Article also says "At the same time though, they only gave you one more New Every 2 after it was cancelled, so lets not get too invested into forever."
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July 7th VZW goes tiered data! Currented 4G LTE unlimited customers grandfathered in!
- Thread starter Cali4ever
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Article also says "At the same time though, they only gave you one more New Every 2 after it was cancelled, so lets not get too invested into forever."
My Verizon mifi, when it is not on lte, is INCREDIBLY slow. It's almost unusable on 3G, on lte it fantastic though. My iPad on AT&T 3G, while not as fast as LTE, is fine on 3G, too. So I would definitely agree with the other poster. Of course I also live in a good AT&T area, you may not be so lucky.
3G/4G all good
from what I gather, if you have a 3G unlimited plan right now and next year you want a LTE handset, you can keep your unlimited plan. why? because at least for now - the same data plan applies to 3G and 4G devices. it's just called "unlimited data and email for smartphones". I went through the steps to upgrade my incredible to a charge - on the page where you select your plan, there is no distinction of a unlimited 4G plan. On the order summary page, there are some "features" that they add and subtract, but the $30 they charge you for is the same plan as before.
I am no authority on this however, it's just my interpretation (and I hope it's the correct one) because I wasn't planning on upgrading my handset until next year and I do want unlimited data once i'm on 4G.
(see attachment)
from what I gather, if you have a 3G unlimited plan right now and next year you want a LTE handset, you can keep your unlimited plan. why? because at least for now - the same data plan applies to 3G and 4G devices. it's just called "unlimited data and email for smartphones". I went through the steps to upgrade my incredible to a charge - on the page where you select your plan, there is no distinction of a unlimited 4G plan. On the order summary page, there are some "features" that they add and subtract, but the $30 they charge you for is the same plan as before.
I am no authority on this however, it's just my interpretation (and I hope it's the correct one) because I wasn't planning on upgrading my handset until next year and I do want unlimited data once i'm on 4G.
(see attachment)
Attachments
Looks like there will be no grandfathering either.
According to the CNN/Money article, they may force you to switch when it comes time to renew your plan. (i.e. when you get that shiny new phone and have to sign a new contract)
According to the CNN/Money article, they may force you to switch when it comes time to renew your plan. (i.e. when you get that shiny new phone and have to sign a new contract)
http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/21/technology/verizon_data_plan_changes/index.htm?hpt=hp_bn7
http://www.droid-life.com/2011/06/2...-by-tiered-data-only-new-customers-and-lines/
VZW internal docs show current customers will be grandfathered
http://www.droid-life.com/2011/06/2...-by-tiered-data-only-new-customers-and-lines/
VZW internal docs show current customers will be grandfathered
There were a few posters at other boards who insist that the doc shown on Droid-Life and Engadget Mobile isn't the real deal. In other words, no one knows for sure, yet. We aren't sure where that doc came from. Is it real, fake, photoshopped? Who the hell knows. If you're locked into a contract with unlimited data after 7/7, good chance you will be grandfathered. The question remains, for how long and your amount of wiggle room when it comes to upgrading/signing a new contract for a 4G device.
But again, could be we all might be required to go tiered after 7/7. Verizon holds all the cards.
Perhaps I worded that wrong.
http://www.droid-life.com/2011/06/2...-by-tiered-data-only-new-customers-and-lines/
VZW internal docs show current customers will be grandfathered
What the CNN/Money article said was that when it comes time to renew, current customers will most likely be forced to pick a tiered plan.
Currently AT&T lets you keep your grandfathered unlimited data plan even if you renew your contract.
this is what I was thinking too, i just hope they don't change the terms when they change the pricing
Ironically, this exact scenario is what made me go to an AT&T store and look at the iPhone 3G. I was a Verizon customer for oh, 10 years and I wanted to upgrade my flip phone to something with a usable web browser. At the Verizon store, they had some phone that had a sliding keyboard, some flash UI, and it appeared sufficient.
After deciding to order it over the phone, I called in to place the order. The rep informed me that the voice plan I had was not available on the new device. I had to switch to their "National Access" plan or something, forfeiting 500 bonus minutes per month via a promotion I participated in a year back. If I kept my flip, I'd be able to keep my old plan. Soon, every new phone required this revised "National Access" voice plan which was a way for VZW to rid themselves of older plans and promotions. I was so irritated that VZW would treat a 10 year customer the same as a new one off the street, I went to AT&T, checked out the iPhone and realized how far ahead it was. Shortly afterwards, I owned one.
So yes, they grandfather, but can and do impose one to accept current offerings when updating devices. I guarantee they will not permit unlimited data via LTE once LTE devices become the norm. They'll let you keep your unlimited plan today (3G or LTE), but when you upgrade to a "new class" of device (most likely an LTE iPhone would be in this new class), you'll lose it.
In an attempt to get usable service I went to VZW in October 2010. My contract is up in October 2011, if forced to pick a tiered plan I'll be picking a tiered plan on another carrier. I'm not interested in AT&T's crappy service but I'm even less interested in over paying for a data plan. If they had 2 GB @ $15/mo I would stick around.
Agreed....I would LOVE to see the current iPad 2 data pricing plans for smartphones in contracts! (in the attached image below). I would gladly take 1GB for $20 a month or even 3GB for $35! Its at least competitive!
Attachments
And yet several people seem to think it works for them. My parents don't need more data than what the 15 dollar plan offers and there is no way I'd have convinced them to go to a smartphone if they had to pay 30 dollars extra. Several people who get wi-fi everywhere have no need of the whole 2 GBs.
Don't confuse the 15 dollar plan being useless to you meaning that it is useless to everyone. I mean it is useless to me cause I need more than 500 MBs and with splitting the bill with my roommate I can afford the more expensive plan but I do realize there are several people who are fine with that little or could get by if they needed and they need the money more (if I had to have my own plan I'd have to go to the 15 dollar one and I could make it work I'd just have to be very careful to be on wifi whenever I could. And I'm glad it's an option in case for some reason I can't share a plan with my roommate).
even though it _seems_ like existing customers can keep their unlimited data plan when they upgrade to their next handset (3G/4G all the same), I plan on getting a charge on the 7/6 just in case that's not the case and then potentially returning it if the speculation that 3G unlimited = 4G unlimited after 7/7.
my understanding is that my account/plan/phone will revert to my pre-charge phone/plan - is there any possibility that they will force me to go to a tiered plan when I revert to my original phone or is it almost certain that I will get keep my unlimited data plan at that point?
my understanding is that my account/plan/phone will revert to my pre-charge phone/plan - is there any possibility that they will force me to go to a tiered plan when I revert to my original phone or is it almost certain that I will get keep my unlimited data plan at that point?