New Verizon Plan means No Roaming
Hunter
Seems Verizon is offering America's Choice 2...... same great features
as AC (nights and weekends free minutes) but unlike the old plan there
will be no roaming charges...... anywhere.
I just called my local dealer and he confirmed this.
He said to call customer service and sign up for the new plan.
I have not done that yet, because I want to wait and see if there's a
"gotcha" but I thought I'd put you on alert.
Hunter
Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body,
but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "...holy shit...what a ride!"
Hunter
>Seems Verizon is offering America's Choice 2...... same great features
>as AC (nights and weekends free minutes) but unlike the old plan there
>will be no roaming charges...... anywhere.
I forgot to say you will of course need a tri-mode phone.
Hunter
>
>>Seems Verizon is offering America's Choice 2...... same great features
>>as AC (nights and weekends free minutes) but unlike the old plan there
>>will be no roaming charges...... anywhere.
>
>I forgot to say you will of course need a tri-mode phone.
Stop the presses!!! Someone on the Verizon newsgroup says if you go
to AC2 you will lose the free data ability....
I guess they were tempting us to try to eliminate all the free data
usage....
Peter Pan
> Hi gang,
>
> Seems Verizon is offering America's Choice 2...... same great features
> as AC (nights and weekends free minutes) but unlike the old plan there
> will be no roaming charges...... anywhere.
>
> I just called my local dealer and he confirmed this.
>
> He said to call customer service and sign up for the new plan.
>
> I have not done that yet, because I want to wait and see if there's a
> "gotcha" but I thought I'd put you on alert.
>
> Hunter
No roaming charges thru verizon... You can still roam, however instead of
your phone just working and the roaming charges going thru verizon, it will
go straight to an operator asking for a CC card to charge the call.
The main dif for us that travel is that we will have to pay for roaming
ourselves, rather than have it charged to our verizon account. Since I never
roam, I don't really care. Heck, as I recall from alaska, even in areas that
calls were supposed to be on my contract, until 10AM every day they went to
a Credit Card thing first, but call after 10AM and it was free/included in
the plan.
The big gotcha for travelers is the change to what we use with laptops
(data)... No more free MOU.... :(
Hunter
<Marcs11...@HotmailNOSPAM.com> wrote:
>The big gotcha for travelers is the change to what we use with laptops
>(data)... No more free MOU.... :(
Which is why I plan to keep my plan forever...... <g>
Peter Pan
Unfortunately, that may not work the way you hope it does... Check your
bill... The unlimited nights and weekends (and some other promotions) has a
start date on it and goes away!
For instance, mine says:
Promotional details:
Current: Beginning on 08/20/03: Unlimited night & weekend minute
allowance per month - 2yr contract
---------------------------------------------
The promotion expires 2 years from the date it starts, even if the contract
goes month to month after that, the promotions don't stay...
As for the MOU thing, there are no actual plans to charge for it (yet),
however for the first time they actually put the wording in the contract
saying they can. Before there was no mention of it, now they have it in
writing and if they decide to require a data plan, they have it in writing
to enforce it.
When I found out I was going to lose my free N&W after 8/20/05, I started
looking into other options (like getting an AC2 contract)..
Know that MC ad that says "what's in your wallet"? With Verizon it's more
like "What's on your bill"? :)
D.J. Osborn
> Hunter wrote:
>> On Sat, 5 Mar 2005 07:35:12 -0800, "Peter Pan"
>> <Marcs11...@HotmailNOSPAM.com> wrote:
>>
>>> The big gotcha for travelers is the change to what we use with
>>> laptops (data)... No more free MOU.... :(
>>
>> Which is why I plan to keep my plan forever...... <g>
>>
>> Hunter
>> Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a
>> well-preserved body,
>> but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "...holy
>> shit...what a ride!"
>
> Unfortunately, that may not work the way you hope it does... Check your
> bill... The unlimited nights and weekends (and some other promotions) has
> a start date on it and goes away!
That appears to be the case for some people--but not for others. From what's
been posted at http://www.howardforums.com many people's promotions continue
even after their contract expires.
> For instance, mine says:
> Promotional details:
> Current: Beginning on 08/20/03: Unlimited night & weekend minute
> allowance per month - 2yr contract
> ---------------------------------------------
> The promotion expires 2 years from the date it starts, even if the
> contract goes month to month after that, the promotions don't stay...
However, in practice, many people's promotions continue even after their
contract expires.
> As for the MOU thing, there are no actual plans to charge for it (yet),
> however for the first time they actually put the wording in the contract
> saying they can. Before there was no mention of it, now they have it in
> writing and if they decide to require a data plan, they have it in writing
> to enforce it.
The way the contracts have been written for a long time, they can pretty
much change *whatever* they want *whenever* they want! In practice, they
don't.
> When I found out I was going to lose my free N&W after 8/20/05, I started
> looking into other options (like getting an AC2 contract)..
Try renewing now, they amy well still be offering the old AC plans.
> Know that MC ad that says "what's in your wallet"? With Verizon it's more
> like "What's on your bill"? :)
Nope. It's "What's in your contract."
--
D.J., N8DO; FMCA 147762
dj[underscore]osborn at yahoo dot com
Brian Elfert
>Hi gang,
>Seems Verizon is offering America's Choice 2...... same great features
>as AC (nights and weekends free minutes) but unlike the old plan there
>will be no roaming charges...... anywhere.
Verizon has had this for years. I think even before AC.
It is/was called National Singlerate. It covered about 98% of the USA
with no roaming. I never switched to roaming in the years I had it. I
switched to AC last fall because many more areas now have digital and are
covered under AC. Singlerate is/was way more expensive than AC.
Tell me more about the data stuff with AC. I could use this when I'm
on-call so I have a connection back to the office to fix things.
Brian Elfert
D.J. Osborn
"Brian Elfert" <bel...@visi.com> wrote in message
news:112jspu...@corp.supernews.com...
> Hunter <HHam...@aol.com> writes:
>
>>Hi gang,
>
>>Seems Verizon is offering America's Choice 2...... same great features
>>as AC (nights and weekends free minutes) but unlike the old plan there
>>will be no roaming charges...... anywhere.
>
> Verizon has had this for years. I think even before AC.
>
> with no roaming. I never switched to roaming in the years I had it. I
> switched to AC last fall because many more areas now have digital and are
> covered under AC. Singlerate is/was way more expensive than AC.
>
> Tell me more about the data stuff with AC. I could use this when I'm
> on-call so I have a connection back to the office to fix things.
It's not the same plan as "National Singlerate."
Lon VanOstran
> Hi gang,
>
> Seems Verizon is offering America's Choice 2...... same great features
> as AC (nights and weekends free minutes) but unlike the old plan there
> will be no roaming charges...... anywhere.
>
> I just called my local dealer and he confirmed this.
>
> He said to call customer service and sign up for the new plan.
>
> I have not done that yet, because I want to wait and see if there's a
> "gotcha" but I thought I'd put you on alert.
>
I believe the "gotcha" is that you have to pay $.99 per day for
unlimited mobile to mobile. When I saw the ad, I wondered if you could
pay it only on M-F. <g>
Lon
Brian Elfert
>It's not the same plan as "National Singlerate."
No, not exactly the same, but similiar. National Singlerate didn't have
features such as free mobile-mobile that AC has.
Brian Elfert
John Kaiser
Hunter The "gotcha", and the only one so far, is that areas that _were_ roaming are now
listed as "No Coverage". Check your local map at the Verizon Wireless website. It's a bum
deal as it stands. They are trying to force the lessors of outdated towers to go from
analog to digital by cutting them out of the picture.
Trust me on this one. Or, Check with Don Blake, you know where. :=)
--
John
- Give some people a hammer, and everything becomes a nail.
Janet Wilder
Single Rate is not way more expensive, it just doesn't have the free
nights and weekends that AC has. It also doesn't have mobile to mobile.
My Single Rate is 400 minutes and a promotional 2,000 weekend minutes
which is "for life" as long as I renew the contract every two years and
make no changes to it. We are about to start year 6.
Every time I speak to Verizon, I ask the name of the operator, the
location of the call center and the operator's number. I write it down
along with the time and date of the call. Then I ask them to recite
exactly what is on my account just to make certain no one has added or
subtracted anything.
The Road Princess
roadprincess at escapees dot com
D.J. Osborn
> Hunter wrote:
>
>> Hi gang,
>>
>> Seems Verizon is offering America's Choice 2...... same great features
>> as AC (nights and weekends free minutes) but unlike the old plan there
>> will be no roaming charges...... anywhere.
>>
>> I just called my local dealer and he confirmed this.
>>
>> He said to call customer service and sign up for the new plan.
>>
>> I have not done that yet, because I want to wait and see if there's a
>> "gotcha" but I thought I'd put you on alert.
>>
>> Hunter
>> Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved
>> body,
>> but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "...holy
>> shit...what a ride!"
>
> Hunter The "gotcha", and the only one so far, is that areas that _were_
> roaming are now
> listed as "No Coverage".
That's not an accurate statement. Some areas aare no listed as no coverage,
but soem are included in the no roaming area.
> Check your local map at the Verizon Wireless website. It's a bum
> deal as it stands.
It depends upon where one is, there are some areas that lost--and some that
gaibed,
> They are trying to force the lessors of outdated towers to go from
> analog to digital by cutting them out of the picture.
Huh?
> Trust me on this one. Or, Check with Don Blake, you know where. :=)
Huh?
Hunter
<jka...@frontiernet.net> wrote:
>
>Hunter The "gotcha", and the only one so far, is that areas that _were_ roaming are now
>listed as "No Coverage". Check your local map at the Verizon Wireless website. It's a bum
>deal as it stands. They are trying to force the lessors of outdated towers to go from
>analog to digital by cutting them out of the picture.
>
>Trust me on this one. Or, Check with Don Blake, you know where. :=)>
LOL, I wish I could, he kicked me off his list...... if you are on it
could you please forward me the pertinent information about getting
online with AC2.....
Thanks John,
wsim...@hotmail.com
National Access (1Xrtt) network on a Minutes Of Use basis. I think,
however, that you will still be able to use the slower Q2N (Quick 2
Net) network.
I also believe that "no roaming" also means "no service" in those areas
where VZW does not have agreements with the existing carriers. I would
rather have the option of making a roaming call when necessary. It
would seem that VZW is getting out of processing roaming calls through
their billing system. Might be wrong on this but I know that billing
roaming calls causes them a lot of trouble.
Regards,
Wiley
In Anza-Borrego Desert SP
Posting via VZW National Acess.
John Kaiser
Simply put, Verizon does not own all their towers and relays. Some of those
owners are loathe to upgrade, making enough money now. So... Verizon came up
with plan to cut analog out of the picture. If you can live with that, digital
only areas, cool.
John Kaiser
Hunter
>Another downside to the AC II plan is that you will lose access to the
>National Access (1Xrtt) network on a Minutes Of Use basis. I think,
>however, that you will still be able to use the slower Q2N (Quick 2
>Net) network.
How do you know that?
John Kaiser
The plan has been in effect since 2/21
Janet Wilder
lose NA capability. From what I've read it's not recommended to change.
Hunter,
set up a throw-away Yahoo address and use it to join. You will not get
the millions and millions of emails, but you will have the ability to
search for topics and access the files. I clean out the Yahoo mail box
every few weeks. Don won't know who you are. (I don't think he knows
what Usenet is. The one time I posted, I was chided for not *top
posting*) BTW, I've seen him kicked off 2 Escapees Yahoo groups several
times. He's back on one with every posting being moderated. It's worth
the info just to lurk and search, though.
J
Hunter
<kellie...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>Hunter,
>
>set up a throw-away Yahoo address and use it to join. You will not get
>the millions and millions of emails, but you will have the ability to
>search for topics and access the files. >
I was just thinking about doing that but my Yahoo ID will show up.
Tex Houston
"Janet Wilder" <kellie...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:38vfgbF...@individual.net...
I was even slicker. I set up a Yahoo account but never set up a mail
account with them. Can access the groups and so on but never have to empty
the mail.
Tex
Brian Elfert
>Single Rate is not way more expensive, it just doesn't have the free
>nights and weekends that AC has. It also doesn't have mobile to mobile.
>My Single Rate is 400 minutes and a promotional 2,000 weekend minutes
>which is "for life" as long as I renew the contract every two years and
> make no changes to it. We are about to start year 6.
It cost me $34.99 for 150 minutes when I had Singlerate. AC costs $39.99
for 400 minutes. I think the Singlerate cost for 400 minutes is/was
$59.99.
An extra $20 is my definition of a lot more expensive.
Brian Elfert
D.J. Osborn
useful information over on alt.cellular.verizon:
<quote>
Here are the hard numbers for the AC2 plan:
1 SID = an area of from 1 to hundreds of cell sites
Comparing AC2 to AC1, in AC2:
-24 SIDs that were marked "Roam" were REMOVED from the AC2 PRL.
-22 SIDs that were marked "Roam" were CHANGED to "Extended" in AC2.
-13 SIDs were ADDED to the AC2 PRL.
Notes:
-Of the 24 removed, most of them were in areas where the carrier was a
duplicate or triplicate of existing service, i.e. AT&T and Cingular analog
sites. Sprint was removed from USVI which is already served by VZW.
-Of the 13 that were added NEW, most of them replace coverage lost from the
24 that were removed, i.e. 5 analog systems removed in TX were replaced by a
new set of roaming sites on Cingular analog.
-A bunch of Commnet Wireless sites were added. Their specialty is to erect
sites in areas ignored by other carriers. One SID added coverage in as many
at 10 states where there were 'holes' insignificant enough for VZW to
address before, but now find good reason to use now.
There are only two areas where we SUSPECT there will be any loss of
coverage, eastern OR/WA and 2 counties in south central CO. Even in these
areas, we already know there are nearby sites that potentially serve these
areas.
The net effect is that VZW has created a PRL just for the AC2 plan.
Previous PRL's were built to accommodate the National Single Rate user, and
then other users would get the same PRL but with a Roam indicator to show
where they will get roaming charges. With any change, some people will be
thrilled, others may be disappointed. I believe there will be far more of
the former. I took a 'wait & see' position and have already regretted it.
For the foreseeable future, customers will be able to stay on AC1 as long as
they want, but the PRL will be a subset of the Local and NSR plans. All new
AC customers will get AC2.
<end quote>
Thanks, Bill!
Janet Wilder
$55 for 400 minutes plus the usual gazillion dollars on added on taxes
and fees.
One year we were up in northern Maine and on some one else's analog.
Somehow the bill got posted to our account by accident. For two weeks we
had a bill of over $85!!
As travelers we still find ourselves in areas that are considered
roaming for Verizon. We don't need all the extra minutes and it comes
out a lot cheaper for us to have the Single Rate plan. YMMV.
Not Me
"Hunter" <HHam...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:u8jj21hchhqqp5qqi...@4ax.com...
| Hi gang,
|
| Seems Verizon is offering America's Choice 2...... same great features
| as AC (nights and weekends free minutes) but unlike the old plan there
| will be no roaming charges...... anywhere.
|
| I just called my local dealer and he confirmed this.
|
| He said to call customer service and sign up for the new plan.
|
| I have not done that yet, because I want to wait and see if there's a
| "gotcha" but I thought I'd put you on alert.
|
| Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved
body,
| but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "...holy
shit...what a ride!"
The 'gotcha' is that the system will not function on any system that is not
under contract with VZN so NO ROAMING does not mean what most would assume.
Tom J
> On Sat, 5 Mar 2005 07:35:12 -0800, "Peter Pan"
> <Marcs11...@HotmailNOSPAM.com> wrote:
>
>>The big gotcha for travelers is the change to what we use with
>>laptops
>>(data)... No more free MOU.... :(
>
> Which is why I plan to keep my plan forever...... <g>
>
> Hunter
I'm with you on keeping the plan I have "for life", because that is
exactly what my plan says. I have that free bucket of minutes for
life as long as I don't change a thing on my plan, and with prices
going up, it looks better price wise also.
Tom J
Tom J
> Single Rate is not way more expensive, it just doesn't have the free
> nights and weekends that AC has. It also doesn't have mobile to
> mobile. My Single Rate is 400 minutes and a promotional 2,000
> weekend minutes which is "for life" as long as I renew the contract
> every two years and make no changes to it.
I have never renewed my contract, because the original contract said
my bucket of free minutes are for life, so if the messed with the
contract, they are violating my contract with them. We are almost 5
years into our 2 year original contract & still at the same rate!
Tom J
Hunter
>"Janet Wilder" <kellie...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:38vb1nF...@individual.net...
>
>> Single Rate is not way more expensive, it just doesn't have the free
>> nights and weekends that AC has. It also doesn't have mobile to
>> mobile. My Single Rate is 400 minutes and a promotional 2,000
>> weekend minutes which is "for life" as long as I renew the contract
>> every two years and make no changes to it.>
I can't imagine why you think that's a good plan. I use nights and
mobile to mobile alot.
If I need to make a call in a roam area I simply use my Sam's Club
phone card at a payphone.
Tex Houston
>
> If I need to make a call in a roam area I simply use my Sam's Club
> phone card at a payphone.
>
> Hunter
Hunter,
I too use a phone card. I just opened another connection with that number
programmed in and call my ISP at home when out of an area where there is no
local access. Otherwise I use a local number.
Since my cell phone usage varies widely I converted my ATT plan to Cingular
which rolls over unused minutes. That plan also includes night and weekends
and mobile-to-mobile and is $20 a month less than I was paying albeit 50
minutes less per month than before. The rollover takes care of that, not
that I ever came close to my allowed time anyway.
Tex
D.J. Osborn
Cellular prices have been going down for years--and they still are. I'm now
getting the same service for less money than I was two years ago. That
*clearly* means that prices are going *down*, and not up!
Nadyne (Verizon)
would have been 'roaming', now you have NO SERVICE instead. If you need to
make a call while you're in that area, you should have the option to do so
and pay for it, IMHO.
--
Nadyne Nelson
nad...@prospectiveplanning.com
Nadyne on MSN and Yahoo
Nadyne in FL on AIM
ICQ #2484855
"Hunter" <HHam...@aol.com> wrote in message
Brian Elfert
>They also announced that Verizon changed the America's Choice plan to
>force small analog carriers out of business, to eliminate all analog
>calls (including 911), and to force people off the Single Rate plan. As
>near as I can tell, all of that is typical Internet speculation
>presented as fact.
Verizon plans to have all of its analog service shutdown by sometime in
2006. What this means for Verizon's analog roaming agreements is anyone's
guess. I'm noticing a lot more very rural areas now have digital
service. This includes area that I'm suprised to have service at all.
I wish Verizon and Sprint would just convert to GSM like everyone else is.
One standard would make it more cost effective to cover remote rural
areas.
Brian Elfert
Cliff
>> Janet Wilder <kellie...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Checked InternetByCellphone and the general concensus is that one
>> will lose NA capability. From what I've read it's not recommended to
>> change.
>
> Verizon has said in writing for years that you need a data plan to
> tether your phone to your PC, but they have never enforced it. Every
> time there is a change in a calling plan, a billing error, or an
> instance of someone being denied free access to the high speed
> network, the forum "experts" solemnly predict the impending end of
> their "back door access", as they like to call it.
>
> They also announced that Verizon changed the America's Choice plan to
> force small analog carriers out of business, to eliminate all analog
> calls (including 911), and to force people off the Single Rate plan.
> As near as I can tell, all of that is typical Internet speculation
> presented as fact.
But ... but ... It's on the INTERNET ... that means it true, Right?
--
Cliff = who pays Verizon for data so I can sit here all day :-)
Our Home Page http://www.cj-and-m.com
.
.
Brian Elfert
>It's actually in 2008 when the FCC will allow them to turn off analog
>service.
>Please give us the *documented* source of that statement. It's highly
>suspect, since Verizon makes a reasonable profit from the OnStar
>ustomers--and they overwhelming majority of the OnStar units are analog.
I was told that directly by Verizon customer service when I called about
switching to AC for free mobile to mobile. The rep said Verizon would be
phasing out analog in a year and a half and that was last fall.
It really doesn't matter to me if Verizon has analog or not. 98% of the
time I am in a digital area. How can the FCC stop a cell company from
converting to digital anyhow? Carriers have been converting/adding
digital service for years.
>That's not at all surprising, since digital is far more efficient, and lets
>the provider offer much more capacity for about the same money.
My understanding is digital is more expensive than analog in rural areas,
but digital is vastly less expensive in higher usage areas.
Brian Elfert
D.J. Osborn
> "D.J. Osborn" <dj_o...@yahoooo.com> writes:
>
>>It's actually in 2008 when the FCC will allow them to turn off analog
>>service.
>
>>Please give us the *documented* source of that statement. It's highly
>>suspect, since Verizon makes a reasonable profit from the OnStar
>>ustomers--and they overwhelming majority of the OnStar units are analog.
>
> I was told that directly by Verizon customer service when I called about
> switching to AC for free mobile to mobile. The rep said Verizon would be
> phasing out analog in a year and a half and that was last fall.
He had his dates mixed up.
> It really doesn't matter to me if Verizon has analog or not. 98% of the
> time I am in a digital area. How can the FCC stop a cell company from
> converting to digital anyhow?
They don't stop them from adding digital; they merely require that existing
analog service be maintained until a certain date.
Carriers have been converting/adding
> digital service for years.
I think we all know that.
>>That's not at all surprising, since digital is far more efficient, and
>>lets
>>the provider offer much more capacity for about the same money.
>
> My understanding is digital is more expensive than analog in rural areas,
> but digital is vastly less expensive in higher usage areas.
It obviously costs money to add new equipment, but digital offers far more
capacity in the same bandwidth.