How worth it is "Unlimited Data" on VZ?

[JoLLyRoGer]

I've got a grandfathered Alltel plan on Verizon that is shared with my wife.

We have 500 Shared Minutes, Unlimited Text, Unlimited Data, Unlimited evenings starting at 7pm, and Unlimited mobile to mobile. We never use all the minutes, but I like to do things like Pandora and Netflix on my phone and she does a lot of Facebook and uploading Pictures, etc... (Monthly bill is around $150ish for two lines with data).

I want to upgrade and I really want the Samsung Note 2, but unless I want to pay full price for the phone (almost $700.00), then I'll have to change plans to a more current offering.

Is it worth it to succumb to the tiered data plan monster or should I take my cellphone plan to the grave with me, just save my duckets and pay full price for the phone?

 

[vi edit]

I just did this same thing. Grandfathered, wanted Note 2. Ditched the unlimited for it.

For me it's just about basic use and coverage. I'm simply under wifi about 95% of the time. For the last 2 years I almost never used more than 200-300mb of data a month. I don't stream music because I cache it locally to the device and I'm not big on using bandwith simply "because I can". I actually saved money by going to a metered plan with my wife.

 

[foghorn67]

I steam music, I tend to go over 2GB. If I don't, it's easily under 1GB.

 

[RockinZ28]

Look under your Verizon wireless account at usage history for data. It'll show the last 6 months I think.

To me it would be worth it to keep. I typically use 5-10gb/mo on my phone alone. I pay $120 for my unlimited data, and my wife's 2gb plan. 700 minutes is way more than we ever use, and we use Google Voice for free texts.

Under the new plans, it would be $80 for two smartphones, and $50 for a lol 1GB of data. So already spending more for a whole lot less. F that.

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

My Last six months of data use have been:
Dec - 2.3GB
Nov - 1.46GB
Oct - 0.9GB
Sept - 1.1GB
Aug - 1.78GB
Jul - 1.07GB

So I can definitely bust over 2GB per month. It seems like Lookout is my biggest offender downloading updates all the time (368MB this month alone and 566MB last month).

 

[vi edit]

You can force the updates to wifi only from the play store settings.

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

You can force the updates to wifi only from the play store settings.

Well.... I'll be damned! Thx!

 

[mnewsham]

Last month I used 3,019 of 3,072MB

If I could have unlimited again I would

 

[hans007]

i cant upgrade ever because i lose my corporate discount (for a company i dont work for anymore...) if i switch from unlimited to 2GB data sadly.

but, i'd say if they were going to subsidize it enough for me i'd just get off unlimited. i think for me, if they were still doing the double data promo like last year i wouldnt' care at all (4GB for price of 2).

also you might want to look into say ebay. might save you about $100 after tax on a note 2 if you end up just buying it.

outright buying a phone kind of sucks if its high end still and just came out. midrange phones though its probably not too bad (like say a droid razr m, is maybe $280 in mint shape)

 

[GobBluth]

If you ever intend on tethering anything to your LTE I'd stay with the unlimited. Otherwise, I never use more than 2 GB and, as you know, I use Pandora, AtBat Lite (in season), youtube, and browse the webz quite a bit. But, like vi said, I'm under wifi most of the time.

Also my 2 line, tiered, plan is more expensive than your Unlimited one!

Cheers!

 

[thescreensavers]

I am staying unlimited pretty much as long as I can. I use about 1.5 Gb a month with most of my day being on wifi on campus. This month no wifi to stick too and I am at almost 3gb and I am busy most of the day so just imagine if I use my phone any more lol

 

[mnewsham]

I am staying unlimited pretty much as long as I can. I use about 1.5 Gb a month with most of my day being on wifi on campus. This month no wifi to stick too and I am at almost 3gb and I am busy most of the day so just imagine if I use my phone any more lol

When I had unlimited data I had a month with no wifi, ended up with 15GB used xD

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

If you ever intend on tethering anything to your LTE I'd stay with the unlimited. Otherwise, I never use more than 2 GB and, as you know, I use Pandora, AtBat Lite (in season), youtube, and browse the webz quite a bit. But, like vi said, I'm under wifi most of the time.

Also my 2 line, tiered, plan is more expensive than your Unlimited one!

Cheers!

Hey Fucker!! Merry Christmas!! Ring me up later!

 

[GobBluth]

Hey Fucker!! Merry Christmas!! Ring me up later!

Merry Christmas.......shitters full!!

Alright, I'll hit you up tonight.

 

[Engineer]

Maybe you'll all get unlimited again someday (doubtful.....but)...

http://www.infoworld.com/t/federal-...oadband-data-caps-undermine-innovation-209726

 

[bigrash]

I had unlimited with my wife also with Verizon, but was forced to change to the "share everything" plan when we got the iPhone 5. We averaged about 1.5 gb of data per phone each month before that so we decided to go with the 4gb share data plan and our bill actually comes out $20 cheaper every month. Plus the plan includes free hotspot. So far we've stayed under the 4gb total data allowed but I might change it to the 6gb plan, which still comes out $10 cheaper. No complaints of losing unlimited here.

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

Maybe you'll all get unlimited again someday (doubtful.....but)...

http://www.infoworld.com/t/federal-...oadband-data-caps-undermine-innovation-209726

Hmmmm...... Interesting indeed.

 

[Bateluer]

If you ever intend on tethering anything to your LTE I'd stay with the unlimited. Otherwise, I never use more than 2 GB and, as you know, I use Pandora, AtBat Lite (in season), youtube, and browse the webz quite a bit. But, like vi said, I'm under wifi most of the time.

Also my 2 line, tiered, plan is more expensive than your Unlimited one!

Cheers!

FYI, it is against ToS to tether with an Unlimited plan. Yes, there are ways around it. However, it still violates the contract and can be grounds for them to 'upgrade' you to a capped plan.

I'm also on unlimited data, and with my usage floating 6GB every month, I'll be hanging onto it until they attempt to force me off. Then I dump Verizon.

 

[JoLLyRoGer]

FYI, it is against ToS to tether with an Unlimited plan. Yes, there are ways around it. However, it still violates the contract and can be grounds for them to 'upgrade' you to a capped plan.

I'm also on unlimited data, and with my usage floating 6GB every month, I'll be hanging onto it until they attempt to force me off. Then I dump Verizon.

:hmm: FoxFi?...:whiste::ninja:

 

[bearxor]

My Last six months of data use have been:
Dec - 2.3GB
Nov - 1.46GB
Oct - 0.9GB
Sept - 1.1GB
Aug - 1.78GB
Jul - 1.07GB

So I can definitely bust over 2GB per month. It seems like Lookout is my biggest offender downloading updates all the time (368MB this month alone and 566MB last month).

Just put yourself on the 2GB plan if you plan on staying with Verizon an really want that Note 2. You'll save $400 off the price and, if your usage pattern is normal, only go over 2GB twice a year, which means you'll only pay $20 in overage charges per year. You're still coming out $360 ahead over the two year contract.

What's your wife's usage? Would it make sense to switch to a 4GB share plan? You'd get unlimited minutes and text and 4GB of data for about the same price you're paying now ($150 before taxes).

That's what I did on AT&T recently. Was paying $140 for unlimited data and 550 sharedo minutes between two lines, and $20 a month to Verizon on my iPad. Switched to a 10GB share plan with unlimited minutes and text and put my iPad on it as well, comes out to $170/mo after taxes. So I'm paying $10 a month more for included tethering, no throttling, which I would hit on the Unlimited plan, and FaceTime over cellular works. Was worth the $10 for me.

 

[Red Storm]

My typical usage when I had unlimited Verizon: ~6GB/month.

Nearly a month with the Nexus 4 on Straight Talk: 400MB. When I include Wifi stats? 20GB.

The big difference? I'm actually using Wifi now, something I never even bothered to turn on when I had Verizon LTE.

 

[dagamer34]

If you are really intent on keeping unlimited data, never buy your phone from Verizon, always buy off of eBay of craigslist a month or two after. You should save $200 or so from people who bought the phone on-contract for far cheaper and decide they want something else. For example, the Galaxy S III which is $549.99 + tax new is only $350 on eBay. This does mean you need to wait a few months for prices to drop, if you want the latest phone while also keeping unlimited data, you are going to pay through the nose for it.

 

[AHamick]

Wait, I'm a little lost from reading this, does VZW now force you OUT of a grandfathered unlimited plan if you chose to renew and upgrade your phone?

I ask because I have unlimited data from when I signed on years ago and last Jan I upgraded/renewed my contract and was able to keep my unlimited plan and get a new 4g phone.

So come September when I am up for another upgrade/renewal will I be forced to lose my unlimited plan?

 

[jpiniero]

Wait, I'm a little lost from reading this, does VZW now force you OUT of a grandfathered unlimited plan if you chose to renew and upgrade your phone?

If you want the phone subsidy, yes.

 

[ImDonly1]

You barely use any data, so no unlimited data is not worth it for you. I am not sure how you reason that $150 for 2 lines with 500 minutes is a good deal either.