Verizon Introduces New Monthly Service Plans, Eliminating Smartphone Subsidies for New Customers

[4jasontv]

Why on earth would I spend my time digging up my sources again to provide to you when you didn't do the same?

You don't have them?

You can find them just as easily as I did, if you're interested in knowing the truth.

Clearly not, if I am asking for them.

Look, it's obvious that you and I don't agree on this issue, and that's fine. It's also obvious to me that I am right. If you feel the same that's your prerogative. But there's no need in our going back and forth about it anymore.

I don't care if you believe me, but I don't like the idea that someone is spreading false information.

And do yourself a favor. Perform a web search on Wyoming topography, and take a look. It's not flat. It's not Colorado or Nepal, but it's not flat, either.

I'll do one better. I will look about. Yup. Flat. Well maybe i'm being unfair. There is after all the curvature of the earth, and rocks laying on the ground. So no, technically, Wyoming isn't flat. But to be fair, here is a topographical map, and here is a census map. There is a lot of land in Wyoming that isn't flat, and no one lives there. Probably because it's mostly national park.

 

[AJsAWiz]

That's why there's the financing option, which gets the phone into people's hands for even less up front than the subsidized/contract option.

Hmm, let's see . . . subsidized pricing or pay full price in installments. Not a hard decision for me, I'd just pass on the full price option.

I realize that somewhere down the road other carriers may jump on the no contract / no subsidized pricing bandwagon . . . but for now Verizon isn't the only Horse and Pony Show in town.

 

[C DM]

Hmm, let's see . . . subsidized pricing or pay full price in installments. Not a hard decision for me, I'd just pass on the full price option.

I realize that somewhere down the road other carriers may jump on the no contract / no subsidized pricing bandwagon . . . but for now Verizon isn't the only Horse and Pony Show in town.

You are still paying the full price of the phone through subsidized pricing, it's just not broken down separately for you and is simply part of your plan/line pricing.

 

[driceman]

I pay $140 for 5 lines on T-Mobile and each line has 10 GB. EACH. Thanks T-Mobile

As a T-Mobile employee, glad to hear you're liking the plan. In other news, my manager priced out how much it would cost for 40 GB of data for four lines on Verizon (the same plan as this commenter mentioned, but for four lines instead of five)- before these updates, it was north of $300.

 

[dampfnudel]

Hmm, let's see . . . subsidized pricing or pay full price in installments. Not a hard decision for me, I'd just pass on the full price option.

I realize that somewhere down the road other carriers may jump on the no contract / no subsidized pricing bandwagon . . . but for now Verizon isn't the only Horse and Pony Show in town.

That "somewhere down the road" is probably getting close. By this time next year, if not sooner.

 

[Tnnisace]

I switched from AT&T to T-Mobile last year and while I agree T-Mobile is a bargain, you get what you pay for. While the coverage is decent where I live (Silicon Valley), indoor coverage is often lacking and rural coverage (e.g., weekend road trips) is often horrible. And their billing system is really third class. Out of about 16 months I have been on T-Mobile, at least half had billing errors.

I strongly suspect that when and if T-Mobile catches up to competitor in terms of coverage, you will be paying substantially more (at least for new customers).

Having said all that, T-Mobile is single handedly responsible for driving down prices (or sweetening the deals) of competitors.

Boy you aren't kidding about their billing at TMobile being messed up. I switched 7 months ago and have yet to see a consistent bill. They told me I get a discount bc of my job. I also have yet to see that kick in. It's pathetic. I wish I didn't switch from Verizon. Biggest nightmare and regret.

 

[nburwell]

Boy you aren't kidding about their billing at TMobile being messed up. I switched 7 months ago and have yet to see a consistent bill. They told me I get a discount bc of my job. I also have yet to see that kick in. It's pathetic. I wish I didn't switch from Verizon. Biggest nightmare and regret.

As tempting as T-Mobile has been, I still refuse to leave AT&T. I have yet to encounter any coverage issues, and I don't have to worry about any "surprises" on my bill each month. I'd probably eventually lose it with T-Mobile if I was on the phone with their billing department every month about mistakes they made on my bill.

 

[Tnnisace]

As tempting as T-Mobile has been, I still refuse to leave AT&T. I have yet to encounter any coverage issues, and I don't have to worry about any "surprises" on my bill each month. I'd probably eventually lose it with T-Mobile if I was on the phone with their billing department every month about mistakes they made on my bill.

Oh yes. I have lost it with them. I am at the point where I am trying to pay my phone down enough that I can just pay it off and then since there is no contract, leave.

 

[ggibson913]

Just ran the numbers, and this would actually cost my group (family) $5.00 MORE per month. Jesus they're proud of their network....

After the phones are paid for though, we'd be saving about $75 per month. That's one of the reasons I switched to Verizon; AT&T wouldn't lower my bill after the phone subsidy had been paid off (24 months).

They have done so or quite some time now. It was the reason I left Verizon wireless, AT&T not only allowed me to use my Verizon Phone, they charge $15 per month access and $100 for data 15GB

 

[C DM]

They have done so or quite some time now. It was the reason I left Verizon wireless, AT&T not only allowed me to use my Verizon Phone, they charge $15 per month access and $100 for data 15GB

Verizon has been offering that on their current More Everything plans as well.

 

[31 Flavas]

That "somewhere down the road" is probably getting close. By this time next year, if not sooner.

Or right around the corner. News out of the Sub-reddit for Sprint is they're killing 2 year contracts, too. Sprint customer service, itself, as well as the website, will still (for the moment) allow 2-year contracts. But the individual stores or authorized resellers can't.

Source: Sprint Sub-reddit

 

[sbailey4]

So you are instant that for your 2-year service commitment you are getting an unadulterated $450 signing bonus -- that isn't recovered or charged back to you surreptitiously.

To make be believe that; You will then need to explain to me why 2-year contract holders are the only post-paid customers that do not get a $15 or $25 discount on their monthly service depending on the amount of data they choose.

Buy your phone outright for full price? Discount. AT&T Next? Discount. Bring your own phone? Discount. It's almost as if customers who were given a $450 subsidy are being charged a hidden fee to reclaim that amount over a two year period.

Yep. Until now (well past year or so) Verizon would drop the line access by $10 when your contract was up. So definitely the access fee was partially paying the remainder of the cost of the phone. They didn't used to even do that and you paid the monthly fee the same even when contract was over. I had a 4s purchased in 2011 and I kept for 3 yrs. Only a month or so before the iP6 came out they sent the letter to get the $10 off monthly fee as long as I didn't get new device. I got the $10 off for a couple months for me then another $10 off for 1 month for wife before we bought the iP6.

 

[C DM]

Yep. Until now (well past year or so) Verizon would drop the line access by $10 when your contract was up. So definitely the access fee was partially paying the remainder of the cost of the phone. They didn't used to even do that and you paid the monthly fee the same even when contract was over. I had a 4s purchased in 2011 and I kept for 3 yrs. Only a month or so before the iP6 came out they sent the letter to get the $10 off monthly fee as long as I didn't get new device. I got the $10 off for a couple months for me then another $10 off for 1 month for wife before we bought the iP6.

Normally it should be $15/month off for those on plans below 6 GB (or used to be 10 GB) and $25/month off for those on plans 6 GB and above (or 10 GB and above sometime earlier). The $10/month credit might have been something else--I actually had that on a couple of lines at one point for 12 months for basically extending their contract by 1 year.

 

[sbailey4]

"Existing customers will be able to move to the plans or retain their existing plans, with some restrictions that have yet to be detailed."

Curious about these "restrictions".

I am betting that existing customers will be able to move to the new data plans but will have to continue to pay the $40 per device access fee until the contract is fulfilled. Then pay the $20 afterwards in yr 3.

 

[sbailey4]

Normally it should be $15/month off for those on plans below 6 GB (or used to be 10 GB) and $25/month off for those on plans 6 GB and above (or 10 GB and above sometime earlier). The $10/month credit might have been something else--I actually had that on a couple of lines at one point for 12 months for basically extending their contract by 1 year.

The $10 was off the access fee to offset the subsidy we were paying in the monthly fees after the 2yr contract was over. We didn't have to renew for any period of time so could have received the $10 off as long as we remained customers and didn't purchase new devices. So instead of $40 per device we paid $30 until we re-upped contracts then it went back the to the $40 per device. The data fees never changed.

 

[C DM]

The $10 was off the access fee to offset the subsidy we were paying in the monthly fees after the 2yr contract was over. We didn't have to renew for any period of time so could have received the $10 off as long as we remained customers and didn't purchase new devices. So instead of $40 per device we paid $30 until we re-upped contracts then it went back the to the $40 per device. The data fees never changed.

Was this on an older plan of some sort (not basically one of the current More Everything plans)?

 

[ItzJordan]

Isn't there unlimited 4G LTE mobile data plans in America?? Here in Australia it's around $150 AU or more for 25GB and that's only the data price.

 

[roland.g]

To many people, that look at the NEXT/EDGE plans, get stuck on looking at the cost of the phone, when they should be looking at how much money they get from the carrier, in the form of discounts. When you pay $399 for the phone(and lock into a 2-year contract), you are receiving a one time $450 discount from the carrier, over the next 2yrs.

With the NEXT/EDGE plans, instead of the one time $450 in discounts, you receive $15/$25* in discounts every month, even beyond the 2 years. $25 x 24 months = $600 in savings vs the $450 in savings that the subsidized route saved you. Also, each month you go beyond the 24, without replacing your phone, you're saving that $25 still.

Now,if you're only at $15/month savings, it's not as good over 24 months, as the subsidized option ($15 x 24 months = $360), but that changes if you keep your phone for at least 30 months. Plus, those NEXT/EDGE plans have the benefit of $0 upfront cost (you only pay for tax on the phone, at time of purchase).

The only people who still benefit from subsidized plans, are those who are hanging on to grandfathered plans that are not eligible for the $15/$25 per month savings.


*amount depends on how much data you share. You save $25/month, with AT&T sharing 10GB+ , and with VZW sharing 6GB+. You only save $15/mth when you share less than those amounts with each carrier.

I have always upgraded every 2 years and been able to sell my old phone for a very high recoup, paying for my phone or close to it. And I looked last fall at the Next plans when I went iPhone 5 to iPhone 6 Plus, and based on everything I saw my savings on my monthly bill was $10 per month. But I would then pay $35-40 for my phone each month. I think it was like $32.50 or $37.50 or something like that. Which meant that I would be paying approx. $25 more per month. That came to $600 over two years give or take a few $$. vs paying $399 for my phone. I saved around $200. I'd have to go back to it to be spot on but I believe that was correct. $850 for the phone less $240 in savings for a cost of $610. Now my subsidized phone was $440 plus tax (but there is tax either way). So maybe the savings is $170 or so. But that was just my case.

 

[ggibson913]

Verizon has been offering that on their current More Everything plans as well.

Yes but unlike ATT, when your phone was paid off, your monthly access price jumped back up to $40 per month on Verizon.

 

[BornAgainMac]

I am planning to switch to Verizon now. I have T-Mobile unlimited plan but my coverage has been terrible.

 

[C DM]

Yes but unlike ATT, when your phone was paid off, your monthly access price jumped back up to $40 per month on Verizon.

Not sure what you mean. You get the discount if you are on Edge or if you are using your own equipment--basically you would only pay $40 if you are in contract, otherwise you get a discount.

 

[sbailey4]

Was this on an older plan of some sort (not basically one of the current More Everything plans)?

No, its the current More Everything plan. 3 devices $40 each access and shared data for the family as a separate line item. (2 yr contract not edge) But once my contract was up on my device I got a message that they are giving me a $10 credit until I renew or purchase a new device. Then same thing when wife's contract was up. Unfortunately it was short lived cause we both bought iP6's shortly after and BAM back to $40 ea. Man I miss that extra $20 but love the iP6

 

[sbailey4]

Here is a great summation of how this will work and explain further to those thinking the subsidized is cheaper. Because VZW didn't cut the monthly access fee after the contract was fulfilled, you kept paying an inflated access fee (subsidy) even after the 2 yrs was up. Now that's not the case as the monthly access fee is less and you pay for phone separately until its paid off. (interestingly enough the example here is ME!) Well not counting my other 2 devices for family members. We also have the 2gb free deal for (2) iP6 purchases so I only pay for the 2gb as in the example.

http://wfla.com/2015/08/12/how-to-save-on-verizons-new-no-contract-plans/

 

[C DM]

No, its the current More Everything plan. 3 devices $40 each access and shared data for the family as a separate line item. (2 yr contract not edge) But once my contract was up on my device I got a message that they are giving me a $10 credit until I renew or purchase a new device. Then same thing when wife's contract was up. Unfortunately it was short lived cause we both bought iP6's shortly after and BAM back to $40 ea. Man I miss that extra $20 but love the iP6

Odd, on the current plans you should have been getting either $15 off or $25 off (depending on your data allowance) once you were off contract. You still had to request that month-to-month discount, but it would have been either $15 or $25 off for each such line not on contract.

 

[sbailey4]

Odd, on the current plans you should have been getting either $15 off or $25 off (depending on your data allowance) once you were off contract. You still had to request that month-to-month discount, but it would have been either $15 or $25 off for each such line not on contract.

Well just came back here to post. I went into myVerizon to see when my sons phone was finished (knew it was soon but thinking Sept) anyway it has just completed within the past few days. In "manage my products and apps" there was a message to ask for the discount so I did and it stated $15 would be applied. The initial screen stated $10 or more. Anyway to be clear, when I did it the first time, it was in mid 2014 then again in Aug 2014 for wife and it was only $10. Not sure when that changed. Where did you get the $15 or $25 information from? Wondering if I will get the other $5 off starting tomorrow when the plans change?

[Edit] I probably screwed myself out of $5 a month as it says "Discount requires More everything plan and is not compatible with any other plan discount". I didn't click the "get discount" button but clicked the learn more and it auto applied it. Tomorrow should be interesting to see what really happens to existing customers.