AfterDawn: Tech news

Verizon to say bye bye to unlimited data, even if you're grandfathered

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 16 May 2012 7:21 User comments (15)

Verizon to say bye bye to unlimited data, even if you're grandfathered A Verizon Wireless exec let the point slip today during an investor conference.
Communications CFO Fran Shammo said unlimited data is about to die, even for grandfathered customers who have had it for years. All new and existing customers will be forced to sign up for a tiered "data share" plan if they want to use 4G LTE.

The $30-a-month unlimited data plan will cease to exist starting this summer.

For the time being, the data share plans have still not been unveiled in detail but they will allow families or individuals to share a "bucket" of data, minutes and text across different devices.

Verizon first eliminated the unlimited plan last July for new users, but allowed existing customer to keep it. At the time the company did say, however, that the policy was subject to change.

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15 user comments

116.5.2012 20:18

Damn, after less than a year ago they forced my hand into buying a phone so I would not miss the grandfathered unlimited data.

216.5.2012 20:55

This is bull $hit I pay my bill every month and have NEVER seen 4g on my 4g phone because even though they push 4g in my local store I have to drive 25 min north to even see 4g. I should be able to keep my unlimited plan due to the fact they don't even cove my whole service area with 3g.

316.5.2012 23:49

Sprint still has unlimited data.

417.5.2012 00:35

I think Verizon should at least let your existing contract run out before requiring a tiered data plan. After all, it is a contract. Then when it runs out, I can go to Sprint and get unlimited data. I think Sprint, or whoever else is smart enough to start a unlimited data plan, needs to start hiring more people because there is going to be a lot of angry customers leaving Verizon this summer.

517.5.2012 00:46

Originally posted by ivymike:
Sprint still has unlimited data.
But..their data performance sucks.

617.5.2012 00:47

Good luck getting any significant usage out of Sprint's horribly slow unlimited data.

717.5.2012 01:14

Originally posted by bbbob:
This is bull $hit I pay my bill every month and have NEVER seen 4g on my 4g phone because even though they push 4g in my local store I have to drive 25 min north to even see 4g. I should be able to keep my unlimited plan due to the fact they don't even cove my whole service area with 3g.
Shoulda tested before keeping. All cell services offer a return. Legally they have to. Now..........because you didn't do your due diligence............you're S.O.L.

817.5.2012 06:56

"Similar" control thing T-Mo try to do if you upgrade to ICS (Ice Cream Sand-witch) on HTC phones....

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 17 May 2012 @ 7:04

917.5.2012 10:49

I knew this was going to happen eventually. At one point or another the grandfather clause was going to be abolished & the sodomy would then be complete.

Personally, if they try to hit me on my current contract I'll bitch to no end. It's a contract & I firmly believe in f*king them with their own rules. As consumers, it's our only defense (which is bullshit, because it plays into my rant about our already cracked judicial system).

I don't know what I hope to succeed if I have to at odds with Verizon if this is so... They're a conglomerate & I'm an old fat bastard... The best I can hope for is to be let out of the contract all together or be given a new phone with a new contract that consists of far less, costs more & has a barbed wire cock ring for the greasing I get each month when the bill comes due.

Might be time to look into the $50 a month unlimited phones & take my chances there.

1017.5.2012 13:03

Has anyone tried the the straight talk plan from wal mart?

It seems they use Verizons towers and let you have unlimited everything (talk text and internet) for $45 a month.


1117.5.2012 14:39
SmaryJerry
Unverified new user

90% of the internet usage is updates for apps and shit. They shoudn't be able to remove unlimted data without atleast giving u a simple way to check how much data your at. Why is it not a function of the phone already to record the amount of data for you??

1217.5.2012 16:10

Originally posted by SmaryJerry:
90% of the internet usage is updates for apps and shit. They shoudn't be able to remove unlimted data without atleast giving u a simple way to check how much data your at. Why is it not a function of the phone already to record the amount of data for you??

Well... In no way is this supposed to sound snotty, but on the smart phones, opening the My Verizon Mobile app immediately displays the data usage as the third bar down in hierarchy. That is pretty easy.

I mean, don't get me wrong... I really do want to bitch at Verizon here, but so long as that app is capable of staying 'spot on', there isn't any reason for complaints for over usage from those on the pay-for-use camps.

At the moment, mine still reads as 'unlimited'. I've already stated my case if it were to go "blah"... I mean, they 'do' have to ask me (in some form or fashion) what plan I want. Don't they?

1317.5.2012 16:36

Originally posted by joebloe12:
Has anyone tried the the straight talk plan from wal mart?

It seems they use Verizons towers and let you have unlimited everything (talk text and internet) for $45 a month.


I've had a Straight Talk Samsung 451C since 2009. Your right, unlimited everything, no contract, but the web browser sucks, and is slower than snot. I like it for text and talk, especially to family in Alaska. If all you want to do is text and talk, its a good deal.

1418.5.2012 06:09

My roommate has Sprint, and he loves it. He has never ever had a service outage, living in Virginia. Sprint has continuously been looking like the prime choice over Verizon, and litterally the only reason I am staying is because of Verizon's promise to deliver 4G service to my university, which is not offered by any other provider and is something I want. Still, I evny Sprint users' unlimited plans...

1520.5.2012 08:14

Originally posted by DVDBack23:
Originally posted by ivymike:
Sprint still has unlimited data.
But..their data performance sucks.
Depends on where you are buddy. where I live and travel its the shit. 4G everywhere.

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