% on top of the 24% FAN discount.