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Cellular Phone Forum / Providers / Verizon / November 2006Squeezing VZN for cheaper rates for < 450 minutes?
Greetings, I've been with VZN for about a year and half, and have had no major problems with them as yet. I originally had 400 minutes/mth on my plan and recently upgraded to 450 with no price increase. However, as I've recently looked over my minutes used, even I've used 700 minutes in some cases, the vast majority of my time is weekend/night or to ppl who are in-plan. Other than that, on average, I rack up about 130 minutes/mth. But the 450 plan seems to be lowest one they got. It seems silly to be charged $45/mth for that little, so I was wondering if anyone can answer the following: (1) Are there rates that VZN doesn't advertise, that have less minutes with a lower cost? (2) Barring option (1), has anyone played hardball with customer service and gotten a cheaper deal that way? Cheers, -Mark > (1) Are there rates that VZN doesn't advertise, that have > less minutes with a lower cost? no. > (2) Barring option (1), > has anyone played hardball with customer service and > gotten a cheaper deal that way? no. (if they had, why wouldn't everybody do that...?) -Quick There are a few flaws in your logic here, I think. One is that the only reason you are paying for less than 450 minutes is because your plan gives you free nights and weekends. Notice I didn't say "using" less, but "paying for" less. So, thanks to the VZW plan giving you free minutes, you are under-using your paid minutes. Also, there is a certain amount of overhead expense in supporting *any* plan, regardless of minutes. Personally I don't see how they could cut minutes enough to not be worth $39/mo (or whatever their current minimum is, I forgot). If they did have a plan for, say, $19.95/mo, you *know* you would not be getting free nights and weekends. Even a $19 plan would wind up costing you more if you used 700 minutes. -Frank > Greetings, > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Cheers, > -Mark CB, VZW used to offer 300 and I think even 200 minutes in the past, but have long since been phased out. Some long time customers have them grandfathered in, although they tempt these customers away from them in every imaginable way. Bruce > Greetings, > [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > Cheers, > -Mark > CB, > > VZW used to offer 300 and I think even 200 minutes in the past, but have > long since been phased out. Some long time customers have them > grandfathered in, although they tempt these customers away from them in > every imaginable way. My wife and I have the 300 minute plan, for around $30 per month with discounts. The thing about our area (Northern California) is that Verizon is so dominant that the mobile to mobile minutes are used more than peak minutes. We also still have 8:01 p.m. nights, something that Verizon dropped several years ago. > CB, > > VZW used to offer 300 and I think even 200 minutes in the past, but have > long since been phased out. Some long time customers have them > grandfathered in, although they tempt these customers away from them in > every imaginable way. I've had the 300 minutes plan for a long time. I've gone over the 300 minutes exactly once in 6 years (total 301!), and I'd say I average about 50 minutes/month. Once when I was renewing, the CSR actually giggled as he was trying to upsell me to a 450 minute plan.  SignatureAF "Non Sequitur U has a really, really lousy debate team." --artyw raises the bar on rec.sport.baseball > VZW used to offer 300 and I think even 200 minutes in the past, but have > long since been phased out. Some long time customers have them > grandfathered in, although they tempt these customers away from them in > every imaginable way. > > Bruce I have the old AC-1 plan of 300 minutes for $34.99. My contract ran out six months ago. I'm not complaining but I've never heard a word from Verizon about updating my plan to AC-2. Don in Tracy, Calif. > CB, > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Bruce But those plans typically didn't have free nights/weekends, INnetwork and some didn't even have long distance or just included LD to your home area. > But those plans typically didn't have free nights/weekends, INnetwork > and some didn't even have long distance or just included LD to your home > area. Alltel Greater Freedom $39.95 - 700 mins + 100 bonus mins - Unlimited N/W - Unlimited M2M on Alltel's whole system - Free LD - All the toys - REGIONAL plan, 2 states and surrounding areas. Going to California? No problem, 100 nationwide minutes that don't expire is $10 a block, even buyable on the road with 611. How often do you travel? Hardly ever? Why pay VZW for nationwide service on low minutes you hardly ever use? How silly. Other carriers do it better. Larry SignatureHalloween candy left over..... Is there a downside? > Alltel Greater Freedom Alltel has always been - and probably will always be - a better value than Verizon. I grew up in one of the few large cities Alltel serves (Cleveland), and VZW's prices were always significantly higher there. > How often do you travel? Hardly ever? Why pay VZW for nationwide service > on low minutes you hardly ever use? How silly. Other carriers do it > better. I agree. Alltel isn't the only choice, but where they have service, it's probably a good one if you are cost-conscious. SignatureSteve Sobol, Professional Geek ** Java/VB/VC/PHP/Perl ** Linux/*BSD/Windows Victorville, California PGP:0xE3AE35ED It's all fun and games until someone starts a bonfire in the living room. > I agree. Alltel isn't the only choice, but where they have service, it's > probably a good one if you are cost-conscious. I was just using that as an example of the better plans from other carriers, who I've found out are good alternatives. With Skype and Voxlib on my main PC, I'd consider going to a very low minute plan that had free incoming calls, if that's possible. You can make free outgoing calls in the middle of the day on Nextel by SMSing Voxlib, which will call your cell on free incoming and the party you want, which is free until January on Skype. The quality is as good as any cell call from your broadband. You can even call Skype computers direct using the Voxlib bridge to overseas friends. I talked to some guys in a tent in Iraq this weekend on Skype over their military internet link...way cool! Verizon isn't omnipotent. Lots of other carriers have lots better deals for the average cellphone user. Larry SignatureHalloween candy left over..... Is there a downside? > CB, > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Bruce Very true. Until a few weeks ago I was on the Digital 600 plan; 600 anytime minutes. I've been on that plan for years and saw no reason to switch, no matter how many times VZW would counter offer. When I did my new phone every 2 years thing that's when they made me switch plans to the 450 plan. Regardless, I don't ever go over 300 minutes during peak time anyways so I think I'm doing ok. For me a typical call is over in the shortest amount of time I can do. If I want to gab there's always email and IM(but not on the phone). Ted Novak TRA#5512 IEAS#75 > VZW used to offer 300 and I think even 200 minutes in the past, but > have long since been phased out. Some long time customers have them > grandfathered in, although they tempt these customers away from > them in every imaginable way. They go even lower than that. I have a family plan which shares 100 minutes between two phones for $30/month, total (plus taxes, etc.). Of course, there's no long distance included, and I'm roaming if I cross the street. They've made no effort to move me off the plan, and I guess they're more than willing to pocket the $30 from somebody who practically never even turns his phone on :-) SignatureBert Hyman | St. Paul, MN | bert@iphouse.com Yes, they still offer a lower America's Choice plan, but not in every market. For $34.99 you get 300 Peak minutes, and 1,000 Night & Weekend at 9pm. You may need to press the agent to look for it, and it is not available in some parts of the country. No "IN". You can't play "hardball". Any promotions would add additonal minutes, not lower the price. If you track your minutes closer you mind find some prepaid plans will save you some money. Bill Radio Click for Wireless Reviews at: http://www.mountainwireless.com > Greetings, > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Cheers, > -Mark > Yes, they still offer a lower America's Choice plan, but not in every > market. For $34.99 you get 300 Peak minutes, and 1,000 Night & Weekend at [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > lower the price. If you track your minutes closer you mind find some > prepaid plans will save you some money. Exactly. When we were on Cingular, we had a family plan that was soaking us because my phone usage was normal, but my wife's was next to nothing (like 5 minutes a month). The extra line cost $20+surcharges. When it finally ended, I switched to the Verizon $40/month plan, which works well for me, but we got my wife on TracFone and have saved TONS on her usage. > Greetings, > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Cheers, > -Mark I work for a company that helps businesses lower their cell phone rates. Verizon has standard plans and off shelf plans. One of the Off Shelf plans is the Business Share 200 for 34.99 it includes unlimited mobile to mobile and unlimited nights and weekends starting at 9:01pm.This plan has the Americas Choice footprint. It would save you $60.00 per year. However for $5.00 per month you may decide to keep the 250 extra minutes. www.cellularoptimization.com There are also a few local plans currently being offered. The key is to be out of contract or being close to being out of contract and using the word cancel in your discussion with Verizon. There are also 24.99 and 29.99 local plans, these do not offer unlimited in calling, they have 100 or 250 peak minutes, and 500 or 1000 Night and Weekend minutes. These plans also have additional charges for roaming when outside of your local area. I hope this helps. In my opinion Verizon has outstanding coverage and very good customer care. We have clients with every cellular company and the most satisfied customers are usually with Verizon. |
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