Verizon 4g to 3g....grandfathered unlimited?

[Srh12]

Hello, long time reader first time poster. Quick question about verizon's latest ****** policy, one that we all know quite well by now....the death of the unlimited data grandfathers.

Background:
Long story short, about a year ago I got really bored with the iphone and the lack of any major changes to the UI and the little screen (so much bezel...why??) So i owned a few androids, now I have a galaxy nexus and it just hit me...Im tired of owning a buggy phone that works 50% of the time, I want my iphone back. So im coming back home, adios google.

Now for the question:
I really really want to keep my unlimited data for as long as I can. I know that upgrading (my contract isnt up until Feb '13 anyway) will instantly void and override my current unlimited data. This means that I will be buying devices outright on ebay for quite some time. Im ok with that. But if I were to buy a used 4 or 4s, would this affect my current data plan since it would mean going from a 4g to 3g device? I know it isnt sold as a 3g or 4g data plan is it, its just a data plan? And if not, when the iphone 5 comes out with 4g capability, would I run into a similar problem again? I really think I'd be in the clear but I know verizon and that they'll try to catch me any way they can. Any info would be greatly appreciated! I am eager to ditch this plastic junk for something that is reliable once again.

 

[DollaTwentyFive]

I don't think they have taken away unlimited yet. If you are grandfathered and you change to another device, then you should be able to keep your unlimited data. Now if you were on limited 4G with your data doubled, you wouldn't be able to keep the double data.

Just make sure when you do the change online or have someone do it, the codes map over correctly to 3G unlimited. This is one of Verizon's tricks to get you on limited data. When you switch from 3G to 4G or vice-versa , the default data plan will pop over to a limited one It can be changed to unlimited if you are grandfathered But, If the customer is not paying attention, Verizon can get you capped.

 

[Srh12]

Ok, so I was planning on doing the activation in-store and I think I will do that based on your tidbit. I typically just do it online, but I will be sure to make it clear that I know of their games and that I only want to activate the device on my exact existing contract, only 3g.

Excellent... now I only hope that they dont find some loophole when I try to do the same in reverse, when I want to go back on to 4g, when I get a newer used iphone w/4g in a year or so.

Time to start ebaying and researching my jailbreak options. Thanks

 

[macMD]

I went from a 4G phone down to a 3G iPhone and still kept my unlimited data so that will not be an issue. Of course I know full well that to get the next iphone which will be 64GB model I am NOT paying $849+tax so I will lose my unlimited data then or depending on how the family plan looks I may move to it sooner.

I don't use more than 2GB a month on my phone now, have (2) MiFi's (one will become a an iPad 3 with LTE) so in the end it could balance out for me. One way or another Verizon will get you on the unlimited plan. Don't be surprised if the final fine print has something pertaining to family plans and anyone on that family plan upgrading their phone at a discount forcing the data issue. I would not put it past them given Fran Shamo's comments.

 

[kdarling]

Hello, long time reader first time poster. Quick question about verizon's latest ****** policy, one that we all know quite well by now....the death of the unlimited data grandfathers.

At least they allow grandfathering it if you bring your own device. They didn't have to do that.

A major cause is selling the iPhone at a low subsidized price. Wonder if Apple requires that?

In any event, carriers no longer wish to spend 20 months out of a 24 month contract paying themselves back from a low priced unlimited data plan for subsidizing the enormous profit that Apple is making, while taking hits on the stock market for doing so.

I hate it as much as anyone, since I've had unlimited data since way before Apple came along. But it's understandable why they have to do it. Perhaps what they need is to have a separate loan-to-buy-a-phone program with explicit monthly payments based on the device.

 

[dccorona]

At least they allow grandfathering it if you bring your own device. They didn't have to do that.

A major cause is selling the iPhone at a low subsidized price. Wonder if Apple requires that?

In any event, carriers no longer wish to spend 20 months out of a 24 month contract paying themselves back from a low priced unlimited data plan for subsidizing the enormous profit that Apple is making, while taking hits on the stock market for doing so.

I hate it as much as anyone, since I've had unlimited data since way before Apple came along. But it's understandable why they have to do it. Perhaps what they need is to have a separate loan-to-buy-a-phone program with explicit monthly payments based on the device.

my understanding is it doesn't have a thing to do with money. If it did, theres enough people out there willing to pay for unlimited data that they could increase the price. And they really aren't taking a hit financially from the data plans, because cost wise the data doesn't run them too terribly much.

The problem is that no matter how much money you have, you only get so much spectrum, you can only build out your network so fast, and the bandwidth you have can only support so much data throughput. People use too much data for the network capacity companies have. Wether or not this is their fault or just the nature of the game is up for debate, but the fact remains that they simply cannot support the growing number of users if they let them have unlimited data

 

[takeshi74]

my understanding is it doesn't have a thing to do with money.

What's that understanding based on? It's always about money. The carriers aren't nonprofits.

 

[Lara F]

If you switch back to 3G it would seem entirely possible for Verizon to block upgrading to LTE after the new plans come, even if you pay full price for the new iPhone. That has yet to be clarified afaik, but I'd be careful about taking that risk.

 

[b24pgg]

But if I were to buy a used 4 or 4s, would this affect my current data plan since it would mean going from a 4g to 3g device?

Yes.

You can upgrade from 3G to 4G and keep your unlimited data, but you cannot downgrade.

 

[DollaTwentyFive]

Yes.

You can upgrade from 3G to 4G and keep your unlimited data, but you cannot downgrade.

As of 6 days ago, it was possible to downgrade and keep grandfathered unlimited data, provided the person changing the ESN knows what they are doing. The OP is not buying a subsidized phone. This would be a Customer Provided Device.

 

[b24pgg]

As of 6 days ago, it was possible to downgrade and keep grandfathered unlimited data, provided the person changing the ESN knows what they are doing. The OP is not buying a subsidized phone. This would be a Customer Provided Device.

Hmm, I tried doing this a few weeks ago and was told it wasn't possible. Apparently the rep I talked to had no idea what she was talking about.

 

[DollaTwentyFive]

Hmm, I tried doing this a few weeks ago and was told it wasn't possible. Apparently the rep I talked to had no idea what she was talking about.

As I had mentioned in my first post on the thread, this is one of the ways Verizon tries to shoe-horn you into capped data. When you go from 4G to 3G, they have to deactivate your sim card and put the ESN of the 3G device on your account. In their systems, this will default you to a capped data plan. Now, if you are bringing your own device, and the rep knows what they are doing, they can go back in and select the proper codes to preserve unlimited data.

 

[Srh12]

This talk is now scaring me... I'll be very careful and explicit when I go to activate and downgrade. But its still possible to pull it off?

 

[techiegirl]

I upgraded from an iPhone to an LTE phone 10 days ago and was able to retain unlimited data. A week later I decided I'd rather have a 3G iPhone than an LTE android and downgraded back to 3G with no problems at all.

 

[Srh12]

I upgraded from an iPhone to an LTE phone 10 days ago and was able to retain unlimited data. A week later I decided I'd rather have a 3G iPhone than an LTE android and downgraded back to 3G with no problems at all.

That sums it up, exactly what I'm doing. Thank you so much!

 

[dccorona]

What's that understanding based on? It's always about money. The carriers aren't nonprofits.

what I meant was that the decision wasn't made because they thought it would increase profits, and it didn't have anything to do with the fact that they subsidize phones. In the grand scheme of things, subsidizing a phone doesn't affect them that much...if it did, I wouldn't be getting upgrades every year and a half (have a high enough bill and they'll let you upgrade pretty frequently...to ensure that high bill keeps coming in).

The point I was trying to make was they switched plans because they could not continue to sustain unlimited data, at least not without HUGE financial input on their part, and even then, the buildout would still take some time.

So yes, it was, in the end, about money. But it wasn't immediately about increasing profits, it was about halting their decreasing.

I guess what I meant was that it wasn't about money in the way the commenter I replied to suggested it was.