Verizon's new Share Everything Plans discussion thread

[tchaika]

"Good news"? !

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-en...17221490<br />

Interesting thing, technology exists, albeit very new but demonstrated effective, that makes existing spectrum potentially able to provide practically unlimited bandwith

More or less what I said; as technology improves the price for data will continue to drop until it eventually becomes too cheap to meter (as has happened with voice minutes). Unlimited data is not sustainable with current technology. Those plans were originally introduced when smartphones were a novelty item and data usage was limited to push e-mail and light web browsing. Verizon always limited 3G data cards (both with the ToS and later with hard caps) because of the fear of what they could do to the network with limitless consumption.

In any case, the introduction of the iPhone and Android completely torpedoed the carriers assumptions about data consumption. AT&T's 3G network was brought to its knees in several markets and even Verizon shows pitiful 3G performance (here in Endicott you're lucky to get 200kbit/s during the day) in some locations. 4G networks would handle the current load just fine but the carriers see mobile video going mainstream in the future and want to be prepared for it ahead of time.

I don't really think these new plans are fair or a good value for the consumer; if they priced them similiar to the soon to be retired family share plans they might have looked something like this:

450 minute individual plan - $39.99 (x2 would be $79.98)
700 minute share plan w/2 lines - $69.98 - (lose 200 minutes, save $10)

900 minute individual plan - $59.99 (x2 would be $119.98)
1400 minute share plan w/2 lines - $89.98 (lose 400 minutes, save $30)

Pricing data like that might have looked like this:

2GB data plan - $30.00 (x2 would be $60.00)
3GB family share plan w/2 lines - $50.00 (lose 1GB, save $10)

5GB data plan - $50.00 (x2 would be $100.00)
7.5GB family share plan w/2 lines - $75.00 (lose 2.5GB, save $25)

For better or worse they decided not to go that route. The new plans will benefit some people; at the end of the day you'll have to crunch the numbers and decide if they are for you. Of course most people won't do this; they'll happily trade in the unlimited plan for a lousy $350 subsidy on that flashy new phone. Verizon is counting on this.

[Zappy]

Of course most people won't do this; they'll happily trade in the unlimited plan for a lousy $350 subsidy on that flashy new phone. Verizon is counting on this.

The trade includes the benefit of avoiding throttling too.

[Zappy]

Remember this statement from Fran Shammo, CFO of Verizon Communications?

"As you upgrade in the future, you will have to go onto the data-share plan," Shammo said. "A lot of our 3G base is unlimited. As they start to migrate into 4G, they will have to … go into the data-share plan. And that is beneficial for us."

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/st...ata/55028254/1

and this

"LTE is our anchor point for data share. So, as you come through an upgrade cycle and you upgrade in the future, you will have to go on to the data share plan. And moving away from, if you will, the unlimited world and moving everyone into a tiered structure data share plan."

http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/16/v...n-the-way-out/

[TC_Mits]

The trade includes the benefit of avoiding throttling too.

We'll see. In theory -- and so far this has also been the case in practice -- the 700 C-band FCC regs prohibit throttling LTE. If it does throttle, flounting the US government, I won't be surprised -- or far from the exit door,


Perspective instantiates reality.
[From DX by HoFo app.]

[Zappy]

-- the 700 C-band FCC regs prohibit throttling LTE.

Not everyone agrees with that statement.

They can throttle traffic if the tower is busy or switch to metered billing, but they cannot block it.

...

Moreover, the FCC specifically affirmatively grants the carrier the option to throttle or meter usage to manage their network. The only thing they may not do is interfere with (or charge extra for) any usage of any device or app that uses the upper C block spectrum.

...

VZW can do whatever they want to manage the network, so long as the restrictions apply equally. (i.e., they can't throttle only those that tether with PDAnet, but they can throttle everyone who uses more than X amount of data).

http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...ctions-already

[tchaika]

The trade includes the benefit of avoiding throttling too.

Throttling is a blunt instrument; Verizon's traffic management system is much less intrusive. All it does is give priority to light data users at the expense of heavy ones during times of congestion. If the tower is at <100% utilization you won't see any slowdown whatsoever. Additionally it only applies (currently) to the 3G network, not the 4G/LTE one.

I regularly use between 5GB and 10GB a month on my Droid X. I've yet to experience any noticeable issues with speed that would suggest I'm subject to de-prioritization/throttling. I do visit one area that is extremely congested; in Endicott NY I never achieve speeds >100kbit/s during the day. I've tested this part of the network with my DX alongside a USB data card with a capped plan; both see about the same speed. In theory the USB card data should have access to more forward link timeslots than my DX; in reality I haven't seen it. In other areas that aren't as congested I regularly see speeds of 1.8mbit/s to 2.2mbit/s with my DX. That's fast enough to stream SD video (which I've done occasionally, though I'm mostly a Pandora addict) and more than enough bandwidth for me.

I'm either not in the top 5% of users subject to this policy or it isn't as objectionable as people think.

[TC_Mits]

Not everyone agrees with that statement.

More would probably agree with the full sentence:
"In theory -- and so far this has also been the case in practice -- the 700 C-band FCC regs prohibit throttling LTE."

But you are completely correct that one should not expect vzw to agree, and that's probably the only thing that really matters.


Perspective instantiates reality.
[From DX by HoFo app.]

[Zappy]

http://www.computerworld.com/s/artic...9&pageNumber=2

Mesnick [The head of marketing at Verizon Wireless] said he's confident the plan will succeed, partly because Verizon interviewed 50,000 customers in advance to field their opinions. He provided Computerworld with a chart showing how the new plan will affect monthly fees of various existing customers and conceded that fees for "some people go up and some go down ... so people can make an assessment of wanting to switch."

Mesnick also admitted that Verizon knew that its decision to require current unlimited data users to pay full price for a new smartphone when they renew their contracts would cause a controversy. "We knew the unlimited news would be perceived negatively, so we weren't surprised," he said.

A "healthy percentage" of Verizon's smartphone customers currently have unlimited data plans, he said. In addition to buying a new iPhone at the full unsubsidized price of $649 in order to keep unlimited data, he suggested they activate an older device they already own or buy an inexpensive one on eBay.

...

But Mesnick and some analysts noted that Adams and others like him have the option of staying with their current plans.

"I don't think these changes will cause Verizon to lose customers," said Roger Entner, an analyst at Recon Analytics. "All the existing Verizon customers don't have to change to Share Everything unless they are renewing to buy a phone with a subsidy."

Entner said Verizon is presenting a "very clean vision for the future, a future of connected devices where all of us have more than one device we connect. A lot of people who are complaining are thinking in a single-device, single-person world."

Nonetheless, customers have begun mounting campaigns against the Verizon changes, including one Facebook group, created by Adam Diamond, called "Stop Verizon From Charging for Upgrades."

[Prius04]

This is pretty much what I have which is why I wanted to resign now and lock it in, except I pay over $200 a month, your deal is fantastic!

The deal outlined in your response is also pretty much what I have. However, like you, I pay over $200/month. Frankly, I'm hesitating to renew at this point because I'm not convinced that, by so doing, our "deal" will be locked in for another 2-year period. After all, the data discount is really not part and parcel of any plan; it's simply a discount that was added on during a limited time promotion.

We'd certainly like to think that VZW would honor the discount into perpetuity but, according to the Customer Agreement, it could be withdrawn at any time simply by giving the requisite notice. In my case, 3 out my 5 lines have been out of contract for quite a few months yet I'm still getting the data discount on those lines. If that discount were dependent upon having an active 2-year agreement, you'd think they would have yanked the discount as soon as the lines went month-to-month.

[taoman54]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-574...ure-not-alone/

Would I still be able to continue getting subsidized phones when I upgrade if I want to keep my existing plan?
The answer to this question again is a big fat Yes! But there is one caveat. You can only upgrade and get a subsidized phone if you already have a tiered plan. In other words, if you have an unlimited data plan and you want the subsidized phone, you will have to switch to a tiered plan. You can either choose a new family share plan or you can also choose one of Verizon's current plans. That's right -- if you're already a Verizon customer, you can choose from one of the older plans even after the company stops offering those plans to new customers.

[hellraiser]

So are you saying from that quote that If i have a 2 line family share and my primary line I just upgraded to the Galaxy S3 and have unlimited data. When my brother upgrades from his DUMB PHONE to a smart phone after the 28th His line currently has NO DATA. I lose my unlimited data and be forced on a the new shared data plans and he is not allowed to pick from the 2GB for 30 and 5GB for 50 plans? Because if that is the case he is eligible right now for an upgrade and would upgrade with the Maxx or S3 before the 28th. The reason I ask is according to the quote it says "You can only upgrade and get a subsidized phone if you already have a tiered plan" I do not have a tiered plan on any phone.

[Zappy]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-574...ure-not-alone/

Great find! Thanks for posting. In that case we might hold off on upgrading the 2 dumb phones so they can get the iphone 5 rather than the 4s. The only hesitation I have is that these are for teens and I'm betting they could easily blow through 2GB on LTE.

[jseah]

That has to be the best deal on 5 smartphone lines.



Sprint EPRP

x1 Smartphone = $69.99/mo.

1,600 min - unlimited anymobile min

x2 Smartphones = $129.99/mo unlimited data, text, etc.
x3 Smartphones = $154.98/mo unlimited data, text, etc.
x4 Smartphones = $179.97/mo unlimited data, text, etc.
x5 Smartphones = $204.96/mo unlimited data, text, etc.

Unfortunately, with taxes and fees, the total goes up from $176.90 to about $210 per month. But I'm not complaining.

[503ducati]

Unfortunately, with taxes and fees, the total goes up from $176.90 to about $210 per month. But I'm not complaining.

I hear ya there! in my sig is a link to each State's wireless tax & fee rates.

[moto94536]

verizon new share data will not save me any money, and I will not get good deal . here is the math.

verizon 3 smartphone/2 feature= $250. 4gb share.

I am thinking about doing this.
I will get
Verizon 2 smartphone/2 feature = $200 2 gb share
T-Mobile Prepaid unlimited talk/text/web =$50