I'm on a family plan for a family of four, my dad and i have unlimited data while my mom and brother have dumb phones, but they both want to upgrade to a smartphone preferably the iphone 5 later this year. We don't want to give up our unlimited data, but if they upgrade after the 28th, will that drag everyone into the family share plan forcing us to give up our unlimited data?
I would say no, but those who upgrade that have an unlimited data plan will have to choose one of the tiered data plans. Just like now. No existing customer is going to be forced to the new plan. It is an option.
I don't know if I can help or if my situation is anything like yours but I'll explain mine and what I did Thursday and what I found out.
Before changes on Thursday I had 2 Droids I bought two yrs ago and a what you all call a dumb phone for my 93 yr old fil. We are on the Friends and Family Plan. We share 2000 minutes on the Talk and Text Share Plan which we have never gone over. We have Free Nationwide Calling, and the nights and weekend thing. On the 2 Droids we have Email and Web Unlimited for $29.99 each.
Fil broke his phone in Sept 2011, in order to get a discount to get him another phone Verizon added a yr to my contract only so when Fil's phone and the other Droid's Contract was up in May 2012, mine will not be up till 2013, I was not aware of this, but ok. Fil again broke his phone 2 wks later, needless to say we did not buy him another phone. So I wanted to cancel his no. and remove from bill. I could not or I would have to pay a fee larger than it would if I continued to pay the $9.99 a month till May which I did. So Thursday I removed his phone from my bill.
Now I have the 2 Droids, the second one is only used at home in the eves and on the weekend since the end of May so it's not using anywhere near it's $29.99's worth of Email and Web Unlimited for $29.99 each. But we need to keep it on the phone.
So I want a new phone, problem my contract not over till 2013 but I was able to borrow the upgrade from the other Droid now making it's upgrade not till 2013 which then it can borrow my Droid's upgrade at that time if we want to and buy a new phone. Because of this I was able to get me a new phone and I get an LG and so far I really like it, so many new things to learn on it and I'm not really tech savy. LOL
My new billing cycle starts on the 19th so the dumb phone charge will not be on that bill starting then, Saving us $10 a month, and since the other Droid isn't used much I dropped the minutes from 2000 down to 1400 saving us another $10 a month.
I also learned that on the 28th the new plans go into effect where the minutes will be unlimited which will be fine, no biggy for me, (so I got to save $10 bucks for 9 days LOL) but on the data plan the minimum is (rounded off amts here) $30 total for both phones instead of each phones for the minimum of 4gb. I asked how much we use now and (now I asked at two stores to verify the amts, just to be cautious) was Me on my Droid 1 gb and the other Droid less than 1 gb. So for us this is great. It saves us $30 a month.
But, REMEMBER! You have to call Verizon and ask to change your plan to this if it will save you money if you do not, you will not automatically be changed to that plan which I was told by the woman I talked to at Verizon a little while ago.
(I called about something else) so I asked her about this plan and this is what I was told. I probably was told this Thursday and just didn't remember because that is something I had not written down in my notes.
So all in all changing my minutes for just 9 days was silly since I know but hey a few pennies is a few pennies and I got rid of the dumb phone finally saving that $10 a month so all in all come the 28th of June I'll be saving $40.00 a month on my bill plus taxes and fees on that which is alot to us since we are retirement age now.
The other good thing is I'll take the battery out of my Droid and set it aside so if the other Droid dies we have a spare to use. LOL Plus replacing that phone is no big deal at this point.
I just wanted a neat new phone. LOL
Have A Great Day All!
You are not on a family data plan because one does not exist until 6/28. As of now, each phone is on a separate contract with it's own data plan. They will stay that way until you sign a new contract. If you want to keep your unlimited data, don't ever sign a new contract. That means you need to pay full retail price for any new phones you purchase. If other members of your family want to upgrade to a smartphone, they can choose an individual tiered data plan or a shared data plan. If they choose shared data, you could switch to that plan with them or keep your unlimited data plan. If customer service tries to tell you you have to join them on a shared data plan, do an assumption of liability and move your phone to your own account by itself.
You can keep the unlimited data. The new phones will have to have the "tiered" data plan Verizon currently uses (2 GB for $30, $50 for 5 GB, 10 GB for $80). It's when you upgrade the lines that currently have unlimited data that you will run into problems. You have unlimited data on the droids. When you are eligible for an upgrade on those phones, you will either have to pick a tiered data plan (as explained above) or move to a shared data plan. Or just never upgrade and pay full price for a phone (or buy one off ebay/craigslist).
Thank you all for your responses. I appreciate you taking the time to help out.
@Thethor
As others have explained, when your mother and brother upgrade to a Smartphone and receive a discount for the phones they can stay on your current family share plan, but will need to select from one of our tiered data plans. Your and your dad's lines will not be affected.
You can keep your unlimited data plan as long as you do not accept a discount on new equipment on your and your dad's line.
I trust this answers your question.
John B
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
Yesterday I was informed by a Verizon Customer Service agent who just received new training that if, after the 28th, you upgrade ANY line on an exisitng Family Plan (such as Nationwide Talk and Text) to purchase a SUBSIDIZED price phone, EVEN IF THAT LINE DID NOT PREVIOUSLY HAVE UNLIMITED DATA, you will then LOSE Unlimited Data ON ALL THE OTHER LINES NOT BEING UPGRADED on your existing Family Plan! I was quite surprised to hear this since this information is different than what I have been reading on the boards and websites. I called a second agent who confirmed that the first agent provided the correct information. Has anyone else heard this update? If true, after the 28th, we can't upgrade any line on an existing Family Nationwide Talk and Text Plan without risking losing Unlimited Data on the other lines not being upgraded.
Zenith629 wrote:
Yesterday I was informed by a Verizon Customer Service agent who just received new training that if, after the 28th, you upgrade ANY line on an exisitng Family Plan (such as Nationwide Talk and Text) to purchase a SUBSIDIZED price phone, EVEN IF THAT LINE DID NOT PREVIOUSLY HAVE UNLIMITED DATA, you will then LOSE Unlimited Data ON ALL THE OTHER LINES NOT BEING UPGRADED on your existing Family Plan! I was quite surprised to hear this since this information is different than what I have been reading on the boards and websites. I called a second agent who confirmed that the first agent provided the correct information. Has anyone else heard this update? If true, after the 28th, we can't upgrade any line on an existing Family Nationwide Talk and Text Plan without risking losing Unlimited Data on the other lines not being upgraded.
That rep obviously can't read too well. Verizon is NOT forcing people to Share Everything plans thus unlimited lines not upgraded won't be affected. Verizon could change that policy at anytime down the road but you're safe until then.
PJNC284 wrote:
Zenith629 wrote:
Yesterday I was informed by a Verizon Customer Service agent who just received new training that if, after the 28th, you upgrade ANY line on an exisitng Family Plan (such as Nationwide Talk and Text) to purchase a SUBSIDIZED price phone, EVEN IF THAT LINE DID NOT PREVIOUSLY HAVE UNLIMITED DATA, you will then LOSE Unlimited Data ON ALL THE OTHER LINES NOT BEING UPGRADED on your existing Family Plan! I was quite surprised to hear this since this information is different than what I have been reading on the boards and websites. I called a second agent who confirmed that the first agent provided the correct information. Has anyone else heard this update? If true, after the 28th, we can't upgrade any line on an existing Family Nationwide Talk and Text Plan without risking losing Unlimited Data on the other lines not being upgraded.
That rep obviously can't read too well. Verizon is NOT forcing people to Share Everything plans thus unlimited lines not upgraded won't be affected. Verizon could change that policy at anytime down the road but you're safe until then.
But... no where in that post does it say you will lose the unlimited data because you are being forced onto a Share Everything plan. They could be putting them on one of the tiered plans.
I agree, though, that this does not seem likely. Conflicting reports from different Verizon agents. As usual, it seems as if we will not find out until the new plans take effect.
He did not say that we would be forced to a Shared Data Plan. He rather stated that we would be required to select new data plans, other than UNLIMITED, for ALL of our lines on the Family Talk and Text Plan when we upgrade any line on our plan, even if it did not previously have Unlimited Data. I also asked him to check with his Supervisor who he says concurred with his understanding. I too have an elderly parent on my family plan who may wish to upgrade from a Basic to a Smartphone at the subsidized price after the 28th. I will not do so if this means I lose Unlimited Data on the other lines on my plan.
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