Verizon shared data

[gsugolfer]

For some people, this can work better. For instance, a friend of our family is going to move from one smartphone and one basic phone to two smartphone. The extra charge for them will only be $10 as opposed to $30 if they added it to their old plan.

Not a money saver for our plan (three smartphones, two basic phones, one jetpack). Comes out to about $15 more (when using 6GB plan).

 

[Leonard1818]

I don't see that happening. Main reason is the American consumer is to ingrained into subsidized phone pricing. If all the sudden that was taken away and everyone had to pay full retail price phone sales in the US would completely nosedive. The stocks of everyone involved from the carriers to the manufactures would tank. In short, it ain't happening.

It's not going to happen overnight but I wouldn't write it off entirely. How many people on here are claiming that they are going to NOT get on the shared data plans in order to retain their unlimited data? A lot. Those people will be forced to upgrade handsets at full cost in order to retain their unlimited data. Maybe we'll begin seeing a split -- those who take the subsidized price and contract and those who buy outright to retain unlimited data. (until verizon throttles them or otherwise twists arms)

 

[gsugolfer]

I just don't see how people use over 2GB of data per month. My only problem is that the 2GB on VZW is no cheaper than unlimited was.

 

[boomhower]

It's not going to happen overnight but I wouldn't write it off entirely. How many people on here are claiming that they are going to NOT get on the shared data plans in order to retain their unlimited data? A lot. Those people will be forced to upgrade handsets at full cost in order to retain their unlimited data. Maybe we'll begin seeing a split -- those who take the subsidized price and contract and those who buy outright to retain unlimited data. (until verizon throttles them or otherwise twists arms)

But you also have to consider the audience here. It's an extremely minute portion of the overall spectrum of consumers. Those are are on the "nerdy" side of things. Most folks don't get online and post in phone forums. Once push comes to shove I think less than 1% of subscribers will pay full price to keep their unlimited.

 

[From A Buick 8]

But you also have to consider the audience here. It's an extremely minute portion of the overall spectrum of consumers. Those are are on the "nerdy" side of things. Most folks don't get online and post in phone forums. Once push comes to shove I think less than 1% of subscribers will pay full price to keep their unlimited.

I agree with this, statistically no one will be willing to pay the full price for an iPhone just to keep the unlimited data.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

Considering how much the telcos copy each other, it's only a matter of time before Verizon starts throttling their unlimited customers JUST like AT&T has done. All those people claiming they are holding onto their unlimited plans no matter what are just hanging on to something that's going to turn to dust anyways.

 

[einmusiker]

I just don't see how people use over 2GB of data per month. My only problem is that the 2GB on VZW is no cheaper than unlimited was.

I got my new galaxy s3 today and used 1.7 gbs just setting up the device, whcih included google plus transferring pictures from my cloud etc. Yes I realize that it is an irregular day but still... I've used 7.6 gbs in 9 service days this period. 4G goes quick, you'll see...

 

[Sulten]

3 Smartphones

2Phone ( Iphone 4s / Blackberry 9930 ) 129.00
1 HTC 20.00
1500 min shared
unlimited to any mobil number ( all 3 lines )
Unlimited txt and data
10 bucks each additional ( smartphones ) 30.00

179.00 Bill
25% work discount
Toatal bill 135.00

Yes this is sprint and yes it's slow but really it gets the job done. I can use GPS and search places on google and etc. might b slow but really if i want a really fast internet thats why i have my home computer. I'm in a major city so service is good where I am. No complaints.

 

[gsugolfer]

3 Smartphones

2Phone ( Iphone 4s / Blackberry 9930 ) 129.00
1 HTC 20.00
1500 min shared
unlimited to any mobil number ( all 3 lines )
Unlimited txt and data
10 bucks each additional ( smartphones ) 30.00

179.00 Bill
25% work discount
Toatal bill 135.00

Yes this is sprint and yes it's slow but really it gets the job done. I can use GPS and search places on google and etc. might b slow but really if i want a really fast internet thats why i have my home computer. I'm in a major city so service is good where I am. No complaints.

"service is good where I am"

Do you not travel?

 

[macMD]

Verizon is just finding more ways to take our money and give us less every day. Unless you are willing to pay retail for every phone going forward which surely guarantees you won't be buying a new iPhone every year then you can keep the free data.

I have priced the plans out for my household, (2) MiFi's (1) iPad 3, (1) SmartPhone (waiting on next iPhone), (1) Dumb Phone and (1) Home Connect (which is great at $20 vs $45-50 on Verizon land line). I will get the 10GB of data and likely end up paying for the extra 2GB each month to keep me safe, but really its a rip off.

The only thing I am benefiting from is my wife doesn't always max her MiFi out every month (5GB) and thats wasted money & data so I can share it with mine and my iPad 3 and SmartPhone. Still I just see the data plans getting more and more expensive over the next couple of years.

Their pricing is also aimed at pushing dumb phone uses on a family plan to a SmartPhone since its $30 vs $40 so why not, but then your kids start watching a lot of video and your data bill goes nuts.

----------

I got my new galaxy s3 today and used 1.7 gbs just setting up the device, whcih included google plus transferring pictures from my cloud etc. Yes I realize that it is an irregular day but still... I've used 7.6 gbs in 9 service days this period. 4G goes quick, you'll see...

I agree it definitely does. For all of my phones that have had unlimited data I never worried much about wiping them and installing the apps (Android) OTA who cares I have unlimited data, but now with it capped I will be finding hotspots and keeping track of them so I know where I can get free connectivity and manage my data use.

What the carriers should be doing is signing up with other WiFi providers to offer customers hot spots to help offset their data use. Of course why would they want to do that.

 

[bidwalj]

I switched over to one of these plans as it was a bit cheaper since we have 2 iPhones and 2 iPads.

I just noticed something interesting yesterday on my account. Both of my iPhone lines are not eligible for an upgrade until next year so I was planning to buy the next iPhone at full price. I however noticed both my iPad lines are eligible ( as they should be since they are not on contract). What's interesting is you can transfer the upgrade to the iPhones and I can get a subsidized upgrade on those lines. This will lock the iPad lines into a contract, but it's a great way to subsidize your iPad basically and get data cheaper than paying $30 a month.

 

[julietcc]

3 Smartphones

2Phone ( Iphone 4s / Blackberry 9930 ) 129.00
1 HTC 20.00
1500 min shared
unlimited to any mobil number ( all 3 lines )
Unlimited txt and data
10 bucks each additional ( smartphones ) 30.00

179.00 Bill
25% work discount
Toatal bill 135.00

Yes this is sprint and yes it's slow but really it gets the job done. I can use GPS and search places on google and etc. might b slow but really if i want a really fast internet thats why i have my home computer. I'm in a major city so service is good where I am. No complaints.

I have an old legacy plan on sprint and my final bill for 3 old phones is only $85 for texting 700 minutes and unlimited data. But I'm hating my touch pro 2 and would need to do their family plan to get the new iphone. Once I leave my legacy plan, I can't go back.

You are showing that you get 25% off the entire family plan but my understanding is that for the sprint family plans, they'll only take your employee discount off the first line and they break up the first 2 lines like this - 110 + 19.99 = 129.99. So you only get the discount off of $110 and nothing else.

I get a 20% discount so my costs would be this - 3 lines is $110 – $22 (20%discount) = $88 + 19.99 for second line + 19.99 for 3rd line + 30 charge for 3 smart phones = $157.98 + taxes Unlimited data and texting but slow network.

I also get a discount with Verizon so I think the share everything would be this. (I read you only get a discount off the shared data) - 3 lines would be $120 + $70 for shared data for 4 GB = $190. 70 - 20% = about $15 so $175 for 3 lines. Only 4GB shared by 3 phones.

Finally with ATT I also get a discount (my company has also sorts of gadgets so I get discounts with all 3 carriers). I put all the info into their discount website and get this – First line 45 + 30 (3 GB) = 75 Second line 9.99 + 30 (3 GB) = 39.99 Third line 9.99 + 30 (3 GB) = 39.99 + $30 family texting. Total for 3 = $184.98 + taxes (I get 25% off the first line which is usually $60) 3GB per phone would be plenty but this is the most expensive plan.

I think I'll stay with sprint and hope their LTE rolls out soon. Sometimes I wonder if I should just keep my old plan and go out and buy 3 ipads instead.

 

[dave420]

I switched over to one of these plans as it was a bit cheaper since we have 2 iPhones and 2 iPads.

I just noticed something interesting yesterday on my account. Both of my iPhone lines are not eligible for an upgrade until next year so I was planning to buy the next iPhone at full price. I however noticed both my iPad lines are eligible ( as they should be since they are not on contract). What's interesting is you can transfer the upgrade to the iPhones and I can get a subsidized upgrade on those lines. This will lock the iPad lines into a contract, but it's a great way to subsidize your iPad basically and get data cheaper than paying $30 a month.

That is interesting, and I'd be interested to hear someone who is able to get a subsidized upgrade using that method (using the $10 a month tablet line to get a phone upgrade). I thought with the new plans Verizon was gonna be discouraging the practice of using extra dummy lines to get upgrades, since now phone lines have a minimum $30 month fee, as opposed to the minimum $10 it was previously.

 

[gsugolfer]

That is interesting, and I'd be interested to hear someone who is able to get a subsidized upgrade using that method (using the $10 a month tablet line to get a phone upgrade). I thought with the new plans Verizon was gonna be discouraging the practice of using extra dummy lines to get upgrades, since now phone lines have a minimum $30 month fee, as opposed to the minimum $10 it was previously.

Just did it on our plan (granted we're not on a family share plan).

Keep in mind that the contract is not on a DEVICE, it's on a number. If you have an iPad that you use the upgrade to purchase an iPhone with, if you decide you wanna cancel the iPad, you can just move the iPhone over to that number for the remainder of the contract and not pay any ETFs.

 

[dave420]

Just did it on our plan (granted we're not on a family share plan).

Keep in mind that the contract is not on a DEVICE, it's on a number. If you have an iPad that you use the upgrade to purchase an iPhone with, if you decide you wanna cancel the iPad, you can just move the iPhone over to that number for the remainder of the contract and not pay any ETFs.

I understand it works with the old plans, but it just seems weird with the new plans to use a phone upgrade on a tablet line. I would have thought part of the reason a tablet is only $10 a month is that there is no subsidy involved. If they allow that then it is certainly a good deal.

 

[gsugolfer]

I understand it works with the old plans, but it just seems weird with the new plans to use a phone upgrade on a tablet line. I would have thought part of the reason a tablet is only $10 a month is that there is no subsidy involved. If they allow that then it is certainly a good deal.

I'll put it this way:
If you DO NOT use the tablet upgrade, you're paying $10/mo for the line. You can cancel any time.

If you DO use the tablet upgrade, you're paying $10/mo for the line. You're also paying $40/mo for a smartphone (assuming that's what you're going with).

Regarding how they might not let you do that, what's to stop you from changing that tablet to a smartphone for a couple days and paying ~$3 extra to be able to upgrade to a phone?

It won't be going away (at least not with Verizon, I can't speak for how it work on other carriers). There are simply too many ways to just work around it. They benefit much more from having ALL of your lines under contract.

 

[gta50419]

6GB
Shared Data

Unlimited Talk & Text

Monthly Access*
$200



That's a hell of a deal if you ask me....3 smartphones for $200?

 

[gta50419]

how much does att family plans cost? for about 3 smartphones?

 

[julietcc]

how much does att family plans cost? for about 3 smartphones?

If you look at my post #213, I think it's be about $200 + taxes

First line 60 for 700 shared minutes + 30 (3 GB) = 90
Second line 9.99 + 30 (3 GB) = 39.99
Third line 9.99 + 30 (3 GB) = 39.99
+ $30 family texting.
Total for 3 = $199.98 + taxes

 

[bidwalj]

I understand it works with the old plans, but it just seems weird with the new plans to use a phone upgrade on a tablet line. I would have thought part of the reason a tablet is only $10 a month is that there is no subsidy involved. If they allow that then it is certainly a good deal.

I was a bit surprised to see this my self. Personally, if you plan on keeping the iPad connected, it makes no sense not to use the upgrade on a line that's not eligible. I plan on going this route and upgrading to the new iPhone this way every year.

 

[Sulten]

You are showing that you get 25% off the entire family plan but my understanding is that for the sprint family plans, they'll only take your employee discount off the first line and they break up the first 2 lines like this - 110 + 19.99 = 129.99. So you only get the discount off of $110 and nothing else./QUOTE]


I work for Intel so we get 25% discount plus other stuff. we order our phones through out people " Blue fish" we also have a sprint rep right at our factory that deals with all out PPT " through Sprint " and out cell phones.

working where i do we get many many discounts and hook ups on other electronics.


Oh and for the one that asked if i travel. Yes i do but i fly and mostly go to major cites where service is good also


Intel has there own site,

if you go to .spring.com/intel it will take you to a bluefish site and you have to log in from there.

 

[Leonard1818]

But you also have to consider the audience here. It's an extremely minute portion of the overall spectrum of consumers. Those are are on the "nerdy" side of things. Most folks don't get online and post in phone forums. Once push comes to shove I think less than 1% of subscribers will pay full price to keep their unlimited.

I'm not keeping mine...

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

I have this terrible suspicion that just a few months after the iPhone 5 launches on Verizon, after everyone that pays full price for an unsubsidized phone so they can keep their grandfathered unlimited data plan.....Verizon will start throttling the unlimited users at 3gigs or so, just like AT&T started doing.

Can't imagine the outrage this will cause. But since its clear that the industry now views unlimited data users as "the enemy" I don't think they care.

 

[techiegirl]

I have this terrible suspicion that just a few months after the iPhone 5 launches on Verizon, after everyone that pays full price for an unsubsidized phone so they can keep their grandfathered unlimited data plan.....Verizon will start throttling the unlimited users at 3gigs or so, just like AT&T started doing.

I have a feeling they will terminate unlimited data when your contract is up. I have my Verizon unlimited data line(s) on my iPad, so upgrading a phone isn't a concern to me. I'm just hoping they won't decide to get rid of my unlimited data when my contract expires next year.

 

[boomhower]

I have a feeling they will terminate unlimited data when your contract is up. I have my Verizon unlimited data line(s) on my iPad, so upgrading a phone isn't a concern to me. I'm just hoping they won't decide to get rid of my unlimited data when my contract expires next year.

Don't see that happening. I can see them throttling to the point that they may as well but I don't see them out and out just forcing tiers.