News about Verizon's tiered data plan

mikelegacy

mikelegacy

macrumors 65816
I know that everyone hates the "I know someone who works for Verizon and they say this and that" threads, but I have a reliable source who tells me the following:

Verizon will offer a tiered plan with many more options than AT&Ts

You will be able to choose from the following:

250mb - $15
2GB - $30
5GB - $50
10GB - Price Unknown
25GB - (This hasn't been confirmed yet)
Click to expand...

I haven't talked to my source in depth about the details behind what will happen to current Unlimited subscribers' plans when they upgrade, but from the short discussion I had with him, when you upgrade, you will lose your Unlimited and be forced on a tiered plan.

For now, take that with a grain of salt until I get some confirmation.

That's all I know for now. I'll keep you guys updated :D
 
OP mentioned something that I haven't seen yet ... $15 for 250MB. That's better than what AT&T has at that price.
 
I have had a hard time believing that Verizon wouldn't offer a cheaper 200-500 MB plan for light data users. I guess we'll find out closer to July 7.

Also, I don't believe for one second that they will allow you to change from a 3g to 4g phone in the future without taking a tiered data plan and forfeiting your unlimited option. Just not gonna happen.
 
mikelegacy said:
I haven't talked to my source in depth about the details behind what will happen to current Unlimited subscribers' plans when they upgrade, but from the short discussion I had with him, when you upgrade, you will lose your Unlimited and be forced on a tiered plan.
Click to expand...

Except you will be able to keep your unlimited.
 
Whatever happened to all those rumors about a "family share" data plan on Verizon? I wouldn't mind paying $50/mo for 5GB of data to share between my wife and I. I think the carriers would add a lot of smartphone users if they offered a family data plan because as it stands, many families simply don't want (or are unable to) shell out $30/mo for each member.
 
Travisimo said:
Whatever happened to all those rumors about a "family share" data plan on Verizon? I wouldn't mind paying $50/mo for 5GB of data to share between my wife and I. I think the carriers would add a lot of smartphone users if they offered a family data plan because as it stands, many families simply don't want (or are unable to) shell out $30/mo for each member.
Click to expand...

Same here!
 
These new plans are utter crap. If wireless carriers are no longer going to offer unlimited or more fair data plans, the FCC must demand that:
  1. people can opt out of data plans entirely, and
  2. carriers must offer family and group data plans.

Here are the facts:
  1. We already know that data plans are NOT part of the subsidized price of a smartphone. Yet, data plans are required for all smartphones. Yes, even if it's handed down to you.
  2. With technology always evolving, practically every phone will eventually become a smartphone. With that said, everyone will be forced into a data plan.
  3. Many devices have built-in Wi-Fi and more public places and even whole cities are becoming more covered and saturated with Wi-Fi hotspots, leaving less need for cellular data.
  4. Carriers have always cried about overburdened and abused cellular data usage. Yet, they won't let a smartphone user off from a data plan because it loses them guaranteed revenue. You can't have your cake and eat it too, bastards.

With prices going up and service going down, I'm more inclined NOT to want data 24/7 anymore. Seriously. Thanks, but no thanks - I don't need to be THAT connected.

I declare that we pitch this idea to the FCC and the FTC as the wireless carriers continue to unjustifiably squeeze money out of the customer. Thank goodness for Apple for the upcoming iMessage service. Don't even get me started on the SMS/MMS price plans that people have given up and given into.
 
BeyondtheTech said:
These new plans are utter crap. If wireless carriers are no longer going to offer unlimited or more fair data plans, the FCC must demand that:
  1. people can opt out of data plans entirely, and
  2. carriers must offer family and group data plans.

Here are the facts:
  1. We already know that data plans are NOT part of the subsidized price of a smartphone. Yet, data plans are required for all smartphones. Yes, even if it's handed down to you.
  2. With technology always evolving, practically every phone will eventually become a smartphone. With that said, everyone will be forced into a data plan.
  3. Many devices have built-in Wi-Fi and more public places and even whole cities are becoming more covered and saturated with Wi-Fi hotspots, leaving less need for cellular data.
  4. Carriers have always cried about overburdened and abused cellular data usage. Yet, they won't let a smartphone user off from a data plan because it loses them guaranteed revenue. You can't have your cake and eat it too, bastards.

With prices going up and service going down, I'm more inclined NOT to want data 24/7 anymore. Seriously. Thanks, but no thanks - I don't need to be THAT connected.

I declare that we pitch this idea to the FCC and the FTC as the wireless carriers continue to unjustifiably squeeze money out of the customer. Thank goodness for Apple for the upcoming iMessage service. Don't even get me started on the SMS/MMS price plans that people have given up and given into.
Click to expand...
The government is not the answer to all problems. Let the market forces and competition determine where these companies set their prices. If you don't like the pricing find a different carrier.
 
edk99 said:
The government is not the answer to all problems. Let the market forces and competition determine where these companies set their prices. If you don't like the pricing find a different carrier.
Click to expand...

Show me a wireless carrier in the United States that does not impose a data plan on a smartphone. Though it looks like T-Mobile may be the only one, but if AT&T has their way with them, you can say goodbye to them as well and we'll all be coughing up $15-30 per month for a paltry data plan.
 
Travisimo said:
Whatever happened to all those rumors about a "family share" data plan on Verizon? I wouldn't mind paying $50/mo for 5GB of data to share between my wife and I. I think the carriers would add a lot of smartphone users if they offered a family data plan because as it stands, many families simply don't want (or are unable to) shell out $30/mo for each member.
Click to expand...
I'll ask about this. This may not be announced yet for people who are in my friend's position with the company.

Except you will be able to keep your unlimited
Click to expand...
After your current 2 year agreement is up, Verizon has no obligation to follow any contract. You sign up for a new agreement on their terms.

And i said, it's still a grey area, i need to get confirmation.
 
mikelegacy said:
After your current 2 year agreement is up, Verizon has no obligation to follow any contract. You sign up for a new agreement on their terms.

And i said, it's still a grey area, i need to get confirmation.
Click to expand...
According to the "leaked documents", VZW will allow you to keep your unlimited data if you upgrade...for now. There's no known end date for this policy, but I'm hoping they just let it stay.
 
Travisimo said:
Whatever happened to all those rumors about a "family share" data plan on Verizon? I wouldn't mind paying $50/mo for 5GB of data to share between my wife and I. I think the carriers would add a lot of smartphone users if they offered a family data plan because as it stands, many families simply don't want (or are unable to) shell out $30/mo for each member.
Click to expand...

Thank you! Both my parents said they would get iPhones if they did this! I wouldn't mind much at all! I really don't need "unlimited data" its just a nice fall back;):D
 
edk99 said:
The government is not the answer to all problems. Let the market forces and competition determine where these companies set their prices. If you don't like the pricing find a different carrier.
Click to expand...

More of that familiar right wing drivel that has left our country in such a great shape.

One more time the facts: We are soon to be down to 3 ( and I believe 2) major cell providers in the US. That is a oligopoly, (here I looked it up for you http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligopoly) and there ARE NO market forces or competition in a oligopoly. The only force that has any effect there is regulation.
 
edk99 said:
The government is not the answer to all problems. Let the market forces and competition determine where these companies set their prices. If you don't like the pricing find a different carrier.
Click to expand...

The market fails to provide such a solution in situations where an oligarchy of competitors each arrive at the conclusion that it's in their own best interests for everybody to maintain inflated prices for so-called "premium" (but in reality, increasingly inescapable) features. None of them want to upset the apple cart, so nobody is the first to flinch and start offering substantially better rates.

If all the carriers agree that the higher rate on a mandatory plan is in their own best interests, and any competitor to which a customer might turn has already adopted the same policy, then over time the statistics will be skewed. It may appear as though customers "voted" with their wallets to say that the mandatory data plans with high rates is the customers' "preferred" situation. But in reality, a bias would have been inserted into the sample -- the absence of a viable alternative -- which renders the entire statistical analysis meaningless: there was no real "vote" in the first place.
 
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$15 for 250mb would be a real nice gesture by Verizon for light data smartphone users... but of course they aren't going to offer it :p
 
The idea of paying such a ridiculously high amount for some of those numbers is just frankly...absurd.

So ridiculous that we have these prices for data which continues falling every year price-wise per MB
 
tdar said:
More of that familiar right wing drivel that has left our country in such a great shape.

One more time the facts: We are soon to be down to 3 ( and I believe 2) major cell providers in the US. That is a oligopoly, (here I looked it up for you http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligopoly) and there ARE NO market forces or competition in a oligopoly. The only force that has any effect there is regulation.
Click to expand...

We talked about this in college Econ...I always thought it was cool theoretically speaking and not happening in the US but yes you bring up a good point. We are going to get squeezed. Oh yeah and those AT&T bastards have a track record for monopolizing way back when (Yes I know technically they are "Cingular").
 
nateo200 said:
We talked about this in college Econ...I always thought it was cool theoretically speaking and not happening in the US but yes you bring up a good point. We are going to get squeezed. Oh yeah and those AT&T bastards have a track record for monopolizing way back when (Yes I know technically they are "Cingular").
Click to expand...

"Cingular" itself is a former Bell ROC, so it has the "old" AT&T in its DNA.
 
goosnarrggh said:
"Cingular" itself is a former Bell ROC, so it has the "old" AT&T in its DNA.
Click to expand...

Yeah I know the whole deal I was just avoid the "ZOMG CINGULAR ATE AT&T THEN RENAMED ITSELF AT&T!!!!111". I think its safe to say all telco's are bastards but AT&T has more experience in the area of monopolization :D
 
Hrm... OP is wrong on the 250 MB for 15 dollars, but apparently Verizon isn't so dumb and does have a offering for really low data users.

It kind of sux imho compared to AT&T's (it is cheaper, 10 dollars, but you only get 75 MB.. for 5 dollars more with AT&T you can get more than double that).

*BUT*... if you want to tether and don't think you'll use too much data, for 20 dollars more, making it 30 dollars, you can have 2GB 7MB of data of which most you can also tether with. Which is much cheaper for tethering than what AT&T offers (sure, AT&T you'll get much more data, 4 GB, but it is only 5 dollars more than AT&T's 2 GB plan and you can tether with it).

So... they do have an edge there.

Overall, I still think pricing wise AT&T has an edge but depending on what you want Verizon does have some better options. Hey, at least they're not the same so now there are more options for everyone who is willing (or can in cases of people who one carrier either has no connection where they are or too crappy of connection) to just go with the carrier that has the best prices for their needs.
 
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