Streaming Music Question

[Kasey Pierce]

So i'm really starting to get ready and bite the bullet and drop my unlimited data. My current phone is on its last legs and i can not find someone to sell me an upgrade. I have an old grandfathered unlimited data plan and 2 upgrades ready to be used. I know i want the Icon for it's camera (thanks to the pictures posted to this forum) and WP 8.1. I use about 7-8 GBs of data month simply because i don't ever connect to Wifi at home. The only real thing i would see myself using data for outside of home and work is streaming music in my car. Currently i stream Pandora to and from work (about 40 min to an hour round trip) from my android phone. If i get this phone, i would drop Pandora and get Nokia Mix Radio+. For those of you who no longer have unlimited data and stream music every day, how much data do you use in music? what do you think i would be looking at based on my usage? I only have two smart phones so i don't see the need to get shared data with my wife, besides she will not let go of unlimited data. What say you forum?

 

[psiu_glen]

I wouldn't. What phone do you currently have, what could you get that would be an upgrade to you but not at brand new prices?

EBay is pretty safe for buyers, all the risk basically falls on sellers. You can also look on tech forum FS/FT sub forums, like Anandtech, check out someone's Heatware references in lieu of eBay feedback. Swappa is supposedly okay, though I've heard if the deal doesn't work there isn't a lot of support. Craigslist (meet at the Verizon store to make sure the phone is kosher and you don't get shot).

We moved in April/May. Flipping on tethering for about 2.5 weeks was pretty nice. Went through 70 GB. Try that with a capped plan. Data usage is ONLY going up. Verizon may take unlimited away at some point, but don't just give it back to them.

 

[psiu_glen]

Also you said 2 upgrades? You have 2 lines for yourself? Are both phones in need of replacement? Do both need unlimited data? Is this a family plan? Your wife's line is separate?

 

[TonyDedrick]

None. I'm on a mobile share plan with my wife. She actually uses data for Pandora for our daughter during car rides.

 

[Kasey Pierce]

I wouldn't. What phone do you currently have, what could you get that would be an upgrade to you but not at brand new prices?

EBay is pretty safe for buyers, all the risk basically falls on sellers. You can also look on tech forum FS/FT sub forums, like Anandtech, check out someone's Heatware references in lieu of eBay feedback. Swappa is supposedly okay, though I've heard if the deal doesn't work there isn't a lot of support. Craigslist (meet at the Verizon store to make sure the phone is kosher and you don't get shot).

We moved in April/May. Flipping on tethering for about 2.5 weeks was pretty nice. Went through 70 GB. Try that with a capped plan. Data usage is ONLY going up. Verizon may take unlimited away at some point, but don't just give it back to them.

I currently have the HTC Droid DNA. A few months ago the volume rocker stopped working. Minor issue since i can go into settings and adjust it from there, so not a phone breaking feature. As of about the last month, the battery does not hold a charge past 4-5 hours. I will take it off the charger at 7 am and it will be 12% by 1 pm. I hardly use any apps on my phone since most duties have been shifted over to my Surface. I'ts just annoying more than anything having to keep it on the charger all day. A lot of my wanting to upgrade is just out of impatience. I had a HTC 8X before the DNA and i miss it. Just did not like the hardware and HTC lack of support for Windows phone, just miss WP software dearly. I appreciate the feedback. I think you are right. Any phone is not worth getting rid of unlimited data. I try and convince myself that if i stuck to WiFi i wouldn't use so much, but that's not the point. Its the principle. I like that i don't have to monitor my usage. I mean, Verizon has this blazing fast 4G LTE...and yet they are limiting how much people can use. in this day and age, data is more present than anything...and that is what they charge the most...and offer the least of. I looked at the "share everything plan" and i think its garbage. I don't need unlimited voice...i barely use 700 minutes. anyway sorry for the rant.

I have two upgrades as in my wife and i both have upgrades ready. We have two smart phone and two basic phones. we have been using the basic phone lines for our upgrades but the are not due until next year. and yes both lines have unlimited data.

 

[nunyazz]

.. and how old is your DNA? You do realize that the battery in any phone is only good for a couple years max.

 

[Kasey Pierce]

.. and how old is your DNA? You do realize that the battery in any phone is only good for a couple years max.

I traded my HTC 8X for it last February. I completely understand, I don't mean to come across as angry my phone doesn't work, i'm just saying i know how EASY it would be to drop unlimited data and get a brand new phone, over finding an upgrade to buy, or buy used.

 

[psiu_glen]

What might be possible, and perhaps double check on HoFo to see if its still working, is transfer an upgrade to one of your dumb phone lines.

We'll call this transfer upgrade from Line 1 to Line 3. Get new smartphone on Line 3, adding the $30 data plan. Activate phone on it, at least overnight. Then put old dumbphone back, and simply swap your SIM (Line 1) into the phone (or get a new correctly sized SIM to do so).

In theory this should use your upgrade and I believe extend your contract date, but not touch your plan. However, Verizon is always fiddling with things, thus why I say to see what the current situation is. Should be a "keep unlimited data" thread over in the Verizon forum at HoFo, good to read the whole thing so you get an understanding of Verizon's shenanigans and systems, even if they might be slightly changed at any given moment.

 

[Kasey Pierce]

Hmmm I use the dumb phone upgrades when they are available, but they are not the lines with the upgrades. Are you suggesting that i can transfer my upgrade to a dumb phone, do the piggy back upgrade, put the dumb phone back on that line and give the icon to my mine line?

 

[psiu_glen]

Yeah, at least relatively recently it still worked, the contract would actually extend on your line (Line 1) but you could use the upgrade on Line 3. I actually need to double check this because I'm in the same boat -- my line has an upgrade available (w/unlimited data on it) but wife's line doesn't come up again until next year (she uses a flip phone, used her upgrade last year to get my 928). So I need to check on transferring mine to hers, upgrade on her line (contract extends on mine but doesn't touch the plan) and then switch it back to her flip and I get whatever new phone.