Phone Data plans, Should I keep my unlimited data plan?

[Citadelgrad87]

I have had a unlimited data plan with Verizon for close to 10 years, way back when corporate email pushes mandated an "unlimited" data plan. It's $40.00 per month on top of the rest of my phone bill.

I still have it. I recently got an iPad, and do a lot of stuff I used to do on my phone on that, simply because it's easier to read and navigate.

I have fastidiously resisted Verizon's efforts to get me to give up this unlimited data plan. Every time I deal with them, it's clear they want me off this plan.

As of right now, the data I have used is as follows:

1,288,471.0KB of Unlimited

The cycle ends 6/15, so call that half a month's worth.

Here's my question, I do not seem to be using that much data on my phone. My phone blows, and I need a new one. So my options as I see them are:

1, upgrade my wife to an Iphone 5 and have her Iphone 4 transferred to my line;

2. bite the bullet and pay retail for an Iphone 5; OR

3. Give up the unlimited data plan and take Verizon's upgrade rebate/price reduction.

My brother in law is a tech guy, he tells me to keep the unlimited because they want to take it away, and that data will be valuable in the future, but isn't able to state why I should do so more clearly than that.

What say you, and why, please.

[thegamettt]

no! never give that up. att has been bugging me about it for 3 years. better to have and not need, than need and not have. You're from calguns, you should know that lol.
Swap out "data" for "ammo" and see how you feel?

[cwilliams]

Unless you are in an extreme need to save money, hold on to that plan. I've had one that's been grandfathered in through AT&T ever since I had the iPhone 3G. Not having a worry whether I'm approaching the data limit is more than worth it to me. You can stream and download to your hearts delight!

[CWDraco]

do not give that **** up. I switched to sprint for unlim data...boy am I sorry I did.

[Intimid8tor]

I won't give up mine. I use a fair amount, but even if I didn't I wouldn't give it up. Not worth it to let it go.

[boarder010]

i must be in the minority group, I gave up my unlimited plan and it didn't really impact me. I saved a decent amount annually and I after I analyzed my usage, I wasn't taking advantage of it anyways.

we have a family 4gb bucket we share now and never go past 2gb really. I'd attribute that to wifi use anyway. When I use my phone I'm typically at home or at work and I am on wifi at those times.

I'd say if you are looking to save money, dump it. if you can move your usage to wifi, dump it. if you don't want to worry about going over usage, keep it.

[bigmike82]

I'd keep it just to thumb my nose at Verizon.

I, too, have had my unlimited plan since I got it 8 years ago with my shiny new Audiovox XV6700. Loved that phone...

Anyway, for the great majority of that time I never used the data plan to it's full potential. However, since I've started working out, Netflix on my Razr has been a life saver. Whoda thought you can burn 4+ gigs a month on Magnum PI, Dr. Who and Deadliest Warrior?

Now, the share everything plan isn't totally terrible (well, it is when you consider that people were using their rooted phones to share their service anyway, but whatever).

I'm not upgrading any time soon, and I'm keeping my plan until they finally decide to kick me out.

[FalseProfit]

dang. im glad i have AT&T

[OTP]

You're going to pay the same amount if you give it up and get much less. I currently pay $30.00 for 2 GB data per month. If I wasn't on WiFi a good amount of time, I'd burn that up real fast. I like to use Pandora and map my fitness, but have to be careful now or I will go over very early.

[bigbearbear]

dang. im glad i have AT&T

AT&T allows you to buy subsidized phones with grandfathered in unlimited data plan, you just have to sign up for another 2 years.

And yeah, glad I went with AT&T.

[SilverTauron]

I used to work in wireless sales for Verizon,so I'll lay it out for you.Bottom line,bite the bullet and give up the unlimited plan.The only way you'll keep it is if you buy your phones out of contract from now until Judgement Day:and $700 is a lot of bread to lay out on a phone.

Assuming you change phones every 2 years,that means you're writing off an extra $350 every year to upgrade.That's more then what most folks pay once every 2 years ,and for the same exact phones!

And for what?So you can stream Pandora at will? No thanks.Its cheaper to just pre-load whatever media you want to listen to or watch,and save the data for your Calguns visits.

[Citadelgrad87]

I used to work in wireless sales for Verizon,so I'll lay it out for you.Bottom line,bite the bullet and give up the unlimited plan.The only way you'll keep it is if you buy your phones out of contract from now until Judgement Day:and $700 is a lot of bread to lay out on a phone.

Assuming you change phones every 2 years,that means you're writing off an extra $350 every year to upgrade.That's more then what most folks pay once every 2 years ,and for the same exact phones!

And for what?So you can stream Pandora at will? No thanks.Its cheaper to just pre-load whatever media you want to listen to or watch,and save the data for your Calguns visits.

Yeah, that's kind of what I am thinking, I am spending $40 per month, so $480per year on data, plus the $300 share of the unsubsidized phone price, to get to keep data that I am using at a 2GB rate.

The phones are planned obsolete junk at about 18 months, this Droid 3 is killing me with it's battery consumption and shutting itself off. I need a phone, but I need a $700 phone like I need a hole in the head. I have great wifi at home. I have an wifi only Ipad that has replaced the phone for everything but crapper visits at the office.

I get not giving the man what he wants, but I don't see that I am doing anything other than spending a ton of money to do this. What's the upside?

[SilverTauron]

Yeah, that's kind of what I am thinking, I am spending $40 per month, so $480per year on data, plus the $300 share of the unsubsidized phone price, to get to keep data that I am using at a 2GB rate.

The phones are planned obsolete junk at about 18 months, this Droid 3 is killing me with it's battery consumption and shutting itself off. I need a phone, but I need a $700 phone like I need a hole in the head. I have great wifi at home. I have an wifi only Ipad that has replaced the phone for everything but crapper visits at the office.

I get not giving the man what he wants, but I don't see that I am doing anything other than spending a ton of money to do this. What's the upside?

Nothing. "Grandfathered Unlimited" isn't really unlimited, because Verizon's TOS allows them to pull the plug at their discretion. If your data usage meets their idea of "excessive" , the company will send you a letter saying your line is being shut down. What is that magic number?


Who knows.



Ultimately, when it comes to phone service The Man's gettin' his paper one way or the other.

[bigmike82]

The phone is only 700 if you buy it new. Buy a lightly used one for 200 and keep your consistent monthly bill of 40 bucks. If Verizon is willing to screw over a ten year customer over a few gigs of data, I'd be highly surprised. They don't have a reputation for great customer service while pulling crap like that.

[mavericksun]

I stopped using Verizon years ago. I'm in metropolitan areas most of the time so signal is not a major issue. I went with T-mobile and I'm paying a lot less than my friends on Verizon. I don't use contracts because I buy phones like the Nexus 4 and Note 2. It works out well for me since I save about $30 per month. That works out to $720 for 2 years plus the normal $199-299 for a new phone so with the 2 years, I'm saving $220 to $320. Yeas the connection at times can be an issue indoors but with wifi calling, I'm good at home and work.