Buzz Out Loud Lounge forum: Rise against verizons data packages!!

I am saying we have the right to chose whether we want to use their data or not to. The phones are reprogrammed to use their data rather than using any available wireless stream. In other countries this is not an issue as their data is free any way. But here Verizon wants us to only use their data stream so they can charge us. Its free if you get a wireless connection and faster. Most people have a wifi in their home but your smart phone will not use it unless Verizon data stream is not available. All that needs to be done is Verizon change the programing to any available connection (which is normally how they are first set up from the manufacturer} and then You can block data from Verizon. But then Verizon wouldn't make money on data. As wifi is being implemented for free in most cities now there is no use for a data package unless you travel. Verizon and the other carriers are scamming us.

Even if you buy your own phone full price. If it is a smart phone verizon will add on the data package automatically. You don't have a choice.

So your OK with paying Verizon 30-40.00 per line extra a month forever? that's 360-480.00 a year extra for something that is already available for free? Hey can you go ahead and start sending me a check too? All the carriers have already agreed to implement this, in the near future. Eventually it doesn't matter who you'd go with. Or who you do business with. Smart phones have been around for years now without the required data charge. Why now all of the sudden do they want you to pay for it? Because they want to Screw the American people some more!

OK, I would like to exercise my freedom to not have to buy a data package.

Why you could just stick with a VOIP app. I'd rather the freedom to not have to pick a voice plan.

That's also a very poor excuse for bad behaviour from companies. Just don't buy from them?? Makes about as much sense as telling the North Koreans to move to Sourh Korea, people move country all the time right, just leave that country and the government will have to change their ways or be left without peope to govern! Yep I've just solved the problem of tyrannical governments once and for all!

The real problem here is that carriers don't make it clear what your paying for. The subisidy should be a separate item on the bill. With optional voice or data plans that cost less than the current ones. Of course it would be nanny statism for the government to force this, but as consumers we should strongly advocate for it.

What I'm saying, is that it bugs me when you ignore wrong a company is doing and just say, ohh it's ok it's the free market they can do whatever they like. Where's the outrage and complaining, as geeky knowledgeable consumers in a free market that is our duty. It's not enough to just say don't buy from them. Often there will be no alternative or limited options. Or other factors like network quality that take more importance in your buying decision. What I'm saying is that is falls to us and the media to fix this problem. Not the government and not regular joes refusing to buy.

It's an oligarchy whereby two or three carriers control bandwidth that is supposed to be owned by "the public". And they all seem to overcharge the same amount for text massages and refuse to give anyone discounts for non-contract phones that just about every other carrier would do.

Convenient, huh? Some might even call it collusion.

Not just a handful. Make wireless like phone lines, open to any company that wants to compete, and you will have a real free market. Until then its a oligarchy of large companies who use their market dominance to keep margins high across the board.

As long as the FCC makes deals with just 4 major carriers and excludes others it isn't a free market. Same with most cable companies around the country, Don't like Comcast? In most places that's just too bad because they have exclusivity agreements with most municipalities. That is slowly changing in some large markets but its not changing nearly fast enough.

All the smart phones have wifi accessibility so if you want to get on your home network wifi. (which is free data and 5 times faster than Verizon data stream) you cant unless the Verizon system is unavailable. Now, if your at a coffee shop you can access their free wifi or at work ,if its there, All for FREE now lets say you go some where that you don't have access (which now a days is getting less and less)you just wouldn't get on it unless you had to. Verizon would charge you if you did. That's how its been the last 6 years Ive had my phones they are all smart phones with wifi accessibility and I've never had a data package. And this is what I have always done never had any data charges! Now verizon wants to charge me 35.00 a month for data usage I've never had a problem with. They are forcing us to use their slower data stream. Even the other phones they are tacking on 10.00 a month data fees for data those phones will never use how many people really use email on the phone less than 1.5%! free money for Verizon!

I have my sons old LG Boulder only because it doesn't need data and I refuse to pay the extra data fees. I had a black berry and was going to switch to an android when I found out about what they were doing. I miss my apps though.....I currently have 5 phones on our plan so If we all upgraded it would be an additional 10.00 to 30.00 per line depending on phone and data package they require with it. From what customer support said they all phones will have a data package added to it. Which is Wrong. Just because I ordered steak doesn't mean I want to pay extra for mushrooms I don't want. You know what I mean...