It pays to be a long time customer, as some of Verizon’s customers have been enjoying the fact that they had grandfathered their plans all the way to an unlimited data plan, although there is one drawback – you are unable to upgrade your subsidized handset without losing the unlimited data capability. This has led to the number of Verizon subscribers who see a slow drop in the number of members who are currently grooving to an unlimited data plan. There is, however, a single trick that Verizon customers have made use of all this while, that is, to have account holders upgrade to a monthly $9.99 featurephone account in order to purchase a subsidized smartphone, before making the switch for the smartphone to enjoy unlimited data. All good things do seem to come to an end, as word on the street has it that Verizon will do away with such a loophole from the 24th of August onward.
According to the new rules, Verizon customers who choose to activate or upgrade to a new smartphone will have to be in possession of a data plan that will also be as long as the corresponding length of the contract. This would mean one can no longer take advantage of the above mentioned loophole.
Verizon shared, “(When Verizon) gives customers a discount on the retail price of a smartphone, we expect them to pay for data services and keep the smartphone activated for 2 years. This change closes the loopholes which allowed customers to activate/upgrade a smartphone and immediately revert back to a basic phone, resulting in a discontinued smartphone with no associated data plan.”
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