Tiered data plans

[Old Man]

No, this is untrue. As technology moves forward, we are using more and more data, sometimes unknowingly.

Advertisements in apps? - Data.

Gtalk? -Data

Market? -Data

YouTube? -A Handful of these a week can set you over your limit by itself.

Pandora? - See the youtube reference.

Background Sync? - Data

Browsing the web? -Data

Email Sync? - Data

New/Faster/Better capabilities are coming, with faster than ever speeds that make loads of stuff we never thought of doing possible with our mobile devices. Imagine if Comcast/ATT/Roadrunner etc put small arbitrary bandwidth caps on home service. Imagine what wouldn't exist, like online gaming, video streaming from youtube/hulu etc, pandora, all these services wouldn't exist, or would be very poor at best, because no one would be able to afford it. The list goes on and on. ATT and VZW are taking a step backwards here, and I'm glad to see Sprint and T-Mobile publicly come against bandwidth caps.

-Another thing, bandwidth caps don't even make sense.

If you bought a smartphone to use it as a smartphone, then bandwidth caps are not for you. People need to look towards tomorrow, and the next day, instead of yesterday. That is what got ATT in trouble with their crappy ass network, and why they are facing so much flak from the media and people about their 2-bit crap network. It's a crying shame they were #1 subscribed to for YEARS, and yet are 3rd out of 4 carriers when it comes to their 3G network. That's what happens when you don't look to the future.

The last thing I want, is "Oh crap, I can't watch this youtube video my co-worker sent me until I get home, because I'm close to my ridiculously small bandwidth limit. " Especially with the premium VZW charges, you guys should be outraged.

If you really think this is going to somehow save you money, your wrong. One overage, *just one*, can equal the cost savings for your entire two year contract or more. I don't want to have to worry about data caps when I'm using an already pricey internet plan when compared to what people pay for landline service.

What is ironic is that you have people offering arguments like this against anything but unlimited data plans while at the same time you have others arguing against being required to have any data plan because they claim that they always use Wi-Fi. Both sides have valid points and yet they directly conflict with one another. So what about tiered plans that include an unlimited tier? Might that offer a solution that actually tries to address both ends as well as those in the middle? How do you know that is not what may be offered? For all we know Verizon could keep the current unlimited plan and rate and simply add one or two lower capacity, lower cost data plan tiers and all this could be a lot of worrying about something that turns out for the better. Okay, unlikely to turn out exactly that way, but the point is that we don't actually know what any tiered data plans might mean, but we apparently need something to worry about (me included).

And while it could happen, a single overage at $0.05 to $0.20 per MB would have to be pretty extreme to offset all the potential savings. And that's if overages are addressed in that manner and not via a simple lump sum or by bumping you up to the next tier. Without knowing the tier rates and overage rates it's impossible to really know what actually might occur.

 

[IOWA]

What is ironic is that you have people offering arguments like this against anything but unlimited data plans while at the same time you have others arguing against being required to have any data plan because they claim that they always use Wi-Fi. Both sides have valid points and yet they directly conflict with one another. So what about tiered plans that include an unlimited tier? Might that offer a solution that actually tries to address both ends as well as those in the middle? How do you know that is not what may be offered? For all we know Verizon could keep the current unlimited plan and rate and simply add one or two lower capacity, lower cost data plan tiers and all this could be a lot of worrying about something that turns out for the better. Okay, unlikely to turn out exactly that way, but the point is that we don't actually know what any tiered data plans might mean, but we apparently need something to worry about (me included).

And while it could happen, a single overage at $0.05 to $0.20 per MB would have to be pretty extreme to offset all the potential savings. And that's if overages are addressed in that manner and not via a simple lump sum or by bumping you up to the next tier. Without knowing the tier rates and overage rates it's impossible to really know what actually might occur.

As long as an unlimited tier is included that doesn't price gouge people, that's fine.

 

[buckeyeredeye]

Well for what its worth, I was at a Verizon's cave last week for a warranty issue not pertaining to a droid, so I leaned over the counter and asked" So what's this about a data cap ,a different level of charging for users?" He said well there is nothing at the moment (smug smile) so I asked how do they keep track of data usage, he said well",nothing to worry about as far as using to much data and over doing your cap you see 2.2 will actually use less data to do what your already doing with your phone"(BY THE WAY,I do come close to allotted data cap with 2.1) he went on to say if ide use pdanet there is no data usage through Verizon but through the app (PDAnet) so it "IS" a load off of Verizon's money grid( capabilities ). If he's right then Pooh! Why pay for something that is free and im not ripping off anyone off? If he's wrong why dont Verizon train their employees the "whatzits" instead of selling phones without knowing what there capabilitys are?

 

[buckeyeredeye]

I'm actually somewhat looking forward to tiered data. I sick of paying the same as some guy using 5gb, when I'm only using 2-3.

For once users might actually get what they pay for, literally.

You know it is sad and ironic that I sighned up on my first android forum, notice I said "android" and as I peck my DROID phone keys im useing up valueable data up on my plan to confront comments like that. Lets stick together im willing to meet halfway if you are: ) oh and a foot note: as I responded to this gentleman's comment I answered an e mail, and tapped the keys happily to the tune of U2s bloody sunday on Pandora radio, I even uploaded a pic from photobucket ,im a blue collar worker so thank you droid!

 

[ekyle]

Here's my take on tiered data plans. EVERYONE is going to do it. AT&T was just first. But it will pass and go away. Unlimited data plans will return. Remember AOL back in the day when you bought minutes? Same thing, eventually they realized that it was terribly inefficient and they switched to an unlimited (monthly payment) type of plan. It'll be back after awhile.