Re: Misunderstandings regarding the new plans.....
rrutl
Contributor - Level 2

   I think there has been a MUTUAL misunderstanding maybe vz users inaccurately think the  plan is mandatory, well, time will surely correct that. But a far more serious misunderstanding is the one on verizons part, and that being of expecting that a slick promotion video will convince us of it's benefits. Why do  they think that a plan that seems to result in paying more for less would appeal to customers, sure it's optional for existing users, (for now) but if it weren't designed as a long term replacement for EVERY SINGLE CUSTOMER PLAN, then why discontinue other plans for new customers ?  This is the new template for all of us, one more cycle of subsidized phones to migrate us and then even that idea will be gone. (phone subsidy)  I am already mentally preparing to pay more for the phone in the future, and once we do that then contract extensions are a thing of the past, unless it becomes the only way to retain what they have sworn we can keep .. our newly grandfathered plan (the one we have today)

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Re: Misunderstandings regarding the new plans.....
AZSALUKI
Legend

destructor wrote:

But you are forced to pick either the Share Everything plan or a tiered individual plan (I mistakenly thought they were the same thing), if you want to keep getting subsidized upgrades. This is a slap in the face to loyal customers who were given the bait & switch. Verizon is out of their minds if they think I'm going to pay $500+ for a new phone just to keep unlimited data. I'll find another provider who has it or if none do by 2014 when my contract expires, I will go to whoever is the cheapest. Maybe some people have huge amounts of cash laying around to shell out full retail for new phones, but I don't.

how was it bait and switch? they gave you unlimited for at least 2 years the last time you signed a contract, correct? i would hardly consider the fact that TWO YEARS later, the plans are different, a bait and switch.

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Re: Misunderstandings regarding the new plans.....
AZSALUKI
Legend

with all due respect rrutl, they haven't sworn that we can keep anything forever. i suspect that as long as you don't renew, and stay off contract, then you could likely hang on to unlimited data for another year or so. however, there will be a time at some point where they ax it all together (along with every other carrier). there's only so much bandwidth. i suspect you are correct in that eventually they will do away with most or all of the older plans, but that's simply how business works. i don't pay the same for a gallon of milk today as i did 2 years ago, and i honestly don't expect price plans to stay the same forever either. yes, their goal is to migrate everyone over, and yes, i'm sure it's better for their bottom line. if people don't feel their service is worth it, then they'll leave....but i suspect they have done the research and know that most of us will stay, if for no other reason, than many of us live in areas where there just isn't acceptable coverage by anyone else. what many people here are missing is that verizon still has the best network, hands down. if that weren't the case, we would all be with another carrier already because we've all known that verizon has always been the most expensive.

Re: Misunderstandings regarding the new plans.....
destructor
Enthusiast - Level 3

It's bait and switch because they said just a year ago that they would not end unlimited data, which implies to the average person that there would be no changes or added stipulations to keep unlimited data. We can keep it yes, but we have to use our current device forever or pay full retail for a new device. Nowhere in their promise last year did they say anything about that if I recall correctly.

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Re: Misunderstandings regarding the new plans.....
PJNC284
Master - Level 2

Unfortunately they didn't say they'd let us keep them forever.  They've upheld their end of the contract.  Not to mention the statement said "at this time".  Some seem to forget that.

http://www.droid-life.com/2011/06/24/more-on-verizons-tiered-data-plans-and-how-long-you-get-to-stay...

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Re: Misunderstandings regarding the new plans.....
AZSALUKI
Legend

PJNC284 wrote:

Unfortunately they didn't say they'd let us keep them forever.  They've upheld their end of the contract.

exactly. for the past year they have allowed us to upgrade and keep it. so they gave use all another 2 years of it from whenever you renewed. nothing is forever......and over two years i suspect every carrier makes changes to their plans. anyone that has upgrade over the past year has got to keep it for 2+ years from the time they did away with it and announced tiered pricing. i'm not happy about it, but i was never naive enough to think i was going to have unlimited data for the rest of my life.

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Re: Misunderstandings regarding the new plans.....
alcid
Enthusiast - Level 2

Milk is more expensive today than it was 2 years ago, but VZ is not selling milk. VZ is selling technology, can you name any other technology product that is more expensive today than is was 2 years ago. I can't. Two years ago I bought a 47" HDTV, today I can buy a 55" + for the same price.

Even Apple manages to give you more while keep its prices the same and creating record profits.

The problem here is there is not enough competition and cellular service is becoming a monopoly. Thanks goodness the AT&T - T-Mobile acquisition was turned down by the regulators.

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Re: Misunderstandings regarding the new plans.....
destructor
Enthusiast - Level 3

You can call it naive if you want, but it doesn't make it any less of a ****** business practice from a customer service perspective. Sure they make more money, which is great for them, but sucks for us who have stuck with them through all the other BS they've pulled. I don't think they should've ever offered unlimited data to begin with if they were just going to get rid of it eventually. If I could get 6 GB for $30 or less, I might consider it, but they want $30 for 2, so I don't think so. I don't have to pay more for gas if I use more of it, it's the same price regardless of how much I use. Same thing with cable Internet use or the like. The same sort of thing is happening with newspapers. Most of them offered free online editions and then when they realized print was dying they tried to switch to online subscriptions and that just isn't right. You don't offer something for free and then start charging for it and expect people to be happy about it. Same thing with this. You don't give people unlimited data and then take it away and expect people to be thrilled you did. That's great that some people are happy about it, but I'm not, and thousands more like me are out there I'm sure. We should get to keep our existing plans for as long as we like with all the same benefits as when we originally signed up. Pipe dream perhaps, but that's how it would be done if Verizon gave a rat's *** about their customers. There's only one way they can win me back and that's if they give me a guaranteed contract in writing that I can keep my plan as is with no changes in any way, shape, or form for the rest of my life or until I decide to end the contract. Yeah this will never happen, but that's how they could prevent me from leaving when my contract is up.

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Re: Misunderstandings regarding the new plans.....
rrutl
Contributor - Level 2

due respect back to you . . . I proof read my reply and it doesn't say 'forever' even once in there. It's not that I or anyone would expect indefinite price freezes on anything. I think one element of this issue is that the bandwidth is limited, and the system has a carrying capacity, but vz and all carriers are not going to limit the number of accounts the take money from (i.e. subscribers) so it would seem the they are selling more seats on the bus than they should, too many people too little bandwidth for the numbers. OK so it's a juggling act to be sure and we all experience congestion from time to time. But one thing I do expect, is that I can make calls when I need to. No ifs,ands, or buts. So, if vz had every intention of not limiting it's number of customers, then (as someone pondered) WHY DID THEY OFFER UNLIMITED DATA ?  They HAD to know that many existing customers would enter the 'data use' realm within their own company. They now want to blame people for using the system as it was sold to them, instead of admitting that they are overcrowding the system with unlimited numbers of customers. Does anyone think that the geniuses couldn't calculate the potential numbers of data users they would eventually have to serve ?  Is it ethical to sell more than you can supply ?  Now it's all the fault of people who were fortunate enough to subscribe to unlimited data when it was available even though the vast majority do not abuse the service.  I just want to see corporate responsibility and business ethics at the same time I am admonished to do my part as a consumer. The telecom carriers in the US have too much power, I can accept change, I won't accept unethical practices and being charged too much for something without speaking out

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Re: Misunderstandings regarding the new plans.....
Derek32880
Contributor - Level 1

The point is people are getting screwed over  with these new plans  "you don't have to take these new plans  you can keep ur $30 plan but u will now only have 2gbs instead of unlimited"    lets look at the size of an actual gb  it's really not much  it's probably equal to about the size of a plum (maybe less)  so $30 for 2gbs  is basically like paying $30 for 2 plums (or less) it's a total rip off

now with these new plans I could go with the 1gb plan and basically pay the same thing I pay now for unlimited talk and text ($90) doing away with the $30 fee completely  since I hardly use anywhere near 1gb using my wifi    or for an extra $10 (or $20 savings)  I get an extra 1gb  which is where the new joke comes in  $10 for a single plum.

If they had did something different with the plans  by giving more data  than what they do (and charging a lil bit less for an extra phone and $0 for the 1st device)  i suspect people wouldn't be so angry

here would be better pricing plans  that would have more people jumping ship to get on the plan since there going to lose there unlimited data anyway

Unlimited talk, text, and  2gbs of data  $55

Unlimited talk, text, and  4gbs of data  $60

Unlimited talk, text, and  8gbs of data  $70

Unlimited talk, text, and 12gbs of data $80

Unlimited talk, text, and 16gbs of data $90

Unlimited talk, text, and 20gbs of data $100

extra Device charges (ie add lines) $35 each device (not counting the primary line)

they could then charge $5 for 2gb buckets  in case of overages (still a bit pricey but a better deal)

with these pricing plans   if someone on a family share plan with 5 phones wanted too they could upgrade all of them to a smart phone and pay $240 plus taxes and fees with the 20gbs $100 plan plus they would have 4gbs each. now people (like myself)  who has only 1 line would probably go with  the 4gb for $60 others who uses more data may go with the 8gbs for $70 (which would be the same price some people are paying for 450 mins and unlimited data alone with this  plan since there actually losing there unlimited there still paying a good price and changing there mins from 450 to unlimited and also giving them the chance to use unlimited texting if they want to and if those people only used  say 3gbs of data a month they could end up saving $10 a month and still gaining  unlimited talk and text  plus those pricing plans would more than likely bring in NEW customers as well cause there so cheap  and basically since there almost the same pricing plans as Sprint for 1 line  but cheaper for 2+ they would more than likely get sprints customers as well

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