Engadget says Verizon may switch to AT&T-style limited data plans later this month

[uncrules]

Verizon switching to AT&T-style limited data plans later this month? -- Engadget

Hang on to your megabytes, folks, because it looks like the Brave New World of limited data is truly upon us. AT&T and Verizon tend to follow each others' moves pretty closely -- the two carriers regard each other as their nearest competitors, after all -- and we're hearing that Big Red intends to move to some sort of tiered bucket strategy on July 29. We don't have details on whether the pricing will be identical to AT&T's ($25 for 2GB, $15 for 200MB), but we imagine it'll be within shouting distance if not. Of course, Verizon has been sending this message for a long time -- even before AT&T was -- so it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that this is going down. You might say that Droid Does Caps, eh?

 

[Big Dawg 23]

The President of Verizon said otherwise when AT&T launched the plan. I doubt they will move because they just launched the Droid X with $20 tethering Hotspot. I dont see them doing 2 + 2 for $40.

 

[uncrules]

The President of Verizon said otherwise when AT&T launched the plan. I doubt they will move because they just launched the Droid X with $20 tethering Hotspot. I dont see them doing 2 + 2 for $40.

That could also be them just trying to get a PR one up on AT&T because they given other indications in the past. Besides Engadget is usually pretty reliable and they are a real media website, not some dude with a blog.

Verizon CTO: flat-rate data 'isn't long-term sustainable' -- Engadget

We'd secretly hoped that 4G would spell the end of 5GB caps on so-called "unlimited" plans, but the problem is that new categories of wireless devices are coming into the mix so quickly that we're likely going to get crunched no matter how advanced the technology -- hence the FCC's pleas to free up spectrum. Echoing comments made recently by AT&T Mobility head Ralph de la Vega, Verizon CTO Dick Lynch is saying that he doesn't see how they'll be able to offer an all-you-can-eat plan when the company's LTE network goes live over the course of the next few years, citing its open development initiative as a key reason -- it's losing control over what devices (and what kinds of devices) can get on its network, raising the odds that there'll be gadgets that incur particularly heavy use. It's a disappointing line for the company to take, but possibly a necessary evil in a truly wireless world. Long-term, the FCC and FTC might need to take a good, hard look at real-time network utilization to verify that Verizon's pricing is in line with its claimed usage, but for now, let's hope we don't all get priced out of our MiFis.

And this

Verizon looking at non-unlimited plans for 4G data, will use LTE for voice by 2012 -- Engadget

We'd not-so-secretly hoped that carriers would be looking to dispense with those troublesome 5GB caps on so-called "unlimited" 3G data plans, but there's a big problem with that: spectrum is still limited, and even though 4G technologies help use it more efficiently, it's still a constraint that the FCC is going to need many years to solve. We're not sure how much the spectrum crunch really factors in here, but in addition to his comments on Droid Incredible inventory problems, Verizon Wireless boss Lowell McAdam mentioned at a Barclays Capital conference this week that he hopes to move away from unlimited plans altogether for the company's LTE network, instead charging for "buckets" of megabytes, just like in the olden days -- despite the fact that it'll cost it a half to a third of what it costs today to transmit the same amount of data.

On a happier note, McAdam said that the company expects to be using its LTE network for voice by 2012, which comes just after its first volley of LTE-capable handsets in early 2011. He also mentioned that at least some of those devices will be shown off at CES 2011, and naturally, we'll be there -- not just to check out the phones, but to raise some hell at the notion that unlimited data is a thing of the past. At this rate, how are we ever going to run the Engadget servers on a wireless connection?

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Well, there is now a My Verizon app that tracks data usage on Android devices, so I am expecting that it will happen.

 

[meStevo]

I just want it to be reasonable, I dont think ATT's was too bad. Hoping competition makes VZW's pricing even more friendly for us.

 

[Big Dawg 23]

Well, there is now a My Verizon app that tracks data usage on Android devices, so I am expecting that it will happen.

I was thinking the App was launched because of the Droid X WIFI Spot. But you maybe right. Hopefully they grandfather if they do.

 

[mike123abc]

VZ was talking data caps long before AT&T. VZ kind of has a 5GB cap on smartphone "unlimited" plans as it is.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

If they keep it a 5GB cap then I see no problem, let hope they dont drop it down to 2GB like AT&T did.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

VZ was talking data caps long before AT&T. VZ kind of has a 5GB cap on smartphone "unlimited" plans as it is.

Nowhere in any documentation do I see a 5GB cap.

 

[uncrules]

Nowhere in any documentation do I see a 5GB cap.

FTR, AT&T also had an unofficial 5 GB cap too. I think what would happen is that once you hit that cap you couldn't download anymore data until the next billing cycle started. You didn't get charged anything extra.

 

[Ramy]

VZ was talking data caps long before AT&T. VZ kind of has a 5GB cap on smartphone "unlimited" plans as it is.

No it doesn't. That is only on the cars you use for laptops.

 

[Ramy]

FTR, AT&T also had an unofficial 5 GB cap too. I think what would happen is that once you hit that cap you couldn't download anymore data until the next billing cycle started. You didn't get charged anything extra.

I have went over the 5GB and was still able to download and use the data service. So I want to see facts people, not rumors.

 

[mdram]

I have went over the 5GB and was still able to download and use the data service. So I want to see facts people, not rumors.

ive gone way over and no issues so far

 

[uncrules]

I have went over the 5GB and was still able to download and use the data service. So I want to see facts people, not rumors.

Are you talking Verizon or AT&T? I was talking AT&T. But I could be mistaken. I'm repeating what I've read, not from from first hand experience as I've never hit 5 GB on my phone.

 

[tomcrown1]

This is not news it has been known fact that Verizon has planing a pro rated data plan for a long time. Yes, it will happen what the rates will be who knows. I do believe that this plan will take effect in December once Verizon knows what the data usage of the Doird X users will be.

 

[Ramy]

Are you talking Verizon or AT&T? I was talking AT&T. But I could be mistaken. I'm repeating what I've read, not from from first hand experience as I've never hit 5 GB on my phone.

I thought you were talking about Verizon.

 

[mike123abc]

I thought you were talking about Verizon.

VZ got sued by the state of NY for terminating customers the regulary going past the 5GB line. It happened a couple years ago, so they were probably forced to stop.

 

[mperdue]

FTR, AT&T also had an unofficial 5 GB cap too. I think what would happen is that once you hit that cap you couldn't download anymore data until the next billing cycle started. You didn't get charged anything extra.

I don't know the source of your information but it is incorrect. It doesn't happen to me often but have I exceeded 5GB and nothing happened. No service slowdown or stoppage.

 

[dmendenjr]

FWIW, Verizon is telling their CSR's to call the rumors of tiered data plans just that, unsubstantiated rumors.. per Droid Life.

 

[mike123abc]

FWIW, Verizon is telling their CSR's to call the rumors of tiered data plans just that, unsubstantiated rumors.. per Droid Life.

Not really if you read the memo, it is for them to say that they do not know anything, not to deny or make comments. The CSRs are always the last to know. For current users they will probably grandfather like AT&T did.