Verizon Data Plan: Pay full retail and keep unlimited plan?

[g0dM@n]

I pre-ordered the iPhone 5 32GB (black) for $300 with Verizon (from apple.com). I currently have a 4S. I'm getting the 5 so that my wife can TEST DRIVE the iPhone (she will be taking my current 4S).

My problem - I need your advice!
-I am on the Verizon 3G unlimited (grandfathered in)...
-Should I pay full price for the iPhone 5 to keep my $29.99 unlimited data plan, or should I keep my pre-order? I will be dropped to 2GB/month for $29.99 if I stick with the $300 price and 2-yr contract renewal. I've been told that by paying full price I would keep my current unlimited plan and be granfathered in.

I did the math for the $450 savings ($750 retail, $300 with 2 yr agreement):
2 years, 24-months --> $450 comes out to $18.75 additional/month if I go with paying full/retail price.

What do you guys think? I'm totally afraid of going beyond the weak 2GB/month limit. 5GB would be a little better, but it's $50/month.

 

[ComputerBox34]

It's up to you based on how much data you think you will use. If you use a lot of data consistently, pay full retail.

 

[g0dM@n]

Right now on 3G I use maybe 350-500MB, but I've a feeling on 4G LTE I'm going to take much more advantage.

The real worry is more the future for me. Will I regret this move 2-3 years from now, or will the grandfathering in of the unlimited data plan eventually be killed anyway...

 

[ComputerBox34]

Right now on 3G I use maybe 350-500MB, but I've a feeling on 4G LTE I'm going to take much more advantage.

The real worry is more the future for me. Will I regret this move 2-3 years from now, or will the grandfathering in of the unlimited data plan eventually be killed anyway...

VZW rarely kills old plans - they just force people to switch when a new "feature" is added to plans or you try to upgrade. At this point, a vast majority of mobile subscribers are used to paying subsidized pricing and will keep paying it - even if it means dropping their unlimited data. They will get a majority of people to switch simply by not offering subsidized pricing to unlimited data users

Your only reprieve is that you can hop on local wifi networks and use as much data as you want.

From a personal perspective on my experience to switching to shared data:
Had 6 cell lines split over two plans - all unlimited data. + 1 tablet with 1 GB
By switching to shared data, I collapsed the two plans into one, got unlimited minutes and texts on the 10 GB data plan. I made sure everyone's phones were programmed to use my home's wifi network as well as wifi networks in other areas we frequently go to (schools, etc.)
Additionally, I dropped my land line and went with VZW's home connect for $20/month which includes unlimited minutes.

All in all, I save $1600 a year. In our first month on shared data, all 6 lines + tablet only used 1 GB of data.

 

[g0dM@n]

VZW rarely kills old plans - they just force people to switch when a new "feature" is added to plans or you try to upgrade. At this point, a vast majority of mobile subscribers are used to paying subsidized pricing and will keep paying it - even if it means dropping their unlimited data. They will get a majority of people to switch simply by not offering subsidized pricing to unlimited data users

Your only reprieve is that you can hop on local wifi networks and use as much data as you want.

From a personal perspective on my experience to switching to shared data:
Had 6 cell lines split over two plans - all unlimited data. + 1 tablet with 1 GB
By switching to shared data, I collapsed the two plans into one, got unlimited minutes and texts on the 10 GB data plan. I made sure everyone's phones were programmed to use my home's wifi network as well as wifi networks in other areas we frequently go to (schools, etc.)
Additionally, I dropped my land line and went with VZW's home connect for $20/month which includes unlimited minutes.

All in all, I save $1600 a year. In our first month on shared data, all 6 lines + tablet only used 1 GB of data.

Very good post. Thanks.

I guess it would be helpful to say that it's just me and my wife right now. As dumb as it sounds (though it works), even though we've been married 2 years, together for over 8 years, we are both still on family plans with our immediate family... so we are both on separate family plans.

We do want to join together, but I'm not sure if it will be beneficial yet financially. In your case, with that many people, you're definitely doing great.

There's a lot to this decision. It's a lifetime decision to finally leave that unlimited plan, considering I've personally been with Verizon Wireless for over a decade and don't necessarily plan to leave them.

 

[ComputerBox34]

Very good post. Thanks.

I guess it would be helpful to say that it's just me and my wife right now. As dumb as it sounds (though it works), even though we've been married 2 years, together for over 8 years, we are both still on family plans with our immediate family... so we are both on separate family plans.

We do want to join together, but I'm not sure if it will be beneficial yet financially. In your case, with that many people, you're definitely doing great.

There's a lot to this decision. It's a lifetime decision to finally leave that unlimited plan, considering I've personally been with Verizon Wireless for over a decade and don't necessarily plan to leave them.

Upgrades aside, just by starting a new plan and adding you +your wife's number on it will be significant price increase over what you pay now.

My guess is that each of you are probably paying the $30 data + $10 "line access" fee associated with the old VZW family plans. By creating a new plan, you will have to pay the $50 or $60 to have the plan + the access fees. That alone is a pretty significant increase for you.

As far as subsidizing - you won't be able to move to shared data unless the entire plan goes over. If not, you will be stuck with 2 GB @ $30/month if you do upgrade. At least with shared data, you have the option of getting more.

 

[g0dM@n]

I pay $30 data + $10 line + an equal division of the plan. I pay around $70, plus insurance.

Shared data prices looked insanely expensive to me, and then they charge $40 extra for an additional phone... cell price are just nuts with Verizon, man...

 

[ComputerBox34]

I pay $30 data + $10 line + an equal division of the plan. I pay around $70, plus insurance.

Shared data prices looked insanely expensive to me, and then they charge $40 extra for an additional phone... cell price are just nuts with Verizon, man...

The insurance is a rip off at this point - you should drop it. I think replacement refurb phones costs $300 now.

and yes, cell phones are expensive. I pay $380/month for all of my cell phone/communications needs. But with Verizon, you have to expect to pay a price. They have the best network by far in my area and all other carriers barely get service. Forget about the budget brands - even though they "borrow" the networks of the bigger carriers, they somehow get shittier service. Wonder why that is.

 

[g0dM@n]

The insurance is a rip off at this point - you should drop it. I think replacement refurb phones costs $300 now.

and yes, cell phones are expensive. I pay $380/month for all of my cell phone/communications needs. But with Verizon, you have to expect to pay a price. They have the best network by far in my area and all other carriers barely get service. Forget about the budget brands - even though they "borrow" the networks of the bigger carriers, they somehow get shittier service. Wonder why that is.

I think I should control my patience a bit and wait for people to sell the 5 for a more reasonable price in a month... maybe $600-700 for a 32gig... I'd pay full price for that to stick with my unlimited plan.

 

[Shadohh]

Apple never drops the price on iphones. The iphone4s unlocked was $720 the day before the iphone 5 hit.

If you have you heart dead set on the iphone5 then I would get it while its hot.

If you hate it you will still get full price return on ebay in 6 months.

I think I should control my patience a bit and wait for people to sell the 5 for a more reasonable price in a month... maybe $600-700 for a 32gig... I'd pay full price for that to stick with my unlimited plan.

 

[dealmaster]

So this may be of interest to Verizon folks with an upgrade available and more than one line on their account. I had an upgrade available on my line (unlimited) and transferred it to my wife's line (2GB tiered data plan). I purchased an iPhone5 at the subsidized $200 price on her line.

The phone came in but the SIM card was programmed for her number so I couldn't simply activate it. However, I went on Verizon's site to activate it and entered in the data it asked for, told the site I wanted to activate the phone on my line, and it went through, letting me keep my unlimited data plan. So far so good, my plan still shows unlimited on my line despite having a new, working iPhone5 at a subsidized price.

Give this a shot!

 

[g0dM@n]

So this may be of interest to Verizon folks with an upgrade available and more than one line on their account. I had an upgrade available on my line (unlimited) and transferred it to my wife's line (2GB tiered data plan). I purchased an iPhone5 at the subsidized $200 price on her line.

The phone came in but the SIM card was programmed for her number so I couldn't simply activate it. However, I went on Verizon's site to activate it and entered in the data it asked for, told the site I wanted to activate the phone on my line, and it went through, letting me keep my unlimited data plan. So far so good, my plan still shows unlimited on my line despite having a new, working iPhone5 at a subsidized price.

Give this a shot!

I might have to follow your lead... someone else mentioned this as well and if you are telling me it worked, then that's precisely what I want to hear!!

 

[DriZzLe]

Keep your unlimited plan as long as you can. I have a 4gLTE phone & I constantly go over 3gb a month doing nothing but checking facebook, email, light web browsing & streaming Google Music on my way to work & home(5 miles each way). I consider that pretty light to moderate usage & I ALWAYS use more than 3gb. In fact I just checked & I am 19 days into the cycle & have used 3.46Gb so far, doing pretty much nothing. When at home or at work, I am always on wifi, so 4gLTE definitely sucks up more data doing the exact same things I did on 3g. On 3g I rarely used more than 1gb.

 

[g0dM@n]

Keep your unlimited plan as long as you can. I have a 4gLTE phone & I constantly go over 3gb a month doing nothing but checking facebook, email, light web browsing & streaming Google Music on my way to work & home(5 miles each way). I consider that pretty light to moderate usage & I ALWAYS use more than 3gb. In fact I just checked & I am 19 days into the cycle & have used 3.46Gb so far, doing pretty much nothing. When at home or at work, I am always on wifi, so 4gLTE definitely sucks up more data doing the exact same things I did on 3g. On 3g I rarely used more than 1gb.

Yeah man... I canceled my order through Apple.com and looking at another option of getting LTE. I have to stick with the iPhone over Android because of work... they only support BB or iPhone at work... don't ask.

Anyway, I'm looking around to get the 5 without being subsidized and in a contract.