Millenicom sold/bought/shafted by Verizon?

[TXiceman]

On the Escapees forum there is a lot of discussion about getting emails from Millenicom stating that their service was going over to Verizon.

I did contact Millenicom and it is true that they will no longer be handling the data plans which were on the Verizon network, but nothing additional. A lot of speculation as what will happen to our 20GB plans for $89.95 per month and no contract.

So now we wait and see if and when we are contacted by Verizon and how much they will try to jack up the rates. I for one will tell them adios. I do not like smaller companies being forced out of business by the 800# ape.

Ken

[96Bounder30E]

This thread is closed.........see the already running thread in Technology corner for more information.

[MrWizard]

You want to discuss other options..I understand
But let's keep the ranting and speculation out of this
Many people here don't like Verizon pricing structure
If I was in the market I would be put off by current pricing
But Verizon has a history of leaving grandfathered plans of acquisition companies alone
I know a fellow in Florida, on a ten year old Altel plan, he had when Verizon acquired Altel years ago

There is no public information, no news , no press releases,
I'm guessing Mellenicom ran into money problems, but that's only a guess
For existing Mellenicom customers, this could be nothing more than a name change on the bill, and service and billing stays the same

In hindsight..this has been building for some time, remember the posts about no new hotspot devices being available

[darsben]

This is called the free enterprise system at work.
The USA has been in the throws of a great debate over deregulation. Business has been badgering our elected officials to let businesses compete unfettered by regulation, most companies stating they are capable of regulating themselves. This is a result.

Consider this and the banking debacle, the stock debacle all caused OR EXACERBATED by less regulation.

The shape of things to come

[rockhillmanor]

Boy these data usage costs is really getting expensive! I figured it would just be a matter of time till these mifi/hotspot's got greedy or belly up'd.

Guess I am going to have to get a double lined velvet box now to store my very old mobile broadband so it doesn't break when traveling so I don't loose my "unlimited data". :C

[cpaulsen]

louiskathy wrote:
That's right. Millenicom is gone.

And don't consider going to Sprint. Their hotspots will only work IN NETWORK. they allow a very very small amount of data usage off network if any at all. When you look at their coverage map, make SURE that you click on the DATA coverage map and not the phone coverage map. Then be sure to drill down far enough to clearly see if you will have coverage in the area you will be traveling through. Initially I thought there was adequate coverage because the map I was seeing had lots and lots of dark purple across it. Once I drilled down to take a closer look...the dark purple went away and showed little or no coverage. For instance, there is basically no coverage between the NW and Bismarck ND. You can't even be sure that your mifi will pick up any signal even if you stay on interstates. It's all roaming ( light purple)and their devices will not work on roaming/out of network.

Some of the Millenicom mifi devices will work on the Verizon network... and only require a new SIM card and Verizon data plan to connect. But Verizon has a $20 a month line charge plus Data $$ and taxes. 4GB will run you $20 + $30 plus taxes.
You can check to see if your device will work on Verizon here: Click herehttp://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/nso/enterDeviceId.do?zipRdr=y

It will ask you to input your device ID (you'll find it under the battery). You might have to drop the - (dash) and you might have to not use the last number of the ID. I had to play with it for awhile to see what would work.

If your device will work on the Verizon system, all you need is a new SIM card and those are free but you need to request it when you sign up and pick your plan. (Might take a week for them to send it to you but there's no cost for it.)

But I'm NOT a verizon fan. In fact I am more upset with them than ever. The word is that they acquired Millenicom's customers. I'm not sure there was a buy out or if Millenicom simply had no choice.

ATT, Verizon and Sprint are running a double data deal until the end of October but that is for phone devices only... not hotspot/mifi devices. If you are interested in that you have to sign up for it. You won't get it automatically.

Just did the double date deal on our Verizon phones and JetPack.....went from 15G to 30 G for the same price and we use the JetPack all the time.

[LarryJM]

TXiceman wrote:
I do not like smaller companies being forced out of business by the 800# ape.

Ken

Big Business sometimes doesn't make a lot of sense to us "NORMAL FOLKS" and I wonder if what Millenicom wasn't doing was exploiting some "loophole" that allowed them to offer Verizon services w/o the normal overhead that determines normal Verizon services price point.

I guess you could also look at it as Millenicom "selling out" it's customers based on it's own "profit" motives just like Verizon was doing in acquiring Millenicom customers/business. Thus Millenicom is not different than Verizon in the end when viewed from a business prospective.

Larry

[ronfisherman]

louiskathy wrote:


ATT, Verizon and Sprint are running a double data deal until the end of October but that is for phone devices only... not hotspot/mifi devices. If you are interested in that you have to sign up for it. You won't get it automatically.

The AT&T plan includes hotspots, phones and tablets that are connected to the family plan. Just upgraded mine to the 30GB plan.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I'm sure glad I read. Sigh.

[louiskathy]

That's right. Millenicom is gone.

And don't consider going to Sprint. Their hotspots will only work IN NETWORK. they allow a very very small amount of data usage off network if any at all. When you look at their coverage map, make SURE that you click on the DATA coverage map and not the phone coverage map. Then be sure to drill down far enough to clearly see if you will have coverage in the area you will be traveling through. Initially I thought there was adequate coverage because the map I was seeing had lots and lots of dark purple across it. Once I drilled down to take a closer look...the dark purple went away and showed little or no coverage. For instance, there is basically no coverage between the NW and Bismarck ND. You can't even be sure that your mifi will pick up any signal even if you stay on interstates. It's all roaming ( light purple)and their devices will not work on roaming/out of network.

Some of the Millenicom mifi devices will work on the Verizon network... and only require a new SIM card and Verizon data plan to connect. But Verizon has a $20 a month line charge plus Data $$ and taxes. 4GB will run you $20 + $30 plus taxes.
You can check to see if your device will work on Verizon here: Click herehttp://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/nso/enterDeviceId.do?zipRdr=y

It will ask you to input your device ID (you'll find it under the battery). You might have to drop the - (dash) and you might have to not use the last number of the ID. I had to play with it for awhile to see what would work.

If your device will work on the Verizon system, all you need is a new SIM card and those are free but you need to request it when you sign up and pick your plan. (Might take a week for them to send it to you but there's no cost for it.)

But I'm NOT a verizon fan. In fact I am more upset with them than ever. The word is that they acquired Millenicom's customers. I'm not sure there was a buy out or if Millenicom simply had no choice.

ATT, Verizon and Sprint are running a double data deal until the end of October but that is for phone devices only... not hotspot/mifi devices. If you are interested in that you have to sign up for it. You won't get it automatically.

[mena661]

You can get Verizon grandfathered unlimited plans on ebay. Two things though:
1. Verizon has to approve the "transfer of liability".
2. You don't get your money refunded if #1 doesn't get approved. You're stuck with a plan you can't use.

[pnichols]

Yeah .... those Millenicom 20GB plans were great.

Those plans were about the only affordable way to be able to watch Internet streamed Netflix videos in the evenings while camping. What is REALLY NICE is the fortunate folks still with the old unlimited Verizon Internet access plans ... all the Internet you want anytime when out and about with the RV (although I don't know if those grandfathered plans are fast enough for smooth streamed video)!