Disgusted by Verizon's new share everything plans

[yorkyrebel]

I'm not asking for unlimited data.  I just think $210 monthly is too much for 3 smartphones on a 2GB plan!

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    created by gman31 in Verizon Wireless Services - View the full discussion

Just curious, how long do you expect a company to keep grandfathering these old plans?  So you bought your contract on old 3G technology but want the same unlimited on new 4G technology that Verizon just spent billions on.  Hmmm.    I think unlimited on slow speeds and limited on high speeds is a fair trade off. I wish I could grandfather gas prices in from a few years ago, just my 2 cents.

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[michaeljtimko]

Well, if you read the post you would understand.

The new Share Your Wallet plan was essentially aimed at new customers... it does not benefit existing customers.  New customers see this from the perspective of its a little more pricey than what I paying now with Sprint or AT&T, but they got better coverage, unlimited minutes and I can share my data... cool beans!

For those us that are already here, we see it from a different perspective.  Some, possibly most of us have grandfathered unlimited data.  This will be lost under Share Your Wallet.  I don't use more than 2.5 to 3 GB of data a month, but having unlimited data gives me a feeling of security in case I let my kids stream a lot of video over my Rezound or Galaxy Tab 2.

Under the Share Your Wallet plan, some, if not most of us will see our bills increase.  I pay $250.60 a month and Share Your Wallet will cost me $250 before taxes and regulatory fees.  Like k988feline I have a household full people I pay for.  I maintain two smart phones (one with unlimited data & hot spot and the other with unlimited data) and three dumb phones.

Verizon is showing us no customer loyalty as they could have easily left us long standing customers alone.  They could have come to us and said, "hey keep your plan and we will keep subsidizing your phones every two years as a show of good will because you have been with us for so long."

Instead, what we got was if you don't want the Share Your Wallet plan & you like your existing plan, then keep your beat down, two year old phone or fork over full price for your next phone.

[NuDroidUsrr]

I'm not asking for unlimited data.  I just think $210 monthly is too much for 3 smartphones on a 2GB plan!

Unless you are not telling us everything, I don't think that adds up right?

$40 / month for smart phones x 3 = $120

2GB shared plan is $50

So $120 + $50 = $170?

The only thing I can think is that you are figuring other devices / services in the mix?

[On2Vegas]

I agree that the pricing seems off. I currently have 1 smartphone and 2 dumbphones on my plan ($140 after taxes & fees).  I was interested in upgrading the two dumbphones (wife and eldest son) to smartphones when I heard of Verizon’s plan to introduce “shared data”. I went in fully knowing I would have to pay more to accomplish this. In fact, I was certain I would have to give up my unlimited data as well. Not a problem for me, as wifi is readily available to me (home & work) and I have never exceeded 1 gig (even after getting my LTE Galaxy Nexus).  So Verizon would have actually gotten more money out of me.

The problem I have is these plans flaunt the unlimited voice and text. Voice is without a doubt on the decline (we avg. 200 mins combined). Texting’s growth has greatly slowed over the last few years (we avg. 75 combined), and it’s mostly teens that do it. DATA is what everyone craves now.  The structure of the Data component seems overpriced. One of my biggest issues is the $10 increase per smartphone. Pull back the per smartphone fee $5 or better yet keep it at the current $30. Wifi hotspot is nice, but it still pulls from the data allotment.

I have no problem paying for quality service. Verizon has provided this to me over the years, but I will hold off to see what the other carriers introduce later in the year. I’m seriously considering AT&T since service in my area is much improved, and at least they’re a GSM carrier and my travelling will likely increase. Their phone selection tends to be better too. 

Below are news items showing the decline in talk and text:

“The State of Mobile: Less Talking, Fewer Texts, More Data”

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/state-of-mobile/

----------------

From an article way back from 2009. Before the explosive growth of Android joined the already very popular iPhone. So the trend has likely continued.

“Morgan Stanley claimed in its December, 2009 report that mobile phones were increasingly about data–not voice–especially among smartphone users. Yet cell phone plans for consumers and businesses kept rising.“ (page 52)

http://www.morganstanley.com/institutional/techresearch/pdfs/2SETUP_12142009_RI.pdf

[NuDroidUsrr]

On2Vegas wrote:

I agree that the pricing seems off. I currently have 1 smartphone and 2 dumbphones on my plan ($140 after taxes & fees).  I was interested in upgrading the two dumbphones (wife and eldest son) to smartphones when I heard of Verizon’s plan to introduce “shared data”. I went in fully knowing I would have to pay more to accomplish this. In fact, I was certain I would have to give up my unlimited data as well. Not a problem for me, as wifi is readily available to me (home & work) and I have never exceeded a ½ gig (even after getting my LTE Galaxy Nexus).  So Verizon would have actually gotten more money out of me.

The problem I have is these plans flaunt the unlimited voice and text. Voice is without a doubt on the decline. Texting’s growth has greatly slowed over the last few years, and it’s mostly teens that do it. DATA is what everyone craves now.  The structure of the Data component seems overpriced. One of my biggest issues is the $10 increase per smartphone. Pull back the per smartphone fee $5 or better yet keep it at the current $30. Wifi hotspot is nice, but it still pulls from the data allotment.

I have no problem paying for quality service. Verizon has provided this to me over the years, but I will hold off to see what the other carriers introduce later in the year. I’m seriously considering AT&T since service in my area is much improved, and at least they’re a GSM carrier and my travelling will likely increase. Their phone selection tends to be better too. 

Below are news items showing the decline in talk and text:

“The State of Mobile: Less Talking, Fewer Texts, More Data”

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/02/state-of-mobile/

----------------

From an article way back from 2009. Before the explosive growth of Android joined the already very popular iPhone. So the trend has likely continued.

“Morgan Stanley claimed in its December, 2009 report that mobile phones were increasingly about data–not voice–especially among smartphone users. Yet cell phone plans for consumers and businesses kept rising.“ (page 52)

http://www.morganstanley.com/institutional/techresearch/pdfs/2SETUP_12142009_RI.pdf

  You would not have to give your unlimited data plan to upgrade your other 2 phones to smart phones. They could get their own individual data plan of 2GB for $30 per month, and you can keep yours the way it is. You do not have to change your plan to do subsidized upgrades... It is only an option.

I agree with you on the Voice/Text issue, talking to people is a lost art especially with today's generation. And texting, while it is a very important piece, it also is not on the same growth as data is, and that is why Verizon created this plan.

[Jakeman1]

I have quite a few issues with the share everything plan mostly when it comes to Data. Currently I have 2 Smartphones with Unlimited Data. 

Above Yorkyrebel indicated that it is unreasonable to think that this should be grandfathered in when the Unlimited Data Plan took effect with 3G and now we are on the Wonderful 4G plans.  I would almost agree except that most of the users of the Data Plans do NOT have 4G in their areas yet so charging me for the wonderful 4G Data speeds when I am limited to 3G is wrong.

That said, I have been using 2 different Data tracking programs. On my phone I use 2.5 GB of Data per month and my son uses just under 5 GB of Data per month.  Seem like a lot??

The sad part is when I filter through all of the apps using Data, on my phone 1.93 GB of this data is used by the Bloatware Verizon puts on our phones, and that I DO NOT even use.  On my sons phone it is 1.96GB of Data used by Verizon Bloatware and the apps are NOT used on his phone as well.

The choice to go into the 4G market was Verizons. when 4G came out they also came out with the Tiered Data plan and PROMISED anyone on the Unlimited plan that they would keep it as long as they had their contract and renewed their contract and the only way they would lose it is if they left Verizon and came back under new Contract terms.

New customers to Verizons Data Plan would have to take their Tiered plan at 2 GB per month for $30.  So even in my case where I have 2 phones using the Data plan. it will cost me $60 for 2GB of data on each phone which if they eliminate the Blaotware I would be OK with except that in the Share Everything Plan I would only get 2 GB of data to share between both phones and it will cost me more then I am currently paying. That I am NO ok with and will NEVER be OK with it.

I have been a customer of Verizon's for close to 20 years and they have pulled some fast ones in the past, but this one takes the cake.

Basically what they are forcing us long term customers to do is to NOT renew a contract, and purchase our phones from a source other than Verizon to use their service at our existing contract terms, or to keep our phones longer then we would normally keep them.

It is really a sad day when a corporation that logged over 1.5 billion in profits is trying to wrench even more out of loyal customers.

Verizon will tell you that they posted a loss of 2 billion last year, however when you take out of the equation the cost of their implementation of 4G they would have posted a 1.7 Billion dollar profit.  Again the cost associated with implementing 4G is a Business Expense and most of it will be recovered from the PUC at some point in time, and Verizon will profit more from the implementation of 4g using their normal pricing that they had prior to this Share Everything Plan.

It is Corporate Greed.

[commonsense101]

Yah.. bloatware doesn't use much..i have no idea what you are doing wrong, but try again

"they would have posted a profit if they didnt include their costs.."

i dont even know where to begin on that one

[mobius999]

I feel your pain,been with Verizon since 2000 and now to be told that I will lose unlimited If I upgrade!

[yorkyrebel]

You know, I really don't mind upgrading and changing to the new system IF it wasn't so damned expensive.  I consider $210 monthly way out of my budget for 3 phones on a 2GB plan.  Also, I don't consider the prices for upgrade reasonable.  Just my 2cents worth.

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[#10]

Verizon never promised anything about the grandfathered unlimited data plans.