No new phones for long time customer's unless you shell out the extra $$$

[igovirginmobile]

<clip>....Current Verizon customers will be able to switch to the new plans or keep their old ones, with one exception. Those who have unlimited-data plans for their smartphones won't be able to move those to new phones, unless they pay the full, unsubsidized price for those phones. (For example, an iPhone 4S that costs $200 with a two-year contract costs $650 unsubsidized, with no contract.)...<clip>

Love the fact that this was burried in the middle..so no discount for existing customers unless we pay more....LOVE the loyalty of Verizon to their long time customers...

[BurtReynolds]

Will you even be able to do that?  Let's say you have an iPhone with an unlimited 3G plan now.  When the iPhone 5 comes out, which everyone thinks will be LTE, will you be able to continued with unlimited LTE even when you shell out $750 for the phone?  My impression has been that Verizon treats unlimited 3G as a different plan from LTE, so all the iPhone users won't be able to switch to LTE when the LTE iPhone comes out, even if they pay full price.  It is too bad Verizon does very little to clarify these things.

[DingleB]

The point is that you wont be able to transfer your unlimited data plan unless you pay full price for the phone.  You can still get the phone at the discounted rate on or after the date of your upgrade, but you will have to purchase one of the limited data plans.

Either way it blows.  I felt pretty good about myself having already had the unlimited plan when they stopped selling them.  I figured they were going to try to get rid of them though.  Pretty shady if you ask me.

I bet this slows the sales of new phones, which probably wont make the manufacturers happy.  I'll be keeping my Bionic as long as I possibly can.

[NuDroidUsrr]

BurtReynolds wrote:

Will you even be able to do that?  Let's say you have an iPhone with an unlimited 3G plan now.  When the iPhone 5 comes out, which everyone thinks will be LTE, will you be able to continued with unlimited LTE even when you shell out $750 for the phone?  My impression has been that Verizon treats unlimited 3G as a different plan from LTE, so all the iPhone users won't be able to switch to LTE when the LTE iPhone comes out, even if they pay full price.  It is too bad Verizon does very little to clarify these things.

  Data is data to Verizon, the only difference between the 2 has been the "Network Optimization" that they do on the 3G network, but currently do not do on the 4G LTE network. Notice I said "Currently". I just upgraded from a Fascinate (3G), to a RAZR MAXX (4G) and kept my unlimited data plan. It was never an issue.

[NuDroidUsrr]

DingleB wrote:

The point is that you wont be able to transfer your unlimited data plan unless you pay full price for the phone.  You can still get the phone at the discounted rate on or after the date of your upgrade, but you will have to purchase one of the limited data plans.

Either way it blows.  I felt pretty good about myself having already had the unlimited plan when they stopped selling them.  I figured they were going to try to get rid of them though.  Pretty shady if you ask me.

  Who they may really be hurting is the cell phone manufacturers.... If less people upgrade every 2 years, that means less brand new phones being sold. I know I will never do another upgrade with this new plan in place, I will either pay full price, or buy something off of eBay...

[DingleB]

Agreed.  If I've got to choose between having the latest, greatest new phone and unlimited data, my unlimited data is much more valuable to  me.  Hopefully the phone manufacturers will put some pressure on Verizon if they see their sales declining or not growing as quickly.

[ajnevares1]

Agreed! Paying up to $400 more for a phone to keep unlimited data is worth every penny!

[Eric794]

What everyone is failing to understand is that YOU'RE NOT UNDER CONTRACT.

If Verizon decides to wake up one morning and say "you know, I don't think we will do unlimited data anymore" and you just bought a 700 dollar phone, your'e sh*t out of luck

[DingleB]

Eric794 wrote:

What everyone is failing to understand is that YOU'RE NOT UNDER CONTRACT.

If Verizon decides to wake up one morning and say "you know, I don't think we will do unlimited data anymore" and you just bought a 700 dollar phone, your'e sh*t out of luck

I don't think we're failing to understand anything here.  Verizon isn't offering or is restricting  what a large portion of its customers want, which is unlimited data.  They may have the right to not offer unlimited data with new phones at a discounted rate, but we also have the right to not purchase new phones through Verizon anymore.    

[silver6056]

DingleB wrote:

Eric794 wrote:

What everyone is failing to understand is that YOU'RE NOT UNDER CONTRACT.

If Verizon decides to wake up one morning and say "you know, I don't think we will do unlimited data anymore" and you just bought a 700 dollar phone, your'e sh*t out of luck

I don't think we're failing to understand anything here.  Verizon isn't offering or is restricting  what a large portion of its customers want, which is unlimited data.  They may have the right to not offer unlimited data with new phones at a discounted rate, but we also have the right to not purchase new phones through Verizon anymore.    

Right, but I think what Eric is pointing out is that because you will not be under contract, there may not be ANY way around.  You can buy your phone from ebay, or pay VZ full retail, and, since there is no contract, they are free to say no unlimited data, or even, no phone service any more.  The latter is of course unlikely, but once you are out of contract, both sides are free.....