Verizon forcing shared plans if you want subsidized iphone 5

[tigress666]

According to this article (and he claims he talked to a Verizon rep), if you want an iphone 5 at a subsidized price, you will have to either get a shared plan if you are a new client or change your plan to a shared plan if you are a returning customer.

http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-att-verizon-iphone-5-20120913,0,7508999.story

If true... I gotta say I much prefer AT&T's method of offering stuff you didn't get before if you change to the new plan (no facetime over 3G which we didn't have before so it's not like I lost anything) over Verizon's method that means you don't get a cheaper iphone unless you sign a contract for their new data plan.

I guess not a big deal if the shared data plans work for you, but for people like me who don't talk on the phone much, just use imessage for texting, but use a lot of data (and only have one device to put on), it really really is a sucky option. And makes me extra glad I'm on AT&T who will (hopefully) let me grandfather my unlimited and at worse make me go on a 3GB plan which is still far better for my situation than the shared data plans (Where me and my roommate would pay 30 dollars more to share 1 GB of data for both of us rather than have 3 GBs each).

 

[baypharm]

Yep this is kinda old news but I will pay full price to keep my unlimited plan which Verizon says it will allow me to do.

 

[CheesyTators]

According to this article (and he claims he talked to a Verizon rep), if you want an iphone 5 at a subsidized price, you will have to either get a shared plan if you are a new client or change your plan to a shared plan if you are a returning customer.

There is an exception....You can add a line to an existing unlimited data family plan and get the subsidized price if you currently have a grandfathered family plan that has the unlimited data.

After activation you can then put the new iPhone on your main line and an old dumb phone on the former iPhone line. This is $163 cheaper than buying the iPhone at full retail price over the course of 2 years in my state.

$212 with tax for the iPhone 16GB + $13/mo (taxes included for my area) for 24 months of service on the line with a dumb phone = $524. A full price iPhone is $649 + 6% tax here in Michigan. Savings of nearly $163 in my situation.

 

[DDustiNN]

When I called yesterday, I was only told that I'd have to lose my unlimited data and switch to either one of the individual plans (2 GB, 5 GB, etc) per line, or get a shared data plan.

 

[tigress666]

Yep this is kinda old news but I will pay full price to keep my unlimited plan which Verizon says it will allow me to do.

It's old news to keep unlimited that you have to do this. It's not so old news that you have to go to their new shared plans (Which are a lot more expensive for some than the non-shared plans).

At least I know people keep claiming you can pick the old style plans, you just have to search their website more to get those plans. I'm just wondering if they are going to get that heavy handed as to flat out not offer the old style plans (not unlimited, but even the tiered ones) period, even if you had one before, if you want the subsidized price.

 

[DDustiNN]

There is an exception....You can add a line to an existing unlimited data family plan and get the subsidized price if you currently have a family plan that is on the unlimited data.

After activation you can then put the new iPhone on your main line and an old dumb phone on the former iPhone line. This is $163 cheaper than buying the iPhone at full retail price over the course of 2 years in my state.

$212 with tax for the iPhone 16GB + $13/mo (taxes included for my area) for 24 months of service on the line with a dumb phone = $524. A full price iPhone is $649 + 6% tax here in Michigan. Savings of nearly $163 in my situation.

Or you could add a line, get the new phone and activate it, then switch it to your old number, cancel the new line and pay the $350 early termination fee.

 

[tigress666]

When I called yesterday, I was only told that I'd have to lose my unlimited data and switch to either one of the individual plans (2 GB, 5 GB, etc) per line, or get a shared data plan.

Hrm, I think in some other thread I brought this up some one also said they were told they could get an individual plan.

Sounds like maybe the rep the journalist talked to may not know what he's talking about (or maybe he's the only one who does ).

I'm sure by tomorrow we'll know cause if they force everyone on the shared data plans, I'm sure some people are going to be upset and voicing it here.

 

[CheesyTators]

Or you could add a line, get the new phone and activate it, then switch it to your old number, cancel the new line and pay the $350 early termination fee.

Indeed....another choice

 

[tardman91]

I was thinking of giving my wife my 4S, selling her 4, and getting myself a 5 at full price so we can both keep our unlimited data. Then my wife mentioned that she was thinking about, which means I'm definitely going to do it!

 

[DMVillain]

I went to vzw.com yesterday to sample the upgrading process before I preorder and the option I was given was basically no more unlimited, so choose a share plan or get 2GB, 4GB, 6GB, etc.

 

[taedouni]

They will only try to force you into a shared plan if you have an unlimited plan. If you have an individual plan or a regular family plan, then don't worry about it.