Friday Poll: Upset about Verizon's new plans?
Verizon's new Share Everything data plans are rubbing some customers the wrong way. Will you be paying more for Verizon service soon?
I'm a Verizon customer. I'm currently on month-to-month, contemplating a new phone. But with that new phone comes a new two-year contract. If I sign that contract after June 28, I'll be shoehorned into Verizon's new Share Everything plan.
Share Everything lets users pool data between smartphones, tablets, and USB modems. It starts at $50 per month for 1GB of data; individual device fees are then tacked on top. Those fees range from $40 for a smartphone to $10 for a tablet.
As it's just little ol' me on my plan, I'll be looking at paying $100 for just 1GB of shared smartphone and tablet data, and unlimited talk and text that I don't need. Yippee. I should note, I have a "feature phone," and upgrading to a smartphone should land me into Share Everything territory. For more on how the math works out, check out Executive Editor Roger Cheng's explanation.
I'm not the only person who's not thrilled about the new family plans. They can work out well if you have multiple phones for a family, but loners like me are looking at price hikes if we move to the new plan. In the comment sections of recent Verizon articles, lots of CNET readers are talking about jumping ship.
If you haven't already done so, get out your calculator and work out what Share Everything would run you. Maybe you're one of the lucky ones who will save money. Maybe you're looking at a price increase. Maybe it's worth the cost to you.
Are you upset about Verizon's new plans or do they work out OK for you? Vote in our poll and express your frustration or delight in the comments.
Clarification: There has been plenty of confusion, but it appears the new plans aren't mandatory for current users. You do have the option to keep your current plan, though unlimited data users will still need to pay full price for their phones in order to keep their granfathered data plans.