Verizon Edge Needs "Max" Plan For Unlimited Data Users

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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.

27 Comments Comment from the forums
  • matter37
    It's not shabby, but it is not unlimited.
    Reply
  • Camikazi
    Nope, not getting rid of my 4G unlimited plan, I will just buy my own phone and replace the one I have while keeping my plan. I still pay $30 for unlimited data and plan on keeping it until they pry it from my cold dead hands.
    Reply
  • frj1371
    I thought Verizon was banned from adding a fee for tethering?
    Reply
  • Grandmastersexsay
    If you want to keep your unlimited data plan from Verizon and take advantage of subsidized phones, aka upgrade, there is a simple solution.

    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.
    Reply
  • Grandmastersexsay
    11423123 said:
    I thought Verizon was banned from adding a fee for tethering?

    Only a retard would pay for tethering.

    I am including all iphone users as retards.
    Reply
  • Ragnar-Kon
    11423149 said:
    11423123 said:
    I thought Verizon was banned from adding a fee for tethering?

    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. ;)
    Reply
  • Ironkidz
    3.25 gb?! Lol.... thats nothing. Try a minimum of 17gb a month. I would NEVER get this plan. They are trying to make us bite for some crap plan which I guarantee will continuously get smaller and smaller and smaller. Screw that. Keep a second line with a basic voice only plan, upgrade on that one, and switch the device. K, Thanks, Bye.
    Reply
  • tului
    11423305 said:
    11423149 said:
    11423123 said:
    I thought Verizon was banned from adding a fee for tethering?

    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.
    Reply
  • Someone Somewhere
    Can someone explain how they prevent you from tethering your phone? Is it simply that there's software on Verizon-supplied phones that prevents it?

    Because that sounds like a bloody good argument for an unlocked phone to me.
    Reply
  • shikamaru31789
    Verizon and AT&T are such rip offs. However, here's the beautiful thing, Straighttalk wireless, you can get a phone on AT&T's network, with unlimited talk, text, and data for $45 a month. You can even buy unlocked smartphones and put them on Straighttalk with a SIM card.
    Reply