O/T Anyone know about phone plans. Verizon?

GoneForever · Mar 5, 2008

Im very bad with phones and hate them. So, im paying $150 per month with my verizon service. Its just me. Sound too high huh? I think they are screwing me. I have the 1000minute per month plan with 250text and/or pix messages per month. Now heres the thing. I'd say I only use 500min monthly at the most but I do a shitload of texting and receive a lot as well. Pics the same but not as bad as texting. Anyone know a better plan, b/c when I call them I feel like they are trying to screw me. I never use long distance, dont talk too much, but do a lot of txts and pics. Anyone know a good plan for that?

buffbabeca · Mar 6, 2008

lower the minutes plan you have and also verizon has a UNLIMITED text and picture package to anyone on ANY network.. get that and PRONTO. you might need to renew the contract but its better then paying for things u dont use and u dont even get rollover minutes

Hiramabiff · Mar 6, 2008

I work for the competition but this is the best thing going:

And Then There Were Four... An 'Unlimited' Sign of the Times
AT&T, along with Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile, recently announced unlimited calling plans. Sprint Nextel followed suit this week. What does it mean to AT&T? Will we match the latest unlimited offering?

AT&T introduced unlimited voice plans as an option for customers last week. Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile made similar announcements. Yesterday Sprint Nextel rolled out an unlimited plan that includes voice, text, Internet, e-mail, and other wireless applications.

James · Mar 6, 2008

sounds like you are doing something wrong because i have verizon as well.

I have 900 anytime minutes (i don't really even come close to using them up), 250 in\out text messages, phone insurance, and some other goodies and I only pay about 85$\month.

If I kept my minutes and upgraded to unlimited texting I would still be a lot less than 150. Do some research you are definitely over paying... good luck.

buffbabeca · Mar 6, 2008

Hiram- i love my at&t phone....

BOOMSHAKER · Mar 6, 2008

buffbabeca said:
lower the minutes plan you have and also verizon has a UNLIMITED text and picture package to anyone on ANY network.. get that and PRONTO. you might need to renew the contract but its better then paying for things u dont use and u dont even get rollover minutes

Great advice, thats exactly what I did about 3 weeks ago. I lowered my minutes, got the unlimited text messaging and saved a ton of cash now! PLUS, they didn't extend or renew my service. It's just a down grade so there was nothing to renew.

Verizon if one hell of a MOFO to deal with. Let's say you want to terminate your contract early, and you have a few weeks or months left on it. You switch to Sprint or who ever. Verizon will not only charge you a early termination fee of about $175.00 and you must pay all you money due on your bills, but they will also "NOW" put you into a collection agency because you broke your contract with them. EVEN THOUGH YOU PAID ALL YOUR MONEY! They have been playing some really bad tricks with people lately!

If you ever want to terminate a cell phone plan with Verizon before you do so make sure to get in writing the fact that they will not put you into a collection agency or your butt is screwed good!

Pekkerwood · Mar 6, 2008

Please understand that service and plans still vary a bit around the country. Especially the "Service" part. I live in a neighborhood that is a very big "Not in our neighborhood" everytime someone wants to add a tower, ergo, everyone gets crappy service from the cell phones at home.

The $99 unlimited plans offered seem to be the best deal going. I had the $99 5000 anytime minute plan once offered by T-Mobile and could never change because every other carrier was twice as high for that many unlimited. AT&T did offer this plan as well 5 years ago. Now its the new rage. Also connectivity to corporate email accounts can effect which carrier you want to a certain degree.

One consideration is that both AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM phones. One advantate is that you can take your SIM chip and put it in most any other unlocked GSM phone and use it. Also if you travel much to Europe it works on more networks in more countries and you can buy phone cards that have "punch out SIMS" and have drastically lower rates calling in country.

T-Mobile has less than stellar coverage away from populated areas. This is due to the fact the network grew out of a company (Powertel) that built only along Interstates to collect huge "roaming" fees back in the day. Those could be $2 a friggin minute. Please be aware that the carriers have different internet access speeds and even differnet speeds within the same carrier for different plans at times, so it you surf on your phone or get a lot of email this may be a consideration.

The best site I have found for info on carriers, plans, phones, is www.wirelessadvisor.com.

scotty0129 · Mar 6, 2008

fourthgen said:
Im very bad with phones and hate them. So, im paying $150 per month with my verizon service. Its just me. Sound too high huh? I think they are screwing me. I have the 1000minute per month plan with 250text and/or pix messages per month. Now heres the thing. I'd say I only use 500min monthly at the most but I do a shitload of texting and receive a lot as well. Pics the same but not as bad as texting. Anyone know a better plan, b/c when I call them I feel like they are trying to screw me. I never use long distance, dont talk too much, but do a lot of txts and pics. Anyone know a good plan for that?

The problem with Verizon is if your sill under contract, they will extend it if you lower your plan to less minutes (I believe AT&T doesnt do that). Yes, you will save money, but if under contract will be with em for another 1-2 years. Just thought I would put that out there. Check out At&t if out of contract. Pretty good service and prices. Cheaper than Verizon and the biggest cell company in the US since the merge with Cingular.

Hiramabiff · Mar 6, 2008

buffbabeca said:
Hiram- i love my at&t phone....

Ha ha me too.. I have choice, working for them and all.

maniacoz · Mar 7, 2008

Verizon has one of the best networks in US, followed by At&t. Every time you call try to be nice and gentle with them. I made a friend like that and end up going out with her. She's not all that, but fuck it, I make her feel like a princess. Now I pay $68/mnth for 900 anytime minutes, free incoming calls, free night and weekends, unlimited tex and pix massages, and a protection plan.

grumpy69 · Mar 7, 2008

bro, just call them and upgrade to unlimited texts, I have that through verizon for like 15 or 20 dollars a month. if you have 250 that means combined in and out, and once you go over 250, verizon charges you 10 cents per, again both incoming and outgoing, and more for picture/video messages. your bill should have a customer service number on it IIRC. i had the same problem before too, they add up quick!

GoneForever · Mar 7, 2008

Went in today. Turns out I had a 2000 minute plan with 250txt and/or pics per month. Was paying like $150. It was insane. I only use like 600min per month, so they put me on an unlimited txt/pic/video plan with 900min per month and it cut the cost in half. Funny thing is, those bastards originally put me on that 2000 min plan and I didnt even agree to it. They told me it was a 1000min plan with unlimited everything and I just forgot about it for a while until recently when I needed to start budgeting and was wondering why it was costing so much. Thanks all.

GoneForever · Mar 7, 2008

Oh yah for verizon, anyone know what is considered nighttime for free calling? Is it 7pm or 9pm.

Pekkerwood · Mar 7, 2008

Please understand that service and plans still vary a bit around the country. Especially the "Service" part. I live in a neighborhood that is a very big "Not in our neighborhood" everytime someone wants to add a tower, ergo, everyone gets crappy service from the cell phones at home.

The $99 unlimited plans offered seem to be the best deal going. I had the $99 5000 anytime minute plan once offered by T-Mobile and could never change because every other carrier was twice as high for that many unlimited. AT&T did offer this plan as well 5 years ago. Now its the new rage. Also connectivity to corporate email accounts can effect which carrier you want to a certain degree.

One consideration is that both AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM phones. One advantate is that you can take your SIM chip and put it in most any other unlocked GSM phone and use it. Also if you travel much to Europe it works on more networks in more countries and you can buy phone cards that have "punch out SIMS" and have drastically lower rates calling in country.

T-Mobile has less than stellar coverage away from populated areas. This is due to the fact the network grew out of a company (Powertel) that built only along Interstates to collect huge "roaming" fees back in the day. Those could be $2 a friggin minute. Please be aware that the carriers have different internet access speeds and even differnet speeds within the same carrier for different plans at times, so it you surf on your phone or get a lot of email this may be a consideration.

The best site I have found for info on carriers, plans, phones, is www.wirelessadvisor.com.

Otis T Holbrook · Mar 8, 2008

What is so important in your life that you even need that type of service?
I have a " Land" line costs that me less than $6.00 a month and a Trac Phone (Cell) that runs me $100 for the year. I haven't missed anything yet.

Conan21 · Mar 8, 2008

I work for Verizon

you can change your plan at any time and it does not extend your contract unlike other carriers.

Make sure that 600 minutes is not total minutes. Verzion to verizon is free,nights (after 9pm) and weekends are free as well. The only minutes you need to wory about are the ones you use for 7am-8:59PM to LAN lines and outside wireless carriers.

You might be able to get away with the 450 minute plan. Also, you can call or go to a store and complain that you don't get roll over minutes and they will give you 2,000 bonus minutes that will only get used if you go over your allowance minutes.

they have a $10 text plan that is unlimited to VZW customers and allows 500 to outside carriers. you can probably go with that one instead of the $20 one you are on now.

Also, you probably are eligable for a corporate discount so bring your work badge or pay stub to a store and they can get that added on or you can do it here.

www.verizonwirelessdiscount.com/disount.

also you can go to

www.verizonwireless.com

sign up for 'My Account'

you can view your current plan, minutes used, texts messages,photos, ringtones, and a TON of other stuff. You can also make changes to your calling plan from here.

GoneForever · Mar 8, 2008

ahhhh so its 9pm. Thats gonna help alot.

What counts as weekends. Is it friday at midnight till sunday at midnight? Thanks

buffbabeca · Mar 8, 2008

n&w's is friday night at 9 pm and ends probably 6:59 am monday morning....

be aware that if u start a phone call at 8:45pm and dont get off until 9:15 that is ALL daytime minutes, it doesnt change over the minutes it pulls from during the call.

billybob · Mar 8, 2008

Verizon's unlimited talk plan is $99.95 monthly, with no contract extension.

Verizon's unlimited, talk, text, pix, flix, web, navigator, email, and vcast is $139.95.

Either plan would be a good savings for you.

Make sure you select "back date", if you change the plan online, or tell the rep on the phone you'd like to back date to the start of the billing period.