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What I wanna know is... did they just realize they could do this?

Or was this the plan all along?

When the two new "unlimited" plans were announced earlier... I thought... "that's it... there's nowhere else to go..."

I was wrong... they figured out how to make it more "unlimited"

But couldn't they have announced this extra plan originally?
 
It's 2017... how are they still coming up with new schemes for data plans?

This shouldn't be that difficult. Bits are bits. Let me use them.

Imagine if voice plans in the old days were done like this:

"You have 600 minutes a month... but only a portion of them can be used during mornings... and another portion can only be used for calls longer than 5 minutes... and another portion can only be used for ordering take-out food..."

Dang... now that I think about it... remember the "free calls after 9pm" nonsense?

I guess everything comes back around.

:D

1. First the growth of SMS (which was dirt cheap to support for Verizon) lead to people using less voice minutes. So Verizon couldn't make money off voice anymore. That's why they offered voice for essentially free.

2. So Verizon figured they could make money off SMS texting plans but than imessage and similar messaging apps destroyed the need for even SMS. So They had to essentially give away SMS and gave everyone unlimited SMS included with the plans.

3. So what does Verizon still have left? Data plans And they been trying to figure out since 2011 how to squeeze money money out of data plans. First getting rid of unlimited data. That worked for a while but when T-Mobile forced their hands and also the fact that LTE network was paid for several times over. They had to bring back unlimited (throttled data potentially after 22gb) earlier this year. Now they still trying to find way to make money.
 
Hahaha unbelievable. I still won't go to any other carrier, Verizon is the best at the places I go.
 
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good.. I told them $20 was my max for an upcharge.

Since unlimited launched... I am lucky if I can view youtube at 480p without it being laggy
Might be a separate issue. YouTube has been incredibly slow for me the past month regardless of what connection I use. Maybe Google's doing some maintenance.
 
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I left Verizon because I was tired of all the bs. Tmobile has treated me pretty damn good so far. Just glad to not give Verizon any more of my money.
 
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1. First the growth of SMS (which was dirt cheap to support for Verizon) lead to people using less voice minutes. So Verizon couldn't make money off voice anymore. That's why they offered voice for essentially free.

2. So Verizon figured they could make money off SMS texting plans but than imessage and similar messaging apps destroyed the need for even SMS. So They had to essentially give away SMS and gave everyone unlimited SMS included with the plans.

3. So what does Verizon still have left? Data plans And they been trying to figure out since 2011 how to squeeze money money out of data plans. First getting rid of unlimited data. That worked for a while but when T-Mobile forced their hands and also the fact that LTE network was paid for several times over. They had to bring back unlimited (throttled data potentially after 22gb) earlier this year. Now they still trying to find way to make money.

Agreed!

And I said exactly that in post #24

Verizon is in the data plan business... voice and text are afterthoughts.

:D
 
I think we are being had. They are simply charging more for what we should have had in the first place.

What consumers expect today is getting a bit ridiculous. This stuff costs money. Yes, Verizon may be playing the numbers game, but at the end of the day, they need to make money to pay for the increased demands on the networks.
 
So the unlimited plan wasn't unlimited, but now you can purchase an unlimited Unlimited plan?

Yes but still not actually unlimited- just higher resolution video... more like unlimited, unlimited*. I wonder if 3 unlimiteds will do the trick or if we next get into strong adjectives like ultimate unlimited* or bronze/silver/gold/platinum unlimited*.

I joke... or do I?;)
 
The death of net neutrality at its best.

Take away how you choose to your use data, then add it in later for a “small” fee. Brilliant.

I wonder how long until some airline will sell us a ticket but then charge a fee for going through security to actually use it and/or charge a fee to get to use the secure tunnel for boarding the plane?

How far will all this go? Many have joked about having to pay for air but I find myself wondering how long until that does come to pass.
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I thought Verizon was better than ATT ?

We seem to generally measure "better" by "most profitable." This seems like a more profitable move. So good? ;)

The real question is how long until AT&T follows with something about the same.
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All carriers have limitations. Consumers just have to pick the crap they don't mind sniffing.

Or just say no. If enough would say no, things would change.
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What consumers expect today is getting a bit ridiculous. This stuff costs money. Yes, Verizon may be playing the numbers game, but at the end of the day, they need to make money to pay for the increased demands on the networks.

Are the dominant cellular service providers having trouble making money? I wonder how much they would save by having only 2 kiosks in every dying mall and maybe fewer stores per capita than Starbucks coffee shops? ;)
 
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Verizon will do everything in it's power to screw their customers. From Wireless to DSL to Phone Service to FIOS they don't leave any stone uncovered.
 
I used to think it was kind of funny to roll my eyes at how much effort companies with monopolies, such as Verizon, go through to hide it when they hike prices. The bending over backwards just to avoid any political fallout or regulation in response to their theft is pretty comical. But then I read the comments/responses on this forum and instead I'm genuinely depressed...

The amount of apologists defending Verizon, an oligopoly at best or monopoly at worst, really proves that high schools should mandate Economics 101. The level of ignorance required to defend cell phone and ISP behavior is ASTOUNDING. To think that anything Verizon does is beneficial for this country, or anyone in it (besides Verizon's share holders), really suggests a complete misunderstanding of the world around you on a very fundamental and basic level. I don't understand how some of these commenters function in day to day life, given the total lack of basic critical thinking skills.
 
Faster charge time or extended battery life for $10 more a month? Like the Tesla car range?

You can pay for a smaller battery. Tesla may or may not deliver you a car with a smaller battery - depends what they have available. If they only have larger batteries available, they'll give you the larger battery, but software limit it to the size you paid for, and give you the option of paying to use it all later. Paying to get the larger battery after the fact is a one time fee.

I don't know why it would irritate you. You paid for something and you received it. It may have cost Tesla more than otherwise (because their supply of smaller batteries was depleted, so they had to give you a larger battery), but they hope to recoup that loss by having you pay to upgrade later. Alternatively, maybe you'll sell the car to someone else, and that next owner will pay Tesla for the full battery (because remember: you never paid for that battery. It doesn't belong to you - it belongs to Tesla and is Tesla's to sell). Or maybe you'll sell the car back to Tesla, and they'll resell it as a car with a larger battery.
 
I love all the comments from Verizon customers instantly blaming Trump for dismantling Net Nuetrality, but yet showing zero intention of cancelling their Verizon accounts. No one is forcing you to stay with Verizon, you could jump ship to T-Mobile like I did and let the free market work out Verizon’s pricing or you can keep paying them gobs of money to reward their terrible business practices.
 
I know the iPhone Plus models already have screen resolutions beyond the 720p cap put on smartphones but coincidence that the new unlimited option takes effect on November 3, the day the iPhone X with its 2436x1125 screen resolution launches?

I'm not happy about paying more to get back what Verizon unlimited had two months ago but this is the same thing T-Mobile does - regular unlimited with video throttled, pay extra to get video unrestricted. It's a scam but I would grudgingly sign up because the video resolution is both noticeable and important to me.

However, unrestricted video is useless if the network is congested and Verizon in the Philadelphia is completely overwhelmed. I see speeds in the 300kbps range in the morning commute into the city on regional rail and that continues throughout the day in Center City during lunch. Basic web surfing is pretty much all you can do until after business hours. I still may switch to T-Mobile and pay more for their unrestricted unlimited plan because apparently their network is holding up a lot better in Philly.
 
Or was this the plan all along?

Lol, duh.

I think the fundamental point people should realize about why monopolistic companies always needlessly complicate their payment schemes, is because they don't care if you don't like them, they only care if the government is going to accuse them of overcharging.

Cell Phone companies and ISPs have as much interest in the feelings/thoughts/beliefs/preferences of their customers, as the warden of a prison is interested in the comfort of his prisoners' pillows. Verizon answers to concerns of the only thing that can actually threaten their profits: The United States Government. The only thing that destroys a monopoly is government intervention, their entire business model is built on ensuring the government doesn't intervene. If they start hiking prices w/ the only excuse being 'because they can, and you have no choice' the government might be forced to act. Needlessly complicate/delay/hide their pricing schemes and it becomes more difficult for the consumer/media to mount active complaints about it.

If you don't like Verizon overcharging you, then you'll do more good by voting in November than you'll ever do by switching to AT&T or T-Mobile.
 
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