Verizon Boosts Price of Grandfathered Unlimited Data Plans By $20 (theverge.com)

nicholasjay writes: In November, Verizon Wireless is going to start charging its customers with the grandfathered "unlimited data" plans an extra $20 for the data. This is obviously an attempt to get people off of the old unlimited data plans. Even though a Verizon spokesperson confirmed the change, I'm hoping they won't go through with this plan — but right now I'm weighing all my options.

Comments

I don't like this at all

[nicholasjay]

This is being reported all over. Here's a link from CNN Money.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/0...

Re:I don't like this at all

[tripleevenfall]

Because Verizon got rid of unlimited data plans, and then coaxed people into staying with Verizon by assuring them they'd be grandfathered in on their current plans - only to jack the prices way up later.

It's a breach of trust and it rightly should send people fleeing to other carriers.

Re:I don't like this at all

[ardmhacha]

"It's a breach of trust and it rightly should send people fleeing to other carriers."

Where there would be no unlimited data plan.

Re:I don't like this at all

[Lumpy]

If you trust any corporation then you are a fool.

Corporations care for one thing, next quarter's profits.

Re:I don't like this at all

[HornWumpus]

T-Mobiles 'unlimited' isn't.

Re:I don't like this at all

[rsborg]

T-Mobiles 'unlimited' isn't.

It's near enough. Their highest tier 4G/LTE (yes, annoyingly called unlimited) allows for 21GB of high speed data before dropping down to 128KB/s. Same with AT&T's grandfathered plan. Don't know about Sprint, but I doubt its any higher.

You also get data stash - I have 20GB in my stash and build it every month. Occasionally I dip into it (like when I do a lot of driving around for trips or business).

With TMO, you get 7GB/mo of tethering with that plan - and the data stash can leverage that so you can in one month tether 10's of GB if you need it.

Also music streaming is zero-rated on TMO with most streaming services (Apple music, Google, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora, etc) covered. So you're not going to have to spend GB's on that either.

Maybe you can get unlimited with VZ, but do they allow for tethering as well? Do they zero-rate music streaming?

T-mobile is as good as you can get right now without going for the "unicorn" of truly unlimited.

Re:I don't like this at all

[nabsltd]

The story I read earlier this morning quoted someone or other as saying that customers currently in a contract won't see a change until the contract is up. If they renew, it will be at the new price.

That's wrong, because nobody with an unlimited plan has a contract any more...they are all month-to-month, as their contracts have expired.

If you had an unlimited plan and wanted to do something that forced you into a contract (subsidized phone, etc.), then you were told that you had to sign up for a new plan. For a while now, Verizon doesn't have an phone subsidies, so people with unlimited who stuck it out this long now had no incentive to switch off the plan...they would pay full price for any new device. So, Verizon is raising their rates to try to convince them to switch. It's not very nice, but it is unfortunately legal.

Re:I don't like this at all

[ArmoredDragon]

Yes, T-Mobile has an unlimited 4g plan. It costs about $30 above the base plan, but it is unlimited.

Re:I don't like this at all

[jratcliffe]

Not true. I have an unlimited plan, and I'm in contract until October 2017.

They deserve a break

[Impy the Impiuos Imp]

Those bastards!

Grandfathers are usually on fixed incomes.

Sounds like you need the clue by four

[enjar]

"Even though a Verizon spokesperson confirmed the change, I'm hoping they won't go through with this plan"

I hate to break it to you, but they are going through with this plan.

Re:Sounds like you need the clue by four

[nicholasjay]

In the past companies have reversed their decision based on public outcry; it's not unprecedented.

Re:Sounds like you need the clue by four

[enjar]

Verizon has also been shown to not give a damn.
I'd expect all the other telcos to follow suit pretty much immediately.

Re:Sounds like you need the clue by four

[Lunix Nutcase]

Only an immensely tiny minority of their current customers can still have these grandfathered plans. Even if all of those users left, Verizon would still have more than 130 million subscribers.

BAHAHAHA! GOODBYE!

[Anonymous Coward]

I've been hanging around on my old grandfather'd Verizon plan for ages because of the unlimited data. I had been recently considering switching to Google Fi. This just dropped a 50 ton weight on the other end of the see-saw I've been balancing on. Good bye and good riddance Verizon!

Re:Seriously? Who uses Verizon? They're pure evil!

[Lunix Nutcase]

Seriously? Who uses Verizon?

More than 1/3rd of the US population.

Re:hmm...

[SlashdotOgre]

This is not a breach of contract (and likewise can't be used to get out of your contract without paying the ETF) because it doesn't go into effect until the contract ends for the folks that are still under contract. Now most folks who have unlimited data are not under contract but there still a number of them that use loop holes that allow you to continue with unlimited data and get subsidize phones but make you sign up for a contract. Generally the loopholes involve transferring the upgrade to a second line, doing the upgrade on that line, and transferring the new phone back.

Verizon = Darth Vader

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

Darth Vader: "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further."

Verizon: "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further."

Kind of hard to tell them apart if you ask me.

Re: hmm...

[CimmerianX]

IF it would ever get to trail since the contract states you agree to arbitration for everything.

Re:Verizon = Darth Vader

[GungaDan]

"Can you fear me now?"

Re:hmm...

[houghi]

You have two options.
1) Agree with what they do and pay more
2) Say it is a breach of contract and drop out

With 1) the company gets what they want
However with 2) the company gets what they want.

I used to work for a company that was in a similar situation. We had contracts with customers. However our cost increased in such a way that there was no way we would be able to make a profit. However the contract was in such a way that a cancel from our side would take 3 months to do the cancel (legally) so that was not an option.

The same would be for the customers. Their cancel would be three months as well. However when they contacted us and told they wanted to cancel due to the price increase, we would 'allow' the customer not to follow the letter of the law and cancel the accounts ASAP.

The intend of the increase was so customers would cancel. This so we would not loose any more money. So instead of loosing money over a 3 month period (even with the price increase), we lost money only over a 2 week (on average) period.Those who did want to follow us received a cancel letter a bit later and we had to respect the 3 months cancel.

Obviously I have no idea if they are actually loosing money or if the profit just is not high enough.

Re:Seriously? Who uses Verizon? They're pure evil!

[Vyse of Arcadia]

They're the only provider with decent coverage in rural areas. If I wasn't on Verizon, I'd have spotty or no signal every time I drive outside the city limits (which is often.) I hate Verizon, but they're my only choice.

Re: hmm...

[Golddess]

They can claim that that clause means I cannot sue them all they want, and in some circumstances, they might be right. But a clause that says "thou shalt not sue" does not protect them from being sued over that very same clause. At least I would hope it doesn't. IANAL.

Re:Seriously? Who uses Verizon? They're pure evil!

[chmod a x mojo]

U.S. Cellular roams off of Verizon towers, and vice versa. I switched about 2 years ago from Verizon, where I had the grandfathered unlimited data plan... and had been a Verizon customer for 10+ years, when they wouldn't let me upgrade phones without either losing my unlimited data plan or paying $600+ for a phone.

U.S. Cellular _IS_ a little spottier in some very remote areas of my state, and roams on VZW towers anywhere ~1-2 hours north of my hometown, but otherwise is pretty comparable to VZW coverage... with a ~30+% reduction in my bill every month.