Verizon Edge Needs "Max" Plan For Unlimited Data Users
Verizon's unlimited data subscribers not wanting a Share Everything plan can participate in Verizon Edge only if they sign a Verizon Max contract.
On August 25 Verizon Wireless is scheduled to launch its Verizon Edge plan that allows qualifying customers to upgrade their phone when 50 percent of the bill is paid off. Customers still enlisted on the company's former unlimited data package made available prior to the Share Everything plans will be excluded unless they ditch the unlimited package for a Share Everything plan.
But what if customers don't want to share data? What if they just need a block of data strictly for themselves and still be able to qualify for Verizon Edge? The Big Red has just the answer: Verizon Max. This plan, launched alongside Verizon Edge in a few days, will provide two tiers: 6 GB of untethered data for $30 per month, and 8 GB of tethered data for $50 per month.
Verizon Max will reportedly be offered for a limited time, though the expiration date is unknown at this time. The new plan will also only be made available to pre-Share Everything unlimited data customers that are signing up for Verizon Edge – no other customers, both new and current, are eligible. This deal isn't too shabby given that normally 2 GB of data would run $30 per month after coming off the unlimited data plan.
"We know millions of customers are excited about Verizon Edge, and we know some of them may be concerned about losing their unlimited data," the company states in an internal memo. "To help these customers take advantage of Verizon Edge and ease their concerns, we are introducing Verizon Max exclusively for them." The memo also shows a charge of $10 per GB over the monthly allowance for both tiers.
During a conference call with analysts after the 2Q 2013 results were released, Verizon Communications CEO Fran Shammo confirmed rumors that the wireless division planned to offer a similar twice-yearly upgrade plan that T-Mobile revealed just weeks prior. "We have a lot of customers in the technology edge that want to upgrade sooner than they would under our historical, legacy, subsidy model, if you will. And we have other customers who don't want to pay upfront for the large cost of the phone," he said.
With the new Max plans, Verizon is essentially dangling new upgrades in the faces of single-line unlimited data customers in hopes of shaking them off the older contacts. Verizon stated last summer that more than 90 percent of Verizon Wireless smartphone or tablet customers use less than 2 GB a month. More specifically, sending 100 emails, visiting 50 web pages and streaming 15 minutes of music every day for an entire month, will use a little more than 1 GB.
In reality, Verizon simply wants to charge customers for going over that average 2 GB limit – whether it's an overage fee or a larger package -- and it can't when they're locked into an unlimited data contract. So what better way to get these single-line customers into a set data limit than to offer the possibility to upgrade every six months, but with a catch.
Still, for a set monthly allowance, 8 GB for $50 per month and the ability to tether without an extra fee doesn't sound too shabby. Given the promotion is for a limited time, does that mean these rates will change after a certain time, or remain consistent throughout the contract? Guess we'll find out next week.

First open up a new line on a different contract, and use that account to purchase the new phone of your choosing at the reduced rate. Then simply transfer the new phone onto your old number. Then purchase or bring in an old non data type phone to put on the new line. Get the cheapest plan available for the new line, which is around $10-$15 per month.
You will be paying slightly more per month, but you will be able to keep your unlimited data, and you will even have an emergency phone available. The amount you would pay for the life of the contract will be around $300. Compare that to the roughly $500 you save from Verizon subsidies on a phone like a Galaxy S4, and this idea makes far more sense.
Only a retard would pay for tethering.
I am including all iphone users as retards.
Only a retard would pay for tethering.
I am including all iphone users as retards.
Guess I'm a retard then.
And they weren't banned for adding a fee for tethering, they were banned from blocking apps that allow tethering. As a result, instead of charging a fee for tethering, they created new tiers of data service that happen to include tethering under the assumption that people who tether would use slightly more data. Which is pretty much spot on for me. Prior to tethering I used 1.75gb/month. Now I use around 3.25gb a month, which is more than their 2gb plan, but just the right amount for their 4gb + tethering plan.
It is almost like Verizon studied their customer's usage habits or something.
Only a retard would pay for tethering.
I am including all iphone users as retards.
Guess I'm a retard then.
And they weren't banned for adding a fee for tethering, they were banned from blocking apps that allow tethering. As a result, instead of charging a fee for tethering, they created new tiers of data service that happen to include tethering under the assumption that people who tether would use slightly more data. Which is pretty much spot on for me. Prior to tethering I used 1.75gb/month. Now I use around 3.25gb a month, which is more than their 2gb plan, but just the right amount for their 4gb + tethering plan.
It is almost like Verizon studied their customer's usage habits or something.
Why pay for tethering? It's easy enough to fix the phone so you don't need to. Or is Verizon only offering it's highest size package with tethering? They're so far out of touch I don't even look at what they offer unless it's in a piece like this. These articles of course give me a laugh and a shudder that a company this vile is so popular.
Because that sounds like a bloody good argument for an unlocked phone to me.
They were banned from adding a fee to tethering for people on an capped plan. However, the courts said they could continue to charge a tethering fee for those on an unlimited plan.
http://www.zdnet.com/verizon-no-free-tethering-for-unlimited-data-plan-customers-7000001987/
First open up a new line on a different contract, and use that account to purchase the new phone of your choosing at the reduced rate. Then simply transfer the new phone onto your old number. Then purchase or bring in an old non data type phone to put on the new line. Get the cheapest plan available for the new line, which is around $10-$15 per month.
You will be paying slightly more per month, but you will be able to keep your unlimited data, and you will even have an emergency phone available. The amount you would pay for the life of the contract will be around $300. Compare that to the roughly $500 you save from Verizon subsidies on a phone like a Galaxy S4, and this idea makes far more sense.
Do you utilize this method? Could you explain in a bit more detail?
They do not let you purchase a smart phone on a non-data plan, or at least do not give me that option.
Because that sounds like a bloody good argument for an unlocked phone to me.
I'm not sure how they do it but I do know I was able to circumvent it on the Cricket network by using https for all the sites I visited. Else, I'm redirected to their page offering to add tethering for $10/mo.
First open up a new line on a different contract, and use that account to purchase the new phone of your choosing at the reduced rate. Then simply transfer the new phone onto your old number. Then purchase or bring in an old non data type phone to put on the new line. Get the cheapest plan available for the new line, which is around $10-$15 per month.
You will be paying slightly more per month, but you will be able to keep your unlimited data, and you will even have an emergency phone available. The amount you would pay for the life of the contract will be around $300. Compare that to the roughly $500 you save from Verizon subsidies on a phone like a Galaxy S4, and this idea makes far more sense.
Do you utilize this method? Could you explain in a bit more detail?
They do not let you purchase a smart phone on a non-data plan, or at least do not give me that option.
Basically you are signing another 2-year contract with a new number, what he did tell you is that if you currently only have one phone you will have to change you plan to a family plan to do what he is talking about. which is a increase of more like $30 per month.
If you already have a family plans then its only $10 more a month to do what he is saying. You are basicaly just doing a getting lets say an GS
Because that sounds like a bloody good argument for an unlocked phone to me.
Packet inspection covers it. If you take a look at the protocols and/or websites being used it'll be sort of obvious when someone is tethering. Makes me love my Tmobile even more, even without the unlocked phone I would get free tethering.
Still, https for the win.
First open up a new line on a different contract, and use that account to purchase the new phone of your choosing at the reduced rate. Then simply transfer the new phone onto your old number. Then purchase or bring in an old non data type phone to put on the new line. Get the cheapest plan available for the new line, which is around $10-$15 per month.
You will be paying slightly more per month, but you will be able to keep your unlimited data, and you will even have an emergency phone available. The amount you would pay for the life of the contract will be around $300. Compare that to the roughly $500 you save from Verizon subsidies on a phone like a Galaxy S4, and this idea makes far more sense.
Have you actually tried this? Does this actually work? Verizon isn't smart enough to enforce smartphone plans on an account that was given a subsidized smartphone? AT&T used to enforce smartphone plans on an account that was opened with (or otherwise got) a subsidized smartphone; you had to carry the smartphone plans on that account for the duration of the 2 year contract regardless of where your subsidized phone went. So it would end up costing more like $2000 for 2 years.
First open up a new line on a different contract, and use that account to purchase the new phone of your choosing at the reduced rate. Then simply transfer the new phone onto your old number. Then purchase or bring in an old non data type phone to put on the new line. Get the cheapest plan available for the new line, which is around $10-$15 per month.
You will be paying slightly more per month, but you will be able to keep your unlimited data, and you will even have an emergency phone available. The amount you would pay for the life of the contract will be around $300. Compare that to the roughly $500 you save from Verizon subsidies on a phone like a Galaxy S4, and this idea makes far more sense.
Have you actually tried this? Does this actually work? Verizon isn't smart enough to enforce smartphone plans on an account that was given a subsidized smartphone? AT&T used to enforce smartphone plans on an account that was opened with (or otherwise got) a subsidized smartphone; you had to carry the smartphone plans on that account for the duration of the 2 year contract regardless of where your subsidized phone went. So it would end up costing more like $2000 for 2 years.