Verizon Data Plan: Pay full retail and keep unlimited plan?

[g0dMAn]

I pre-ordered the iPhone 5 32GB (black) for $300 with Verizon (from apple.com). I currently have a 4S. I'm getting the 5 so that my wife can TEST DRIVE the iPhone (she will be taking my current 4S).

My problem - I need your advice!
-I am on the Verizon 3G unlimited (grandfathered in)...
-Should I pay full price for the iPhone 5 to keep my $29.99 unlimited data plan, or should I keep my pre-order? I will be dropped to 2GB/month for $29.99 if I stick with the $300 price and 2-yr contract renewal. I've been told that by paying full price I would keep my current unlimited plan and be granfathered in.

I did the math for the $450 savings ($750 retail, $300 with 2 yr agreement):
2 years, 24-months --> $450 comes out to $18.75 additional/month if I go with paying full/retail price.

What do you guys think? I'm totally afraid of going beyond the weak 2GB/month limit. 5GB would be a little better, but it's $50/month.

 

[mafia]

On 4G LTE you will use more bandwidth.

 

[Annon2255]

I bought the Galaxy S3 when it came out and still had unlimited data. When I asked the guy at the store if upgrading would change me to a 2gb a month data plan, he said it would. However, I've checked my account several times since then to see my usage and I still have unlimited. So, I don't know if the guy had to tell me it would and did me a favor by letting me keep my unlimited or what.

Maybe you can find someone in the store who could help you out. Perhaps I just got lucky, I dunno.

 

[g0dMAn]

Thanks for the posts, guys.

Right now on 3G I use maybe 350-500MB, but I've a feeling on 4G LTE I'm going to take much more advantage.

The real worry is more the future for me. Will I regret this move 2-3 years from now, or will the grandfathering in of the unlimited data plan eventually be killed anyway...

 

[bearxor]

Since you only use a few hundred MB's now, I would consider dropping the unlimited plan. If you pay full price for a device, I don't see any reason why you wouldn't then consider a prepaid alternative like PagePlus that may be cheaper per month.

 

[Chiropteran]

Paying for bandwidth you don't even use is crazy, IMO. Dump it, dump Verizon, get a nice cheap prepaid plan.

 

[sze5003]

I always use more than 2gb of data. Do you stream music, post on here, look up sites every day? Your option like mine will be to pay for the phone elsewhere and just activate it on verizon if you don't want to pay Verizon price.

 

[g0dMAn]

Since you only use a few hundred MB's now, I would consider dropping the unlimited plan. If you pay full price for a device, I don't see any reason why you wouldn't then consider a prepaid alternative like PagePlus that may be cheaper per month.

Paying for bandwidth you don't even use is crazy, IMO. Dump it, dump Verizon, get a nice cheap prepaid plan.

Guys, I don't want to dump Verizon. Their service is the best where I am. I know there are much cheaper options... well, I have thought about it...

I always use more than 2gb of data. Do you stream music, post on here, look up sites every day? Your option like mine will be to pay for the phone elsewhere and just activate it on verizon if you don't want to pay Verizon price.

Not a bad idea... how much can I get a 32gig black for you think (any links)?

 

[sze5003]

IPhone 5? Check craigslist or eBay. They are most likely a little expensive now. But at least you will keep unlimited data this way

 

[Piano Man]

Keep the unlimited. You're getting an iphone, so it will have good resell value. Just keep it in nice condition.

As a GNex user, I use my LTE all of the time, including the built in tethering. Music streaming, Netflix Streaming, and Youtube surfing can add up quickly.

 

[bearxor]

Guys, I don't want to dump Verizon. Their service is the best where I am. I know there are much cheaper options... well, I have thought about it...

I understand, that's why I mentioned PagePlus. It IS Verizon, but you won't get LTE. But with your data usage, it might not matter anyways.

It's my opinion that unless something DRASTIC happens, your data usage trends are not going to change. You're not going to go from using 400MB average every month to doing over 2GB. You already have a 4S. Going to a 5 isn't going to be a drastic change. Going to any other smartdevice isn't going to be a drastic change to your data usage. There are some months you'll peak but if you DOUBLE your current data usage you're at 1GB. So take all the time you do stuff over the internet on your phone and double it. Is that likely?

That's why I said if you want a new phone on VZW, dump the unlimited. Because I can't understand shelling out full retail for the phone and not switching to a cheaper alternative, like PagePlus, that uses Verizon's network and is only $55/mo for unlimited talk, text and 2GB of EVDO data.

I don't know what you're paying now, but if you're on an older VZW plan with unlimited texting, the data package and the lowest minutes the used to offer, 450, that runs $90. Let's say you have a year left on your contract. That would put your ETF at about... $200 or so. So let's extrapolate over the next year.

Current, keep unlimited upgrade to iPhone 5: $90 * 12 + $750 = $1830
Switch to iPhone 5 on PagePlus: $55 *12 + $200 + $750 = $1610
Keep iPhone 4S on PagePlus: $55 *12 + $200 = $860

If you want to stay with Verizon, and you don't use more than 500MB a month or so, there's no reason to stick with your unlimited plan and pay full price for the device. It simply makes much more sense to ditch Verizon for PagePlus (again, same network, so you'd get the same level of phone service) if you're willing to pay full price for your device.

 

[boomhower]

I'd keep the unlimited. With faster data your going to use more data just in increased efficiency in what your doing.(i.e. looking at more web pages in the same amount of time) Your also likely to do new things that you didn't do before because of speed, i.e. music and video. Unless you drop and go prepaid for real saving I'd keep the unlimited.

 

[lothar]

Unlike AT&T, Verizon's 3G is dog slow. If I were in your position, I'd keep the unlimited.
If 4G ever comes to PagePlus, you can consider switching then.

 

[Axon]

Keep the unlimited. You can tether you phone (with LTE access), and data usage can really sneak up on you with LTE.

 

[g0dMAn]

Keep the unlimited. You can tether you phone (with LTE access), and data usage can really sneak up on you with LTE.

The prices to buy it at full price apparently are OUTRAGEOUS.
No idea where to find it for retail... everything (craigs, ebay) has it for much more. eBay I'm not surprised with...

 

[sze5003]

Wait until Verizon has some in stock and just say you want just the phone. My friend had to do that since his old phone in contract broke and he was out of warranty plus the extra warranty he bought would not replace it more than 2 times

 

[grkM3]

im at mid month in my billing cycle and Im at 2.6GB used on my gs3 and average about 5GB a month.

 

[g0dMAn]

Wait until Verizon has some in stock and just say you want just the phone. My friend had to do that since his old phone in contract broke and he was out of warranty plus the extra warranty he bought would not replace it more than 2 times

I wonder if I can cancel the order I put through apple.com for the pre-order and still keep my unlimited then...

 

[sze5003]

I wonder if I can cancel the order I put through apple.com for the pre-order and still keep my unlimited then...

Did you make the order on apple for Verizon? What price did they charge you? If they chargd you 199 they took into account that you are upgrading your phone and extending the contract with whatever new data tier plan.

 

[s44]

Keep the unlimited. You can tether you phone (with LTE access), and data usage can really sneak up on you with LTE.

Not on stock iOS.

LTE hotspot on my Nexus is a lifesaver though.

 

[tdawg]

Didn't Verizon change their policy where if you upgrade to 4g/lte, regardless of if you bought the phone off contract, they would force you to the 2gb / mo for that 4g upgrade? I don't think they'll let you stay on 3g, especially since 4g/lte is now part of the iphone 5.

I, of course, could be very wrong, but I remember reading that earlier this summer.

 

[shortylickens]

Unlimited data is worth more than any one phone. You will keep it for years but the phone might only last one, maybe two.

 

[Red Storm]

It's pretty simple, if you use a lot of data then keep the unlimited plan. If you struggle to use more than 1GB per month then keep the pre-order.

I use way more than 2GB per month, so to me my unlimited plan is more valuable than the phone I'm using it with.

 

[g0dMAn]

Did you make the order on apple for Verizon? What price did they charge you? If they chargd you 199 they took into account that you are upgrading your phone and extending the contract with whatever new data tier plan.

Through Apple, but it verifies your Verizon account to give the subsidized price. $299 for the 32gig black. I went with apple.com because Verizon was charging an additional $30 for an "upgrade fee"... they are such crooks.

 

[notposting]

Unlimited data is worth more than any one phone. You will keep it for years but the phone might only last one, maybe two.

Yep. Just start factoring in resale value (especially on Apples)...if you were selling the 4S to get the 5 at retail, you would be paying the same out of pocket cost in the end.

Didn't Verizon change their policy where if you upgrade to 4g/lte, regardless of if you bought the phone off contract, they would force you to the 2gb / mo for that 4g upgrade? I don't think they'll let you stay on 3g, especially since 4g/lte is now part of the iphone 5.

I, of course, could be very wrong, but I remember reading that earlier this summer.

There were initial reports to that effect, but they were debunked. It was more a mistranslation that their idea is to get people upgrading to these 4G phones, and they know in general not many people will pay retail price for a phone.