pay more for data or shoes for Johnny . . hmm lemme think . .

[rrutl]

         OK  so, the sting is gradually fading on share everything, we have seen the whites of its eyes. Overall reaction is that it probably won't help most of us right now. I speak not only for myself, but as a reflection of what I have read. Who among us doesn't realize the state of our economy, and therein lies the real question, why would they 'go ahead' (an oft used term of CS reps) and roll it out now ?  They could have waited since we are still in a downturn state of economic activity. They know we only have a certain amount of income to devote to 'their share' of our budget, so what genius decided to hit us with something we would neither embrace nor applaud ?  I have a theory, that it was not an economist, but rather a psychologist who convinced them to 'go ahead'. Yeah, we're upset that it won't (in most acceptable scenarios) do us any good, and aside from being a distraction, it will soon fade as an everyday issue worthy of our attention. News cycles nowadays are notoriously intense,but brief. So, it's not that they expect anyone to choose increased expenditures for data coming from our current budget, but as I suspect, it's about the next 2-4 years. By releasing the plans now, we will have gotten use to the whole thing within a couple months and consider it all part of life as we know it. From a strictly economic standpoint, there is no logic in thinking people would immediately ramp up their spending on data, at the expense of more important aspects of our life's needs. So, Johnny will get shoes, and people will reject the plan if it doesn't benefit them. The latter has already happened, and if, in a couple years the economy has stabilized then the decision will (or could) pay off. Big business is all about taking calculated risks, the higher the risk, the higher the expected payoff. Americans don't expect a free lunch, and will in these harsh economic times, make well considered choices. The suits had to take a chance and shake up the equation for the sake of what's around the corner, and with a finite resource like budgetary income to draw from the timing of this plan still defies logic. With examples like Netflix to use as a point of reference, it still seems risky to stun us with such increase in cost, but the experts either knew that a whopping number of customers could not leave, or that people would largely ignore the plan after the initial reaction and get back to life as usual, keeping current plans (while they allow us to). I know that people have asked to see what this would look like, SO WE DID ASK FOR IT. But gollygeewillikers, yikes that 'smarted' !  MORE FOR LESS .. . hmm it'll take me a few  minutes to decide.

[AZSALUKI]

it's simple supply and demand. i really don't think there's more to it than that. i know that i am no longer considering smart phones for my wife and oldest son, due to these plans. but people prioritize their budget and more and more put smart phones towards the top of their priorities. i despise "reality" television and feel that it brings nothing worth while to our nation....but i'm obviously in the minority since the overwhelming majority must be demanding it on their television sets. if they didn't, then they simply wouldn't be on t.v. people throw fits about gas prices every day, but we demand it and are obviously willing to pay more and more for it. everything boils down to supply and demand. there is an increasingly HUGE demand for the latest and greatest smart phones, along with everything that comes with that (streaming music, netflix, etc, etc). they can only charge what people are willing to pay. only time will tell, but i would bet on continued growth for this company because they seem to know what they are doing.

[rrutl]

" they can only charge what people are willing to pay"

"because they seem to know what they are doing"

             I pasted your quotes, one quote echoes something I have already said so I have to agree, as to the second quote, everyone knows what verizon is doing, but many of us don't like it and that's why we are here, to speak out 

[AZSALUKI]

right....and i don't care for it either. however, i'm a realist, and i don't believe most of us are going anywhere, which is why they know they can do it. we will pay it. i know i've chimed in on many of these threads, and it's not because i'm ok with the new plans....but the fact is that they are a corporation with investors and a bottom line to worry about. they do not concern themselves with keeping all of their customers happy. nobody does, or companies would have 100% customer satisfaction levels. they will charge as much as they know we will pay without a mass customer switch to other carriers. and they don't care about the economy. let's face it, as bad as it was or is out there, i don't know anyone giving up their data plans, or cable/satellite tv, or many other "conveniences." we can live without data in our pocket. we really only need it at home or work (and even at home, for most, it's entertainment). they know however, that we will choose to keep paying more and more....or they would not make these changes. i guess my point to so many of these threads and customers, is that it's fine if they want to hop on here and vent about this issue, but the ONLY thing verizon will hear is $ walking to other carriers.....and i just don't believe most of the people complaining will walk. i could be wrong....but how many of the posts start with "i have been a loyal customer for xx years....."? well.....this isn't the first time they have increased prices and changed plans, and if these customers have really been with them for 5, 10, 15 years, then they have stayed with them through the other price increases.

[Sandman_CA]

"i know that i am no longer considering smart phones for my wife and oldest son, due to these plans."

We're also getting off the smartphone merry-go-round and going back to basic cellphones. I am astounded at what some of our fellow posters are paying monthly for the ability to play Angry Birds and check Facebook. In some cases it is in the $400 to $500 range PER MONTH.

My god, that's basically a car payment or college savings. We are only paying about $125 per month, but that's too much too, for 1 smartphone and 2 basic phones. Our prices will go up under the new Share Everything plan. And no, I'm not paying $650 for a stupid phone so I can have "unlimited" data.

We're going to be migrating to the least expensive basic-phone plan we can find. All of us in the family are in agreement. Enough of this insanity and its ridiculous pricing schemes.

[lewisr13]

Sandman_CA wrote:

Our prices will go up under the new Share Everything plan.

If you choose to go to the shared plans that's true, but you don't have to switch. Your least expensive with Verizon is $90. Oh wait, if you don't need texting they have a 550 minute family plan, I think it's $70 for 3 phones, but you'd need to call and ask. They don't advertise it.

[AZSALUKI]

they also have a 700 minute plan for 2 lines and $10 to add the third. so $80. you can add unlimited texting for $30 or pay 10 per line that you want texting on and each line that adds it for $10 gets 1000 messages. but for $110 you could have 700 miinutes to share on 3 lines and unlimited texts.

[Sandman_CA]

Yes, I realize that for now, we don't have to do anything. But my wife and son will be needing new phones soon (my wife is still using a 7-year-old Razr flip phone that she loves, but its life is coming to an end).

We are all "out of contract" so that there will be no termination charges. And we are all fed up with Verizon. This is a company for which I feel nothing but contempt.

These idiots have angered and alienated their customer base en masse with their money grab. It's as though they've used Netflix as their role model. When they named their plan "Share Everything", clearly they are referring to their customers' money.

We are not a family that lives by the phone motto of "I need, I want, I must have..." We tend to keep our phones a long time. I am the only one with the smartphone and frankly I can't dump it and Verizon fast enough. That's how pissed off we are.

[rcschnoor]

Even if you upgrade after the Share Everything plans take effect, it appears you do not need to switch to them if you do not want, and you can still get a subsidy for your phone.

Verizon is not forcing people into the Share Everything plan. For smartphones, there will still be the tiered data plans, so I assume that you will still be able to get a basic phone without going on the Share Everything plan, too.

[#10]

Nothing changes unless you choose to switch to a shared data plan.