im not sure if people know this, but you do not have to switch to these shared plans. you can keep the plan you have, but if you have unlimited data you will have to pick a tiered plan. they are not forcing you to switch to these
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Verizon shared data
- Thread starter tl01
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For people with 1-2 lines and maybe 3 lines prepaid is the better option. Definitely 1 line only. Those people get ripped off by going post paid. They need to go prepaid.
The math gets very strange around the 4 line mark with postpaid vs prepaid. And also factor in discounts. I pay $175 a month (taxes included on AT&T) for 4 lines. 3 of them iPhone unlimited /throttled unlimited texts/700 minutes plus rollover and any mobile. I get a 24% discount.
So prepay doesn't make sense in my case when you factor in the phone subsidies.
But if it were just me and the wife. We would go straight talk and pay full price for phones.
I was just going to post this. If Verizon is making you buy a phone at full retail, why not check out another carrier? Between the two iPhones on my current plan we use close to 5GB per month combined. Since there is no 5GB option we are forced into the $80 6GB plan. Add in $80 for the two phone lines ($40+$40) and our bill is $160/month. Currently paying just over $120 for unlimited data on both lines. Verizon can $uck it!
The plans suck but they have the best LTE coverage... So I guess I'll go with them anyway in october.
I thought about this too. I thought "with my home wifi being 8Mbps and 4G being 30Mbps, I will probably forego my home wifi and just use 4G when the next iPhone comes out." (causing me to use a lot more data than previously).
Then the other day they had me come in and switch my modem and now my home internet is 20Mbps.
I really don't see me using any "more" data on 4G. I will still do the same things I do now, only they will be much FASTER. It's like going from a Honda Civic to a Corvette. Your drive to work doesn't change, you can just get there much faster
You do have the option to keep your unlimited data and not get on a shared plan. But even in your situation I can't see it costing you that much more.
Have you tracked what all 4 smartphones use in terms of data? I can't imagine if you're paying $30 per phone for either unlimited or limited data ($30x4= $120) that you won't save a bit on data. Even the 10GB plan is $100 (versus what I'm assuming is your current $120 data-portion of your bill). Except I can't see you even needing the 10GB if you said you're the heaviest user at ~3.5GB and the other 3 users don't use as much. You can probably get away with 8GB ($90) or maybe even 6GB ($80).
If the other smartphones on your lines are heavy data users, then yes, it will end up costing you more money. That's the whole point of this plan change. Reward those who don't use a lot of data by allowing them to share their data and for those who use the most data, have them pay for it. They're not dummies at Verizon.
What is it that you are doing on your phone to consume 3.x GB of data by yourself? Do you connect to wifi when available?
Not Verizon. that's for sure....
A similar plan on Verizon would cost about the same under the current pricing structure:
2 phones w/data current plan:
$90 -- primary line
$30 -- data for primary
$10 -- second line
$30 -- data for second line
--------------------------
$160
Your $120/month comparison is obviously not apples to apples
Some people got a Verizon promo a year/year and a half ago where Verizon discounted their $30 data plan by $20. So they are really paying only $10 for unlimited smartphone data. $69.99 (2 lines) plus $10 unlimited data per smartphone line ($20 total), plus $30 family text equals $120 a month.
LTE isn't that much better? ROFL
lol you enjoy your premium prices. I'm fine with 3G CDMA. Check the FCC is you think it's SO MUCH better.
Hmmm, I see.
But my point still stands. Especially if they are on a "promotional special" (promo). A promo is just that -- a special deal to promote something. Meaning it will, one day, be over (end). If it never ended, it wouldn't be called a "promotional special" it would just be the way it is.
So yes, for those who may have gotten $10/month unlimited data under a promo, it kinda sucks. But in reality they've been saving about $20/month for 12-18 months ($240-360). I'd say they got their money out of the "promo" and now it's over.
When I signed up for Cable TV they gave me 3 months of HBO, Showtime, and cinemax for free as a "promotional special". At the end of the 3 months, I didn't flip out because they were gone or because I would have had to pay X more for them. It was understood that it was a promo.
lol you enjoy your premium prices. I'm fine with 3G CDMA. Check the FCC is you think it's SO MUCH better.
What are you talking about premium prices?
Verizon doesn't distinguish between 3G and LTE. They are both just data.
I am thinking about dropping Verizon for Sprint to get unlimited Data for under $70/mo should I make the switch I am just outside of the Washington DC area so coverage is pretty even between all carriers.
Those who currently have unlimited data have access to unlimited 3G and unlimited LTE. Those who currently have tiered data have access to tiered 3G and tiered LTE. I'm still lost as to what you're saying.
As for taxes, could you provide me with some sort of "proof" (for lack of a better word)?
I am a little mixed up on the info for the shared data. I am just looking to get one smartphone on my family plan. I currently have the 550 shared plan and was thinking about adding a 2gb or 5gb data plan to my line but may just switch to ATT. After I searched I found this info with the new shared data plans which would be crazy expensive for me over my current plan.
So using this new plan it would cost me $120 for a smartphone w/ 1GB of Data and dumbphone that seems crazy overpriced???
So using this new plan it would cost me $120 for a smartphone w/ 1GB of Data and dumbphone that seems crazy overpriced???
They're really pushing people away from dumbphones. Note: you only save $10/month by being on a dumbphone.
Well right now I pay $59.99/mo if I add a 2GB data package to that I will add $30 so that will be $90 not $120 and thats double the data that I would get with the new "shared plan".
I have this on two lines. It's a Loyalty Dept plan, so I'm not sure if it's a "promo" in the true sense of the word. Unlike some others, mine does not have an expiration date.
We rarely use more than 2GB/line, so I'm more upset about the possibility of losing the price structure more than anything else. At the very least, I would hope that those of us on this plan would be able to get 4GB at the same price point. I doubt that'll happen though. I don't know what I'm going to do when it's time to upgrade again, but I will keep all of my options open.
I am on Verizon. Currently on a 700 minute shared plan. Both lines paying $5 for 250 text, both lines paying $30 for unlimited data.
All my friends, family, and co-workers are on Verizon and most have iPhones. Out of those 700 minutes my wife and I have used a total of 12 minutes to call someone not on Verizon mobile-to-mobile. With iMessaging, our texting is under 100 text total per month. Our billing cycle ends Thursday. We also have a 20% corporate discount which will not apply to the data portion of the new plans.
Verizon's new plans give me more of what i DON"T need. I don't need unlimited minutes or texting when everyone I talk to is on Verizon already (thus calls are free) and most have iPhones with iMessage. I need 6GB of shared data to drop my unlimited. 6GB is $80. This is $20 more than I'm currently paying. Add in the new shared "calling plans" for 2 smartphones is now $80, not the $70 I'm currently paying and I'll be charged $30 more per month. If they let me keep my "calling plan" and just upped my data charge to $40/line I might be ok with that. To force unlimited talk and text on EVERYONE is asinine and I will not stand for it. If you don't use data much, you have the option of a lower price plan and will continue to. If you don't need a ton of minutes or text you have the option of a lower price plan (until June 28 anyway). Some may want the option for lower data. I want the option for lower talk and text. That option is leaving and I will be as well when my contract is up.
I mentioned this before, but apparently no one read it. Verizon IS NOT making you switch to these new plans. You can stay on your current plan, and pick a tiered data plan, OR you can switch to these new shared plans. THEY ARE NOT FORCING YOU TO SWITCH
I will probably use more mainly due to better video streaming. Right now, Netflix and HBOGO are decent but there's a lot of buffering on 3G and I tend not to use the apps much when I'm at lunch. I think LTE will make streaming much better and therefore I'm more likely to utilize these apps and use up more data. I won't go nowhere near 20 or 30 gb but i think I will hit at least 5 to 6 gb.
Yea that doesn't help us who want to switch to Verizon from other carriers.
lol you enjoy your premium prices. I'm fine with 3G CDMA. Check the FCC is you think it's SO MUCH better.
Ya, the FCC says Verizon LTE is fastest and best of all. sweet!