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Comment by jaredandrews | Hacker News Reader

Verizon is the only cell company that has coverage in my home town in central Massachusetts. Thus I have used them all my life.

I recently had my first "positive" customer service with experience with Verizon switching to their unlimited plan. My bill dropped significantly. ($120 base -> $80 but really $200 -> $80 because I always go over on data)

I just noticed that I have a "phone upgrade" waiting as well. I am an Android dev and typically just buy unlocked phones when I need them and switch SIM cards. This sort of shit is why. Even as it is, Verizon branded phones are filled with crapware you can't delete. It sucks knowing that thru my monthly bill that I am subsidizing a "phone upgrade" program that I am never going to take advantage of due to the way Verizon molests Android before giving you the phone.

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Surely they are going to be loading it using Carrier Configuration tied to the sim card... As soon as you put a verizon sim card into your unlocked non verizon phone it installed a bunch of helper apps.

https://source.android.com/devices/tech/config/carrier.html

Anyone know of a way to disable that? Just "don't upgrade to Android 6.0", or burning a custom ROM with some parts hacked out?

Apps such as Titanium Backup * Root ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.keramidas.... ) ( Or similar )

Very interesting, thanks for pointing out. As far as I can tell nothing was installed by Verizon on my most recent phone. I was using it as a dev device before using at as my primary phone, so I was pretty aware of what was installed on it. This was over a year ago and I think I started with a 5.X version of Android. Will have to see what happens next time I switch phones... welp.

Because of these kinds of shenanigans, I'm seriously thinking about an iPhone for my next phone.

If Verizon did all this stuff on an opt-in basis, I'd have no problem with it. If it were opt-out, I'd be grumpy, but would probably deal with it. When it's required, I'm going to be looking for alternatives.

Ah, so that's how those Verizon apps got on my Pixel!

Wondering when they started doing this. I have a Nexus 5x on Verizon for less than a year and I never got any Verizon apps installed.

Does it require root to remove them?

Have you tried a Verizon MVNO? There's a list here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_v... The biggest name I know from that list is Credo.

This is what my wife & I did for a while (but with AT&T, since we wanted GSM). Although now we're both happy Republic Wireless customers.

Never looked into it. Thanks for the link!

Just know that MVNOs usually have some drawbacks. E.g. slightly higher pings, lower priority etc.

I use page plus cellular on a Moto G4. Uses the Verizon network and I have no Verizon bloat at all. I never had to root the phone either. The Motorola/Lenovo bloat is quite minimal. I pay under 30 dollars a month, but don't need much data.

> It sucks knowing that thru my monthly bill that I am subsidizing a "phone upgrade" program that I am never going to take advantage of

One of the reasons that your phone bill likely dropped is that Verizon no longer couples the cost of your phone with your contract.

> This sort of shit is why.

This sort of shit is why I only get phones I can root (except for my current iPhone, which was Buy One, Get One).

Root gives you access to tools that can disable/backup/uninstall stuff you otherwise couldn't - as well as access to more powerful adblockers and other goodies.

You have to be careful to try and get "trusted" apps (I don't download "cracked" ZOMG!FREE! games... anymore cough) but it's not like you control what's on your phone 100% anyways...

Verizon is very big in my town, but I pay $35/month for less-than-wonderful Virgin Mobile. Can't get a signal in the office but it's not worth +$85/month more to me.

Perhaps you can convince your employer to cover/expense your cell phone, as it is necessary for you to perform your job. If they disagree, completely stop using a personal cell phone, and then watch how fast they provide you with one.

Seems a little vindictive to me. How about suggesting them to add a cell signal booster for his carrier at the office?

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