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Upgrade trap

Just a warning for any long-term, loyal customers looking to upgrade your device.

Apparently my current plan is too good of a deal, so Verizon Wireless is making us change plans in order to upgrade our devices from $10 for unlimited data (plus whatever it cost to have the phone on the line in the first place) to $40 for a smartphone AND extra for a data package. I currently pay $170 a month for two smart phones and two "dumb" phones, that seems like enough. And I would expect them to honor the "grandfather" plan, or offer me something comparable if they can't for some administrative reason. At the new price point, it just doesn't make much sense to stay. Their competitors have much better deals, and they certainly haven't demonstrated any loyalty to me. It's a hassle to switch, but it's better than paying through the nose. I'll wait until all my phones are on the same contract cycle, then split.

It just seems irrational to chase away a long term customer; there's no way they aren't making money on me. There's no flipping way to send an email to anyone at Verizon to point it out, so I figured I'd post it here and make sure that any of you other folks out there with rationally priced plans don't accidentally agree to a huge increase in order to upgrade.

Comments

veryfrustrated0118

Here we go again! Unlimited Data has been gone since Sept 2011 and they stopped grandfathering it in Sept 2012. This is nothing new. You are paying $10 for your line and $30 for you data which is....wait for it....$40 a month. The same as you'd pay on the ME plan. Nobody is forcing you to completely change the plan but you ARE only eligible for current pricing and promotions if you want a discount on the phone. So it is get a discount and pay $170 but only get at most 6GB of data per smartphone line, switch to ME, pay full retail for the cost of the device or switch to another carrier. A lot of choices but come on with thinking that we are going to be sympathetic to your unlimited data. It is gone and not coming back.

kaebfly

This has been the changed policy for a few years now and should be something that unlimited data plan users should already know. Your options are to not upgrade, uograde at full retail up front, or purchase a phone from a 3rd party source such as eBay or any other sellers like that which may sell new or gently used at or below full retail. Otherwise you will have to let your unlimited data go and choose one of the tiered data plans.

Many of us (myself included) opt for paying full retail and when we wish to upgrade again selling that device to help offset the cost of the new phone. In some cases you can get a deal much like the leasing/extended payment plan options Verizon offers by buying your phone at full retail and using financing promotions available to you. Such as if you have a credit card that offers so many months interest free and making the monthly payments to them. Or store charge cards (Best Buy often offers 18 months interest free for their cardholders and Walmart often has 24 months interest free for purchases over a certain amount).

You have options if you want to stay with Verizon but even if you switch you may still be in the same boat. It doesn't matter how loyal you have been. I've been a customer for about 14-15 years....the plan no longer exists and the rules to keep it are clear. If you don't use a lot of data the new plans may be better for you but if you are like me and would pay more for a new data plan to fit my needs then paying full retail is worth it to keep unlimited data.

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