Verizon Wireless new pricing model

Currently you can get 2GB of data for $30/month. Beginning Thursday, you'll get to share 2GB of data over all your phones for $60.

http://news.verizonwireless.com/news/2012/06/pr2012-06-11e.html

Seems to me, someone wasn't quite prepared for the data hit of the iPhone.

 

I hate this. I cirrently have unlimited data on my phone, and this will be bad for me. I'm sure they've done their calculations though and it'll make them more $$.

 

I've been with Verizon for at least five years, probably closer to seven. Mrs. BBAM and I are on a third-world plan of no data, 550 minutes and 1000 texts each, but I am shopping around for a smartphone.

This little stunt has me seriously considering a no-contract phone. I can get into a Virgin Mobile smartphone with unlimited talk, text and data on the Sprint network for $35/month. BoostMobile has a similar deal after a few on-time payments.

 

"Customers are free to keep their existing plans, but there is no fee or contract extension to move to the new Share Everything Plans."

From the link.

 

Rick: Only as long as you keep your phone. If your phone dies, you're screwed.

 

I did the math just now and if we bought the 1GB plan -- which we were able to hover around for MOST of last year, it'd be $130/month...$50 for the data and $80 for two phones. $140/month for 2GB, which we'd stay under every month, in all likelihood. But once they add on the dumb taxes and other charges, it'll probably end up higher than what we pay now for unlimited data.

Eff that. I'm keeping what I have.

 

Yeah, if you want to keep the phone you have forever, and it never dies, you're fine. But if you ever want a new phone, or if you have to replace your phone, you won't be able to keep your current plan.

From my understanding, they're doing it because too many people are buying tablets but not getting them data plans because it's too expensive to have a phone on its own plan and a tablet on a plan. This way, they can charge a bit more and let people get all their devices online. That's great if you have a bunch of devices, but if all you have is a smartphone, like me, you're f-ed.

 

Ohhh, so if you upgrade phones, you HAVE to make the switch to the new billing system?

Edit: Found this on the site...

You're not required to move to Share Everything but if you do, unlimited data will not be retained on your line. As a Verizon Wireless customer you have choices when you upgrade at discounted pricing. You can choose from a standalone data package starting at $30 for 2GB or a Share Everything Plan. If keeping unlimited is important to you, you can choose to upgrade and pay full retail price for the phone.

***So...I suppose if I upgrade my phone in September (which I'm going to do), I can still get the discounted phone prices, but I'd have to choose a new share plan. Or keep my unlimited and pay $8,483,092 for a new phone. Looks like my bill will go up by like $10-20. Not the end of the world, I suppose.

 

I'm glad my unlimited plan was grandfathered in by AT&T last year or whenever it was they stopped offering those plans.

 

Except when you exceed 3 gigs of data a month, AT&T will slow down your speeds.

 

I really haven't noticed any difference, and I've gone over 3 gigs quite a bit.

 

For a family share plan, the costs of the base plan go down, but the price of data goes up. So the increase isn't too bad - especially if you don't use a lot of data.