Verizon Set to Switch to Tiered Data Pricing?

[optophobia]

Grandfather Schmanfather. I bet ATT will drop Unlimited completely by the time iPhone 5 rolls out.

doubtful, since people on the unlimited plan will be able to cancel their contracts without paying the ETF if AT&T force them to drop the unlimited, since it will be a change in service.
They more than likely will not grandfather in unlimited to iPhone 5 but if you keep an iPhone 4 you should get unlimited for 2 years from july 2010

 

[dolphin842]

$25 for 2GB...? That's what we pay for 10GB + unlimited with reduced speed in Sweden.

Can you provide any insight as to why the packages are so much more consumer-friendly in your country? I've always assumed it was some mix of increased competition/regulation and geography, but I've always wanted to hear the perspective of people who actually live in places with decent data plans.

 

[kepner]

There isn't going to be a Verizon iPhone... Not next week, not next month, not next year.

I'm pretty sure there already are Verizon iPhones, but only Apple has seen them. I think a Verizon iPhone is inevitable.

 

[john0879]

I actually prefer the tiered pricing model and wish it would come to land lines as well as wireless.

Think about it, I want the fastest connection possible so that when I get that 600MB update it only takes a few seconds, but I don't download movies 24/7. I should only pay for what I use, and shouldn't be regualted to slow speeds because I don't want to pay for the fast speed for the one time every few months I need it.

Paying for the bandwidth you use is really the only fair solution. As is, we users that don't use much bandwidth but want the fast speed are subsidising everyone that is pirating music or videos.

Same with the phone. I use the iPhone for email only, and it's pretty low bandwidth. Why should my rate be higher to subsidise all the people surfing the net on thier phone.

I totally agree. I'd love a faster connection at home, but they cost too much. I don't use it enough to justify the cost, but the speed would be nice when I have a large download.

As for the iPhone, I use a fair amount of data. I don't need the unlimited plan, but I use more than 200MB. I could probably drop to the 2GB plan. The $5 savings just doesn't seem worth it though. I'd rather have additional tiers that added a little more value. There is a large gap between 200MB and 2GB.

 

[jam3andy]

Good riddance

AT&T sux. I'm gettting a verizon iphone as soon as they come out.

 

[Papajohn56]

HAHAHA Let's hear it Verizon Fanboy's.

Let's hear how this is better than AT&T.

It isn't, it sucks. Why are you sucking up to AT&T? This is bad for everyone. Though if I had to choose, I'd still pick verizon for network availability and reliability.

 

[cmwade77]

This is why I like T-Mobile, while the 3G may be SLIGHTLY slower than AT&T, they offer unlimited data that is truly unlimited, they will even help you setup your phone for tethering if you ask them to. They will also unlock your phone if you have had it for a certain amount of time and your account is in good standing.

I also think that we will see Metro PCS, Cricket Wireless and Boost Mobile that all offer unlimited everything plans for about $50 a month, including taxes come out on top eventually.

 

[iBookG4user]

This switch to tiered plans would make me lose all interest in switching to Verizon.

 

[Packersfan27]

If this is even true, they will grandfather current users right?

 

[NoExpectations]

It isn't, it sucks. Why are you sucking up to AT&T? This is bad for everyone. Though if I had to choose, I'd still pick verizon for network availability and reliability.

AT&T is faster and more reliable where I am at....plus I can't do without concurrent voice/data.

I really think that T-Mobile is next....they already support GSM.

Verizon needs to build out it's 4G-LTE fast. Apple will not create a CDMA iPhone....they don't have too. Even Steve Jobs said on his 2007 Keynote speech that they are on the 3G bandwagon.

Sprint is just backwards. Even they are talking about installing 4G-LTE concurrently with Clearwire 4G (expensive!).

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

Switching from AT&T to Sprint has saved me a boatload. My Unlimted Data/Text and 450 minutes with 4G is on $50 bucks a month after my corp. discount.

 

[phobic99]

hahaha hilarious news!

Verizon fanboys, where is your God now?

Why people need to be fanboys for cell phone providers, I'll never know. What I do know is that it's nice having nearly full 3G coverage on my Droid X while my iPad 3G on AT&T is scanning for a signal.


Really though, Verizon said they were doing tiered data plans quite a while ago. No one should really be surprised by this as AT&T and Verizon always follow each other on how they price things.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/27/verizon-looking-at-non-unlimited-plans-for-4g-data-will-use-lte/

Hilarious indeed.

 

[skellener]

Yeah, there's no collusion between carriers...right.

 

[Scooterman1]

Hooray for Sprint!

 

[LoganT]

I just don't understand why we can't have 5 GBS a month for 30 bucks. I mean we have 2 GBS a month for 20, for 10 dollars I'm sure they could toss in a few more GB's.

 

[bawbag]

$25 for 2GB...? That's what we pay for 10GB + unlimited with reduced speed in Sweden.

I think that's a great model and really the only way at the moment that carriers can continue to offer plans that are actually 'unlimited'

 

[kirk26]

People use CDMA? Ewww. I need a phone that has a SIM card thank you very much.

 

[jjahshik32]

This is why I like T-Mobile, while the 3G may be SLIGHTLY slower than AT&T, they offer unlimited data that is truly unlimited, they will even help you setup your phone for tethering if you ask them to. They will also unlock your phone if you have had it for a certain amount of time and your account is in good standing.

I also think that we will see Metro PCS, Cricket Wireless and Boost Mobile that all offer unlimited everything plans for about $50 a month, including taxes come out on top eventually.

I guess 3G speeds depends on where you live for T-mobile. Here in Texas, Tmobile's just rolled out HSPA + just a month ago and its way faster than AT&T's 3G service.

I'm constantly getting 6Mbps download and 1.8Mbps upload with T-mobile's HSPA +. I can just tehter to my macbook pro or any of my notebooks all at once and it feels like I'm using broadband speeds! Well the lowest offered from comcast I suppose from a few years back was 6Mbps down lol.

What amazes me even more is that T-mobile's HSPA + is fast as clear service's 4G speeds! My father has clear at his business and I've tested both out and the T-mobile's HSPA speed is on par with the 4G speed. Now thats impressive.

Another piece of mind for me if my internet connection would die for any number of reasons in my area, I have an alternative backup to use a 6Mbps down tethering at home (which happens rarely, for example from hurricanes or flooding).

 

[bigjnyc]

So what MEANS to write is "Data caps will kill innovation for cheap people.

Well, too bad for them. They're not everyone, though.

well they are taking away the option of unlimited data altogether. so it is for everyone. it's not a matter of being cheap, its that the option is not even there.

 

[skellener]

AT&T sux. I'm gettting a verizon iphone as soon as they come out.

Expect to see the iPhone on all LTE carriers when the exclusivity contract expires. Apple is only going to do ONE iPhone just as it has continued to do. One "world" phone to rule them all. GSM was chosen as it is a "world" phone. One type of phone that works on GSM networks across the globe. It will be the same way with LTE. But this time, hopefully, all the carriers in the US will be working with it and then you will see iPhones available through all the carriers. Steve will make the announcement when it all happens. All the "leaked" info from "sources" at the carriers are full of B.S. Steve will make the announcement whenever it will happen. Count on it.

 

[jjahshik32]

Expect to see the iPhone on all LTE carriers when the exclusivity contract expires. Apple is only going to do ONE iPhone just as it has continued to do. One "world" phone to rule them all. GSM was chosen as it is a "world" phone. One type of phone that works on GSM networks across the globe. It will be the same way with LTE. But this time, hopefully, all the carriers in the US will be working with it and then you will see iPhones available through all the carriers. Steve will make the announcement when it all happens. All the "leaked" info from "sources" at the carriers are full of B.S. Steve will make the announcement whenever it will happen. Count on it.

I've always thought that AT&T and Verizon was a mirror match of each other anyways. Both are too expensive and similar data plans. Also, I dont care who has more coverage or not in the United States. Its not like I travel to each state or city every day or let alone every year! T-mobile FTW!!

 

[ugahairydawgs]

If you want to kill innovation, this is exactly how you do it.

Better yet....the manufacturers could find a better way to packet the data (like RIM does).

 

[AuburnApple]

The so-called Verizon "Fan boys" that people are now ridiculing in this thread aren't wanting a Verizon phone because they have better data plans, they want it because of the coverage. I'm not holding my breath for a Verizon phone and I have no major complaints with AT&T, but given the choice, I'd pick Verizon over ATT anyday and twice on Sunday.

 

[ericinboston]

iOS 4.x will likely chew away your data plan

As this topic is the same for ATT...now that iOS 4.x allows me to send the FULL QUALITY photo, I wonder how fast people will eat up their data plans. In the past, my iPhone 3GS would send 250KB pictures...now I have the ability to send the full 1000KB/1MB (which is nice)...

Although I am not a camera person, the people out there who do enjoy taking 100 photos a day and emailing them to friends will probably find themselves going over in data. Thankfully I am grandfathered into my unlimited data plan.

And now with the iPhone 4 and it's better camera, the full quality photos are more around 2.5MB per photo. I don't have the new phone so not sure what happens if someone tries to send a movie file...if the file is any larger or optional sizes compared to 3GS. A 9second video clip on my 3GS "compresses" down to 1.1MB when I email it...I would imagine the iPhone 4's video files (that are emailed) are probably 1.6-2.0MB per emailed video file for a 9second clip.

-Eric

 

[dolphin842]

This is why I like T-Mobile, while the 3G may be SLIGHTLY slower than AT&T, they offer unlimited data that is truly unlimited, they will even help you setup your phone for tethering if you ask them to. They will also unlock your phone if you have had it for a certain amount of time and your account is in good standing.

Not only that, but their family plan (3 feature phones + 1 iPhone w/ data) is a good $30-40/month cheaper than AT&T when you bring your own phones.