Opinions About Upgrading Phone and Adding Data Plan

[roadman1977]

Currently I have a LG ENV 3 (LX9200) phone. I have the unlimited talk and text plan. I am eligible for an upgrade. If I have to go online I go to my computer. My fear is if I upgrade to a new phone with a data plan I will do quite a bit of surfing and playing video....and the data will be quickly gobbled up. Is it easy to go through data on the new phones? For now my phone and plan seems to suit my needs but I feel behind not having the latest technology. If Verizon had unlimited data I would jump on it but I cannot see going on a capped data plan. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Cellenator]

For now my phone and plan seems to suit my needs but I feel behind not having the latest technology. If Verizon had unlimited data I would jump on it but I cannot see going on a capped data plan. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

My advice is don't buy what you don't need. Don't feel left behind that's siilly! It's just a smart phone that you don't NEED.

[vzwinagent]

Since the change I've literally hear of 2 people going over the 2gb and I think both were rectified by using wifi at home. Most people average under 1gb with normal usage.

[Lenagainster]

................. My fear is if I upgrade to a new phone with a data plan I will do quite a bit of surfing and playing video....and the data will be quickly gobbled up.................

Streaming videos will gobble up data. Regular surfing isn't that bad. Using the phone as a GPS a lot and often may rack up high data usage. I don't stream but I surf, use apps that eat data, occasionally use the phone as a GPS. Half way through this month and I'm 15 MB. Don't think I've ever gone over 200 MB. One trick is that I've set up WiFi at home and at all my kids' houses.
You mentioned Unlimited Talk and Text..... do you have unlimited minutes? Do you need that much? What if you could chop $30 off your voice plan to pay for the data plan? Right now VZW is offering 4GB for $30 if you buy a 4G (LTE) capable phone.
Some of the advantages of having a smartphone offset the data cost. GPS, maps, ability to look up places when away from the computer, ability to search prices and read reviews on items you see in the store, keeping notes, lists, photos handy.
If you look at a smartphone as a tool, it may be worthwhile. If you think of it as a toy, perhaps you don't need it.

[Sam73065]

Well where I work, it's common for our people to go over 2gb. Like it or not, LTE and all the cool things that the latest phones are capable of doing, make it incredibly easy to go over 2gb in no time. Stepson uses his Iphone for little other than Pandora while working and goes over 2gb every month, yes I know it's a 3g connection. So I think you have to be careful on how you answer and qualify that anyone that's staying under 2gb is not taking advantage of all the available features. So if the primary use of the phone will be web surfing and email, then 2gb is maybe 3 times what's needed. On the other hand if Youtube, Hulu Plus, Pandora, etc are things you want to do on a smartphone, 2gb isn't even close to what you can consume. 15 days until the end of my billing cycle and I'm at 6.7 gb, but I also realize that my usage is well above average, but it's also nowhere near as high as it could be. Also before LTE, I was on Sprint w/an EVO and 1gb was all I ever hit, even when in a wimax market. But now with LTE and my wifi hotspot enabled, I am now able to do things that I was unable to do before with a 3g connection.

Since the change I've literally hear of 2 people going over the 2gb and I think both were rectified by using wifi at home. Most people average under 1gb with normal usage.

[Bob_BaBuey]

I have a 150mb plan from VW. I have averaged 85mb/mo the last 12 months. I just don't care to listen to music or play video on my phone. I use Google Voice for free text, check email, surf and use GPS 2-3 times a week. Works for me!

[CellKrazeDude]

Get a 4G phone to get Double The Data promo. 30.00 for 4GB (average usage is 2GB for customers). 50.00 for 10GB (way more then enough). You should be fine with the 30.00 plan tho.