Verizon is totally changing the way it sells smartphones

[go_go_gadget]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/08/07/verizon-is-totally-changing-the-way-it-sells-cellphones/

 

When Verizon changed its policy in 2012 so that those with unlimited data would lose it and have to switch to a tiered data plan if they upgraded with a subsidy, my husband and I decided that it made the best long-term sense to keep the unlimited data and pay for our phones outright. That was clearly the best decision, given their latest move. Now everyone pays the full cost of their devices, either upfront or over time, as we're doing anyway. With the per-smartphone fee of $20/month in addition to the data plan cost, our unlimited data plan costs less than the smallest shared data plan, because we've had it for so long, and while data usage only grows with time, our cost stays the same. 

 

In May I bought my first new phone since the 2012 change, and bought it from a third party. When I took it to Verizon for a sim card, the salespeople said everything they could think of to persuade me to switch plans, even to the point of vaguely suggesting that I might be a bit soft in the head for hanging onto an ancient plan, but I held firm. Vindication!

[ChocolateReignRemix]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/08/07/verizon-is-totally-changing-the-way-it-sells-cellphones/

 

When Verizon changed its policy in 2012 so that those with unlimited data would lose it and have to switch to a tiered data plan if they upgraded with a subsidy, my husband and I decided that it made the best long-term sense to keep the unlimited data and pay for our phones outright. That was clearly the best decision, given their latest move. Now everyone pays the full cost of their devices, either upfront or over time, as we're doing anyway. With the per-smartphone fee of $20/month in addition to the data plan cost, our unlimited data plan costs less than the smallest shared data plan, because we've had it for so long, and while data usage only grows with time, our cost stays the same. 

 

In May I bought my first new phone since the 2012 change, and bought it from a third party. When I took it to Verizon for a sim card, the salespeople said everything they could think of to persuade me to switch plans, even to the point of vaguely suggesting that I might be a bit soft in the head for hanging onto an ancient plan, but I held firm. Vindication!

Interesting.  We finally dropped DH's unlimited plan and saved about $20/month.  He was never over 2 GB in usage due to most hotels he stays in having free wifi now.

[meena]

Good for you for holding on to the old plan! I know a lot of people love Verizon, but I think they are so shady. We've been paying outright for our phones and using pay as you go companies for years, and couldn't be happier. We pay $20/ month/ line for unlimited talk, text, and data (although data is slowed after 2gb used). It's crazy to me to think that people are paying the same just to cover their smartphone fees and still have to pay the actual usage costs, taxes, etc!

[Tsuga]

Who does $20 for unlimited talk text and data? I'll switch! I have a Go Phone and unlimited everything is $45/month. My plan is unlimited text for $25, 200 minutes, but it doesn't exist anymore. Did you get yours a long time ago, meena?

[poppy]

I do NET10. It uses Verizon's cell towers. Unlimited talk and text plus 5gb of data is $45 month. My husband and I used to have to share 3 gb of data for waaaay more than the cost of 5gb each. If you have a phone and don't need a store to go to physically, then it's the way to go.

[meena]

Who does $20 for unlimited talk text and data? I'll switch! I have a Go Phone and unlimited everything is $45/month. My plan is unlimited text for $25, 200 minutes, but it doesn't exist anymore. Did you get yours a long time ago, meena?

We have Cricket. We have 5 lines on a tiered plan. First line is $40, second $30, third $20, fourth $10, and fifth $0. So $100 total, $20 per line. When it was just DH and I we paid $70, so $35 per line. We just switched to 5 lines about 4 months ago, so it's not an old plan. They use the AT&T network which works well for us but YMMV.

 

https://www.cricketwireless.com/5for100

[Mabelen]

I am listening. Right now we have Verizon, one basic line no texting, and only one smart phone, with shared minutes and a limit on data and texting and we pay way too much. Getting ready for a swim meet, I'll be back later!

[Tsuga]

We have Cricket. We have 5 lines on a tiered plan. First line is $40, second $30, third $20, fourth $10, and fifth $0. So $100 total, $20 per line. When it was just DH and I we paid $70, so $35 per line. We just switched to 5 lines about 4 months ago, so it's not an old plan. They use the AT&T network which works well for us but YMMV.

 

https://www.cricketwireless.com/5for100

 

Ahhhh. Okay, that makes sense. The AT&T network works for me--that's what I have.

 

We don't need five lines though. The kids would have to pay and they have expressed that they do not want to join. I wonder if we could use our Virgin and AT&T sims... he would not lose and I would pay more but gain data. Interesting. Thanks again!

[Carrie12345]

I am chomping. at. the. bit!
Verizon has been offering cheaper plans, but we've been fighting to get nickle and dime reductions while still under an earlier contract.  For us, from what I can tell, this will be a huge savings even while adding an additional line!

 

[JudoMom]

Republic wireless has unlimited talk/text/3g for $25/month, and unlimited talk/text for $10/month. You can switch your plan twice/month, so I normally just use the $10 plan, but if we're traveling or something, I'll upgrade for a limited time. I think they also have a 4g plan for $45.

[JudoMom]

Oops.  Duplicate.

[Scarlett]

Ugh. I have had verison for over 20 years....well alltel before they merged, so I don't know how long. I am now paying over 200 for 4 smartphone es sharing 3 gigs of data. Very discouraged.

[Liz CA]

Who does $20 for unlimited talk text and data? I'll switch! I have a Go Phone and unlimited everything is $45/month. My plan is unlimited text for $25, 200 minutes, but it doesn't exist anymore. Did you get yours a long time ago, meena?

 

Republic Wireless, I think.

[mommaduck]

My husband is a trucker. We have never found any pay as you go to work longterm for him and his needs. Therefore, a plan with Verizon (Verizon is the only one with enough coverage). We got our original phones free with sign up. We are switching to Edge, which allows us to upgrade our phones for free (pay tax only, about $40) every year.

[poppy]

 

 

(Verizon is the only one with enough coverage)

Straight Talk and Net10 and a few others use the Verizon cell towers.  

 

I think Verizon is a great choice for some people, particularly high-need customers, since the discount company customer service is UGH.   (Not that Verizon is great..... but it took us a week of confused calls with Net10 to port our numbers).  Sounds like Verizon is great for you. Just wanted to clarify that from a coverage perspective, Verizon isn't the only game in town.

[mommaduck]

Straight Talk and Net10 and a few others use the Verizon cell towers.  

 

I think Verizon is a great choice for some people, particularly high-need customers, since the discount company customer service is UGH.   (Not that Verizon is great..... but it took us a week of confused calls with Net10 to port our numbers).  Sounds like Verizon is great for you. Just wanted to clarify that from a coverage perspective, Verizon isn't the only game in town.

 

They use Verizon towers, but there seems to be a limit when you get to difficult areas.

 

And, yes, it really does depend upon what type of usage and coverage you need. For some, it really is the best deal comparatively (but still pricey...it's a price vs necessity weighing out).

[vonfirmath]

My husband is a trucker. We have never found any pay as you go to work longterm for him and his needs. Therefore, a plan with Verizon (Verizon is the only one with enough coverage). We got our original phones free with sign up. We are switching to Edge, which allows us to upgrade our phones for free (pay tax only, about $40) every year.

 

My dad was a travelling teacher and found the same thing -- he needed Verizon to be sure of having coverage everywhere he went.

 

My sister lives rural in Texas and, when she tried to switch, found that only Verizon covered where they live. So she's stuck there with any phone they need to be reliable.

 

[Pawz4me]

My husband is a trucker. We have never found any pay as you go to work longterm for him and his needs. Therefore, a plan with Verizon (Verizon is the only one with enough coverage). We got our original phones free with sign up. We are switching to Edge, which allows us to upgrade our phones for free (pay tax only, about $40) every year.

 

We are RV'ers, and Verizon is far and away the #1 choice among them.  Nobody can come close to Verizon's coverage.

 

Unforunately, they're doing away with the Edge plan.  It's what we had.  DH was at the local Verizon store last week and found out they will no longer be offering it when the new changes go into effect.

[mommaduck]

They are doing away with it? They just encouraged us to join it.

[AmandaVT]

We were straight talk users for a few years and their customer service was just too horrible to deal with any longer. We finally bit the bullet and switched to Verizon last year. AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile do not work at my house or many places around here. Unfortunately, the more expensive Verizon is our only option. I believe these new plans will save us some money though. 

[Pawz4me]

They are doing away with it? They just encouraged us to join it.

 

You may have been able to join it since the new changes haven't gone into effect yet?

 

My understanding is that the main reasons for the new changes are to do away with contracts and subsidized phones.  And the Edge plan is both.

[mommaduck]

Can you tell me what the new changes are going to be? We were able to get my son's upgrade on the Edge plan and we aren't able to get an upgrade till September for early and November on time. They told me to get on the Edge plan when we do...this discussion was just a couple of weeks ago.

[Pawz4me]

Here are a few articles I've read --

 

Link #1

 

#2

 

#3

 

We still haven't figured out exactly how the changes will affect our bill (if at all) right away.  Last week oldest DS got a new phone (no longer on the Edge plan).  Youngest DS's phone erroneously never got put on our Edge plan even though it was supposed to be.  DH and I have phones that are still covered by Edge until next March or April. So we're kind of in limbo waiting to see what shows up on our bill!

[carriede]

I bet the current customers will keep their current plans until they expire. So DH and I will still be under a contract until Nov 2017. Which is okay because we got "free" smartphones.

[go_go_gadget]

Can you tell me what the new changes are going to be? We were able to get my son's upgrade on the Edge plan and we aren't able to get an upgrade till September for early and November on time. They told me to get on the Edge plan when we do...this discussion was just a couple of weeks ago.

 

The new plans are listed on their site. The employees may not have known about the upcoming changes a few weeks ago. You'll have to pay for the phone in full, either upfront or over time. The data plan will cost extra.

[Ellyndria]

If the new flat monthly fee for each smartphone replaces the monthly line access for each phone, then we'll save money.  And for data, we'll either get 2 extra GB for the same price, or go down and pay a bit less for a little less data.  The only thing I'm not looking forward to is paying the full price of the phone outright, especially since both DH and I are going to get new phones later this year.

[3 ladybugs]

It looks to me that they have just renamed things. We upgraded last December from our 4s phones to 6 and 6+ phones respectively. We are paying the same as we did for the 4s but now we also have 1 model old iPad and iPad mini.

 

The looking around I just did says that for the phone, if you get 16g phones you don't get anything. If you get 128g phones they give you money off your data bill. Which is the same as the edge plan.

[mommaduck]

We need to get new phones, because these Droids are garbage. We want to go back to Samsung. This is why it's such a big deal to us.

[Pawz4me]

It looks to me that they have just renamed things. We upgraded last December from our 4s phones to 6 and 6+ phones respectively. We are paying the same as we did for the 4s but now we also have 1 model old iPad and iPad mini.

 

The looking around I just did says that for the phone, if you get 16g phones you don't get anything. If you get 128g phones they give you money off your data bill. Which is the same as the edge plan.

 

No.  With the Edge you get a subsidy with any phone.

[Mommy22alyns]

We just have inexpensive phones and pay as you go coverage.  I use AT&T $25 a month for 250 minutes and unlimited texts.  I don't use data; I just use available wi-fi.  Rebecca has a tiny little T-Mobile plan for minimal texting.  DH is on MIL's plan.

[DawnM]

Who does $20 for unlimited talk text and data? I'll switch! I have a Go Phone and unlimited everything is $45/month. My plan is unlimited text for $25, 200 minutes, but it doesn't exist anymore. Did you get yours a long time ago, meena?

 

Republic Wireless is $25 for unlimited talk/text/data and a $5 credit if you don't use a lot of data.

 

It is a great plan for individuals.

[abacus2]

We use Page Plus Cellular. They use the Verizon network and in three years of service I have been unable to tell any difference in coverage. The places my Verizon worked/didn't work before are the same. The coverage also seems the same between my coverage and the coverage my mom and brother get with Verizon. I have saved about $2,000 by choosing Page Plus's $29.95 plan for my DH and I. This plan meets our usage requirements easily.

[Carrie12345]

Blah. We switched today, saving about $40/mo., which is nice except that it would be $80/mo less if two of our phones weren't still under contract. Thousands of dollars over more than a decade and we can't get the break everyone else will.  :cursing:

 

Anyone remember when loyal customers were treated like... loyal customers?

[Random]

If anyone is interested, Clark Howard has a comparison chart on his website for different plans and prices:

 

http://www.clarkhoward.com/cheap-cell-phone-plans

 

 

[Jaz]

Blah. We switched today, saving about $40/mo., which is nice except that it would be $80/mo less if two of our phones weren't still under contract. Thousands of dollars over more than a decade and we can't get the break everyone else will.  :cursing:

 

Anyone remember when loyal customers were treated like... loyal customers?

 

I was wondering about that. My dh travels for work and has to use Verizon. He recently upgraded his phone. Ugh! Should we go in to see if mine is cheaper? I can't figure it out from the charts...

[Lady Florida.]

This new plan you all are talking about sounds a lot like what AT&T did a while back. No more subsidized phones, but our flat fee actually saves us money. They're pushing their contract customers to a similar plan as their pay as you go customers. I think eventually it will all be the same. That seems to be the direction the big companies are headed, probably because of competition from smaller companies like Cricket, Republic, Metro PCS, and others.  The downside is that you either have to buy a new phone outright or pay $25 a month forever and ever, because you keep upgrading so you keep paying and never really pay off your phone. On the positive side, you can buy a phone anywhere and therefore can shop for the best price. 

 

I don't know if Verizon has gone to sim cards for all phones, but I've heard they did for at least some. Dh didn't want to upgrade his iPhone 4 because he didn't want to add that $25 after we finally got our bill down to something tolerable. I found a phone for him on eBay. It's not the latest but ds and I have the same phone (Samsung Galaxy S4) and it does all we need it to do. I like not having to buy my phones only from my provider. 

 

Anyway, if Verizon does have sim cards now, you can buy a Verizon phone and just move the sim card over though obviously you'd have to already have a phone with a sim card.

[Carrie12345]

I was wondering about that. My dh travels for work and has to use Verizon. He recently upgraded his phone. Ugh! Should we go in to see if mine is cheaper? I can't figure it out from the charts...

 

It's really pretty simple. You pick your data size (we went to 6GB for $60, since dh doesn't even use his anymore) and then any new or out-of-contract lines will be an additional $20 each.  Any lines currently under contract will be an additional $40/mo.

 

 

 

For us, that's $60 + $20 for my expired contract line + $40 for dh's under contract line + $40 for the girls' shared under contract line.  $160/mo (plus taxes and insurance on the girls' phone) vs. the $200 we paid last month, vs. the original $240 we were paying before that.

 

Of course, my phone is so old I'm about to enter their month to month phone plan, which will be another $20-something.

 

Once our contracts die, we'll be down to $120 for service, vs. $240.  Over 2 years, that will save us almost $3,000.  Plenty of money to buy whatever fancy or crummy phones we might want and then some.

[Jaz]

It's really pretty simple. You pick your data size (we went to 6GB for $60, since dh doesn't even use his anymore) and then any new or out-of-contract lines will be an additional $20 each.  Any lines currently under contract will be an additional $40/mo.

 

 

 

For us, that's $60 + $20 for my expired contract line + $40 for dh's under contract line + $40 for the girls' shared under contract line.  $160/mo (plus taxes and insurance on the girls' phone) vs. the $200 we paid last month, vs. the original $240 we were paying before that.

 

Of course, my phone is so old I'm about to enter their month to month phone plan, which will be another $20-something.

 

Once our contracts die, we'll be down to $120 for service, vs. $240.  Over 2 years, that will save us almost $3,000.  Plenty of money to buy whatever fancy or crummy phones we might want and then some.

 

Ah, thanks. We have 4.5GB/month of data for a year and pay a little less right now, so we'll probably stick with what we have until I need another phone.