# Verizon subscribers: Should I release my death grip on unlimited data? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 11, 2013, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398 "2013-04-11T13:40:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398/21 "2013-04-12T04:16:46Z")
[sub]shhhhh, hey buddy you wanna see something freaky? look over here behind this dingy tent flap. I have unlimited on AT&T ⭕o [/sub] They grandfather contracts all the time.I think that AT&T killed unlimited 5 years ago, and scared people to other contracts. They announce deadlines to get the floppers to panic, but let you stay if you pay. My data panel shows you have used 3.6 MB of [unknown data plan] ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398/22 "2013-04-12T12:16:53Z")
Except that dingy tent is so dingy that about 3 years ago, AT&T paid for my shiny new smartphone…on Verizon. Yes, they paid for my equipment to go to one of their competitors. Read your contract, arbitration can be wonderful! (Especially because the Big Red has better coverage than the blue ball in my area.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398/23 "2013-04-12T12:22:01Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > **TL;DR** : What’s the catch? I can monitor my data usage through apps, but is Verizon pulling something else here that I should be wary of? The catch is that you’re paying through the nose for an unlimited data plan. I have one and I love it, but I’m also paying 80 bucks a month for the privilege of having Pandora and Netflix wherever I go without worry about caps. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398/24 "2013-04-12T12:35:42Z")
If you have someone that needs a line, I believe you can add the extra phone for like $10 a month, purchase the discounted smart phone and shift it over to your number. I was able to do that last summer when mine broke. Fortunately I was ready to add a line for my son. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398/25 "2013-04-12T12:45:50Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > What I ended up doing was dropping Verizon completely and moving to T-Mobile. I paid ~$300 for a Nexus 4 and got a month plan with T-Mobile that’s 100 minutes/unlimited text/data for $30/month. I’m with Virgin Mobile and I’ve got 300 minutes and unlimited text/data for $35 a month (no contract) after buying my own phone. So far I’m very happy with their service, but I’m not a very heavy data user (no video/music streaming) so I can’t speak to throttling or anything. I’m never going back to a 2-year contract with a cell service provider, ever. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398/26 "2013-04-12T12:52:50Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > The catch is that you’re paying through the nose for an unlimited data plan. I have one and I love it, but I’m also paying 80 bucks a month for the privilege of having Pandora and Netflix wherever I go without worry about caps. But with Verizon, it’s not like there’s a better option. You can’t drop to a cheaper data plan, just a 2GB capped plan that costs the same. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398/27 "2013-04-12T20:30:38Z")
Well, I took the bait and sold my soul yesterday. I no longer have unlimited data, but I do have a shiny new Motorola Droid RAZR Maxx HD. The phone allows me to switch off updates and stuff when Wi-Fi isn’t available or when I hit my limit, plus several apps allow me to monitor my usage. Not bad actually. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398/28 "2013-04-12T21:11:29Z")
The ability of the newer phones to handle WiFi gracefully and automatically is why unlimited data plans are no longer as essential. I pull a LOT of data through my Note II… and use less than 100k network data a month. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398/29 "2013-04-12T23:01:59Z")
> [@Joey\_Tightlips](#): > > I was in your exact same boat 2 weeks ago. My old droid Incredible was showing its age and after I got a crack in the screen decided to bite the bullet and upgrade. The one thing I haven’t seen mentioned in this threat is that they will \*\*increase your monthly bill \*\*when they force you into the limited plan. On top of whatever you’re paying now, you have to pay about $20 a month more to get the limited data plan. (They have other options for limits other than 2GB, but I think it was $20 a month for 2GB). Yeah, _more_ money for _less_ service, go figure. I just bit the bullet and upgraded to and iPhone 4 for free with Verizon. I don’t think you’re correct that your plan goes up $20. I was assured by the person at the store that my price for the month would stay the same, I just would get reduced to 2GB. I don’t use that much data, so no big deal. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398/30 "2013-04-13T00:14:34Z")
You can check how much data you use. The Verizon web site has a tool to help you look at you data usage. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2013, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398/31 "2013-04-13T03:57:21Z")
There are a few ways around this with Verizon that will usually work IME. Supposedly, the features only change when you actually activate the phone, not when you order it. Because of that, you can sometimes do the following: 1. If have more than 2 lines, and only need unlimited data on one, you can continually upgrade with each line, but only activate the new phone on the line w/o unlimited data. Then, you just call to switch phones between lines. Some people even add a basic line for $10/month just for this reason. Google “cross upgrade”. 2. Sometimes if you get the phone from a retailer like Best Buy, then _call_ to activate the phone, they will not take away your unlimited data. It’s nest to order it online and have it delivered to your house. Then, call and say you want to switch phones on your line. 3. Call and complain until you get to speak to a someone higher than middle management. They will sometimes let you keep it just so that you stop bothering them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-subscribers-should-i-release-my-death-grip-on-unlimited-data/655398.md?page=1)