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[HIGH DEF JEFF]

I live in NYC. I don't care about cell phones. I have one of the most inexpensive phones on the cheapest plan Metro PCS has to offer. 40 bucks a month, no contract.

I also use an iPod Touch for podcasts, music, Airplay stuff. Our apartment is Apple'd out to the max. 3 Apple TVs, Mac Mini, iMac, 4 iPads.

I am happily moving to the middle of nowhere soon. I asked the previous home owners what carrier the use and it's Verizon. They said nothing else really works out there, My girlfriend already has Verizon so she is good.

So I figure get an iPhone - eliminates the need for a Pod, integrates nicely into our Apple house.

Help me clear up the following:
1) Should I buy an "unlocked" phone or an "off contract" phone? - I have been watching Youtube reviews and the mention these things but I don't know if I really need that. Money is no concern here. If I have to pay full price for the phone I don't care but I want to know if it's even necessary.

2) What's up with their plans? - I am going to miss paying 40 bucks flat, no taxes but I know that type deal isn't offered by these big carriers. I try to look at plans on their website and I can't seem to get to anything. Do the plans sell tier things by "minutes" and "data"?

3) Speaking of data, what happens if you go over their allotment? - On Metro PCS if you go over their cap they just downspeed you and there is no extra charge. I never go over the cap but now that I will be communting by car I imagine I will be using Rdio/Spotify more often. If I hit Verizons cap (whichever I choose) what happens?

If you have any other tidbits before I hit up the store later, please share.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

If you can afford it you might as well get a phone at full retail price--it means you are not locked to a contract or provider and can switch your service or phone at any time (and iPhones hold their resale value very well when unlocked).

Smartphones / iPhones require a data plan along with talk/text service. There is no longer an unlimited data plan unless you were grandfathered into it. Most or all of the plans have unlimited talk/text now though. If you go over your data cap it's $15 per GB I think.

Incidentally, if you are not sharing a plan with anyone else, you can opt for an individual line plan--Verizon pretty much only advertises their More Everything shared data plans on the website, so you probably have to specifically ask for it over the phone or in store. The plan I have is $60 unlimited text/talk with a 2GB data cap.

Also, you can estimate how much data you might need using this calculator: https://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/datacalculatorPopup.jsp

 

[HIGH DEF JEFF]

If you can afford it you might as well get a phone at full retail price--it means you are not locked to a contract or provider and can switch your service or phone at any time (and iPhones hold their resale value very well when unlocked).

Smartphones / iPhones require a data plan along with talk/text service. There is no longer an unlimited data plan unless you were grandfathered into it. Most or all of the plans have unlimited talk/text now though. If you go over your data cap it's $15 per GB I think.

Incidentally, if you are not sharing a plan with anyone else, you can opt for an individual line plan--Verizon pretty much only advertises their More Everything shared data plans on the website, so you probably have to specifically ask for it over the phone or in store. The plan I have is $60 unlimited text/talk with a 2GB data cap.

Where can I buy an unlocked phone? I assume the Verizon store will not sell me one.

 

[njean777]

Where can I buy an unlocked phone? I assume the Verizon store will not sell me one.

Apple sells them but you are more likely going to have to wait a couple of months. Iphone 6's are still hard to find.

 

[HIGH DEF JEFF]

Apple sells them but you are more likely going to have to wait a couple of months. Iphone 6's are still hard to find.

I don't think I'm going to get the new one. That 5 should suffice.

 

[DrFunk]

Verizon doesn't sell unlocked phones - their network is CDMA, which means only their devices work on it. They, however, sell off contract devices, which basically is paying full price for the device itself.

 

[EhoaVash]

one of the cheapest eh?

The moto g is like $99 no contract and $35 a month unlimited ( 1GB data ) ( boost mobile ). I got mines for free just for switching to boost from verizon lul

but yeah I'm not a fan of verizon way..too expensive for the shit the offer. but I can understand moving to the middle of no where ..can't say i can help you then >.<

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Verizon doesn't sell unlocked phones - their network is CDMA, which means only their devices work on it. They, however, sell off contract devices, which basically is paying full price for the device itself.

I think the iPhone 5(s) take GSM SIMs? Shit's confusing though.

 

[Skelter]

Apple sells them but you are more likely going to have to wait a couple of months. Iphone 6's are still hard to find.

Yup. Ordered my 6 Plus October 5th and it's coming by November 4th. If you don't mind paying full price OP then I say go for it. Unlocked iPhones are worth a lot and I even sold two iPhone 5s for $400 each in order to pay for the 6 Plus.

I think the iPhone 5(s) take GSM SIMs? Shit's confusing though.

Check it man.

 

[HeartlessNobody213]

If you don't mind using Craigslist, you can find some good deals on unlocked Iphones. I bought an unlocked 5C for $250 that came with 2 cases, a lightining cable and a charging dock last month.

 

[linkboy]

I think the iPhone 5(s) take GSM SIMs? Shit's confusing though.

Every iPhone from the 5 on up has been sold factory unlocked.

 

[DrFunk]

I think the iPhone 5(s) take GSM SIMs? Shit's confusing though.

Actually, yeah it does

 

[HIGH DEF JEFF]

If the benefits of unlocked phone is their value retention and ability to use it abroad then I don't think it's for me.

Whatever phone I get will probably last me a few years (as all my phones often do).I don't ever look to sell things and I don't plan on leaving Verizon..unless we sell the house we just bought and move back to the city. I hate contracts but if the monthly price ON Contract and OFF Contract is the same then I might as well get the phone at the contract price.

Now, looking at Verizon prices via Apples site..

More Everything?

Verizon Edge?

I don't see a difference in what these plans do, except the sickening prices.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

The Edge plan is financed, basically. You don't pay anything for the phone up front but a portion of the full price is added to your monthly bill for two years. You get a discount on the plan itself but obviously it will be more overall with the phone price added into it.

And again, those are all shared plans. You can either ask about an individual plan OR do the math and jump on a shared plan with your gf, which might be cheaper if you split it. You just have to be careful not to exceed the cap between the two of you.

 

[Diablos]

Verizon has the worst customer support on planet earth. They are inept, the departments are totally disharmonious, one hand not talking to the other when they act like they are in control of the situation, etc. They make Comcast look good, and that's no joke.

Their service is rock solid, so at least you have that. Prices are a ripoff unless you can manage to get on a family plan or something. Otherwise I'd spend my money elsewhere.

 

[Sectorseven]

There's no Verizon MVNOs in your area? How about Pageplus?

 

[Sarye]

Verizon iPhones from 5 and up are unlocked from the beginning. In fact, I currently have a Verizon iPhone 6 that is using AT&Ts network.

Verizon uses CDMA for their cell network true but the iPhone has both CDMA and GSM bands. Just look at all the networks this phone supports here: http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_6-6378.php

Before anyone asks, AT&T phones come locked but they will unlock if it you ask (usually after a month) Sprint will not unlock the Phone and T-Mobile's iPhone is not the same model and doesn't work on CDMA.

OP, most likely Verizon Edge is not for you as math wise it doesn't really add up unless you have a family plan with 10GB of shared data. They do currently have a promotion of $45 a month on Verizon Edge for 1 GB of data (which is IMO not enough) and if you are financing the phone you will be spending an additional $30+ a month.

if you go over the data allotment it will be an extra $15 for each gig over.