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  • Just got my letter today. I can’t believe I will be going back to dialup…and even thats not unlimited anymore. Living on top of a mountain isn’t as grand anymore…

  • How does this even work for them? I’m not paying $800 for a phone. I would have sucked it up and paid the $400 fee with a two year contract, and they would have gotten the $400 plus whatever accessories I purchased, but now they’re not getting a dime.

  • Meh. I don’t care for the 2 year contract upgrade… I still have that old unlimited data plan. For me, changing plans and taking a contract didn’t make sense. I’m only here for the plan. A discount helps some. Only switching I’d do is to AT&T/Cricket or to a Verizon MVNO.

    • Can confirm that two year contracts are still available on business accounts. Just placed an order last evening and was able to select 2 year contract.

  • I laugh that they can just As s rape people but then i remembered that I’m one of the people who spreads my butt cheeks for Verizon, I’m paying about 150 a month for 900 minutes and unlimited data.Good to see the 200GB mention though I do about 80 gb and I was worried now I’m not

  • Have we seen an official statement from Verizon on this yet, perhaps detailing when this goes into effect? I’m still showing 2-year contract as an option at discounted pricing.

  • I would love for them to spell out what the upgrade fee actually covers. If I buy my phone for full price, what on earth do they actually do? It’s a fee for no value return.

  • Google is paying 97$ per hour! Work for few hours and have longer with friends & family! !mj186d:
    On tuesday I got a great new Land Rover Range Rover from having earned $8752 this last four weeks.. Its the most-financialy rewarding I’ve had.. It sounds unbelievable but you wont forgive if you don’t check it
    !mj186d:
    ➽➽
    ➽➽;➽➽     http://GoogleFinancialJobsCash186DigitalPageGetPay$97Hour… ★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★..★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★✫★★::::::!mj186d:….,….

  • Instead of saying “upgrade” fee, just call it an activation fee or leasing fee?

  • I still have unlimited data plan, so I am good for up to 200 GB, so I guess it’s not unlimited, but limited.

  • has anyone tried net10 wireless? it says it uses towers from all 4 carriers for CDMA and GSM connectivity.

  • If this 200GB thing is accurate, at least I usually come in under that (around 150 or so typically), and I’m under contract on my Unl line for another year and a half anyway. I sure hope by summer 2018 there’s some other decent internet option where I live.

    • It’s so to people like you that Verizon is doing the 200 GB and you are out deal, this was never meant for home broadband, you know that right.

  • Verizon:

    “We aren’t locking you into two year contracts any more, so we’re going to charge you money for the courtesy of paying us money for a thing.”
    “Now customers really hate this ‘money to spend money’ fee, so we’re going to INCREASE it from 20 to $30. That’ll show em!”

    Fuuu you Verizon.

  • just saw last night Verizon prepaid at Walmart is $50 for 7gb, I may leave my Verizon regular plan of upteen years and go to prepaid….sucks they are getting rid of the two year agreements. I have 5 lines and the extra for the phones will raise bill another 100 bucks at the least…SMH

    • Cricket Wireless is your best option!!! 40GB of data 8GB per line for 150 a month taxes and fees already included…They do have unlimited too I used 72GB of data last month no throttling

      • Thanks,I didn’t know they are as good as everyone is saying, i live in NC and other carriers have spotty coverage….thanks again going to check them out

  • So how exactly is this legal? They are charging you full retail for a new phone anyways so explain what the $30 charge is for. You take the sim card out of your old phone and put it in the new one, there is no further activation or upgrade process.

  • So if the fee is at full retail, then why not just buy the phone full retail NOT from Verizon and just swap your SIM. OR are they attaching this fee from SIM swaps now?

  • Two year contract still shows as an option for phones eligible for an upgrade on my account when I log in. (We have 6 phones, 4 are eligible for upgrade). After you select the phone for upgrade, you get a screen with 2-year contract options. Perhaps this change not fully implemented yet? It appears even my previously upgraded devices still show the future date for upgrade eligibility. For example, the S7 is currently $199, Edge $299, Pixel 128gb is $299.

  • around 8 years ago I left verizon and went to straight talk, Best decision ever. Pay $45 a month and sometimes get a few months free with there points system. Nexus 5X going strong since launch. Never had any problems.

  • Finally went month to month on all lines and got the dreaded letter saying UDP will be taken away. Use maybe 150gb combined 2 lines

    • Damn so this “source” is full of BS then. That sucks: “…a source told us that Verizon has announced internally that an unlimited data user who uses an “extraordinary” amount of data is someone who uses 200GB of data per month.”

        • I think you’re right…they won’t come out and say they’re revoking all udp’s, they’re just making systematically so you can’t keep it and they’re booting the ‘heavy users’ to keep people from using crazy amounts of data on they’re way out.

  • Yay I used to be “extra” extraordinary on Verizon when I had it then. I wish I would have saved my screen shot of 1.2 terabytes…

  • Seems like the other carriers are getting better while Verizon insists on getting worse and forcing customers to pay more and more. They best watch it. Being at the top does not mean you stay at the top…..

    • It just means the fall takes a bit longer and the damage upon impact will be “extraordinary”.

  • I seem to have gotten around the upgrade fee by activating a Nexus 6p—Verizon doesn’t sell it, it shows up as an unauthorized device, and I never got charged for activating it. Is this common or a loophole?

    • i dont think the upgrade fee applies to unlocked phones like the nexus that you activate on their network, probably just their carrier branded phones and the ones they sell in the store.

  • “On an unrelated note, a source told us that Verizon has announced internally that an unlimited data user who uses an “extraordinary” amount of data is someone who uses 200GB of data per month. We previously did not know the number.”

    Good to know. Time to use 199GB per month lol.

  • What about a future date staged where unhappy customers leave Verizon all at once? Have something, a video, a post, a website, whatever go viral encouraging all those (and myself…) to leave Verizon on the same day. Send it to the media… Try to get some of the media to pick up on it? It worked in the past when Verizon tried to charge a fee for processing credit or debit card payment transactions. I dunno, just thinking out loud… Maybe July 4th, the users’ “independence day” from from Verizon!

    I’ll wait for snarky comments, now… ?

  • Wait for the post that says they are kicking those 10k 200gb data users off their plan.

  • So basically what Verizon is saying is don’t join our network because we sucked before but now we are way worse

  • The largest wireless provider in the world and somehow we are just all sheeps? VZW actually works in my area. Not T-Mobile, Not AT&T, Not Sprint. Fix that and quit whining. Most of you spend more than $30 a month at Starbucks.

  • Just keep nickeling and diming us more Verizon. If I wasn’t traveling so much and they didn’t have such good coverage everywhere, I’d drop them like a bad habit.

  • Just switched to AT&T yesterday. Had VZW for 16 years with 4 lines on an old Alltel UDP.

    Finally just had enough. After $40/month increase and the total lack of care, I’m now on AT&T paying less with better speeds.

    I never thought I would leave Verizon but glad I did. #ByeVZW

    • I am about to do the same thing. 15 years on Verizon with 2 UDP lines left even at the $30/month rate, but this is the final straw.

      Worst part is this is exactly what Verizon wants! Luckily ATT’s service has come a long way over the past few years.

      • I haven’t had one issue with service so far. And actually have a better connection. No more bouncing around to 3G and waiting for it to reconnect to LTE.

        Raleigh, NC here. Very very pleased. Only thing I Don’t like is their MyATT app. It’s total garbage. But I’ll cope for the new rate.

        • Glad to hear that since I’m also in Raleigh. My UDP is about to expire this year and I was curious if I should jump over to AT&T since I already have DirecTV. I was concerned about the coverage as well but looks like I have nothing to worry about.

          • Hey man. It’s great!!! Still haven’t had one hiccup. Going on several days now. In Fayetteville today and going strong, held LTE the entire drive between the two.

    • Verizon is a business, and just like any business they have a right to make money and a profit, that’s how it works in the real world.

      • thanks but i probably know a lot more about business and profit and money and capitalism than you do. i don’t have a problem with a company trying to make a profit but i detest companies who continuously try to gouge their customers with outrageous fees.

      • Not everybody lives in the city where it’s easy to get wifi at home, some people live in rural areas with very little choice for slow speeds and very high prices.

  • I still find it ridiculous how they charge you money so that you can buy something from them.

      • Interesting that they’re pushing policies that will likely make customers more diligent in looking at ways to bring their own devices, also meaning that nothing will tie customers to VZ anymore. Ironic that the biggest carrier in the US is the one moving things in the direction that makes it easier for people to easily switch, something that’s been common in the rest of the world but used to be far more difficult here.

  • Why is Verizon like this? for as long as I can remember they’ve been greedy bastards..They were notorious for hidden fees back in the day

    • Precisely why many of us are no longer with them.

      I was very shocked to not only save money elsewhere but also get MUCH faster speeds.

      Oh well, good luck those that are still there. And no it’s not because of better service 🙂

      • Coverage where I need it plain and simple. I’ve tried t-mobile, at&t, sprint, whatever google’s thing is called that is on t-mobile and sprint, and only Verizon has a tower where I need it, so here I am. I’m not complaining though, it works and the others didn’t save me significant money so meh.

        • Sprint only saved me about $10/mo and my service was nonexistent, be it data or voice. So happy to be back on VZW.

          • You know, your experiences are not everyone else’s. If you don’t believe me, look at the coverage for zip code 57467. Both Verizon and AT&T are marginal, T-Mobile has roaming, and Sprint’s non-existent.

      • Uh, yeah, it is because of better service for me. Except for US Cellular, no other carriers work where I live, and I promise US Cellular roaming stinks.

    • Yes they would just stick you with the $20 more a month for unlimited when your contract runs out (if you have udp). By that time verizon may be able to sidestep their 700 mhz spectrum requirements by having their lte on another frequency then they can get rid of udp that way.

      • Yea, both my wife and I have unlimited still. I screenshotted her iPhone contract as it expires in late 2018. Mine expires in early 2018. Best buy method ftw! Oh she got the additional 20 bucks tacked on but I didn’t due to best buy being able to do a work around.

        • i did the BB method, mines up in november with no extra $20. I’m hoping they will forget to tack it on but that seems unlikely :-/
          may just go to TMO when its all over, i used like 20GB/month with podcasts and music.

  • So unlimited data on Verizon is now 200GB. Technically still unlimited since you can use way more than that any given month and not get cut off or charged more, but they may cancel your plan after that month is up.

    That’s good to know, though. I’ve been doing my best to keep it under 100GB but 200GB is more than enough for me.

    • No, that’s the reason why Droid Life is reporting this 200gb if you use around 200gb, you’ll be forced to the newer plans.

      • I won’t get close to that. I said 200GB is more than enough. I’ve been trying to keep it under 100GB, but it’s good to know I can use more than that.

    • Where did you see 200GB specified? Last I saw (last summer), they were cutting people off at 100GB.

  • So if I bring my own phone that happens to be compatible with the Verizon network, will i w
    still be subject to an upgrade fee?. Cause i am really not upgrading anything with them. Simply changing my phone on the same line

    • I’m not sure, but I bought my iPhone 7 a few months ago from an Apple Store and paid full price, and since it was the Verizon model, I got charged $20. Verizon didn’t do anything but they still wanted to charge $20 for nothing.

    • I just activated a used Samsung S7 Edge I bought off of swappa last night. I needed a new nano sim. I went into vzw store, asked them for new sim and was not charged anything

    • There’s no charge for using an old phone or used phone. I bought an LG V10 around November and I did not pay a fee.

  • I hate Verizon more and more every year. When my contract ends I may just end up leaving after 18 years. Yeah the other carriers do the same sh*t I’m just tired of Verizon’s crap

    • That’s what I did a year, maybe it’s been 2 now. UDP $65 cricket now. It’s been flawless.

      • Also made the switch to Cricket. Ridiculously cheaper than VZW with more data and not one issue even while traveling around the US. I should have done this years ago.

    • I was sucked into Sprints cut your bill in half. I had unlimited data, new phone yearly, etc. What else was cut in half? My service, it was terrible everywhere from Chicago to New York I didn’t have service. I couldn’t complete calls while in a car or they would drop. I had no data service. I only used about 3gb a month because I could never connect. Anyways, they also hiked the price so I jumped back to Verizon paying $102/mo for 10gb of data (slightly more then sprints $92) and I have all the service I want. Be warned the grass is not greener on the other side.

    • I’m in the same boat. I’ve been with them for 15 years since 2002 and this might be the final straw for me, even with 2 UDP lines.

      The worst part is this is exactly what they want.

      • Man, I know. This is bullcrap, 2yr plans is how I was able to hang on to UDP and they’re finally getting rid of that too. I know Verizon isn’t hurting by me packing up my 3 lines and leaving but eff them, I’ll feel better giving them boot when it comes down to it.

  • weird when I go into a Verizon store and purchase a new phone or tablet I never get hit with an activation fee

    • Because an activation fee is one time only for new lines of service. It’s dropped from $40 to $30.

  • No two-year contract price…big deal…But seriously increase the Upgrade Fee that is absurd. But leave it to Big Red if anyone can figure out a way to squeeze a few dollars out of someone its Big Red.

    • It’s a big deal for us who are on old plans. The upgrade option made it reasonable to keep with the benefits of our old plan. Now we are paying monthly for phone subsidies that we can’t even receive, yet our bill remains the same.

  • Just got a letter from them. They are disconnecting my lines as of Feb 16th if I don’t switch off of my unlimited plan. This is targeting over 8000 customers.

    Only 1 line on my account has actually used what they consider to be “too much data” so they are disconnecting all of my lines.

      • I’m trying to fight it through several outlets. Unfortunately Verizon was smart about how they did it. Most of these governing bodies allow VZ 30 business days to respond. By that time I’d already have been disconnected…..But I’m definitely trying. Thank you.

        • yeah how much data did u use because they said they would do this if its over 100GB month.

          I have unlimited and use about 20. WTF are u doing?

          • 50 gigs I guess just from streaming movies and music. My son would remote play his ps4 games. But really that is all beside the point.

          • lol u can’t use 50 just from streaming music. movies maybe, but you’d have to be watching movies constantly. I’m not trying to vilify u trust me, i use my unlimited data too, but lets get real, u abuse u lose.

          • I was asked and I answered. I have absolutely no reason to lie to you. And while ur claim doesn’t offend or really vilify me at all, the you abuse you lose comment is incredibly assinine. I did not abuse my unlimited data line. My son on the other hand….Maybe a tad. But who is to say what abuse is when they’d never put forth any assertions as to what “over-usage” is.

          • right but, verizon did and its <100GB. u should monitor your kids use then. good day. let us know what service you choose in feb!

          • I was taught not to argue w a fool. Ur attempt to offend or rule me up failed again. I’m in NYC. There is no bad service here. So while I may well have to change providers, it’s more about the principle. It’s apparent I’m speaking to a man, or woman that isn’t really familiar with that term. Have a good one.

          • Thanks! I’ll try it! I’ve already spoken to the FCC and my state AG. I’ll start the process on Monday.

    • Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but as soon as your original unlimited contract expired VZW was under no legal obligation to provide you wireless service any longer.

      • I get it. However, I extended one contract about a year ago, when u purchased a new phone. And nonetheless this is dirty and petty business tactics. I will fight it on principle. Win or lose.

      • I personally averaged around 50 gigs a month. My son is a heavy user and would average around 150 gigs. My beef is that they gave no warning to allow him the opportunity to change his usage habits and they are penalizing 3 individual data lines for 1 persons usage. I don’t have a family unlimited data plan. I have 3 individual data plans, so why would all 3 get cut off?

          • Already had a talk….But it’s too late for him, as Verizon doesn’t believe theyve done anything wrong. After filing a complaint w the Attorney General in Brooklyn, they just called today and said that only his line is scheduled for disconnection. She insisted that it was always only his line, however, several people at customer service told me otherwise. So either they were just mistaken, or as I believe it was, Verizon had them make customers believe every line was being forced off the unlimited data.

    • Update –

      After filing a complaint w the Attorney General in Brooklyn and the FCC, I was contacted by someone at the Verizon Executive Complaint office. She insisted that no other lines other than my son’s was slated for disconnection. I believe had I not made the complaint, they would have disconnected all the lines, as I was told so by not 1, not 2, but 4 different reps and a supervisor. On my initial call, I actually suggested only changing his line, and they said that was not an option.

      My next complaint to her was that I was given no warning that there would be repercussions for over usage of our unlimited data. Her response was that because it’s unlimited, there is no cap and therefore there is no such thing as over usage to warn me about. But my son would be disconnected for exactly that. Does that make any sense?

      I’m still in the process of fighting for my son’s line. She also would not acknowledge the 200 gig limit, even though I was already told that was the case by each rep that I had spoken to prior to her. She basically said that it’s whatever they deem and could be as little as 50 gigs.

      Thanks for all who helped and gave input.

  • So we are now going to charge $30 for nothing, because charging you $20 for nothing wasn’t enough. The only way a fee like this would make since is if the customer opted for excess amounts of help in store with activation and data transfer. If all you’re doing is popping a sim from one phone to the next it is a ridiculous fee.

    Side note, as an unlimited data user, I’m ok with the 200gb limit, and it is nice to finally have an actual number to work with. Average us for me is 75-100 but I did hit 125 once when I got both a new phone and tablet

    • They don’t even change SIM anymore. I got my Pixel and he handed me the box and said it was good to go in about ten minutes.

  • I’m confused about the upgrade fee that is still imposed if I’m buying a new phone on either the device payment plan or in full… Is the “upgrade fee” really the activation fee that gets charged? Or is that an extra charge on top of the activation fee charge? #royallyConfused

    • That’s one of the main reasons why I’ll never buy a carrier-branded phone. That and the bloat. Unlocked GS8E, here I come.

      • I wouldn’t have, but with $10 Pixel, I decided I would. Came out pretty good, selling my 6P for $300ish (after fees), which basically pays for the Pixel.

      • yup. getting the unlocked s8e from ebay unlocked. have bought my s6, note 5 and s7 edge that way.

    • Bought my phone from other than verizon, slapped in a sim, no charge. You don’t have to buy a phone from Verizon

  • Only Tint (T-mobile / Sprint Merger) can save us now from VZW and AT&T’s shenanigans. Trump will push it through now that Softbank has greased the wheels for the merger.

    • Yes, dude, further monopolization is going to “save” us.

      Jesus. Dealing with the level of ignorance nowadays is tiring.

      • Maybe give some thought to the point before calling it ignorant. As it stands now, the T-Mobile and Sprint networks are too small to effect consumer-friendly change from the market leaders. T-Mobile is growing fast and has led many of the recent trends in the industry, but a merger could accelerate that growth and put the combined company in the same league as Verizon and AT&T.

        • T-Mobile prices have been steadily increasing while they push out ant-consumer practices.

          In fact, the cheapest price for an individual now is $70 for throttled SD content.

          Sprint is following suit. Combine them both and now you have 3 corporations holding all the power. There goes the competition.

          Furthermore, Leger & CO are trampling all over net neutrality. Anyone who isn’t a board member to one of these corporations , and is against net neutrality, is an imbecile.

    • Just remember that John Leger was trying all these tactics to try and get people and now that he has XYZ amount of people he’ll be trying to turn a profit. He’s not running a charity but a business. That business has investors who require a return on their money.

      • If you lived where I live, your chocies are Verizon, or maybe ATT sometimes. No Sprint or T-Mobile here.

        • You’re still under no obligation to do business with them. The fact that they’re the only vendor with competitive offerings does not automatically compel you to purchase goods and services from them.

          Believe it or not its possible to live without cell phone service. In fact I did it for most of my life.

          • Perhaps you misunderstood.

            While I’ve been gainfully employed since the age of 12, I’ve lived without cell service for most of my years.. Relating employment to having a cell phone is an analogy that just doesn’t make sense to me.

          • We have two likely scenarios here. You are really old and including years of your life when cell phone service didn’t exist. You are really young and most (more than half) is a short period of time where you were a kid. Which is it? LOL

          • So that gives them the right to Lousy customer service? Your logic escapes me. I assume you work for this vile institution.

        • Look into Verizon MVNOs like Total Wireless or Boom Mobile. Verizon service for a lot less although it’s speed capped to 5 mbps. Or Verizon’s own prepaid service, which is $50 for 5GB or $70 for 10GB if you buy the SIM at Walmart.

          • They offer the same price in the Verizon stores. And they can help you set it up a lot better than a Walmart cashier

          • Prob time to jump ship from my grandfathered unlimited plan. I was counting on maybe one final hurrah with the BB plan and, say, a GS8+.

            Anyone know if it’s possible to port a postpaid VZW # to prepaid?

          • It’s no fun, but it’s doable. I’d set up a new prepaid account in my name first, and then do the assumption of liability afterword. You’ll have to talk to customer care to do it. If you’re on your own postpaid plan, the process should be pretty straightforward – otherwise you’ll at least need to be an authorized user to do the move over.

        • Same here.. two choices, or cricket. Or suffer the 3g lagfest that is sprint or T-Mobile or any of its mvno’s

        • If T-Mobile meets their 2017 expansion goals, they’ll likely have you covered, wherever you are with Verizon coverage.

      • No one wants to give verizon their money. They do it for phone service. Its the same idea as if i took your house keys and locked you out of your house unless u pay me every month. But then i decide to raise the fee whenever i want

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