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I thought losing unlimited data was the worst thing that could happen. But then I realized after 1 month that even without changing any habits, my usage was still less than 2gb. I would never pay full price for a iPhone ($649 vs $199) to keep unlimited data.

The sad thing is that I can see carriers ending phone subsidies in a few years -- so you may end up paying full price anyway.
 
How much data exactly is Verizon unlimited? 5 GB? How much do you usually use per month?

I left Verizon for AT&T back in 2008 strictly to get an iPhone. Service wise they have been excellent but just like Verizon their data plans are expensive if you need more than 3 GB a month.

Verizon unlimited is exactly that: unlimited. Unlike ATT where "unlimited" is actually 5gb and then they throttle you, Verizon never throttles and never caps. I've literally used over 400gb one month (built a desktop computer and had to redownload my 100+ Steam game library) and I was still at 25-30mbs speed at the end of the month.

Verizon unlimited is worth more than it's weight in gold for those that actually use it.

But it's true, if you are the average person (and definitely if you don't game) and use less than 2gb, no reason not to jump ship. Paying full price on phones to keep unlimited is stupid if you are using that little of data.

Just make sure to sell your lines before you go. People pay between $300 and $2k and personally I would pay on the high end. Mobile hotspotting 2 tablets, a laptop, a desktop, and my bro-in-law's ATT iphone that doesn't get good signal when he visits is priceless :D
 
Verizon unlimited is exactly that: unlimited. Unlike ATT where "unlimited" is actually 5gb and then they throttle you, Verizon never throttles and never caps. I've literally used over 400gb one month (built a desktop computer and had to redownload my 100+ Steam game library) and I was still at 25-30mbs speed at the end of the month.

Verizon unlimited is worth more than it's weight in gold for those that actually use it.

But it's true, if you are the average person (and definitely if you don't game) and use less than 2gb, no reason not to jump ship. Paying full price on phones to keep unlimited is stupid if you are using that little of data.

Just make sure to sell your lines before you go. People pay between $300 and $2k and personally I would pay on the high end. Mobile hotspotting 2 tablets, a laptop, a desktop, and my bro-in-law's ATT iphone that doesn't get good signal when he visits is priceless :D

I had no idea it was true unlimited data. That makes all the difference.
 
In preparation of purchasing the next iPhone with subsidized pricing ( lose my unlimited data plan ) I started to use my iPhone 4 without wifi for the past 3 months. So far the most data used is less than 1 mb. Not many people will go over 2 mb in data usage per month.

If I used my wifi at home and at work, it would be virtually impossible to go over 1mb.

I think most people that "hang on" to the unlimited plan is for security purposes. The just in case crowds that have the what if I do go over 2mb data per month...
 
Just make sure you will get a good connection where you will use it.

I have Uverse and would get a good discount with ATT cell phone, but there phone will not work where I live, the tower is not that close. I have Verizon..
 
I switched from VZW to AT&T about a year ago. It wasn't that I was unhappy with VZW, but the plan I was on was pretty expensive, and my employer got a better discount with AT&T. While the call quality with VZW was great, the data was inconsistent at times, especially when I was at work.

I temporarily switched to Straight Talk for a couple months, and when the iPhone 5 was released, I jumped to AT&T. I haven't had any issues, and I'm paying less per month (especially since I put my mom on my plan).
 
I don't understand how they are making hard for you to upgrade. You don't want to lose unlimited data, so you will threaten to leave and lose unlimited data?:confused:
 
You know you can't get unlimited data on AT&T right? And if you don't need unlimited Data why are you paying extra to keep it on Verizon? Basically it seems to me like all US carriers suck at customer service, Verizon tends to have a bit better network, but that will vary from place to place, so if you don't need unlimited data and AT&T gets better service where you are go ahead and switch.
 
Voice and Data Simultaneously

Thought about going from AT&T to Verizon with the iPhone 5, but the lack of simultaneous data and voice stopped me. AT&T coverage is great in my area, but spotty in an area we frequent several times a year. I do think Verizon has better coverage overall, but it is all dependent on where you principally use your phone. My experiences with AT&T service have been positive, for the most part. I have been with AT&T and its predecessors since the mid-to-late 80’s.
 
GSM > CDMA

The freedom to switch devices on the fly without having to have a device activated is priceless. I buy unlocked devices and all I do is slip my AT&T SIM in and I'm done. Besides iPhone Verizon is always late to the party as far as new cutting edge devices. Also, Verizon/Sprint customers are always left out of the latest and greatest unlocked GSM phones. I will never be a customer of any CDMA provider, ever.
 
Verizon unlimited is exactly that: unlimited. Unlike ATT where "unlimited" is actually 5gb and then they throttle you, Verizon never throttles and never caps. I've literally used over 400gb one month (built a desktop computer and had to redownload my 100+ Steam game library) and I was still at 25-30mbs speed at the end of the month.

Verizon unlimited is worth more than it's weight in gold for those that actually use it.

But it's true, if you are the average person (and definitely if you don't game) and use less than 2gb, no reason not to jump ship. Paying full price on phones to keep unlimited is stupid if you are using that little of data.

Just make sure to sell your lines before you go. People pay between $300 and $2k and personally I would pay on the high end. Mobile hotspotting 2 tablets, a laptop, a desktop, and my bro-in-law's ATT iphone that doesn't get good signal when he visits is priceless :D

I have both verizon unlimited lte and att lte. Verizon forces users off unlimited data cause of FCC agreement they have with the block c 700 agreement where they can't restrict usage.

But verizon has been quietly employing "network management" by limited all users speed to 5-12mpbs these days.

It's a very sneaky way of them to curb unlimited data users. They just employ the communist model and slow their entire network down for everyone.
 
I don't understand how they are making hard for you to upgrade. You don't want to lose unlimited data, so you will threaten to leave and lose unlimited data?:confused:

Basically I have no option of upgrading at a discounted price and I want to be able to upgrade at subsidized pricing again instead of paying full retail for all 3 of my lines. The unlimited data is great but not a necessity for me. If i am going to be moving to a shared data plan it would be cheaper for me to use At&t because of my corporate discount, thats why I am looking to find out what the experience has been for former Verizon customers who went to At&t.
 
Verizon has better coverage overall. But IMO, every other aspect of being an AT&T customer is better. Cheaper. Simultaneous voice/data. Faster data speeds. Et cetera.
 
Basically I have no option of upgrading at a discounted price and I want to be able to upgrade at subsidized pricing again instead of paying full retail for all 3 of my lines. The unlimited data is great but not a necessity for me. If i am going to be moving to a shared data plan it would be cheaper for me to use At&t because of my corporate discount, thats why I am looking to find out what the experience has been for former Verizon customers who went to At&t.

Gbuc, you started the post by saying you paid full retail to preserve unlimited data and now you're saying its not a necessity for you. Why don't you just sell your existing phone(s) and make up some of the difference? Usually customers are fed up with getting screwed over by overages or bad service as a reason to jump.
 
I have both verizon unlimited lte and att lte. Verizon forces users off unlimited data cause of FCC agreement they have with the block c 700 agreement where they can't restrict usage.

But verizon has been quietly employing "network management" by limited all users speed to 5-12mpbs these days.

It's a very sneaky way of them to curb unlimited data users. They just employ the communist model and slow their entire network down for everyone.

Do you have links about this? I'd like to take a look.
 
Uhh... you can switch SIMs on the newer VZW devices (LTE) just like this. Very simple.

Those SIM cards are so we can use GSM abroad... Last I checked you still have to get new phones activated in store. You can use a Verizon phone in the US without that SIM card as long as it's activated.
 
Thinking about leaving Verizon for At&t

I have a 4S and I have pretty decent 3G. I used a bout 10 gigs a month. For this reason alone I will never give up my unlimited data, plus I have phenomenal coverage. I don't know what a dropped call is. I don't know what it's like not to have no data. I drive 140 miles a day in super rural areas and I always have good 3G. Good enough to steam I heart radio or YouTube radio broadcast. I have no problem buying a phone at full price or even a used one just so I could keep my unlimited data. I really love Verizon.

But if you don't use a lot of data and don't see that changing in the future then switch to something cheaper.

Verizon unlimited data plan is perfect for me. They also offer a payment plan for new devices and you get to keep your unlimited data plan. Win, win.

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Those SIM cards are so we can use GSM abroad... Last I checked you still have to get new phones activated in store. You can use a Verizon phone in the US without that SIM card as long as it's activated.

Nope. All verizon 4G LTE phone have to have a sim to operate. You also have to use the sim number to activate the phone.

3G phone do not require a sim to operate on Verizon's network in the US

To swap LTE phones you just have to insert the sim and reboot.
 
Those SIM cards are so we can use GSM abroad... Last I checked you still have to get new phones activated in store. You can use a Verizon phone in the US without that SIM card as long as it's activated.

That is not correct. I have switched from a VZW iPhone5 to a VZW GS4. All you need to do is a SIM swap.
 
Uhh... you can switch SIMs on the newer VZW devices (LTE) just like this. Very simple.

wrong! Until Verizon goes VOLTE completely and dumps CDMA for voice you still have to get a phone activated. I'll keep it simple: Current Verizon devices have----LTE for Data CDMA for voice calls.

You also can't put a current Verizon LTE SIM on an unlocked GSM device, it just wont work.

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That is not correct. I have switched from a VZW iPhone5 to a VZW GS4. All you need to do is a SIM swap.

That's because you're still on devices that are on same network so it will work. Now try putting that same Verizon SIM on an unsupported unlocked GSM device and see how well that goes. GSM FTW
 
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wrong! Until Verizon goes VOLTE completely and dumps CDMA for voice you still have to get a phone activated. I'll keep it simple: Current Verizon devices have----LTE for Data CDMA for voice calls.

You also can't put a current Verizon LTE SIM on an unlocked GSM device, it just wont work.

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That's because you're still on devices that are on same network so it will work. Now try putting that same Verizon SIM on an unsupported unlocked GSM device and see how well that goes. GSM FTW

uhhh...

I don't know why you're arguing for no reason at all. You don't need to get the phone activated anymore. When LTE went up, VZW switched to a SIM authentication system. If I get a VZW One, all I have to do is take my SIM from a VZW GS4 and put it into the One. It will work. Sprint, on the other hand, didn't swap to this system. You still have to get it activated at the store.

I said that newer LTE VZW phones can be swapped just like GSM phones by swapping their SIM cards between. I never once said you swap them out with regular GSM devices. Common sense would dictate that you only can swap between VZW LTE devices (of which there are numerous)
 
Nope. All verizon 4G LTE phone have to have a sim to operate. You also have to use the sim number to activate the phone.

3G phone do not require a sim to operate on Verizon's network in the US

To swap LTE phones you just have to insert the sim and reboot.

I stand corrected. I was just recalling the world 3G VZW phones that had SIM cards that you didn't need to have in while in the US.
 
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