Just wanted to share my experiences with all the carriers and plans I've had with all my iPhones. I've had all GSM iPhones from AT&T and never had any technical issues and was overall happy with AT&T for the more than 10yrs I was with them. I've been with them since Cingular, and back to AT&T wireless again. What prompted me to look for an alternative was when the prices have become ridiculous...
FamilyTalk 1400 89.99 ($72 with FAN discount)
$30 - Messaging Unlimited
Line 1 - $30 UDP
Line 2 - $30 3GB data, $9.99 access fee
Line 3 - $20 300MB data, 9.99 access fee
Total - $182 plus taxes
Then came TMobile with their new LTE network...
$100 for 2 lines
Line 1 - with UDP
Line 2 - with 1GB
Then added a 3rd line with UDP for $30
International Plan $10
Total of $140 plus corporate discount of about $19 ($121 plus taxes)
plus all the features that's not available with AT&T (unlimited int'l 2G data, unlimited int'l from US text messaging, I was hooked. Transferred my 5S, my mom's and sister's iPhone5's. Only problem, coverage. It's good where I live and where I work for 3-4 days/week, but mostly on 2G/EDGE on where I work 2-3 days/week and sometimes GPRS, or no signal at all. I even bought the iPhone6 (Verizon full price) for use with them... https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1788752/
I was willing to just stay with TMobile because of WiFi calling for those 2-3 days/week that I'm in an area with bad signal, but when I cancelled an iPhone order I placed with them and even got a confirmation, they still sent it. Called up customer service, they literally told me... "we can cancel your order, but we can't guarantee it will be cancelled." ... what?!?!?! They told me to just leave a message for the UPS guy to return package to sender and they'll send it back. Meanwhile, the charge will be sitting in my credit card with interest while waiting for a refund! I got so pissed off with the nonsense that I was looking move again.
Verizon came up with the 30GB plan for $130, I considered it and when the numbers came up for 3 lines...
$130 for 30GB, 22% corporate discount ($102)
Line 1 - $15 (BYOD discount
Line 2 - $15 (EDGE discount 32.70/mo but will go down once trade-in is applied)
Line 3 - $15 (EDGE discount 32.70/mo but will go down once trade-in is applied)
Total - $147 plus taxes (without phone installments)
$35 cheaper than my old AT&T Plan (3 lines), $26 more than my TMobile plan (3 lines)... Better LTE coverage than both carriers I've been with and more reliable too. Only issues I've had so far...
- My signup receipt says "Data Roaming US and Canada". Double checked with Customer Service so that I understood this clearly. I was surprised at how they explained this. The "Roaming" feature is ON for US and Nationwide Data used is deducted from the 30GB allotment. "Roaming" feature is also ON in Canada, but usage is not included in the 30GB allotment. Verizon really bundled it this way so that the "Roaming" feature just in Canada, can't be turned off by itself. It passes to the user the responsibility to turn off data roaming in Canada, or turn off Data usage totally when roaming in Canada, on your phone. The rep on the phone even told me, "Verizon's customers are happy to pay the extra $25 for 100MB to use in Canada." What?!?!?
- I was so spoiled with AT&T and TMobile that I only pay for outgoing int'l text messages, my signup receipt also says "International from US Messaging $0" which I was assuming the feature is included for free. Being that how they worded the "Roaming" feature to look like usage is free and finding out it's not, I was skeptical, called customer service again to verify. VOILA! It's not included. And to make things worse, when I add the $5 int'l feature, not only I will still pay for send texts internationally, but receiving texts as well!
Although it's really annoying and unnecessary to pay more for those features I enjoy for a lesser fee and at one point was free, the better signal coverage and reliability will make up for it I think. So far, I went to a place where TMobile is 2G/EDGE and sometimes GPRS, and I was LTE all the way with Verizon, and was even on the phone (VoLTE) and never dropped the call. Hopefully, I'll have a better experience this time around.
FamilyTalk 1400 89.99 ($72 with FAN discount)
$30 - Messaging Unlimited
Line 1 - $30 UDP
Line 2 - $30 3GB data, $9.99 access fee
Line 3 - $20 300MB data, 9.99 access fee
Total - $182 plus taxes
Then came TMobile with their new LTE network...
$100 for 2 lines
Line 1 - with UDP
Line 2 - with 1GB
Then added a 3rd line with UDP for $30
International Plan $10
Total of $140 plus corporate discount of about $19 ($121 plus taxes)
plus all the features that's not available with AT&T (unlimited int'l 2G data, unlimited int'l from US text messaging, I was hooked. Transferred my 5S, my mom's and sister's iPhone5's. Only problem, coverage. It's good where I live and where I work for 3-4 days/week, but mostly on 2G/EDGE on where I work 2-3 days/week and sometimes GPRS, or no signal at all. I even bought the iPhone6 (Verizon full price) for use with them... https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1788752/
I was willing to just stay with TMobile because of WiFi calling for those 2-3 days/week that I'm in an area with bad signal, but when I cancelled an iPhone order I placed with them and even got a confirmation, they still sent it. Called up customer service, they literally told me... "we can cancel your order, but we can't guarantee it will be cancelled." ... what?!?!?! They told me to just leave a message for the UPS guy to return package to sender and they'll send it back. Meanwhile, the charge will be sitting in my credit card with interest while waiting for a refund! I got so pissed off with the nonsense that I was looking move again.
Verizon came up with the 30GB plan for $130, I considered it and when the numbers came up for 3 lines...
$130 for 30GB, 22% corporate discount ($102)
Line 1 - $15 (BYOD discount
Line 2 - $15 (EDGE discount 32.70/mo but will go down once trade-in is applied)
Line 3 - $15 (EDGE discount 32.70/mo but will go down once trade-in is applied)
Total - $147 plus taxes (without phone installments)
$35 cheaper than my old AT&T Plan (3 lines), $26 more than my TMobile plan (3 lines)... Better LTE coverage than both carriers I've been with and more reliable too. Only issues I've had so far...
- My signup receipt says "Data Roaming US and Canada". Double checked with Customer Service so that I understood this clearly. I was surprised at how they explained this. The "Roaming" feature is ON for US and Nationwide Data used is deducted from the 30GB allotment. "Roaming" feature is also ON in Canada, but usage is not included in the 30GB allotment. Verizon really bundled it this way so that the "Roaming" feature just in Canada, can't be turned off by itself. It passes to the user the responsibility to turn off data roaming in Canada, or turn off Data usage totally when roaming in Canada, on your phone. The rep on the phone even told me, "Verizon's customers are happy to pay the extra $25 for 100MB to use in Canada." What?!?!?
- I was so spoiled with AT&T and TMobile that I only pay for outgoing int'l text messages, my signup receipt also says "International from US Messaging $0" which I was assuming the feature is included for free. Being that how they worded the "Roaming" feature to look like usage is free and finding out it's not, I was skeptical, called customer service again to verify. VOILA! It's not included. And to make things worse, when I add the $5 int'l feature, not only I will still pay for send texts internationally, but receiving texts as well!
Although it's really annoying and unnecessary to pay more for those features I enjoy for a lesser fee and at one point was free, the better signal coverage and reliability will make up for it I think. So far, I went to a place where TMobile is 2G/EDGE and sometimes GPRS, and I was LTE all the way with Verizon, and was even on the phone (VoLTE) and never dropped the call. Hopefully, I'll have a better experience this time around.
