I use a lot of streaming radio on my phones, so I regularly *do* go well over 2 GiB/mo. Good thing I'm on sprint then.

fark you, Verizon.

FishyFred: I predict a lot of bellyaching in this thread from people who fall into the 95% of users who use less than 2 gigabytes per month.

I regularly check Tumblr and Facebook photos and watch videos on my phone and I'll barely crack 1 gigabyte this month.

Yeah, because paying more for the same level of service is a great idea!

"Our network right now is fine, but this is preparing us for a future that's going to be filled with applications that take more and more data use," Raney said. "The plans need to evolve with the technology."


Yeah, or you could always EVOLVE YOUR TECHNOLOGY. ISPs are only beat by politicians in inability to handle change or evolution of technology, I swear. It's not like the research and technology aren't out there for better networks, they're just seeing how long they can coast. With more and more people going smartphone, they simply won't be able too; no matter how much they limit data usage people are going to start noticing how slow their shiat is.

I've got a legacy Alltel account with Verizon. They've been trying to convince me to "upgrade" my contract for quite some time, and they're going to find I'm even more stubborn about it now.

And if you're going to advertise streaming HD on phones, then don't whine when people use that bandwidth.

How do places like Boost and Virgin Mobile offer unlimited talk text and web for $40, but it's $30 *just* for data on Verizon? You need that on top of a $60 plan for 450Minutes (talk and text).

I have my $29.99 unlimited locked in, and they'll have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers if they want to change it.

Sm3agol85: I have my $29.99 unlimited locked in, and they'll have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers if they want to change it.

You're grandfathered in. They won't take it away from you.

lippenhoffer: How do places like Boost and Virgin Mobile offer unlimited talk text and web for $40, but it's $30 *just* for data on Verizon? You need that on top of a $60 plan for 450Minutes (talk and text).

Because Verizon actually has COVERAGE. Everyone I know lives or works in places with crappy coverage, which is why I have verizon. I can almost always make or receive a call. I wish I could switch to a cheaper service, but I end up in the most boondock places for work, so having coverage is the key.

I wonder how much it costs to setup a new tower, and how could I rent it out to the big guys? Like how people out west setup oil pumps in their backyards and sell to refineries.

FishyFred: I predict a lot of bellyaching in this thread from people who fall into the 95% of users who use less than 2 gigabytes per month.

I'm not inherently opposed to tiered pricing when it comes to internet service, but I have two problems with these types of changes:

1. If you're worried that your network is going to have problems in the future carrying the types of traffic multimedia phones will bring then stop trying to force everyone onto multimedia phones until you've upgraded your equipment to handle your promises. AT&T is guiltier of this than Verizon, especially after they blamed iPhone users for causing network problems by using their iPhones exactly as they were intended, but Verizon isn't a saint.

2. The pricing and limits are bullshiat. 2 GB of transfer a month for $30? That's insane. 10 GB for $10, maybe, and then we'll talk. I find it hard to believe that the equipment for a wireless network is really so godawful expensive that it justifies charging upwards of 100x the going rate for transfer in other sectors.

This isn't about anything but gouging people who don't know any better, and that's always a reason to bellyache.

I just finally jumped into the pool yesterday and bought a Droid 2 with the unlimited data on target.com yesterday. I know that if I would have waited I would have been getting hit with extra charges. I am gonna whore the crap out of unlimited data when I activate it.

FishyFred: I predict a lot of bellyaching in this thread from people who fall into the 95% of users who use less than 2 gigabytes per month.

I regularly check Tumblr and Facebook photos and watch videos on my phone and I'll barely crack 1 gigabyte this month.

They're adding tiered pricing because they're introducing higher speeds. You'd do more with your phone if it worked more quickly.

I'm realistic about the limits, but I don't want to be one of those ATT customers who has to beg every restaurant/club/cafe/whatever for their wireless password because I'm paranoid about going over, and worry about whether I switched the wireless on at home. Tiered data is too damned 90s.

kelleygreen: What about Straight Talk? I have the unlimited talk/text/web for $45 a month, and it is run off the Verizon network. Wouldn't it behoove regular Verizon customers to now switch to Straight Talk?

New Verizon customers, sure. It's $90/month for a single phone on a data plan with a 2gb limit, and limited minutes. Unlimited talk & text would be $120 with the 2gb data plan.

Meh, I have an iPhone 4 with Verizon so I get unlimited data. Don't foresee the iPhone 5 being that big of a deal, so I'll just keep the 4 and my data plan.

/uses maybe 1 gig per mo.

Some Bass Playing Guy: Derpes: Sm3agol85: I have my $29.99 unlimited locked in, and they'll have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers if they want to change it.

You're grandfathered in. They won't take it away from you.

Grandfathered until the next contract when they'll have to pick a new data plan.

ATT did the same thing last year. I've never had to switch to a new data plan. I still pay my $30/month and I still have unlimited data. It's when you make changes to your data plan (obviously) or get rid of data that you'd have to switch to one of the new plans. He'll be fine.

Some Bass Playing Guy: Derpes: Sm3agol85: I have my $29.99 unlimited locked in, and they'll have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers if they want to change it.

You're grandfathered in. They won't take it away from you.

Grandfathered until the next contract when they'll have to pick a new data plan.

Verizon has been good about grandfathering. I have had free nights and weekends for a decade, even after they discontinued that part of the plan. I have tweaked my plan with a new phone every 2 years with no problems.

Wouldn't it be great if we lived in the rest of the world? Where the cost of telecommunications is going actually going down.

sammyk: How come Sprint isn't killing these guys for moves like this?

Sprint users, in my area, get almost no reception. It's terrible. It's mostly VZN with a little bit of ATT.

"Our network right now is fine, but this is preparing us for a future that's going to be filled with applications that take more and more data use Consumers prove to continually be suckers of the highest order," Raney said. "The plans need to evolve with the technology and deserve to be fleeced."

So yeah, enjoy it while you can, because all service providers will switch to this.... especially if "cloud" computing bullshiat catches on.

"but... but it's so convienent!". LMAO.

CavalierEternal: I called yesterday to cancel my Verizon account since my data package was soon going to be altered by the new tiered data plans. In the contract I signed, it states that, should Verizon alter the terms of the agreed-upon plan, it was my choice to either continue my service under the new price or exit my contract without cancellation fee.

Well, upon calling, I was given the runaround and escalated the issue to a supervisor, who basically proceeded to tell me that Verizon's lawyers had informed them not to follow through with that agreement. He also told me that, if I had a problem with it, that I should go get my own attorney.

I canceled my plan anyway after that, went to Sprint, got almost the same plan I had before on Verizon, plus unlimited data and insurance, and all for $20 less per month than I paid on Verizon.

F*ck Verizon.

Did you have unlimited data? It's been already stated that existing unlimited data plan customers will be grandfathered in and not be switched to tiered data. Good luck with Sprint...

jx100: I use a lot of streaming radio on my phones, so I regularly *do* go well over 2 GiB/mo. Good thing I'm on sprint then.

fark you, Verizon.

I used .628GB for my last billing cycle. My average is under 1 GB. Plus I'm on @sprint, so there.

Sprint rules. I've used 0.36.

lippenhoffer: How do places like Boost and Virgin Mobile offer unlimited talk text and web for $40, but it's $30 *just* for data on Verizon? You need that on top of a $60 plan for 450Minutes (talk and text).

I like to make fun of people on Boost, & Cricket. Yes I'm a phone snob. I don't know does unlimited web cover app usage and downloading, or is it just going to a web friendly site like http://Vernon-J.com. (Yes that is a shameless plug)

I actually switched from my AT&T iPhone to Verizon this past Tuesday because of the data plan switch, so I got an LTE phone locked in with unlimited data for the next 2 years. Right now LTE is friggin fast; I don't think I have gone below 20mbps in any of the speed tests I have run, and it's much better than being stuck on EDGE which I was for the last 4 months because I could only get 1 to 2 bars of AT&T 3G where I live.

AT&T with HSUPA+

Used almost 7 gigs of my unlimited monthly plan last month without tethering at all.

I'm averaging 4-5GB per month via Verizon 3g... I'm glad I'm gonna be grandfathered in on LTE.

CavalierEternal: I called yesterday to cancel my Verizon account since my data package was soon going to be altered by the new tiered data plans. In the contract I signed, it states that, should Verizon alter the terms of the agreed-upon plan, it was my choice to either continue my service under the new price or exit my contract without cancellation fee.

Well, upon calling, I was given the runaround and escalated the issue to a supervisor, who basically proceeded to tell me that Verizon's lawyers had informed them not to follow through with that agreement. He also told me that, if I had a problem with it, that I should go get my own attorney.

I canceled my plan anyway after that, went to Sprint, got almost the same plan I had before on Verizon, plus unlimited data and insurance, and all for $20 less per month than I paid on Verizon.

F*ck Verizon.

Report them to your local Attorney General. Not that they aren't bought and sold whores like our guys in DC.

Jason

Derpes: Some Bass Playing Guy: Derpes: Sm3agol85: I have my $29.99 unlimited locked in, and they'll have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers if they want to change it.

You're grandfathered in. They won't take it away from you.

Grandfathered until the next contract when they'll have to pick a new data plan.

ATT did the same thing last year. I've never had to switch to a new data plan. I still pay my $30/month and I still have unlimited data. It's when you make changes to your data plan (obviously) or get rid of data that you'd have to switch to one of the new plans. He'll be fine.

We bought Verizon phones a couple months ago and asked specifically about the unlimited data plans. They said we would NOT be "grandfathered" into unlimited data when our plans expire. Of course, if they try to make us do tiers at the end of our plan we will call customer service and complain. But the guy we talked to seemed pretty confident that all of us will be tiered whether we like it or not within 2 years. It isn't a coincidence that the more data hungry "4Gish" is being promoted... Verizon wants their over priced data. :(

bluefelix: Derpes: Some Bass Playing Guy: Derpes: Sm3agol85: I have my $29.99 unlimited locked in, and they'll have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers if they want to change it.

You're grandfathered in. They won't take it away from you.

Grandfathered until the next contract when they'll have to pick a new data plan.

ATT did the same thing last year. I've never had to switch to a new data plan. I still pay my $30/month and I still have unlimited data. It's when you make changes to your data plan (obviously) or get rid of data that you'd have to switch to one of the new plans. He'll be fine.

We bought Verizon phones a couple months ago and asked specifically about the unlimited data plans. They said we would NOT be "grandfathered" into unlimited data when our plans expire. Of course, if they try to make us do tiers at the end of our plan we will call customer service and complain. But the guy we talked to seemed pretty confident that all of us will be tiered whether we like it or not within 2 years. It isn't a coincidence that the more data hungry "4Gish" is being promoted... Verizon wants their over priced data. :(

All reports coming out state existing unlimited data plan customers will be grandfathered in and this will only impact new customers. We shall see come Friday.

CavalierEternal: I called yesterday to cancel my Verizon account since my data package was soon going to be altered by the new tiered data plans. In the contract I signed, it states that, should Verizon alter the terms of the agreed-upon plan, it was my choice to either continue my service under the new price or exit my contract without cancellation fee.

Well, upon calling, I was given the runaround and escalated the issue to a supervisor, who basically proceeded to tell me that Verizon's lawyers had informed them not to follow through with that agreement. He also told me that, if I had a problem with it, that I should go get my own attorney.

I canceled my plan anyway after that, went to Sprint, got almost the same plan I had before on Verizon, plus unlimited data and insurance, and all for $20 less per month than I paid on Verizon.

F*ck Verizon.

When you say you canceled your plan anyway, you mean that Verizon made you pay a cancellation fee even though the agreement said you wouldn't?

Goimir: I have at&t. I've yet to go over 2 gig/mo.

Next Bill Cycle: 07/12/2011
Data (MB): 646.2 of 2048
Messaging: 1650 of Unlimited

Judicious use of wifi, not using streaming data all the time, using a browser that blocks flash and ads...

Even if I use my phone for facebook, twitter, blackberry or google maps when I'm going somewhere for traffic, and my pretty hefty fark habit only adds up to 250 mb/mo.

So I stream audio when I'm driving, and that uses 50mb/hr. I'll stream APHC over the cell network to avoid clogging my home pipe, that's another 150mb per show.

/likes how there's a post from someone gloating they have unlimited with Sprint, followed by one saying sprint's speeds suck
//wonders why that is.

You do realize that slow, unlimited bandwidth is actually more useful than fast, limited bandwidth, right? You talk about the hassles of switching to wifi and curbing your own usage just to keep your data usage down. I *don't* have to do that. I just.. use my data whenever I feel like it, for whatever purpose I need it for, without giving one whit about exactly how much data it's going to use. That freedom is what unlimited data gets you.

A new usage or idea that relies on data can only be stomped down by these kinds of limits on people. I can't tell you what that usage is because I am not the innovator coming up with it right now, but I can tell you that these limits means that it just won't be done.

bluefelix: We bought Verizon phones a couple months ago and asked specifically about the unlimited data plans. They said we would NOT be "grandfathered" into unlimited data when our plans expire. Of course, if they try to make us do tiers at the end of our plan we will call customer service and complain. But the guy we talked to seemed pretty confident that all of us will be tiered whether we like it or not within 2 years. It isn't a coincidence that the more data hungry "4Gish" is being promoted... Verizon wants their over priced data. :(

That's very unfortunate. I would think that if ATT grandfathered everyone in that VZN would follow suit. Unfortunately the only other company that offers unlimited data. that's worth switching to, would be Sprint. I'm sure that they will lose some business if they don't grandfather in their loyal, unlimited data customers.

I have unlimited data with Verizon, and still have the free nights/weekends from years ago.

I stream Internet radio, Pandora, download nightly update builds from Cyanogenmod (~80MB per build), and since my phone is rooting, I use wireless tethering for nothing extra.

All in all, I probably use 10 GBs of data in a normal month, 15-20 GBs in a heavy use month (lots of tethering, on vacation listening to radio, checking e-mail, etc)

What sucks is that while their network is great, I can't imagine they are going to make that much more money. People are just going to pull apps that will warn them when their data is low... My guess the change is to keep folks from using 4G to it's utmost. They want to make sure everyone can get the same speeds, so they will keep users down.

I'm on the last day of my billing cycle with Verizon and checked out my usage. I use my iPhone to stream Sirius, I've uploaded several movies of the kids to Facebook, mailed a host of high-quality photos for work and check stocks and CNBC regularly - and I've used 900MB of data. (I also sent 185 texts last month, which is a helluva lot for a 44-year-old. At least I think it is.) I love my iPhone, but I'm not sleeping with it. I guess that's how you exceed 2GB a month.

/Now get off my lawn!

Catsaregreen: I'm on the last day of my billing cycle with Verizon and checked out my usage. I use my iPhone to stream Sirius, I've uploaded several movies of the kids to Facebook, mailed a host of high-quality photos for work and check stocks and CNBC regularly - and I've used 900MB of data. (I also sent 185 texts last month, which is a helluva lot for a 44-year-old. At least I think it is.) I love my iPhone, but I'm not sleeping with it. I guess that's how you exceed 2GB a month.

/Now get off my lawn!

Hmm... I just checked mine and I'm at 1.9GB. I pretty much just use it for Pandora and some web browsing on the train. I was also out of the country for a week using hotel wifi, so no data usage there. I thought I used a lot less. I've got the unlimited plan for one more year if they don't grandfather me in. There's no chance I'd pay more than $30 for a cell phone data plan. I'd have to switch providers if they try to put me in a tiered plan.