VZW Customers Getting Grandfathered?

[YankeeDudeL]

While not exactly Bionic related, there's no doubt this information will affect those considering the Bionic.

July 21st is Slated for Next Round of Verizon’s 4G LTE Roll Out

Neither this or the original report that tiered data going into effect on July 7 has been confirmed, but it's def some good news. All mobile customers are aware that new customers tend to get the better deals. Looks like it pays to all ready be a valued customer. This was a huge sigh of relief for me.

 

[Asterdroid]

I've been reading a lot of mixed information about grandfathering.

As of right now it sounds like if you already have unlimited data, you SHOULD be fine, even after the tiered data is introduced.

Again, nothing has been confirmed though. I'm sure we'll get this information very soon as Verizon employees have already started training on the new data plans.

I for one am going to take the risk and hold off on my purchase until the phone I actually want comes out (SGS2 or Bionic depending on certain specs).

 

[redraider1]

Yeah well I got tired of waiting and wasnt going to risk losing unlimited data so I grabbed a charge. If the bionic impresses me then i will buy it full retail. But from what they are saying on twitter they are on revision #3 which isnt a good sign if it is indeed true.

 

[Asterdroid]

Yeah well I got tired of waiting and wasnt going to risk losing unlimited data so I grabbed a charge. If the bionic impresses me then i will buy it full retail. But from what they are saying on twitter they are on revision #3 which isnt a good sign if it is indeed true.

Indeed. This is one of many reasons why I'm 90% certain I'm going with the SGS2.

 

[YankeeDudeL]

Yeah well I got tired of waiting and wasnt going to risk losing unlimited data so I grabbed a charge. If the bionic impresses me then i will buy it full retail. But from what they are saying on twitter they are on revision #3 which isnt a good sign if it is indeed true.

While still in fear of tiered data and in desperate need of a new phone, went ahead and got my g/f a Charge yesterday as well. It's def a good phone and it's plain to see that Android has made improvements. After I root it, I'm sure I'll like it even better. lol

 

[YankeeDudeL]

BTW Verizon has confirmed that "alternative data plans" will be implemented in July. That's about it.

I was in my VZW store again today (we're starting to get on first name basis, lol), and asked about tiered data, repeating what I've read. Of course it couldn't be confirmed, but the rep pretty much said that since I already have unlimited data, I have nothing to worry about. Again, starting to feel better.

 

[rushmore]

Folks,

This whole effort of tiered data is about 450% due to the assumed avalanche of At&t expatriots that are expected to move to VZW for the iPhone 5. The catch is I doubt the avalanche will happen, since VZW are getting rid of the key thing that would have caused it- "unlimited" data.

Yes, there will still be a large amount of folks that will change to VZW due to the better coverage map, but it seems VZW are sitting on the branch and cutting it off on the wrong side. That is enough analogies for one post. Sorry.

Added:

It seems VZW are doing everything they can to actually weaken their position and make it less attractive for people to move to VZW. If I were an At&t exec, I could not ask for better tunnel vision moves by the competition. The cherry on top for At&t is the $5 higher 2gb price. $25 was too high and now VZW are increasing 25% (pure stupid)?! Not to mention a weak phone line-up.

VZW would have been FAR better suited to have established a throttle plan for anybody breaching 5GB a month, rather than a price elastic threatening $30 for 2GB. I would be feeling very good right now, as an exec for VZW competition.

 

[YankeeDudeL]

Folks,

This whole effort of tiered data is about 450% due to the assumed avalanche of At&t expatriots that are expected to move to VZW for the iPhone 5. The catch is I doubt the avalanche will happen, since VZW are getting rid of the key thing that would have caused it- unlimited data.

Yes, there will still be a large amount of folks that will change to VZW due to the better coverage map, but it seems VZW are sitting on the branch and cutting it off on the wrong side. That is enough analogies for one post. Sorry.

Added:

It seems VZW are doing everything they can to actually weaken their position and make it less attractive for people to move to VZW. If I were an At&t exec, I could not ask for better tunnel vision moves by the competition. The cherry on top for At&t is the $5 higher 2gb price. $25 was too high and now VZW are increasing 25% (pure stupid)?! Not to mention a weak phone line-up.

I agree with the rant. But didn't AT&T state they were going to move to tiered data as well? I can't see Verizon doing this if everyone else isn't going to as well, just wouldn't make sense.

If they had to do this, they could have made 5GB for $30. 2GB should be $15, hell even $20. That would have been a lot more fair.

I've got 3 Androids on my plan and will soon have two more. Now, I don't expect the other two to use even half the data the rest of us do, but if I wanted to be comfortable, I'd have to have at least 3 lines of 5GB. All together, I'd have to pay $210 for data alone. My entire bill is $220 as it is right now (though I do have a pretty sweet deal).

 

[rushmore]

I agree with the rant. But didn't AT&T state they were going to move to tiered data as well? I can't see Verizon doing this if everyone else isn't going to as well, just wouldn't make sense.

If they had to do this, they could have made 5GB for $30. 2GB should be $15, hell even $20. That would have been a lot more fair.

I've got 3 Androids on my plan and will soon have two more. Now, I don't expect the other two to use even half the data the rest of us do, but if I wanted to be comfortable, I'd have to have at least 3 lines of 5GB. All together, I'd have to pay $210 for data alone. My entire bill is $220 as it is right now (though I do have a pretty sweet deal).

Yes, but VZW are now also dropping unlimited and the main entry price option is $30, which is 25% higher than At&t. What VZW are doing is helping the competition, by adjusting to their pricing levels and even surpassing them.

I already have two unlimited data lines, so not a rant as much as surprise at how it seems VZW are blinded by looking at a business case scenario that seems to be made with horse-blinds on.

 

[YankeeDudeL]

Yes, but VZW are now also dropping unlimited and the main entry price option is $30, which is 25% higher than At&t. What VZW are doing is helping the competition, by adjusting to their pricing levels and even surpassing them.

I already have two unlimited data lines, so not a rant as much as surprise at how it seems VZW are blinded by looking at a business case scenario that seems to be made with horse-blinds on.

Yeah, it looks like this won't affect me, either. I'm soooo glad I jumped on that special pricing plan (as a lot on here had the opportunity to do, can't thank the Chief enough for leading me to it). I could get a discount on data, the catch being I had to add unlimited data to every line on the plan.

Now that this information has come out, I'll be sitting pretty for the rest of my contract. Saweet.

But I am currently looking to break into mobile sales, and the writing on the wall is that pushing Verizon is gonna be all the more difficult to sell. Thankfully, those of us who are well educated in the matter or a very small minority (albeit very vocal).

 

[rushmore]

A CS person confirmed today that folks currently with unlimited data will keep it, as long as they never cancel the data plan (no getting it back).

She also confirmed my long standing theory that there is no contract difference between 3 and 4 G, since exact same data plan on contract. As stated before, folks that bought first generation 4g devices just to lock 4g in, did it in vain.

 

[stew930]

Haven't heard anything about family data plans like I heard about a few weeks back. I wonder if that is still a possibility. If not I may have to give my wife my upgrade before July 7th since she isn't eligible until July 11th just to get her on a smart phone and the unlimited data plan now. If they are charging $30 for 2GB starting July 7 per line the family data plan if they were to do it probably wouldn't be much of a savings every month.

 

[rushmore]

Haven't heard anything about family data plans like I heard about a few weeks back. I wonder if that is still a possibility. If not I may have to give my wife my upgrade before July 7th since she isn't eligible until July 11th just to get her on a smart phone and the unlimited data plan now. If they are charging $30 for 2GB starting July 7 per line the family data plan if they were to do it probably wouldn't be much of a savings every month.

Seems a family 5gb for $30 and 10gb for $50 plan option would make more sense, but most sane folks appreciate the real reason VZW is doing this is NOT for a burdened network.

They are counting 100% on a LOT of folks breaching the magic 2gb line so they can be charged $10 or update to even more expensive plans. Will it backfire? YES, but will take time for VZW to appreciate the results will probably NOT be what they thought.

 

[rushmore]

Yeah, it looks like this won't affect me, either. I'm soooo glad I jumped on that special pricing plan (as a lot on here had the opportunity to do, can't thank the Chief enough for leading me to it). I could get a discount on data, the catch being I had to add unlimited data to every line on the plan.

Now that this information has come out, I'll be sitting pretty for the rest of my contract. Saweet.

But I am currently looking to break into mobile sales, and the writing on the wall is that pushing Verizon is gonna be all the more difficult to sell. Thankfully, those of us who are well educated in the matter or a very small minority (albeit very vocal).

What special plan are you referring to?

 

[Vehtemas]

The thing that concerns me is that they said the 3g and 4g are on the same plan, meaning that the 2gb max is the same max for 3g and 4g...

 

[Vehtemas]

A CS person confirmed today that folks currently with unlimited data will keep it, as long as they never cancel the data plan (no getting it back).

She also confirmed my long standing theory that there is no contract difference between 3 and 4 G, since exact same data plan on contract. As stated before, folks that bought first generation 4g devices just to lock 4g in, did it in vain.

So, since I currently have $30/unlimited data plan on my droid, if I purchase an LTE phone at full pricing I could theoretically put it under my $30/unlimited data plan?

 

[rushmore]

So, since I currently have $30/unlimited data plan on my droid, if I purchase an LTE phone at full pricing I could theoretically put it under my $30/unlimited data plan?

Yep, discounted or full priced should result in LTE since same legacy data plan.

 

[rushmore]

The thing that concerns me is that they said the 3g and 4g are on the same plan, meaning that the 2gb max is the same max for 3g and 4g...

Which ties in that tiered data and 4G are a contradiction in premise in the first place.

 

[GSX]

So, since I currently have $30/unlimited data plan on my droid, if I purchase an LTE phone at full pricing I could theoretically put it under my $30/unlimited data plan?

No, it means that since you have a $30 unlimited data plan, when you use your next upgrade to an LTE phone, you will keep your unlimited data plan. The folks who will get caught by this are new subscribers, those adding a new data line or those upgrading a non-data line to a data line on or AFTER 7/7/2011. If you have unlimited data now, you will always have it until YOU change your plan.

 

[rushmore]

No, it means that since you have a $30 unlimited data plan, when you use your next upgrade to an LTE phone, you will keep your unlimited data plan. The folks who will get caught by this are new subscribers, those adding a new data line or those upgrading a non-data line to a data line on or AFTER 7/7/2011. If you have unlimited data now, you will always have it until YOU change your plan.

I think that is what Veh is saying.... I guess, since same data plan would be same unlimited plan.

 

[stew930]

What special plan are you referring to?

I believe Verizon had a deal around the end of last year or beginning of this year where the data plan was around $20. I a few people on the board mentioned they jumped on it. Unfortunately when I saw it I was too late.

 

[JasonCz]

So here is a related question to the grandfathering issue. I currently am on another family members plan. I had planned all along to switch to my own with unlimited data in the next year or so.

If I go to a Verizon store today and sign up for a new account with the unlimited data to lock it in, do I have to buy a phone now to get the "upgrade" discount? or can I use my existing Incredible until a phone comes out that I want, and then get the discount? I would rather wait for the next gen to come out and get that at the new contract price.

Thanks!

 

[Phone Gnome]

^^^
Having done something similar to this it did take a little wrangling but worked out in the end.
Last year I switched from a different carrier to verizon but activated an old phone for couple of weeks until the Droid X came out.
At that time I made sure to have them note the account that I was owed an upgrade. Although it still did take a call before I could order.

However I don't know if that will offer the protection of being grandfathered into the old rate. The best bet would be to call verizon and talk to a rep. Hopefully it works out for you since I'm giving my Droid X to a family member to active a data plan before 7/7 for the same reason.

 

[CyHawk]

Jason,
You and the account holder would have to call Verizon's assumption of liability department and have them split the lines up. You will not be able to activate that phone on a new line because you technically do not own the phone. The person who's name is on the account does.

 

[JasonCz]

^^^
Having done something similar to this it did take a little wrangling but worked out in the end.

Appreciate the input!

Jason,
You and the account holder would have to call Verizon's assumption of liability department and have them split the lines up. You will not be able to activate that phone on a new line because you technically do not own the phone. The person who's name is on the account does.

You're absolutely right. I decided to go into my local Verizon store to get some answers. I was told to call the "liability department". They weren't sure if I assume the liability after 7/7 I would be grandfathered or not, so we decided I might as well do it before just to avoid the risk of losing it.

Thanks for the help!