Family on Verizon/me & iPhone on ATT - ramifications?

[jhewes]

We will be moving back to the US from overseas shortly and I am considering options for cell phones for the family. I am very attracted to the iPhone, because it can do all the apps, and data, and web, and attach via wifi.

But... the family will be on Verizon, because most of my teenager's friends are on Verizon, and they need unlimited texting Verizon-to-Verizon.

We can still text each other, right? But it could rack up the costs especially on the teen's phone (although Dad is not high on the list of people to text to incessantly, I am sure).

Anyone else doing this? Any other considerations in this mess?

Thanks in advance.

Joe.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

I mean, the mess isn't that bad. Just get unlimited texting on your phone. One other suggestion would be to put everyone on AT&T and get unlimited family texting...but that would screwover said teen's friends.

 

[jhewes]

I mean, the mess isn't that bad. Just get unlimited texting on your phone. One other suggestion would be to put everyone on AT&T and get unlimited family texting...but that would screwover said teen's friends.

The texting between parents and teen is fairly low - it's the teen-to-teen texting that is keeping the industry afloat. Choice of carrier for the teen revolves around this factor.

And you don't even get unlimited Verizon to verizon calling until you hit the 1400 minutes per month plan, so maybe it won't matter much in the end.

The bill from AT&T will hurt, though, when I can add a line to Verizon for just $10. We'll see. Thanks for the response.

 

[komiothebeat]

I can add a line to Verizon for just $10. We'll see. Thanks for the response.

is this not possible on at&t , i see it advertised all the time for at&t for 9.99 add a line

 

[jhewes]

is this not possible on at&t , i see it advertised all the time for at&t for 9.99 add a line

Could be. The point was that the rest of the family (wife, two kids) will be on Verizon because one kid has friends on Verizon and NEEEEEDS unlimited texting! Then I could be the fourth for just $10 more.

If I stray from the pack, get an iPhone, then I will be on ATT for $4 bazillion a month for the data plan.

 

[seand1111]

If you want an iPhone, then put everyone on ATT and do the unlimited family text plan. It will not matter if they are texting ATT or Verizon users, as its unlimited for you. Each additional line on ATT is 9.99. And, all calls between your family and other ATT users will not go against your minutes. Dont waste money and carry two providers.

 

[ineedamac]

Get the iPhone. I am on AT&T and my family is on Verizon. My wife has a bb and my daughter has an Env. My wife does not have a robust text package, she gets like 250 per month.

My wife and I send a text message to my daugter at her number like this...2125551212@vtext.com. We can send/receive it as an email and for my daughter is is just counted as out of a Verizon text message.

My wife and daughter wanted to stay with Verizon because all of their friends are on Verizon.

Otherwise like someone else said you could just put everyone on AT&T and get an unlimited text package. I have not been a fan of Verizon and their phones. My daugher is on her 4th Env.

 

[TMar]

Do you want it to be cheaper for you or your kids friends parents?

 

[jhewes]

Do you want it to be cheaper for you or your kids friends parents?

Kids' friends' parents, definitely. I've heard too many horror stories about kids running up HUGE text bills.

For those of you out there without teens, understand that these kids are having near-real-time conversations via text. They don't do voice, they text.

 

[jmann]

And you don't even get unlimited Verizon to verizon calling until you hit the 1400 minutes per month plan, so maybe it won't matter much in the end.

That's wrong. You get unlimited M2M calling with every family share plan. If you get a NationWide plan with 1400 minutes or more you get 10 "Friends & Family" numbers, meaning you get 10 non-Verizon numbers that you get unlimited minutes with all the phones on your family share plan. I know I work for Verizon. Your family should do that and then add you as a number, so they don't use minutes talking to you.

 

[d21mike]

How many are in your family? Example: You and the wife and 2 teenagers.

I understand the problem with Voice Minutes (on the same network it is free) but I did not know that Text Messages worked the same. With AT&T I have unlimited text and it is unlimited no matter who I am sending the text messages too. Am I mistaken about this? If this was not true my kids would be really concerned because they switched to AT&T to get the iPhone and they text all the time. My kids are grown and on there own phone plan's but we talk all the time and I would know if there was a problem.

Now, you do have a problem with voice but Verizon now has a plan to put you favorite 5 friends on a list (like with T-Mobile) so maybe they don't talk to that many people.

Now the most important. Their friends are probably saying the same thing. I would love to get the iPhone so I hope my friends will switch to AT&T. Your kids can start the switch. They will be the hero's.

Move everyone to AT&T. If you have only 1 kid who has to be on Verizon then instead of you only on AT&T put that 1 kid on Verizon instead of you only on AT&T. Cost about the same if you have to have 2 providers anyway.

 

[Primejimbo]

is this not possible on at&t , i see it advertised all the time for at&t for 9.99 add a line

That is correct, my daughters phone is only $9.99 a month

Do you want it to be cheaper for you or your kids friends parents?

Exactly, what do you do when all the other kids go to another cell phone carrier? Just go with at&t for everyone. Unlimited texting is $30.00 a month for the family plan and divide that by 4 people (assuming you have 4 in your family), that's only $7.50 a month each.

If you want an iPhone, then put everyone on ATT and do the unlimited family text plan. It will not matter if they are texting ATT or Verizon users, as its unlimited for you. Each additional line on ATT is 9.99. And, all calls between your family and other ATT users will not go against your minutes. Dont waste money and carry two providers.

I wouldn't have 2 either. It's just easier to manage one bill, besides if you have 2 providers why should you have to pay for calls between you and your kids?

 

[jhewes]

That's wrong. You get unlimited M2M calling with every family share plan. If you get a NationWide plan with 1400 minutes or more you get 10 "Friends & Family" numbers, meaning you get 10 non-Verizon numbers that you get unlimited minutes with all the phones on your family share plan. I know I work for Verizon. Your family should do that and then add you as a number, so they don't use minutes talking to you.

Ah, thanks for the clarification. I didn't read the fine print.

But... the wife is balking at the (at least) $70/month rate on the iPhone. And honestly so am I. I know you get a lot, but that's a pretty good chunk of change each month.

That is correct, my daughters phone is only $9.99 a month


Exactly, what do you do when all the other kids go to another cell phone carrier? Just go with at&t for everyone. Unlimited texting is $30.00 a month for the family plan and divide that by 4 people (assuming you have 4 in your family), that's only $7.50 a month each.


I wouldn't have 2 either. It's just easier to manage one bill, besides if you have 2 providers why should you have to pay for calls between you and your kids?

This is all good from the inside out, but the issue will come when all the teen friends who are on Verizon want to txt my teen and have to pay for it. What everyone says makes sense from an adult point of view but I have to be mindful of the big picture.

How many are in your family? Example: You and the wife and 2 teenagers.

I understand the problem with Voice Minutes (on the same network it is free) but I did not know that Text Messages worked the same. With AT&T I have unlimited text and it is unlimited no matter who I am sending the text messages too. Am I mistaken about this? If this was not true my kids would be really concerned because they switched to AT&T to get the iPhone and they text all the time. My kids are grown and on there own phone plan's but we talk all the time and I would know if there was a problem.

Now, you do have a problem with voice but Verizon now has a plan to put you favorite 5 friends on a list (like with T-Mobile) so maybe they don't talk to that many people.

Now the most important. Their friends are probably saying the same thing. I would love to get the iPhone so I hope my friends will switch to AT&T. Your kids can start the switch. They will be the hero's.

Move everyone to AT&T. If you have only 1 kid who has to be on Verizon then instead of you only on AT&T put that 1 kid on Verizon instead of you only on AT&T. Cost about the same if you have to have 2 providers anyway.

Interesting proposition, hadn't thought about that.

I need to do more research into the texting thing. I just know that my kid comes back with stories of parents getting $1k+ bills for texting.

This from the Verizon Wirelss Family select plan description:

"Includes Unlimited Messaging with anyone in the U.S., on any network, at anytime."

So maybe none of this matters... except of course the high cost of the iPhone data/voice plans.

 

[Primejimbo]

This is all good from the inside out, but the issue will come when all the teen friends who are on Verizon want to txt my teen and have to pay for it. What everyone says makes sense from an adult point of view but I have to be mindful of the big picture.

Not to sound like a jerk, but you need to do what is best for you and your family. A few of my daughters friends also have other cell phone providers (some with Verizon) and I went with at&t because it's what I wanted and works for me and my family. My daughter has unlimited texting so it doesn't matter. If she texts a friend who has Verizon and they don't have unlimited texting, is that my problem? No.
I'm not going to a provider just because my daughters friends has them. I will get her unlimited texting so I don't have to worry about high bills from texting.

 

[jhewes]

Not to sound like a jerk, but you need to do what is best for you and your family. A few of my daughters friends also have other cell phone providers (some with Verizon) and I went with at&t because it's what I wanted and works for me and my family. My daughter has unlimited texting so it doesn't matter. If she texts a friend who has Verizon and they don't have unlimited texting, is that my problem? No.
I'm not going to a provider just because my daughters friends has them. I will get her unlimited texting so I don't have to worry about high bills from texting.

Good points and thanks for the insights. And that is exactly what I am trying to figure out - what is best for the family, and also tame my lust for the iPhone!

 

[gabe90]

Ah, thanks for the clarification. I didn't read the fine print.

But... the wife is balking at the (at least) $70/month rate on the iPhone. And honestly so am I. I know you get a lot, but that's a pretty good chunk of change each month.

So I'm in a similar situation. Want to switch but want to be smart concerning the family plan. Thing is once I compared what I am paying for a 5 person Verizon family plan with no data with an AT&T iPhone family plan (with 3 iPhones and 2 regular lines) I found that they were really similar.

Some of these plans with no data are ridiculous. I am planing to switch as soon as some of the lines' contracts expire.

 

[jmann]

So I'm in a similar situation. Want to switch but want to be smart concerning the family plan. Thing is once I compared what I am paying for a 5 person Verizon family plan with no data with an AT&T iPhone family plan (with 3 iPhones and 2 regular lines) I found that they were really similar.

Some of these plans with no data are ridiculous. I am planing to switch as soon as some of the lines' contracts expire.

AT&T and Verizon's prices are pretty much the exact same, the data plans are the same price too. I'm not surprised they were similar.

 

[Dsr1205]

currently, my family pays 350 for 1400 minutes and unlimited texting on all phones. its 80 for the minutes, 30 for the unlimited txting and 30 for all the data plans per iphone. THE REST of the money is like taxes and ****.

 

[jhewes]

So riddle me this, batman... I have done a rough cost analysis.

For a AT&T family plan, I choose the three-line option, add in unlimited texting, and it comes out the same as Verizon (with the exception that the Verion plan is 900 minutes and the AT&T is 700). Then, to add in an iPhone, I merely add the $30 data plan. Does this seem right?

in which case, it makes obvious economic sense to switch everyone over to AT&T, and the iPhone only costs $30 more than three lines on Verizon (with no iPhone at all)

And if I do get the iPhone, the three-pack plus data from AT&T rather than two lines on Verizon family plan and then a whole new single-person iPhone from AT&T is cheaper.

Boy talk about much ado about relatively little. I'm trying to work the economics of all this (the easier to justify to the missus).

 

[d21mike]

For a AT&T family plan, I choose the three-line option, add in unlimited texting, and it comes out the same as Verizon (with the exception that the Verion plan is 900 minutes and the AT&T is 700). Then, to add in an iPhone, I merely add the $30 data plan. Does this seem right?

No, it is $30 "per" iPhone. Even on Verizon you have to pay for a Data Plan "per" smart phone.


NOTE: My mistake. I thought you were talking about 3 iPhones. You are correct about only adding $30 for the 1 iPhone Data Plan.

No, it is $30 "per" iPhone. Even on Verizon you have to pay for a Data Plan "per" smart phone.

My Bad. I thought you were talking about 3 iPhones. You are correct.

 

[brian doherty]

Don't forget roll over minutes with AT&T. My family plan has over 13,000 roll over minutes, we're never going to run out!

 

[Primejimbo]

So riddle me this, batman... I have done a rough cost analysis.

For a AT&T family plan, I choose the three-line option, add in unlimited texting, and it comes out the same as Verizon (with the exception that the Verion plan is 900 minutes and the AT&T is 700). Then, to add in an iPhone, I merely add the $30 data plan. Does this seem right?

in which case, it makes obvious economic sense to switch everyone over to AT&T, and the iPhone only costs $30 more than three lines on Verizon (with no iPhone at all)

And if I do get the iPhone, the three-pack plus data from AT&T rather than two lines on Verizon family plan and then a whole new single-person iPhone from AT&T is cheaper.

Boy talk about much ado about relatively little. I'm trying to work the economics of all this (the easier to justify to the missus).

That seems right, but do you want to deal with 2 cell phone bills? IMO convenience is also a cost factor.

 

[beamer8912]

I'm rather confused as to the OP's situation. Why does it matter what network you're on for texting? There is no free mobile to mobile texting on any network. Texting AT&T to Verizon is the same for Verizon to Verizon. It's free mobile to mobile TALKING!

There are two scenario's here for your teens friends:

1. They're on Verizon and HAVE unlimited texting: great they have unlimited texting.....to both AT&T and Verizon.

2. They're on Verizon and they DON'T have unlimited texting (highly unlikely): they pay per message, same cost whether its from Verizon to Verizon or AT&T to Verizon.

Point: Texting is not like Voice. There is no free mobile to mobile within the network. You must pay for unlimited texting either way, or else pay per message, no matter where it originates from.

Your teens won't suffer from being on AT&T. In fact, its cheaper for family unlimited, and you get an iPhone!

 

[barkomatic]

So riddle me this, batman... I have done a rough cost analysis.

For a AT&T family plan, I choose the three-line option, add in unlimited texting, and it comes out the same as Verizon (with the exception that the Verion plan is 900 minutes and the AT&T is 700). Then, to add in an iPhone, I merely add the $30 data plan. Does this seem right?

in which case, it makes obvious economic sense to switch everyone over to AT&T, and the iPhone only costs $30 more than three lines on Verizon (with no iPhone at all)

And if I do get the iPhone, the three-pack plus data from AT&T rather than two lines on Verizon family plan and then a whole new single-person iPhone from AT&T is cheaper.

Boy talk about much ado about relatively little. I'm trying to work the economics of all this (the easier to justify to the missus).

If you have Verizon I hope you are prepared for a significant reduction in the quality of service. I've got an iPhone and it's been terribly unreliable. Despite how convenient it is when it *does* work I think I'm switching to Verizon when my contract is up. The idea of a phone + ipod was a good one but I'm afraid the phone part sucks.

 

[Primejimbo]

I'm rather confused as to the OP's situation. Why does it matter what network you're on for texting? There is no free mobile to mobile texting on any network. Texting AT&T to Verizon is the same for Verizon to Verizon. It's free mobile to mobile TALKING!

There are two scenario's here for your teens friends:

1. They're on Verizon and HAVE unlimited texting: great they have unlimited texting.....to both AT&T and Verizon.

2. They're on Verizon and they DON'T have unlimited texting (highly unlikely): they pay per message, same cost whether its from Verizon to Verizon or AT&T to Verizon.

Point: Texting is not like Voice. There is no free mobile to mobile within the network. You must pay for unlimited texting either way, or else pay per message, no matter where it originates from.

Your teens won't suffer from being on AT&T. In fact, its cheaper for family unlimited, and you get an iPhone!

Verizon has a deal (I think 4.99 a month) where its unlimited texting to Verizon to Verizon and you get 50 other texts. Also all their plans either 500, 5000 text messages, if it's Verizon to Verizon, it's unlimited and to the other carriers that's where it takes away from what you pay for. So yes it's "free" from mobile to mobile with in the Verizon network, just for $4.99 a month and unlimited.

If you have Verizon I hope you are prepared for a significant reduction in the quality of service. I've got an iPhone and it's been terribly unreliable. Despite how convenient it is when it *does* work I think I'm switching to Verizon when my contract is up. The idea of a phone + ipod was a good one but I'm afraid the phone part sucks.

Now this isn't true for everyone. I was with Verizon and switched about 4-5 months ago to at&t and I have much better service where I need it. I just came from Wisconsin (a small town about an hour from Madison) and had better service then when I have Verizon. I have said this and I know others, no cell phone provider will have 100% signal from coast to coast.