Re: Why did my bill increase without notification?
emerald_eyez
Contributor - Level 1

Buying the phones at retail price to keep unlimited data was a personal choice though.  If you are using minimal data, it doesn't make sense to put yourself through that financial burden.  I can completely understand if you are using 50+ GB per month and need unlimited.  But it seems most people only keep it because it's unlimited or a just in case.  I have 3 lines on my account with 10GB and haven't had an issue.  If the cost is too high, there are lower options.  Just need to gauge your own usage and find out if unlimited is worth the price or not.

Re: Why did my bill increase without notification?
Not applicable

People are keeping unlimited because they feel they need to.

Re: Why did my bill increase without notification?
Not applicable

Clearly if the other options worked for them they would exercise those other options at this point

Re: Why did my bill increase without notification?
Not applicable

it was not a personal choice. It was a choice VERIZON FORCED us to do because we needed the unlimited data. If we had the option to keep our unlimited data and get a phone at a cheaper price clearly we would have exercised  that option.

Re: Why did my bill increase without notification?
Not applicable

That was never an issue for most people.... a quick 10-20 min tutorial told you how to unlock your phone. So how exactly does that mean anything?

Re: Why did my bill increase without notification?
kaebfly
Champion - Level 3

It was indeed a personal choice. You had the choice of giving up unlimited if paying full retail wasn't something you wanted to do. You weren't forced to pay retail or to keep unlimited. I wanted to keep unlimited so I chose to pay full retail. Even with this change I will still pay full retail up front versus paying monthly device payments because I prefer it. Being forced implies there were no other options...which isn't true. You could have created your own "device payment plan" before now by using an interest free credit card and making monthly payments. You could have opted to buy third party. You could have opted to stop upgrading phones as often. You could have opted to switch providers. You could have opted to switch plans. Just because the options didn't fit your wants doesn't mean you didn't have them.

Re: Why did my bill increase without notification?
emerald_eyez
Contributor - Level 1

You'd be surprised how many people have unlimited and use less than 5GB just to say they have it or for those rare times when they MIGHT need it.  Verizon isn't forcing people to give it up.  Unlimited data came out when the average use for it was emails and very minimal things.  No one had any idea the capabilities of phones at that point.  With everything you can do with it, it's logical that the price would rise to match the capabilities of smartphones now.  AND Verizon is giving options for unlimited users to get new phones!  Pay $25 a month for a brand new phone instead of $500-700 all at once?  If having unlimited means that much to you, then you must use a lot of data each month.

Re: Why did my bill increase without notification?
mama23dogs
Legend

India726 wrote:

That was never an issue for most people.... a quick 10-20 min tutorial told you how to unlock your phone. So how exactly does that mean anything?

You have been with Verizon a long time....there is more to unlocking a phone with other carriers.  ATT and other carriers only unlock after all financial obligations are complete.  This means paying early termination fees or the rest of a loan balance to get the unlock code.   For a family, it means timing all lines to be out of contract or installment to make a move.  I've done it, it's a pain, it's easier to pay ETFs. 

Not every phone will work on another network and carrier branded phones will not get OTA updates.

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Re: Why did my bill increase without notification?
Tidbits
Legend

India726 wrote:

That was never an issue for most people.... a quick 10-20 min tutorial told you how to unlock your phone. So how exactly does that mean anything?

All LTE phones on Verizon is UNLOCKED...  Required by Block C rules...  No 10-20 minute tutorial needed.

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Re: Why did my bill increase without notification?
pherson
Champion - Level 1

There's a lot of truth to that. Few apps videos fb instagram  need I say more.

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