Verizon looking at non-unlimited plans for 4G data, will use LTE for voice by 2012
By Chris Ziegler 
posted May 27th 2010 12:28PM
posted May 27th 2010 12:28PM
On a happier note, McAdam said that the company expects to be using its LTE network for voice by 2012, which comes just after its first volley of LTE-capable handsets in early 2011. He also mentioned that at least some of those devices will be shown off at CES 2011, and naturally, we'll be there -- not just to check out the phones, but to raise some hell at the notion that unlimited data is a thing of the past. At this rate, how are we ever going to run the Engadget servers on a wireless connection?
I hate you verizon, and your limits!
@cyborgsattack
...instead charging for "buckets" of megabytes, just like in the olden days -- despite the fact that it'll cost it a half to a third of what it costs today to transmit the same amount of data.
I guess they see 4g as a convenient breakpoint to realize their dream of charging us back to the dark ages to check email. No need to fight the battle on the current network when the next big thing is coming. I'm sure they will couch this as paying more for the great speed until they have time to get it all fully up and running. Which will never come.
@The Advanced Kind
All you did was copy and paste from the article... No comments worth contributing?
Moving on though, I'm not sure how I feel about this. Obviously my first thought is NOOO!! But come to think of it, I don't use that much data on my phone, I don't think, so maybe this will allow me to save some money. Then again I probably use a lot more than I think I do, and with 4G (and unlimited) I'd use it to tether to my laptop. So, in conclusion: NOOO!! I want unlimited data!
@mr88
You think you will save money?! lol! They already charge $10-20 for featurephone data plans, and you think that you will be paying less for your smartphone? You must be crazy.
@cyborgsattack
Hate? Dude, you know to can switch to Sprint, they already offer 4G.
@BecauseItsNotGoogle
If Verizon tries this and there isn't a mass-exodus (which there won't be), then you can bet that at&t will adopt it as well. They will claim they are investing so much in their wonderful LTE experience and they want to ensure the best experience, so you have to pay more (even though in reality, it's cheaper for them to deliver it).
@The Advanced Kind
It will cost the lowest data users a lot less. The users that, you know, actually use data close the the current cap will be paying a lot more for data.
@cyborgsattack
I concur. I wish they'd just lower their overpriced plans though =_=;
@BecauseItsNotGoogle Yeah, brotha, I'm right there with you!
Sent from my iPhone
@BecauseItsNotGoogle
AT&T is just as bad numbnuts.
@BecauseItsNotGoogle
Ya good thing your on At&t and get gouged for service you don't even get....ROFL.. At least Verizon customers are getting gouged for services they DO get. Largest 3g network my troll friend...BTW I am on T-Mobile
Let me get this straight, some were complaining about the $10 fee Sprint is requiring for the EVO, which gets you premium unlimited data over 3G and 4G, and Verizon is telling folks a year in advanced, they will not have unlimited plans on LTE? Verizon just did Sprint a huge favor!
@Sea Urchin
umm actually sprint dosent use 4G. It's still 3G. 4G dosent exist yet. Way too early.
@cyborgsattack
if they do this im switching away from vzw
@Freddy2Fred
Sprint has had 4G for awhile now in select markets and is rolling out more markets (ie big cities) throughout this year.
they are the first American mobile network to have a lot of 4G up and running. the only difference is that they use WiMax and not LTE.
@The Advanced Kind My point was that for those who use the most, the price will go up. However, if you're in the lower half, the price could POTENTIALLY go down.
@Freddy2Fred, where have you been?? Sprint has had 4G for a while now. By years end Sprints 4G footprint will cover 120 million people.
@willowtwf
Umm again they are not 4G... Wimax and lte ain't 4G. They pretty much 3.9G they market as 4G but it ain't 4G.
@Freddy2Fred
lolwut? Sit, please inform yourself. Search the news, blogs, and wikipedia is a good source. Come back when you're done.
@scorpeo
That ain't 4G that's 3.9G... They market as 4G but it ain't 4G. Wimax and lte dosent meet the requirement fir 4G... It's only a next step toward 4G... It all has to do with the stupid marketing.
@BecauseItsNotGoogle
Don't forget Verizon lets you pay your bill in store, without any additional charges. AT&T, on the other hand, has determined that a $5 fee is suitable for the convenience of paying your bill in the store.
Additionally, if you think for a second that AT&T won't do this if VzW gets away with it, you're a bigger shill than you thought .... errrr i mean "than WE thought"
@cyborgsattack
Everyone that is commenting here on how this might be a good idea because it might be cheaper for them, since they can just pick the cheapest plan and only pay for what they use. Stop it, you are killing me! You actually want to give Verizon the ability to charge you for overage on data use? I bet you a million dollars that your bill will magically be $300+ one day because, according to Verizon, you went over your data limit because, "there is an app that still runs when you close your phone". Thank God I am on Sprint. I don't do convoluted overage math every time I want to read my email or check box scores. Sheesh!
@cyborgsattack This why you NEED Sprint no matter what carrier your on...
@Freddy2Fred, I believe you need to source information and understand what, "next generation wireless" is. 3G, 4G have nothing to do with speed. It's the next build out/up, of the next generation network. By your way of thinking At&t's 3G is not really 3G, it is not as fast as Sprints and Verizons 3G. Not to mention, the wireless commission have certified Wimax as 4G.
@cyborgsattack
Lol @ everyone that wants the iPhone on verizon now....
@cyborgsattack
I hate VZW's consumer limits too - all of the major carriers quit offering the unlimited consumer plans because of the very few users that were abusing the system - including those tethering without being provisioned for it. Carriers can't properly balance their networks if hackers are siphoning off data without planning. We used to have unlimited data account available until just a few years ago - we're still getting capped because the carriers KNOW they're going to get hacked, and we have better tools to hack with now. I'm going to get flamed for writing this - and I'm tired of capped tethering on the smart phones my company uses, but that's the way it is.
I can still get unlimited data card plans for my VZW and ATTWS corporate-liable accounts.
@Freddy2Fred
Freddy is 100% correct.
WiMax is NOT considered 4G by the International Communications Union
"The Mobile WiMAX (IEEE 802.16e-2005) mobile wireless broadband access (MWBA) standard is sometimes branded 4G, and offers peak data rates of 128 Mbit/s downlink and 56 Mbit/s uplink over 20 MHz wide channels. The IEEE 802.16m evolution of 802.16e is under development, with the objective to fulfill the IMT-Advanced criteria of 1 Gbit/s for stationary reception and 100 Mbit/s for mobile reception.[5]
Sprint Nextel has announced that it will be using WiMAX, branded as a "4G" network."
@MegaJapan If you want to be super technical, WiMax and LTE are both pre-4G, as stated on Wikipedia. Wikipedia also says that they are both marketed as 4G anyway.
@The Advanced Kind Well I just signed up for Verizon service (switched from Sprint interestingly enough) today, and if this turns out to be the case it will be the perfect time to not renew my contract with them. Honestly I don't see this happening with Sprint already offering unlimited 4G out of the gate (sure it's WiMAX not LTE, but they are virtually the same and easy to switch between... I am hoping LTE becomes a worldwide standard in
@cyborgsattack 2012 is the year when everything will change about mobile phone. One is the end of that Apple-AT&T bond. http://j.mp/att-apple-2012-armageddon
I'd be ok with non-unlimited connections for 4G, so long as its something like +80GB/month, without an insane fee too.
@Guy
Tethering better be free as well.
@Guy
i hope verizon does impose these limits and at&t follows suit. eventually people will switch to sprint & t-mobile because of the cheaper plans and they will become the #1 & #2 carriers in the US. then verizon and at&t will start firing off executives for allowing a mass exodus from their company...
At which time, a man named Han Desse will become CEO of verizon and usher in a new era of affordable plans, cheap unlimited data services, verizon money back guarantee, and reduced ETF fees. at&t will follow suit in the ensuing few years as sprint and t-mobile become drunk on power and profits and start to nickel & dime their customers (again)...
At which time, verizon and at&t will grow to be the #1 & #2 carriers in the US again, and we're back where we started. I call it the "circle of carrier stupidity."
Given the above truths... Verizon, can you just stop dicking around and stop trying to squeeze out profits? Stop the inevitable future from happening and you can actually stay on top for the next 10 years.
Damn, the naive Sprint fanboys are in full force today. If Engadget's comment section was indicative of the real world, Sprint would be the #1 carrier.
But reality says Sprint is bleeding both money and customers ,and they're mainly going to Verizon. The reality is that Verizon offers a better and more reliable service than Sprint.
The EVO is going to be Sprint's last hurrah. If it fails, I can see Verizon buying out Sprint, easily.
@bravokiloromeo
I'd be ok paying for tethering too, but I'd like to see it be $5-10 extra. I was looking forward to the EVO's ability until it came out that its $30, on top of the extra $10 for data. At least it looks like there's no 3G/4G data limits with that, but that shit adds up fast, and I don't even have 4G in the area. I have to drive to LA or Las Vegas.
And this is why I'm switching the SPRINT for the EVO. Unlimited 4G Data plus far cheaper plans!
@LiveGamer
i'm just hoping they finally get the Hero 2 so we can have a decent android phone that doesn't charge $10 extra each month for a service i'll never be able to use (indianapolis isn't on the list of WiMax sites in the next year - or more - so there's no point in me paying for 4G)
@willowtwf I have spoken to CSRs from Sprint and they have said that the $10 premium data package is only if you get the phone in an area that will have 4g.
@LiveGamer
Exactly. Get an Evo and don't worry about limits ever again.
@procompmreman CSR from Sprint aint know Jack shit.... The $10 is "phone specific" ... The hell you been?
http://blog.laptopmag.com/sprint-clarifies-required-10-premium-data-charge-on-evo-4g
@LiveGamer
Let us know how good your coverage is. That unlimited data and cheaper service isn't very good if it doesn't work half the time.
@Shooter McGavin
Umm so according to your dumb logic is that if you pay more it will mean your service will be better??? last time I check ATT 3g is not available as much as Sprint 3g is when att is like twice as much as expensive as VZW. How come VZW and ATT customers aren't experiencing 4g speeds in at least one city in the USA???? I mean you guys get raped right so shouldn't be the other way around both Att and VZW having 4g.
Whatever, Verizon. I'll believe it when I see it. You've got a great network but you sure do love to make promises you don't keep. I'm sure you'll pioneer the industry in new "non-unlimited" plans that somehow screw users out of their hard earned money even more.
iphone here we come!
@ashleythehottiest, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, At&t will have a similar LTE network to Verizon, people have been predicting Verizon and At&t will do this. No one expected Verizon to announce it this soon.
First the raised ETF, now this......
@d4mi4n I am waiting for my contract to end and I am switch to Sprint and getting the EVO4G
@Picaso4me I'm on AT&T now, I'll see how the EVO is and maybe I'll get that instead of a new iPhone. The new ETF on AT&T is just as ridiculous as verizon
I will never be getting verizon then.