Is this the wave of the future? I certainly love the idea, but I don't love being limited to unlimited talk/text. Consumers are becoming so data centric, Verizon should offer this with sub-500 minute plans. But that's neither here nor there, because you could argue Verizon has altered the structure of the pricing so that you're hardly paying for the unlimited talk and most of your fees go to data.
But let's look at content. Traditionally, if you want two phones with minimum talking/no texting and 2GB data each you were looking at $130. But now you're looking at $150 for the same amount of data with the lowest-offered voice plan. I do understand that this $20 jump gives you unlimited minutes and unlimited texting, so that is definitely a deal. I just really hate that the carriers are waving around these unlimited calling plans like it is our saving grace--it's the data that everyone cares about!
I just find it interesting that Verizon is starting the bar high for voice/texting, but extremely low for data--how often will two smartphone users combine for less than 1GB data? I understand the realities of how Verizon creates their pricing structures, but I thought I'd point out a few things and open this up to hear what the rest of the Verizon community thinks. It is cool that so much is automatically bundled in the package (unlimited text, mobile hotspot, cheap inclusion for hotspot devices/tablets), but don't limit me to that. This may be an exaggeration, but imagine Verizon offering unlimited of every single enhanced service they offer for a base price of $200 for two phones--that's fine and dandy, but give me the option to start lower and add the services I find necessary.
Apparently.
The press release.
http://news.verizonwireless.com/news/2012/06/pr2012-06-11e.html
I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.
Totally agree. This is a great start, and it's almost "there". As you said though we need an option for a low-minute plan. If I switched my kids to smartphones it would end up being cheaper than what I could get before, but not by much.
Current 700 minute plan with unlimited texting for 3 lines: $110 + $90 for 3 smart phone plans = $200
New Share Everything for 3 smartphone lines: $120 + $60 for 2GB of data = $180
So the data ends up being a great deal, but the per-phone cost is higher. I'd love to see a way to discount the initial line cost slightly and take a hit on the minutes.
Though I did just notice one perk... for $10 I can add my tablet to my shared data plan... that's huge. Since 90% of the time my iPad is on wifi I need very very few GBs. That's a big win.
The bottom line is........what you would like to have and what you can have is never going to happen. If you now have unlimited Data or even 4 GB of Data per phone, the new plan will cost you more money. Verizon is not about saving YOU money. It is about making them money.
Jamison44 wrote:
Totally agree. This is a great start, and it's almost "there". As you said though we need an option for a low-minute plan. If I switched my kids to smartphones it would end up being cheaper than what I could get before, but not by much.
Current 700 minute plan with unlimited texting for 3 lines: $110 + $90 for 3 smart phone plans = $200
New Share Everything for 3 smartphone lines: $120 + $60 for 2GB of data = $180
So the data ends up being a great deal, but the per-phone cost is higher. I'd love to see a way to discount the initial line cost slightly and take a hit on the minutes.
Good deal? Maybe if you don't use any data. 2GB for 3 smartphones is not a lot. You're basically cutting your available data to 1/3 of the current tiered plan option in exchange for unlimited calling/texting. That's totally backwards from the current trend of people using less minutes and more data. They're going to need to drop the additional device fee significantly to make it appealing to most.
I only average 600MB on my data plan every month anyway, so maybe it's a better deal for people who are lower usage.
but that's why you use more wifi so you can save yourself some money versus going over and verizon charging you a but load for your data overage.
this only benefits those who currently dont have unlimited data. i pay 60 now for unlimited vs. 2 gb....
Good luck keeping 3 smartphones under 2G total. More reasonable is 2G per phone.
I have 2 lines. One is a smartphone with 300 Mb of data and a dumb phone. I pay $90 a month. With new price i have to pay $40 for smart phone + $30 for other + $50 for a data plan? Good buy verizon. I am a customer since 2000. Time to try something different.
qwerty123456 wrote:
I have 2 lines. One is a smartphone with 300 Mb of data and a dumb phone. I pay $90 a month. With new price i have to pay $40 for smart phone + $30 for other + $50 for a data plan? Good buy verizon. I am a customer since 2000. Time to try something different.
you are aware that you can keep those current plans right? nobody HAS TO select the "shared data" plans. the only people that will have to change something are those with unlimited data (they will have to drop to 2 gb's per month).
Definitely not worth it for me.
For roughly the same cost...
Now: (4 smartphones)
700 voice minutes (NEVER have come close to using them all in a month)
Unlimited text
14 GB (4+4+4+2) data
Share Everything plan:
Unlimited voice minutes (useless)
Unlimited text (no change)
8 GB data (loss of 6GB!!!)
I wanted a true shared data option for ANY minute plan.
VERIZON, YOU FAILED BIG TIME.
Another reason to leave Verizon. Even the press release states that some individual person's will end up paying more then what they were paying. Not a deal at all.
Looks like I'll be revisiting the switch to either Sprint or Republic Wireless. Why should I have any brand loyalty to a specific carrier when they don't pay it forward to us in return? Technology gets cheaper as time progresses. Prices for data plans should be dropping, not going up. The only reason that the carriers get away with this is the fact that mobile phones have gone from being a luxury to a commodity. Everyone has one and there's not many new customers to gain anymore so to increase their profits they have to squeeze us harder. Verizon is especially guilty of this being that they have the largest network and know we'll pay extra for it.
I don't mind paying a bit of a premium (they're already the most expensive carrier) but the line was bound to be drawn somewhere and I think this is it.
Would love to leave. ATT is already planning to do the same and the rest will surely follow.
AT&T has their own problems do deal with. lol
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-12/at-t-running-low-on-airwaves-in-some-places-ceo-says.html
Well, if I even stick with VW I will be buying phones at retail, or used. That is if they don't kick me off my grandfathered plan at some point. Under my current plan, I pay $203 a month. To keep all lines the same same and only share 4gb of data, I would be looking at about $285. Will not be VW for long.
Don't be surprised when they do end the grandfather clause, and it won't take long for them to reach that decision.
My current plan includes 700 min, unlimited ( going away) data on on smartphone and pay as you go on the other 2 phones. Pay 123.00 with my company discount. If this goes up $10.00 or more, I am dumping VW. I have been with some form Verizon Wireless since it was Metro Mobile back in 1987!! I am done with the lack of service, pricing, and overall crappy quality. Not sure whether it will be Sprint or ATT. Sprint is looking strong once all the old Nextel Towers are converted to 4G they will have larger 4G network than Verizon.
There's no point in staying loyal to any specific carrier now, they've taken away all of the incentives to do so. My next contract goes to whichever one looks best, no more blindly renewing my contract every two years.
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