Verizon following AT&T and soon to drop unlimited data plans

[samalex]

I was wondering when Verizon would be doing this since AT&T did it earlier this year, but i hoped they wouldn't given I just moved to a DroidX on Verizon. I have no idea how much data I use each month (anyone know how to check?) but since I listen to streaming audio in the car on my 30 minute commute to and from work I can imagine that chews up lots of bandwidth.

Here's the article in ArsTechnica:
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2010/09/verizon-confirms-the-future-of-3g-data-is-tiered.ars

We're already spending $30/month which to me seems steep, so hopefully they won't fudge that very much. But reportedly the change won't affect existing customers under contract until they change devices or plans which would be nice since I just started a 2 year contact.

Anyone heard anything else on this?

Update: I just logged into my Verizon Wireless account and it shows data usage. From 9/16 to this morning it shows I've used 578.402MB. If I'm using that per week that means I'll be chewing-up about 2.5 Gigs a month which doesn't take into account road trips where I could see me listening to streaming audio for hours at a time. My wife's phone for the same date range only used 40 Megs, but she doesn't do any streaming audio.

Streaming audio in the car was one of the major reasons I bought a smartphone, but hopefully it's true they'll keep me on the unlimited plan until my contract ends then I'll see what my options are since technology will probably be hugely different in two years from what it is today.

Sam

[ST3ALTHPSYCH0]

If they do it the way AT&T has, you can even renew your contract and keep unlimited data..... you just can't make any changes (dunno how that effects phones without a SIM card as far as changing phones).

[skierkyles]

Over the summer when I listened to about 6 hr of podcasts daily I went through about 8gbs a month.... Id have to be alot use wifi alot more...

[Dustin2128]

ugh, what's with the data caps these days? Couldn't they have made the *drastic* assumption that the amount of data downloaded would increase over time?

[Ric_NYC]

MetroPCS!

:popcorn:

[LMP900]

I hardly use over 100MB of data per month. I listen to a lot of podcasts but I have Google Listen set to download only when it's plugged-in and on wifi. For web browsing, I use Google Reader so I don't have to go to every website I frequent. I bought a smartphone because of AT&T's tiered plan with cheaper options (it didn't hurt that the Samsung Captivate was free, either).

I like the tiered system. However, unlimited should be one of the options and it should be truly unlimited.

[JustinR]

Special Verizon numbers should be pre-programmed into your contact list. Try a few to see if any report data usage.

[beastrace91]

Wow. Looks like TMO and Sprint are going to be the only choices for those who like freedom from their handsets.

Oh wait - those are the two cell carriers that are part of the open handset alliance (http://www.openhandsetalliance.com/oha_members.html). Go figure.

Glad my N900 is TMO.

~Jeff

[drawkcab]

This this scheme targets people like me. My family is all on Verizon so I'm stuck with them. I've been resisting the smartphone and sticking with my kindasmartbutnotreallyphone until now because the mandatory $30/month is too high. If they offered some limited plan for $10-$15/month I might be tempted to buy some android thingamajig next year. 99% of what I would need to download could be done over wifi anyway.

[Roasted]

What ********. This is why I don't use any data whatsoever on my phone. I avoid it at all costs because if I'm paying those high prices, I'll get unlimited. If unlimited is not an option and I'm paying more than what it costs for me to get internet at home, there's a problem. I'm probably one of the most basic phone users out there as a result, despite how intermingled the rest of my life/interests/hobbies/job is with technology.

[ST3ALTHPSYCH0]

You really wanna jack up data usage? Tether!

[Señor Banana]

I have a feeling some people use their phones for downloading torrents via encrypted connections.
That'd certainly be a way to mess with them.

[betrunkenaffe]

I really don't see why unlimited is necessary however having a 30-60GB plan cap shouldn't be causing massive problems unless you are literally using the phone to torrent (not what it's designed for)

[Señor Banana]

People will abuse what they pay for all they want, if they can get away with it.
Hence why I said encrypted torrents, if everything is encrypted, the provider has no idea what you're doing; unless they decide to start MiTM, which would be illegal on their part, and nothing they gather could be used against you in the court of law. (Good response to a letter they mail you.) Invasion of Privacy is still illegal if they own your services. Gosh, I love technology.

[ubunterooster]

"current customers can continue to milk their $30 monthly unlimited plans for as long as they continue to use the same device on the same account"

*whew*

[BabakSM]

I remember when I went in for a new contrast last month I was told that fewer than 2% of AT&T's customers consumed more than 2 GB of data at the time the change was made. More than half of all AT&T users with data plans averaged less than 200 MB of usage, which is probably why they made the two data plan option. If anything, the switch benefited more people than not; most people were paying 30 dollars a month so they could just check their email on the go (what most people use their data plans for). That said, I'm grandfathered into the unlimited plan and if you have one already you won't be affected by the change.

Since a minuscule fraction of individuals even went over the 2gb mark regularly, it seems productivity isn't the reason why people actually hit that mark. Considering the ubiquity of wireless in most areas of the country, and the quality of internet over 3G, I think it's obvious that people going over 2 gb are doing things the phone's connection was never meant to be used for (e.g. downloading stuff other than music, using it to replace your home internet connection, etc).

I have an iphone and consider myself a pretty heavy data user (at least much heavier than average) and I only get around a gig in a month; sometimes more, sometimes less. I don't know how much data podcasts use, but since my on-board music library is small I regularly use youtube videos to find music I feel like listening to and even this never puts me over 2 GB despite sometimes several hours of video streaming over 3g. Moreover, I deliberately leave wireless off because it pains me to have to log in (I live on a college campus). If I didn't deliberately avoid wireless half the time, I could probably be using significantly less data than I already do. I think your droid will be fine even with a data cap.

My mom also has an iPhone (using the 200 mb contract), but since there's wireless back at the house and at her work, she's pretty much only using 3G on the road or when she's not at home/work. Trust me, unless you live in an area with no wireless and don't have wireless at home, you really won't encounter a problem :wink:

[beastrace91]

unless you are literally using the phone to torrent (not what it's designed for)

Pff if I'm not suppose to torrent on my cellular device then why does apt-get install transmission install a torrent client?

~Jeff

[betrunkenaffe]

Pff if I'm not suppose to torrent on my cellular device then why does apt-get install transmission install a torrent client?

~Jeff

n900
MEMORY Phonebook Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall
Call records Detailed, max 30 days
Internal 32 GB storage, 256 MB RAM
Card slot microSD, up to 16GB, buy memory

iphone
Capacity3
16GB or 32GB flash drive

nexus one
Capacity
512 MB Flash
512 MB RAM
4 GB Micro SD Card (Expandable to 32 GB)

all htc
microSD slot (2.0)

ST3500641AS-... Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5IN SATA 7200PRM 16MB Hard Drive Retail Box (ST3500641AS-RK)
*Usually available in 2-5 days *** $83.58 BUY

Overall, seems to me that a phone is a pretty bad way to download 30 gig files. Watching streaming videos, listening to streaming music, playing flash games (sorry iPhone users) and so on won't overload a 60GB cap monthly connection. If you do, it must be a constant stream running 24/7.

Senor Banana: Good news, without looking at your encrypted communications, it's possible to classify your usage as streaming content, page surfing or torrent usage... and it's not a legal matter if they refuse you service, they don't have to service anyone.

[Señor Banana]

Senor Banana: Good news, without looking at your encrypted communications, it's possible to classify your usage as streaming content, page surfing or torrent usage... and it's not a legal matter if they refuse you service, they don't have to service anyone.
They can classify it however they want, it's just that they cannot prove someone is doing anything illegal. They can refuse them service, that just gets them out of a contract cancellation fee.