Unlimited Data Plans - $20 added to grandfathered plans

[jbt816]

I understand that people get ticked about rates being increased.  I'm not thrilled either but even at $50 (minus my 20% discount), it's not a bad price for unlimited....especially with today's cell phone plan options.

I don't particularly like the Verizon CEO being so snotty about it during his speeches, but I get it.  He works for the board and this is a business....though....no one at Verizon complained too much when monthly data consumption was super low due to 3g phones not being able to consume mass quantities of gigabytes.   Back in 2011, we had 4 UDP's and weren't even using 3GB.  Oh well.

I'd like to know what others are using. I have 3 phones on our plan using UDP and our highest month ever was 19GB (avg is 14GB) across 3 lines.  I just can't grasp that 3 phones using less than 20GB total is causing the system problems.  FWIW, it's probably not.  But share what you're using.  I'd like to know.

Heck, I even pay an additional $30 for a hotspot (or for the privilege of paying twice to access my data).  Don't like paying it, but it's danged convenient.  

And for everyone squawking about loyalty...really?  Loyalty means sticking with someone through thick and thin.  You guys would have bailed a long time ago if it wasn't a benefit to you in some way.  I'll say it; Verizon has the best coverage (the problem is they KNOW it too).

[loliea]

Milking it... All the telco are the same: they don't innovate, we can really say the service is stelar (so many times I see 3G on my cell that is in fact ... slower than 3G use to be; and now at home I see: 1G! Sweet), and with the same service we say yearly increase of 5 to 20%.

We need more competition and less cronies. Like Comcast they own the channels and abusing from their position.

[Tidbits]

Actually that's where you are wrong.

Did you know Disney controls most of the TV market and because they control majority of the content TV companies have to buy in to compete. Due to how Disney has their agreements set up they can't go wothout having packages. You'd be surprised what Disney owns.

[Avocent]

I'm disgusted, I never abused my Unlimited plan, but I have 2 heavy usage months every year. There banging me anyway. The CEO attitude is bad, like there losing a bundle off of the remaining users on this plan.

No worries I will eventually get disgusted trying to keep my plan and I will switch to a Tiered plan on AT&T!

I have read with the upgrade there letting the remaining grandfathered plans upgrade there phones without having to buy one outright but I cant find it on the Verizonwireless website. That would make this banging a bit more tolerable, has anyone seen this information?

[ponyruns]

If you are currently under contract on the More Everything Plan with 2gb  for $30 then you can keep the plan and the data cost will stay the same... If fact current Verizon customers on contract can still upgrade to a new phone via another 2 year contract... Log on to my verizon then select shop for smatphones.  If your contract is expired you will see the option for a 2yr contract pricing. Only new customers are required to pay full price or select a device payment plan.  Just like our utilities, gas and groceries the cost of goods and services goes up over time.  So paying $50 dollars for unlimited data is still a good deal compared to the others that pay $60 for 6gb of data. 

[E_Pedersen]

It's not the same. Technology costs go down over time and the profits are going up. 1% of their customers is insignificant. What they really want to do is shake off the unlimited users and they are more than willing to take the loss of users to save the cost of bandwidth. Verizon has the best quality phone signal in the Country which is why I've stayed with them, but I cannot afford to be taken advantage of on our contracts and quality of data service which is declined for me when I use a lot. Unless I hear some kind of reasonable justification from Verizon, this very long time (only service I've had) customer is going to finally leave like they probably planned on. Verizon, do you have any response for any of these comments? I've been paying hundreds to you on a monthly basis over the decades, are you going to explain the logic of increasing the service by 66%? You cannot tell me that their cost has gone up since the number of unlimited customers is insignificant. I cannot continue to recommend Verizon if they think it is fair to jack prices so much in one step.

[Tidbits]

So they spent hundred billions of dollars for LTE network and costs are going down? Doesn't include the cost of maintaining 3 other networks...  Google Fiber for example is cheap because they only maintain a single network for example while Comcast if they wanted to push Fiber they'd have to make another network while maintaining another until the other one is finished.

I maintain one of the largest networks in the world. It isn't that easy and it isn't that cheap. As the technology gets older the more expensive it is to maintain. To change the network will always have higher cost to build.  It's not like your home network.

[PsyChoBuuster]

to everybody with verizon unlimited data from the 3G era:

VW really should not apply this universal charge for UDP off contract. this increase is due to 4G speed of xmission and the proliferation of apps for everything imaginable. i just purchased droid turbo 2 from motorola. old plan was for droid X (3g) which was not very fast and unreliable. now 2+ years off plan with very little web accessed with 3g phones, you want to add.... i probably would accept some sort of "tiered" surcharge from say $5-$20. but i think a flat rate is unfair to people on a budget..  i don't even have unlimited talk.  maybe verizon could upgrade talk & text to unlimited status along with their $20 addition to those who may be loyal but don't want to do a contract. i have tried to lower cost of wireless comm over the years, and having unlimited data is not a necessity. but not being able to pay your bill during the contract phase, along with device payments can have very unfavorable consequences. thank GOD that the turbo 2 is an unlocked device which verizon probably don't like.  maybe i commit to another carrier or maybe i just go straight data network...wont even turn wifi on at all.  Watch everthing on my phone, multi task, emails. i can maybe stick with an extra $20 and lower talk time and text. adjustments can be made.

I really feel that verizon does not want anybody to have unlimited if you don't do 2 year agreement.  verizon needs to rethink their status in the wireless community because we don't want to support the paychecks of the all the financial experts and lawyers you employ.  off contract is the new thing in town. first you say you can keep your plan if you purchase phone retail, then it didn't take verizon long to capitalize on it. how can you raise the price if i am not on a contract.  my original contarct plan for data is $29.95, not $49.95. this is what we agreed on.  I'm beginning to believe all the stories i hear about Verizon Wireless.  this is not deceptive sales practices. this is being TREATED AS IF YOU STOLE SOMETHING from a place of business. this is purely a fine for refusing to commit after reading the "fine print" of their 2 year contracts.  stand your ground verizon and lose many loyal customers. in any case i will survive.

respectfully submitted

PsyChoBuster

thanks for letting me vent

i hear ya DamirD

[Tidbits]

They gained more customers last quarter than they will lose raising the the $20 for unlimited plans.  You original contract which is long expired is something you need to understand.  After that point like in the contract states YOU SIGNED, and agreed to they can change the prices as they see fit.

[rcschnoor]

PsyChoBuuster wrote:

to everybody with verizon unlimited data from the 3G era:

VW really should not apply this universal charge for UDP off contract. this increase is due to 4G speed of xmission and the proliferation of apps for everything imaginable. i just purchased droid turbo 2 from motorola. old plan was for droid X (3g) which was not very fast and unreliable. now 2+ years off plan with very little web accessed with 3g phones

You had a Droid X with a slow, unreliable data connection and you were STILL paying for unlimited when you could most likely have been paying LESS on your monthly bill for quite some time now? It is likely you could have been saving thousands of dollars over the last couple of years by switching to a plan more suited to your needs.

You chose to keep unlimited data. You know what the price is or will be for you in the near future. Either you keep it and pay the price or switch to something different.

You state the increase of data use is due to 4G data speed. Are you also aware that the OLD price of unlimited data was due to 3G data speed. Why is it unreasonable to think Verizon should not increase the price of unlimited data when the throughput/usage for many will increase more than tenfold when moving from 3G to 4G? Verizon is not even doubling the price but many are getting 10 times the benefit. Seems to me that unlimited data @ $50/month is still a bargain for those who need it. For those who don't, myself included, there are the tiered data plans.

Yes, I voluntarily gave up my unlimited data on 2 lines because I could get tiered data CHEAPER. I was already using a 4G phone when I gave up unlimited data. My data usage did not increase when I went from a 3G phone to a 4G phone. It has NOW increased minimally as I have a monthly data allowance I don't even come close to exhausting yet my monthly bill is MUCH lower than when I had unlimited data. Towards the end of each month, I specifically TRY to use more data just to feel better about not having as much left over unused at the end of the month. I still have several GB left of my allowance each/every month. I didn't need unlimited data and didn't see the need to pay extra for it. It seems you haven't needed unlimited data for quite some time now and yet you are still paying a premium for it with what I suppose is the thought you may someday need it.

My advice would be if you need it, keep it. If you don't, get something more cost effective which suits your needs.