I'm one of those people someone alluded to above- one who is not carrier-loyal and will jump if presented the right deal. I've been with Verizon for five or six years now, but I'm growing increasingly wary of their antics but, more importantly, the amount I pay each month for service. I've been telling myself I can't get rid of unlimited data, so I had come to terms with spending nearly $800 for the phone (I'm not upgrade-eligible, anyway).
For what, though? What says I'll get to keep unlimited data once my contract expires? I went to TMobile the other night and tested the Note II. While I was there, I tested the waters regarding ETF assistance and picked up some literature on month-to-month plans (something else I've been threatening to do for a while).
For my needs, HSPA+ is going to be a sufficient filler for LTE, especially considering the money I'll be putting back into my wallet. As an added benefit, the TMo Note II a) has a dormant LTE radio, making it a bit future-proof and b) should not chew the battery as quickly on HSPA+ as compared to LTE.
I'm damn close to making the jump. As I was telling the CS rep at Verizon today when asked why I was considering leaving, the delayed Note II release is the catalyst rather than the cause. I've been considering a PAYG type plan for a while now; it just took the right thing ticking me off to follow through.
So, for those of you still waiting on Red to finally let go of this thing, I feel your pain. I suffered through the Galaxy Nexus mess last year (and the trademark Verizon update drag-assedness over the last year) with many of you, I'm sure.
-Brian