Carrier VZW 2 year Contract ended and..

[Namji]

Hi,

I have the iPhone 4 with Verizon wireless and my 2 year Contract ended sometime last year.. since then I have been paying the same rate on a month to month basis with unlimited data plan. I have wifi at work and at home.. in the last 6 months I have been trying to use my iP4 without wifi to see how much data I would use on any given month..

Here is the data:
March 2013 - used 0.52 gb
April 2013 - used 0.82 gb
May 2013 - used 0.53 gb
June 2013 - used 1.96 gb
July 2013 - used 0.83 gb
August 2013 - used 0.44 gb

I don't know what happened in June... I just wanted to see what you guys would do.. I'm thinking with LTE I may use my phone a lot lot more which would result in more data usage..

Purchase the new iPhone 5S ( when it becomes available ) full price and keep the month to month service.

Purchase the iPhone 5S at subsidized price and acquire a new 2 year contract and lose unlimited data plan.

Thanks for your comments in advanced.

 

[jason2811]

Hi,

I have the iPhone 4 with Verizon wireless and my 2 year Contract ended sometime last year.. since then I have been paying the same rate on a month to month basis with unlimited data plan. I have wifi at work and at home.. in the last 6 months I have been trying to use my iP4 without wifi to see how much data I would use on any given month..

Here is the data:
March 2013 - used 0.52 gb
April 2013 - used 0.82 gb
May 2013 - used 0.53 gb
June 2013 - used 1.96 gb
July 2013 - used 0.83 gb
August 2013 - used 0.44 gb

I don't know what happened in June... I just wanted to see what you guys would do.. I'm thinking with LTE I may use my phone a lot lot more which would result in more data usage..

Purchase the new iPhone 5S ( when it becomes available ) full price and keep the month to month service.

Purchase the iPhone 5S at subsidized price and acquire a new 2 year contract and lose unlimited data plan.

Thanks for your comments in advanced.

Are you currently the only person on your plan? I'm in the same boat as you-- i have unlimited data but I only use 1GB month. If you are going to give up your unlimited data then I'd recommend not doing the Share plans because you only get 2G of data and end up paying more than you currently pay for Unlimited. Instead find out about the Verizon Max plan (requires Verizon Edge) which gives you 6GB of data for the same you're paying for Unlimited.

 

[boomhower]

Individual usage is going to vary but typically with LTE your usage is going to go up. I found myself watching a lot more video. When a youtube vid loads pretty much instant rather than loading and buffering forever you go through a lot more of them. Same with news, I watch a lot more video updates. Vimeo. Then there's Netflix. I watched almost a whole TV in two weeks of night shift last month. I'm paying full retail from here on out and keeping me and my wifes unlimited.

 

[Outrigger]

Hi,

I have the iPhone 4 with Verizon wireless and my 2 year Contract ended sometime last year.. since then I have been paying the same rate on a month to month basis with unlimited data plan. I have wifi at work and at home.. in the last 6 months I have been trying to use my iP4 without wifi to see how much data I would use on any given month..

Here is the data:
March 2013 - used 0.52 gb
April 2013 - used 0.82 gb
May 2013 - used 0.53 gb
June 2013 - used 1.96 gb
July 2013 - used 0.83 gb
August 2013 - used 0.44 gb

I don't know what happened in June... I just wanted to see what you guys would do.. I'm thinking with LTE I may use my phone a lot lot more which would result in more data usage..

Purchase the new iPhone 5S ( when it becomes available ) full price and keep the month to month service.

Purchase the iPhone 5S at subsidized price and acquire a new 2 year contract and lose unlimited data plan.

Thanks for your comments in advanced.

Other than June, I think its clear you don't hit more than 2GB a month. Ultimately, it comes down to whether or not you want to pay full price to keep unlimited.

 

[alent1234]

i have two LTE phones and use 1.5GB or so between them. i rarely stream videos, just me

its what you do

i'm actually planning on moving to t-mobile next year

 

[Christocyr]

VZW and Phones

I have the same type of configuration you do, and I am not sure if Verizon told you this, but I just learned firsthand that no matter what you do, when you go to a new phone, or make any hardware changes, you will lose your unlimited data plan. Just to see if this applies to you, Give it a try. Go to VZ's website and order a new phone online. As you progress through the menus you will then see a notice saying that your plan is going to change and you have to choose a new one. They will not allow you to keep the unlimited plan. I called VZ, and they confirmed. I used the live chat tool and they confirmed. Ugh.

 

[Namji]

Individual usage is going to vary but typically with LTE your usage is going to go up. I found myself watching a lot more video. When a youtube vid loads pretty much instant rather than loading and buffering forever you go through a lot more of them. Same with news, I watch a lot more video updates. Vimeo. Then there's Netflix. I watched almost a whole TV in two weeks of night shift last month. I'm paying full retail from here on out and keeping me and my wifes unlimited.

This is my fear... LTE = more YouTube videos, more web browsing and more everything with the iPhone...

 

[CEmajr]

I would purchase subsidized and switch to the new plans and get 2GB of data. I would never pay full retail price for a phone without getting a reduction in monthly service costs from the carrier. You're already paying them for a subsidy so you should go ahead and use it.

If you need additional data one month you can always increase your data allowance.

 

[boomhower]

I would purchase subsidized and switch to the new plans and get 2GB of data. I would never pay full retail price for a phone without getting a reduction in monthly service costs from the carrier. You're already paying them for a subsidy so you should go ahead and use it.

If you need additional data one month you can always increase your data allowance.

Unless you end having to move to a higher data tier and pay well over the cost of the phone in monthly fees.

 

[Namji]

You're already paying them for a subsidy so you should go ahead and use it.

.

Could you clarify what you mean I am already paying them?

----------

I have the same type of configuration you do, and I am not sure if Verizon told you this, but I just learned firsthand that no matter what you do, when you go to a new phone, or make any hardware changes, you will lose your unlimited data plan. Just to see if this applies to you, Give it a try. Go to VZ's website and order a new phone online. As you progress through the menus you will then see a notice saying that your plan is going to change and you have to choose a new one. They will not allow you to keep the unlimited plan. I called VZ, and they confirmed. I used the live chat tool and they confirmed. Ugh.

It is confirmed and common knowledge that you lose unlimited when you renew your contract and pay subsidized price. I already know this. Buy you won't lose unlimited if you pay full price for a new phone.

 

[pingfan59]

I believe he means that part of the monthly charge goes towards the cost of the phone. So why not just sign the 2 year deal and get the $400 discount etc.

Now if you bought the phone outright for the $600 and were able to get a plan that is $60 for $40 a month instead of signing the 2 year deal and getting the same $600 phone for $200 and paying $60 a month.

This above doesn't happen. so other than feeling free to stop your service at any time, instead of the extra money from the monthly fee going towards the cost of the phone, it is profit for the carrier when you pay the full off-contract price.

 

[einmusiker]

Hi,

I have the iPhone 4 with Verizon wireless and my 2 year Contract ended sometime last year.. since then I have been paying the same rate on a month to month basis with unlimited data plan. I have wifi at work and at home.. in the last 6 months I have been trying to use my iP4 without wifi to see how much data I would use on any given month..

Here is the data:
March 2013 - used 0.52 gb
April 2013 - used 0.82 gb
May 2013 - used 0.53 gb
June 2013 - used 1.96 gb
July 2013 - used 0.83 gb
August 2013 - used 0.44 gb

I don't know what happened in June... I just wanted to see what you guys would do.. I'm thinking with LTE I may use my phone a lot lot more which would result in more data usage..

Purchase the new iPhone 5S ( when it becomes available ) full price and keep the month to month service.

Purchase the iPhone 5S at subsidized price and acquire a new 2 year contract and lose unlimited data plan.

Thanks for your comments in advanced.

before you make the mistake of dropping unlimited data, borrow a friend's LTE phone for at least 2 months if possible and see how much data you use. The difference between 3G and LTE on verizon is HUUUUUUUUGE.

 

[boomhower]

I believe he means that part of the monthly charge goes towards the cost of the phone. So why not just sign the 2 year deal and get the $400 discount etc.

Now if you bought the phone outright for the $600 and were able to get a plan that is $60 for $40 a month instead of signing the 2 year deal and getting the same $600 phone for $200 and paying $60 a month.

This above doesn't happen. so other than feeling free to stop your service at any time, instead of the extra money from the monthly fee going towards the cost of the phone, it is profit for the carrier when you pay the full off-contract price.

All true. Another way to look at is your paying a higher monthly fee to have unlimited data. Question is is that fee worth it to you? It is to me. You'll never be able to get unlimited LTE in Verizon again. Ill keep mine.

 

[Applejuiced]

Keep it.
LTE is worth it and its very fast.
Peace of mind not having to worry about overages.

 

[Namji]

Thanks everyone for your valuable input.
I am wondering if vzw will ever force everyone to give up unlimited. Meaning not give us a choice to pay full or sub prices.

 

[einmusiker]

Thanks everyone for your valuable input.
I am wondering if vzw will ever force everyone to give up unlimited. Meaning not give us a choice to pay full or sub prices.

I don't think they can for LTE, at least not the way their current contract with the FCC is written. Now for LTE+ (or whatever the next iteration is) it might be a different story

 

[jredecop]

I have the same type of configuration you do, and I am not sure if Verizon told you this, but I just learned firsthand that no matter what you do, when you go to a new phone, or make any hardware changes, you will lose your unlimited data plan. Just to see if this applies to you, Give it a try. Go to VZ's website and order a new phone online. As you progress through the menus you will then see a notice saying that your plan is going to change and you have to choose a new one. They will not allow you to keep the unlimited plan. I called VZ, and they confirmed. I used the live chat tool and they confirmed. Ugh.

Anyone else confirm this??

 

[Namji]

Anyone else confirm this??

I would like to know this as well.

 

[skimcpip]

I have the same type of configuration you do, and I am not sure if Verizon told you this, but I just learned firsthand that no matter what you do, when you go to a new phone, or make any hardware changes, you will lose your unlimited data plan. Just to see if this applies to you, Give it a try. Go to VZ's website and order a new phone online. As you progress through the menus you will then see a notice saying that your plan is going to change and you have to choose a new one. They will not allow you to keep the unlimited plan. I called VZ, and they confirmed. I used the live chat tool and they confirmed. Ugh.

"...if your plan is going to change..."

You can just buy it full price from Apple and not change your plan. I did this with the iPhone 5 and I kept my unlimited plan (I've since abandoned it for T-Mobile anyway).

----------

I would purchase subsidized and switch to the new plans and get 2GB of data. I would never pay full retail price for a phone without getting a reduction in monthly service costs from the carrier. You're already paying them for a subsidy so you should go ahead and use it.

If you need additional data one month you can always increase your data allowance.

That's why you should just go prepaid. I'm on the T-Mobile 100 minutes, 5GB, unlimited text and I pay $30 bucks a month and make calls on a free VOIP app (Vonage) so I don't eat into my minutes on outgoing calls. If you don't like T-Mobile then ATT has a $60 GoPhone plan with 2 or 3GB and unlimited everything else. Also AIO and other MVNOs.

If you're dead set on Verizon then just stick with them I guess, as they don't offer prepaid LTE plans that I'm aware of.

 

[Mkg1425]

As long as you pay full price for the phone, you can keep unlimited. I have unlimited and I have had every new iphone and my contract has been up for 8 months.

 

[jredecop]

As long as you pay full price for the phone, you can keep unlimited. I have unlimited and I have had every new iphone and my contract has been up for 8 months.

Same here. Hope this still works, verizon may be trying to weed us guys out.

 

[panzer06]

Anyone else confirm this??

I would like to know this as well.

Same here. Hope this still works, verizon may be trying to weed us guys out.

It's most likely the same as AT&T's website not letting you stay on the plan even if you pay full price. You may need to call or go to a store. Just a way to make it more and more inconvenient to keep unlimited.

There are benefits to moving to the shared Verizon plans. $10 shared iPad plans. Tethering at no charge on phone and iPad (just have to stay within your chosen data limit) and adding additional users is only $40 extra per line.

At least it was this way when my son moved to Verizon. With all the recent plan changes at the carriers since T-Mobile made their changes who knows what the landscape looks like.

I've personally never exceeded 2GB per month and the only time I got close was when my iPad had to serve up Internet for 3 days (to all my computers) during a cable outage.

Cheers,

 

[DowdyFick]

Might be a dumb question, but my contract with unlimited data expired as well so now i'm month to month. Can I renew that contract and keep unlimited data or do I need to stay month to month to keep it?

 

[panzer06]

Might be a dumb question, but my contract with unlimited data expired as well so now i'm month to month. Can I renew that contract and keep unlimited data or do I need to stay month to month to keep it?

AFAIK any attempt to get a subsidized phone will terminate the unlimited plan so there's no reason to sign a contract without the subsidy.

Cheers,

 

[Namji]

Might be a dumb question, but my contract with unlimited data expired as well so now i'm month to month. Can I renew that contract and keep unlimited data or do I need to stay month to month to keep it?

If you do a 2 year renewal of your contract to purchase a new phone at discounted price then you will lose unlimited. Only way to keep your existing unlimited data with Verizon is to purchase your phone at full price or just keep your existing phone and keep month to month plan.

But some have suggested that this is not possible anymore and needs to be verified.