Verizon Plans To Eliminate 'Grandfathered' 3G Unlimited Data Plans

dgstorm · May 16, 2012

In a move that is sure to anger a massive swath of its customers, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo, at the Global Technology, Media and Telecom Conference in Boston, announced that Verizon plans to eliminate grandfathered unlimited data plans permanently.

Customers that were grandfathered in with pre-existing unlimited 3G data plans will have to purchase Verizons data-share plan that it plans to unveil this summer, when they transition to 4G LTE service. Everyone will be on data share, he said.

No specifics were give on this new plan that will launch in the summer, but consumers who opt for the family plans will likely benefit the most.

Here is a quote from the source of this article with more info:

When asked how Verizon will drive customers to this new data share plan, Shammo said that LTE will be the anchor for the new plan and that as customers upgrade from 3G to LTE, they will have to be on a data share plan, allowing the company to sunset its unlimited 3G data plan. "A lot of our 3G base is on unlimited," Shammo said. "When they migrate off 3G they will have to go to data share. That is beneficial to us."

It is not clear what they plan to do with folks who are on a 4G LTE grandfathered unlimited plan, but essentially those folks might be considered hold-overs from the unlimited 3G data era, and they might fall under this as well. We will dig deeper to see if it becomes more clear, but it is looking like the folks on 3G unlimited data plans are the only ones targeted right now.

Thanks to all our tipsters for this one!

Source: FierceWireless and VZW

2dxtreme · May 16, 2012

they tried doing this just a few months ago and a huge petition went out and within 2 days they withdrew there decision. im sure the same thing will happen again

Skull One · May 16, 2012

LOL. VZW is in it for the money. You can rest assured this will happen. And the number of people that leave and will come back is going to be funny as heck.

DRad2003 · May 16, 2012

I was ordering a new phone for a family member on my account the other day and the rep told me to get a 4G phone to keep my unlimited data before my unlimited 3G was dropped. I was kind of waiting to see what was going on with the next iPhone but this may make me switch phones early.

hinds90 · May 16, 2012

This really upsets me but at the same time I really don't use that much data because I have wifi at home. Can anyone on their new plans make a comment?

Lol its funny because when I swiched from a nexus to the iphone 4s a few weeks ago on their website it told me my current plan was not usable. Then a screen popped up with all the current plans but still had my unlimited plan checked. Lol I just sat there a min to think what the heck they told my my current plan was not usable but it's already check so I just clicked continue.

Just seems like they're trying to sucker people.

Drag Bunt · May 16, 2012

So I'll just keep the 3G iPhone 4 I was gifted with the grandfathered unlimited plan. I'm not into switching hardware every year, so it'll last me quite a while.

DRad2003 · May 17, 2012

hinds90 said:
This really upsets me but at the same time I really don't use that much data because I have wifi at home. Can anyone on their new plans make a comment?

Lol its funny because when I swiched from a nexus to the iphone 4s a few weeks ago on their website it told me my current plan was not usable. Then a screen popped up with all the current plans but still had my unlimited plan checked. Lol I just sat there a min to think what the heck they told my my current plan was not usable but it's already check so I just clicked continue.

Just seems like they're trying to sucker people.

They haven't rolled this plan out yet. Midsummer is what they say. And if you ask a rep they will tell you its just a rumor and they cant comment. What a joke. It was the CFO of Verizon that said it himself. There is also no guarantee that unlimited 4G users will get to keep that as well. They do offer 4GB for new 4G users right now. We will see how that works.

scrogg · May 17, 2012

I knew it had to be to good to last. I have a family plan with 5 phones (4 iP4's & 1 R2D2 Droid), all with unlimited data. But to boot, the data plans are all discounted $20 for some loyalty deal thing they offered me a couple years back. Might be worth picking up some cheap LTE droids now and hope to be grandfathered in with the same deal later.