Wednesday Poll: Upgrading Phone Now, Buying Later at Full Price, or Giving Up Unlimited Data?

by: Kellex | posted 06.13.12 | Polls

Now that Share Everything data plans have started to soak in and most of you understand all of your options, we have a couple of important questions to ask. You know you can keep unlimited data if you’d like, but that means you have to buy phones at full price after June 28. Some of you may not want to save up the cash to do that and will either use up a last upgrade before the 28th or will bite the bullet and give up unlimited data in order to get a subsidized phone later on in the future. We want to know what your plans are. Full priced phones? Use the last upgrade before the 28th? Give up unlimited data? Willing to switch carriers?

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Zach Armstrong

Too Bad only Verizon offers 3G in my area because I would switch.
http://twitter.com/HughHansen Hugh Hansen

I just bought a wifi-only iPad, so this will have to wait a few years, but I like the idea of having my phone and iPad sharing the same bucket of data and using either as a hotspot at will.
JulianZHuang

Either 700$ for s3 or 800$ for iphone this fall….. Damn.
Glen E Ston

Does this change in unlimited data allow current users to break contract without an ETF?
- Aryeh Hersh
  
  You only lose unlimited when you sign a new contract. You only sign a new contract if you take subsidized pricing. So no, this is not a break in contract
Glen E Ston

I’m paying close to $180/mo on Verizon (almost a car payment) and I would of continued doing so because I THOUGHT it was worth it getting subsidized phones and keeping my unlimited data, nope. So, because Verizon is pretty much trying to snuff us unlimited data users out, I’m most likely going to be leaving at the earliest opportunity. It will be a while though, I JUST upgraded to the GNex in Feb. Uhhg.

T-Mobile offers 100 min/5GB Data for 30/mo and Google now offers the GNex for 400$ which is a great deal. I’ll pay a few dollars extra for a voip service and use SIPdriod for calls. I’ll be saving a LOT of money.
Aaron

Working at Best Buy, we get a large discount on full price phones, pair that with the Buy Back Program (They pay you upwards of $400 for your phone), Im looking at either making money off the deal or breaking close to even
Anonymous

Everyone needs a job that pays for their phone… at least their data plan!
James Sugrue

Switching to Straight Talk and buying a GSM GNex through the Play Store.
- Josh Flowers
  
  exactly
areffes

I now have no problem giving up my unlimited data. Like most people, I, too, once had an irrational fear of losing that magical word “unlimited,” but it wasn’t based on the facts. Once I actually looked at my usage, I saw that I have never used more than 3.5 GB in a month. And I thought I was an EXTREMELY heavy user. I use my phone for everything. I mean, everything. I can’t remember the last time I had to open my laptop. I’m on my phone all day every day. I stream music for a couple of hours a day, too. But I would gladly just start switching on wifi, which I have never done….didn’t need to. If I just keep my wifi on at home and at work, I’d probably use less than a gig. And I would welcome the lower bill.
http://twitter.com/strifejester Justin Ellenbecker

Not giving up data for cheaper phones, but as I have mentioned the new plans save me money and I only use about 5GB a month. With a good fast internet connection at home and not seeing a need to stream all day on my tablet why not. Plus I can drop my jetpack, since they opened tethering to all phones now. I am not going to lie the data numbers are a little low but still 10GB is more than enough for me. $80-100 a month cheaper for a cell phone bill is well worth it.
r0lct

The only problem with the poll is some answers are for immediate action (short term fix) and some are for future action (long term solution). Buying a phone now will not address the long term solution to this problem, it just puts it off. That’s why that option should be left out as it doesn’t indicate what people when do when they are faced with changing plans, buying off contract or switching carriers.
Steve

There really should be a “I signed up with Verizon after tiered pricing was already implemented.”
Aaron Krolik

To those getting new phones, what phone are you getting?
http://www.flayme.com/troll/ wasteofskin

big red is really pushing their greed to new limits with this crap. At the very least they should allow those with upgrades until the end of the year to upgrade without punishing them with shared/tiered data penalties. That would be the humble thing to do. But then again these guys have never exactly been humble in the first place. Personally I’m using my upgrade, buying another razr I won’t use, and selling it unopened/unactivated on ebay so I can use that 3-400 bucks on the next 700 dollar device I buy.
- Arthur Robles
  
  They COULD do that but think how many Android fans are waiting for a new device to upgrade and how many Apple people are waiting for the new iphone??? Plus all the people that got the iPhone when it came to verizon are eligible in oct as well. this is the perfect time for them to do this…
Akeem McAllister

As soon as Android get it together with OS and hardware now the carriers want to pull this stunt. The truth of the matter more people will look for other options to satisfy their need for new tech toys or manufacturers are going to stop making great products if no one is buying them. I am not fond of purchasing a phone for full price but I will. This type of business scheme is the very thing destroying the American economy.
Darster

One fee everyone is forgetting is the new $30 fee just to upgrade on top of everything else. So if you upgrade 4 lines, thats $120 just for the priviledge to stay with Verizon.
Scott

I am locked in with my GNEX for awhile. I am going to wait until next upgrade time and see how much data I am using and go from there. Though, if I am using enough or I can end up buying a phone for 400 ish, I will keep my unlimited data.
- InyRules
  
  I got my Nexus with Verizon earlier this year, so I have a ways to go as well. I’m thinking of sticking with Verizon through the end of the contract, and then see how the Google Play store is coming along with selling the unlocked devices.
hans007

i probably will just not care. my next upgrade is at near the end of 2013. I figure by then the lowest data tier will be at least 4gb given they run that promo all the time and maybe even more than 4GB. honestly i’d just pay more money , i can afford it.

i use 1-1.5 gb data right now. and i use my phone a lot, but never really stream anything. that said, i was at EDC las vegas this past weekend. there were a ton of people there and all carriers were not exactly working well. but on the 2nd 2 days, verizon was the only carrier that even worked at all.

t-mobile was completely dead, at&t was sending and recieving text like 2 hours late, and sprint was dead from what i heard (i didnt have a friend with sprint).

you put 115k ravers in 1 site and lets assume 45% of those have verizon. its off the strip and verizon was still able to send and recieve text the first and second days. oddly for me 3G was much more stable than text (probably too many people texting). the service is just so much more reliable.

my friend on t-mobile who has a brand new one S (i’m jelly of the camera by far compared to my gnexus) spent half the weekend saying fuck t-mobile i’m ditching this service the minute my contract runs out because well at least for people like us its these moments where being not on verizon is horrible.

same thing happened last year at beyond wonderland. t-mobile’s infrastructure is pisspoor, but at least they are cheap. at&t is piss poor and isnt cheap. oh well, i’ll definitely be fine switching to the new plans.
droidbeat

The other carriers need to catch up and provide equivalent coverage. VZW is enjoying a coveragopoly.
- http://www.flayme.com/troll/ wasteofskin
  
  that will never happen, big red has a tight reign on all that spectrum with the FCC. And believe me they put plenty of money into select individuals pockets to keep it and prevent more monopoly suits from happening. Big blue does the same thing, its just how the industry works.
evileclipse

I am seriously in a bind here guys. Can i get some opinions? I have an upgrade to use this week but dont know if I should get the Nexus or pre order the S3? Im a modder, so I know how valuable the Nexus could be, but Im also really excited about the idea of aosp on the S3. I’ve been strictly htc for years now, and wanna change it up. Can I get some opinions?
- http://www.flayme.com/troll/ wasteofskin
  
  If you’re heart is set on a samsung, then go for the gnex the aosp experience is second to none. Hardware quality, as with all samsung phones is unfortunately mediocre at best though.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001139198113 Avina Guillermo

Data will eventually kill out talk time minutes and text messages. Cars are already coming with pandora and I Love Radio with their stock systems. Verizon knows this, this is why they want to force people off the unlimited plan. I’m taking this unlimited plan to the grave. The only good thing about iphones is that they maintain their value better then androids. Looks like I’m gonna have to go to the dark side.
- http://www.flayme.com/troll/ wasteofskin
  
  lol me too. Not giving up my razr until i see a moto nexus… if they ever come to fruition that is.
angermeans

One very important thing that no one has said is that if you are on a family plan now and plan to keep unlimited data and pay full price you will want to move your line to a single line plan going forward as if you are on family plan and one of the lines on the plan gets a discounted phone then it will convert every line on that family plan to the new shared data plans. I do t think many have even comsidered this and Verizon would like to keep it that way. It will by default drop your unlimited data and dump you on a shared plan despite if you upgrade or not and the only way to avoid this is make sure everyone on your family plan plans on paying full price for their phones.
- adam
  
  so if my sister gets an iphone 5 in the fall, would i lose my unlimited data i have with my razr maxx? if i move onto a single line, does that cost extra money? can i just go to verizon and they do that?
  - http://www.flayme.com/troll/ wasteofskin
    
    No. Your sis would have the choice of all of the current tiered data plan options(ie 2gb, 5gb etc,) or she could switch to family data with you. You can’t do family data unless you both do family data lol. So yes you would get to keep your unlimited data – until you buy a discounted phone that is. Pay full price after the 28th and you still keep. Gotta give some to get some brah!
Guest

Shouldn’t this story mention Verizon???? (It doesn’t.)

How do we know all plan changes by all carriers are going to be those 4 choices???
http://www.facebook.com/people/Danny-Yang/100000650290495 Danny Yang

I’ll be honest here. I really don’t see myself exceeding 4GB altogether with my family. It’s just too much. Apps can only take so much, as well as youtube videos, which I usually watch on wifi anyways. Hotspot is useful, but even then, its only for about 40 minutes top. I’ll just switch to shared data plan because I’ll end up paying the same amount anyways.
Damon

For all you who want to switch to another carrier. I honestly want to know who your going to switch to ? You can’t possibly think your gonna get any better of a connection and pretty soon all of the carriers will have family share plans. I don’t see why you guys swear by changing carriers like it will do anything. Another thing no company has LTE speeds or 4g that can even compare to Verizon’s network so to those who think they are hurting Verizon your not.. If anything they’ll be glad your mooching a** will be off their network and slowing down someone else’s bandwidth. I really wanna know what you guys are thinking. Also how long can you really buy your phone off contract for, you are gonna spend $600 plus dollars every time a phone you like comes out ? and thats just for 1 person imagine how much money you’d be losing if you had 3-4 lines and paid full for all of them thats $2400 ! is it really worth it ? Would it kill you to turn your WIFI on at home or work ? You can pick up free wifi virtually anywhere nowadays I don’t see what the problem is. You shouldn’t have to go over 10gb for a family. And for all the wise guys who are gonna say well i don’t have internet at home I use 500gb I watch netflix. You should kill yourself if you don’t have wifi at home its so easy a caveman can do it It’s people like you that are the reason this share plan exists in the first place. Im all for the family share plan and I hope you go to other service providers and they screw you more ! Then when you come crawling ack to Verizon you’ll get a crappy deal and you’ll take it happily. SMH…
- Jonathan Rose
  
  this new plan will cost me $42 more a month for less (unlimited data for 3 phones to sharing 6GB). Why would I possibly stay with Verizon?? $42 a month for two years is $1,008 more per 2 year contract and I get less!! Lets price this out. If I buy 3 phones full retail at $500 each that is $1500 every 2 years. If i go to share everything, i pay $1,000 more in service (getting less data) over 2 years plus the fact that even on contract, the phones are $200, that means by taking their shitty new contracts, it costs me $1600. ($600 for 3 phones at $200 and $1,000 increase in service cost) VS $1500 to keep unlimited data and be contract free! Next, why should I use wifi? 4G is faster for me some times! I have done comparison speed tests and there are times where my 4G beats out my home wifi, and it spanks the wifi of every free wifi hot spot. Plus why should I accept less for more money anyway? When has technology ever gotten more expensive over time? This new shitty plan will cost me more for less no matter how you slice it! Switching carriers will save me a ton of money! Buying the phones at full retail will even cost me less plus i get to keep unlimited data! None of your arguments apply to me and I can’t be the only one
- Jonathan Rose
  
  This new plan will cost me $42 more a month and I will get
  less for it. I will be forced to go from unlimited data for 3 phones to 6GB
  shared. Over 2 years it will cost me $1,008 more in service fees. Let’s do some
  math. At $200 per smart phone (average price on contract) plus $1,008 more in
  service charges, over two years going with share everything costs $1,608. If I buy
  3 smart phones full retail for lets say $550 each, that is equal to $1,650. So
  for $42 over two years (Less than $2 more a month), yea I think I will buy them
  at full retail to keep unlimited data. Other carriers, like Sprint, offer LTE
  either in my area, or very close and cost substantially less than the new share
  everything does so yea that’s a viable option as well. As for your argument
  about wifi. My question to you is why? Why is that an acceptable answer? Why is
  it ok for them to say “Well we know you used to use our service but now we are
  going to restrict your use at the same price but hey just don’t use it and you
  wont go over” That’s like if in the past when minutes mattered saying “Hey we
  restricted your minutes at the same price but you can use a payphone!”. Plus 4G
  is always faster than any free wifi I have used and even beats out my home wifi
  at times. This new plan does not work for me and my family so switching
  carriers or buying at full retail are the only options that make sense. So don’t
  act like you know everything and tell me that I’m stupid for saying I will make
  a change.
http://twitter.com/TBis99 Trevor Bissler

got a galaxy nexus and kept my unlimited data. was going to wait for sgs3 but needed a device asap but i kept unlimited data. got the phone today.
jgmecarter

I used a upgrade on a SGS3 and then I talked Verizon into giving me early upgrades on my other two lines. I am going to buy two Gnexs with them and I will sell them on Ebay when ever the next phone that I want comes out
Rob

I will be adding a “dummy” line and upgrading that every 20 months and throw it on my line with unlimited data.
- evileclipse
  
  Realize that you can add that line, steal the upgrade for your unlimited line and put a flip phone on the new one. That way its only an extra $10 a month. Ive done it a few times.
David Tourtillott

I’ll probably hang onto my gnex for as long as I can unless something SO good comes out that I have to have it next year… And depending on what the carrier situation is next year I’ll likely switch.
adam

So I upgraded to the Maxx in late May because I thought VZW was getting rid of the unlimited plan. I had to exchange it for another one on June 5th because of problems. On my receipt it says I have until June 19th to return or exchange my phone. Can I return my Maxx and pre-order the S3?
- angermeans
  
  You have to be within 14 days of your original order in “late may” despite getting a different one. If your within that then you should be able but you’ll have to return your phone within 14 days and wait unless you have another phone to activate in the mean time. Hope thishelps
  - adam
    
    are you sure it’s the original order? i got my first one on may 25. how do you know this? on my 3rd receipt (yes this is my 3rd one) it says June 19th.
    
    if so, it doesn’t really matter. i would rather have the Razr HD
FED UP

Reading these comments honestly makes me very angry. You’re all being completely ridiculous and complaining that you’re losing something you think you are entitled to. If you want to use more than 4GB of data, buy a computer! You should never use a tablet/smartphone as a replacement to solid technology. “Awww, I can’t watch my sports game on my phone while I walk down the street. I’m switching to Sprint so that everyone will hate me for dropping calls left and right!” Within the next 2 years, everything will be capped because THEY CAN. Ask anyone from Europe, they have data caps on their home internet as well as their cell phones. I
- fanboy1974
  
  Get outta of here and take that crap over to the Apple forums. Those sorry sons of bitches are use to getting screwed by Apple. I’ve gave Verizon over $10,000 in the last 5 years and their looking to screw me out of more money with less data.
  You just pissed me off FED UP!!! The video of me giving you the middle finger is about 500mb.