Would a shared data plan be a good idea

gkamer · ‎09-26-2004

I read recently where Verizon is going to get rid of their unlimited data plan later this sumer and go to a shared family data plan, much like the shared family plan for minutes. Do you think this would be a good idea? On the surface it sounds like it might be good for a small family (which I am, just the wife and I) but I think it could be problematic for a large family who I could see burning up their alloted monthly data limit in no time. But for us, I think it would allow for both the wife and I to both hav smart phones and not cost us an arm and leg for data.

How do the rest of you feel about this sort of thing?

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

gkamer wrote:

I read recently where Verizon is going to get rid of their unlimited data plan later this sumer and go to a shared family data plan, much like the shared family plan for minutes. Do you think this would be a good idea? On the surface it sounds like it might be good for a small family (which I am, just the wife and I) but I think it could be problematic for a large family who I could see burning up their alloted monthly data limit in no time. But for us, I think it would allow for both the wife and I to both hav smart phones and not cost us an arm and leg for data.

How do the rest of you feel about this sort of thing?

already rumored to be in the works, but suspect it will not be exaclty what every wants and at a cheap price. Verizon got rid of their unlimited plan when they obtained the iphone, now they are getting rid of the grandfathered unlimited data plans that are still out there with a caveat of if you pay full retail price for the phone you get to keep the grandfatehred unlimited plan, get the phone subsidized and you have it removed

As far as "large family", the maximum number of phones on a family plan 700 minutes or higher is 5, and if you go over the allotment, you will provbably be charged xx.xx per additional xx GB, just like the current tiered plans.

youngjm · ‎05-02-2003

The other note in many of these articles is that the shared data plans will increase the revenue per user. Do not expect these to be a great deal for the user in most cases.

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johninsj · ‎07-07-2010

youngjm wrote:

The other note in many of these articles is that the shared data plans will increase the revenue per user. Do not expect these to be a great deal for the user in most cases.

I dunno - for some it could be a win, for others less so.

I have three smartphones, for $25-$25-$30 (2gb 2gb and 3gb - that third one needs to enable tethering from time to time so it lost access to the grandfathered 2GB data plan) for a total of 7GB/mo at $80. The *average* use for all three phones is closer to 3-4GB/mo, total. If I could get a 5GB base plan for $50, shared, and pay $10/mo for each GB over that, I *would* save money. Especially if that $50 shared plan included tethering for all devices.

Probably breaks even or starts to be a win with three devices. With two, maybe not.

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

johninsj wrote:

youngjm wrote:

The other note in many of these articles is that the shared data plans will increase the revenue per user. Do not expect these to be a great deal for the user in most cases.

I dunno - for some it could be a win, for others less so.

I have three smartphones, for $25-$25-$30 (2gb 2gb and 3gb - that third one needs to enable tethering from time to time so it lost access to the grandfathered 2GB data plan) for a total of 7GB/mo at $80. The *average* use for all three phones is closer to 3-4GB/mo, total. If I could get a 5GB base plan for $50, shared, and pay $10/mo for each GB over that, I *would* save money. Especially if that $50 shared plan included tethering for all devices.

Probably breaks even or starts to be a win with three devices. With two, maybe not.

I doubt that tehtering will be included in the base price or even available inthe shared plan. Suspect it will be a value added serviceo n a single line

johninsj · ‎07-07-2010

wingrider01 wrote:

johninsj wrote:

youngjm wrote:

The other note in many of these articles is that the shared data plans will increase the revenue per user. Do not expect these to be a great deal for the user in most cases.

I dunno - for some it could be a win, for others less so.

I have three smartphones, for $25-$25-$30 (2gb 2gb and 3gb - that third one needs to enable tethering from time to time so it lost access to the grandfathered 2GB data plan) for a total of 7GB/mo at $80. The *average* use for all three phones is closer to 3-4GB/mo, total. If I could get a 5GB base plan for $50, shared, and pay $10/mo for each GB over that, I *would* save money. Especially if that $50 shared plan included tethering for all devices.

Probably breaks even or starts to be a win with three devices. With two, maybe not.

I doubt that tehtering will be included in the base price or even available inthe shared plan. Suspect it will be a value added serviceo n a single line

Hey, a guy can dream Besides it's not really an "addon" now, it's "free" - you just have to prebuy more data So it could work for a shared plan. Heck, I'd go for a 6GB/$60 shared plan with tethering.

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

johninsj wrote:

wingrider01 wrote:

johninsj wrote:

youngjm wrote:

The other note in many of these articles is that the shared data plans will increase the revenue per user. Do not expect these to be a great deal for the user in most cases.

I dunno - for some it could be a win, for others less so.

I have three smartphones, for $25-$25-$30 (2gb 2gb and 3gb - that third one needs to enable tethering from time to time so it lost access to the grandfathered 2GB data plan) for a total of 7GB/mo at $80. The *average* use for all three phones is closer to 3-4GB/mo, total. If I could get a 5GB base plan for $50, shared, and pay $10/mo for each GB over that, I *would* save money. Especially if that $50 shared plan included tethering for all devices.

Probably breaks even or starts to be a win with three devices. With two, maybe not.

I doubt that tehtering will be included in the base price or even available inthe shared plan. Suspect it will be a value added serviceo n a single line

Hey, a guy can dream Besides it's not really an "addon" now, it's "free" - you just have to prebuy more data So it could work for a shared plan. Heck, I'd go for a 6GB/$60 shared plan with tethering.

30.00 3gb plan + 20.00 2GB tethering plan = 50.00, will be interesting to see if how they work it, can see then tacking on a additional charge for the line that will be tethered. Find a dedicated cellular modem to be light years ahead of a tethered phone though for relibility and speed.

Underlyingsound · ‎03-01-2009

I hope it's a good deal...I have five lines on my family account, all of which are iPhones and have data plans. $30 Unlimited, $30 Unlimited, $30 Unlimited, $25 2GB, $25 2GB and none of them go over 1GB of data in a month. Ever. So we pay $140 for around 5GBs of actual use. Most likely, having a shared plan would benifit me...it would either benifit the big families with moderate use or the little families with big or moderate use...but I feel like anyone else might be screwed.

gkamer · ‎09-26-2004

This was my thinking also..... Currently I'm paying $30.00 for unlimited data. I called in today to check my data usage and it was like 92MB for the current billing cycle. So I am basically paying for a whole lot of data I'm not using. And that is for my phone only. My wife is still using an older "dumb" phone. With a $25.00 2GB shared family data plan I could put both of us on smart phones for less then what I'm paying now for me alone.

So for a small family with low data usage a shared family data plan would be a win situation.

dwill05 · ‎04-06-2005

While it wouldn't affect me, I think it would be good idea. I suspect a lot more people are not close to using their data plan limits every minutes than are going over, so it will probably be a benefit for most. For those that might go over, it's a limit just like minutes or text, and people should take responsibility for staying in the limits, or accept paying for going over.

Like anything, some people would like this, others won't. Can't make everyone happy.

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

I agree it would be a great idea and very lucrative for the carrier financially for the return on the account, suspect that major hold back at the moment for most family plan users is the individual data plans.

can see it backfiring in the family users face if a couple of users on the plan hits the video on hulu, netflix or the audio on pandoria and starts streaming when they are away from wifi, the overages charges will shoot up quickly.

as with any enhancements, it is a double edge sword, while it seems cheaper in the begining, it can cost a lot more in a real life senario. Currently you have 1 person that has to worry about their usage vs the plan, in the shared data sensarion you can have up to 5 phones

johninsj · ‎07-07-2010

wingrider01 wrote:
can see it backfiring in the family users face if a couple of users on the plan hits the video on hulu, netflix or the audio on pandoria and starts streaming when they are away from wifi, the overages charges will shoot up quickly.

How is this any different from having those two users on their own data plans? Assuming it's the same $10/GB overage, and it all comes out of the same person's wallet, you'd pay the same or more if two users use an extra 2GB each: $40. If, however, one user used an extra 1.5GB and another used 1.49GB, you'd pay $30 more on a shared plan (3GB) vs $40 on individual plans.

I can't think of any scenario where pooled data costs more for overages, only the same or less.

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

johninsj wrote:

wingrider01 wrote:
can see it backfiring in the family users face if a couple of users on the plan hits the video on hulu, netflix or the audio on pandoria and starts streaming when they are away from wifi, the overages charges will shoot up quickly.

How is this any different from having those two users on their own data plans? Assuming it's the same $10/GB overage, and it all comes out of the same person's wallet, you'd pay the same or more if two users use an extra 2GB each: $40. If, however, one user used an extra 1.5GB and another used 1.49GB, you'd pay $30 more on a shared plan (3GB) vs $40 on individual plans.

I can't think of any scenario where pooled data costs more for overages, only the same or less.

current overage is 10.00 per GB for 1 person, so that person pulls from the entire 1GB in a overage senario.Now take a 5 phone family plan with shared data, they go over the allocation and get hit with the 10.00 per 1GB. The break downs over the 1GB for 5 users is 200MB each, how long do you think that 1GB is going to last with 5 phones hitting the net - that is where the the cost for overages will go up. split between 5 phones that 1gb overage for moderate use will last about 3 days

johninsj · ‎07-07-2010

wingrider01 wrote:

johninsj wrote:

wingrider01 wrote:
can see it backfiring in the family users face if a couple of users on the plan hits the video on hulu, netflix or the audio on pandoria and starts streaming when they are away from wifi, the overages charges will shoot up quickly.

How is this any different from having those two users on their own data plans? Assuming it's the same $10/GB overage, and it all comes out of the same person's wallet, you'd pay the same or more if two users use an extra 2GB each: $40. If, however, one user used an extra 1.5GB and another used 1.49GB, you'd pay $30 more on a shared plan (3GB) vs $40 on individual plans.

I can't think of any scenario where pooled data costs more for overages, only the same or less.

current overage is 10.00 per GB for 1 person, so that person pulls from the entire 1GB in a overage senario.Now take a 5 phone family plan with shared data, they go over the allocation and get hit with the 10.00 per 1GB. The break downs over the 1GB for 5 users is 200MB each, how long do you think that 1GB is going to last with 5 phones hitting the net - that is where the the cost for overages will go up. split between 5 phones that 1gb overage for moderate use will last about 3 days

Sorry, no I don't get it. We are comparing three users, on say three 2 or 3GB plans. Compared to one shared plan. In EITHER case, data costs 10 per GB over the base. The difference being that your base and all use are aggregated to all three users. The total used isn't gonna be different because you pool it, but the actuall "slack data" bought but unused WILL be lower.

My three lines have a total of 5GB purchased monthly, but my total use for all three lines is NEVER more than 5GB. However, a couple of times ONE user went over 2 or 3GB. I had to pay an additional $10 for that one user, even though the total unused for the other two was well more than 1GB.

Am I making my point?

wingrider01 · ‎05-26-2008

johninsj wrote:

wingrider01 wrote:

johninsj wrote:

wingrider01 wrote:
can see it backfiring in the family users face if a couple of users on the plan hits the video on hulu, netflix or the audio on pandoria and starts streaming when they are away from wifi, the overages charges will shoot up quickly.

How is this any different from having those two users on their own data plans? Assuming it's the same $10/GB overage, and it all comes out of the same person's wallet, you'd pay the same or more if two users use an extra 2GB each: $40. If, however, one user used an extra 1.5GB and another used 1.49GB, you'd pay $30 more on a shared plan (3GB) vs $40 on individual plans.

I can't think of any scenario where pooled data costs more for overages, only the same or less.

current overage is 10.00 per GB for 1 person, so that person pulls from the entire 1GB in a overage senario.Now take a 5 phone family plan with shared data, they go over the allocation and get hit with the 10.00 per 1GB. The break downs over the 1GB for 5 users is 200MB each, how long do you think that 1GB is going to last with 5 phones hitting the net - that is where the the cost for overages will go up. split between 5 phones that 1gb overage for moderate use will last about 3 days

Sorry, no I don't get it. We are comparing three users, on say three 2 or 3GB plans. Compared to one shared plan. In EITHER case, data costs 10 per GB over the base. The difference being that your base and all use are aggregated to all three users. The total used isn't gonna be different because you pool it, but the actuall "slack data" bought but unused WILL be lower.

My three lines have a total of 5GB purchased monthly, but my total use for all three lines is NEVER more than 5GB. However, a couple of times ONE user went over 2 or 3GB. I had to pay an additional $10 for that one user, even though the total unused for the other two was well more than 1GB.

Am I making my point?

no, but only time will tell for you. just time to drop it, just suspect that shared data will be a money maker for the carriers, epsecially if they tie the termination of the grandfathered unlimited plan to it like verizon is doing