Additional details about Verizon’s Mandatory Data Plans emerge
Remember that rumor floating around about Verizon requiring a $29.99 data plan for all new smartphones? It was based upon a leaked screenshot of a small section of a two-page slide deck that detailed the new smartphone data requirement. Well, we got our hands on the original two-page document and now have all the nitty gritty details for you. First the bad news, all new smartphones launched on or after November 14th will require a minimum $29.99 data plan for everyone except Government customers. In 2009, select Mobile Web 2.0 devices that have a full HTML browser will also require a data plan, either $15/month VCast or the Connect or Premium Plan which includes data. Verizon’s own system will be edited to prevent new smartphones from having PAYG, 1X Data Block or 10 MB data plan so trying to sweet talk the customer service representative into activating these plans on your line wont work. Now onto the semi-good news, the changes apparently only apply to new phones launched on or after November 14th and does not apply to existing plans and existing phones. According to the slide, the exceptions to the mandatory data requirement are as follows:
- Existing PDAs/Smartphones customers with Data Block will not be impacted
- Existing PDAs/Smartphones customers with Pay As You Go will not be impacted
- Existing PDAs/Smartphones customers with 10 MB / $24.99 Feature will not be impacted
- Existing Gov’t customers may continue to add new PDAs/Smartphones or upgrade to new PDAs/Smartphones without a data plan/ feature of $29.99 or higher
- Devices already in store will not be impacted (As older models are sold through they will still follow the old policy)
If you are current customer on one of these now defunct Data Block, PAYG or 10MB plans, then you can keep your data plan until the point in time that you purchase and try to activate any new phone that was launched on or after November 14th. As long as you keep using your old phone, you’re golden. Hit the jump for the second slide which has selling points to try to get you rebel holdouts to purchase a data plan.
Ding Ding Ding we have a winner!!! This is exactly what I’m getting at. Verizon and any other carriers whom follow suit are contributing to the widespread economic decline. You think this will last keep dreaming. Verizon is just another Fanny May looking to get bailed out by our government. You read it above. FREE/NO Requirement of DATA for GOVERNMENT!!! (Scratch our backs we scratch yours) Oh and Verizon crippling is referred to adding ridiculously lower specs with Verizon operating systems.
What’s the first thing to go after your contracts up? Your Smartphone cause your mortgage doesn’t pay itself idiots!
Hey pji, if I’m correct VZW does cripple their phones and do not have wifi. Yes the GPS does work but only gets you to within 1 mile of your location, unless you have VZ Nav. Also, I don’t know of any phones on VZW that have wifi (I could be wrong)and that is why they are requiring a data plan in the future.
Hence, they are getting ready to sell wifi phones and you know how they like to squeeze every last penny from their customers!! The new Storm doesn’t have wifi!!
my voyager isnt water down the dares not water down these are type of phones there going after not your typical razr… its for for the full htl folks for 15. i get alot and im real happy
People — no worries. The connect plans are CHEAP…you can have 5 people with the Storm on a 700 minute, unlimited text unlimited internet plan for everyone for $180.00!
In the past, the BEST you could do was $280.00 for the SAME thing! This is nothing but a good thing, and why would you want a PDA with no data on it? What’s the point? Get an old man phone if you don’t want “bells and whistles” and go fall off the old man cliff — SEE YA!
they should force the government employee as well so then they may feel the same as other people and do their fucking jobs to stop Verizon.
@C-Man
I think the unlimited data on the connect plan is not meant for smartphones. It is meant for feature phones like the Dare, enV, Gleam, etc. For smartphones, you need to sign up for the Basic plan or the Select (if you want unlimited messaging) Plan and then add on the $29.99 data on top.
Five Storms on a Select plan with unlimited messaging and the Email and Web for Blackberry will still set you back $280/month.
I would want a phone without the “bells and whistles” because I don’t want to pay $30/ month for bells and whistles that aren’t worth that much and still have a nice phone to use for the built in bells whistles like a PDA used to be before mobile internet was so prevalent and not a POS phone so I need to carry 2 devices in my pocket, you pretentious prick
@ken
go on verizonwireless.com and shut your face cause you don’t know what you’re talking about. why do people always hate on verizon? they have the best network, and the best customer service. you get what you pay for. and if i’m not mistaken at&t’s plans and feature are all the same price as verizon’s but you get a crappy network and bad customer service. maybe verizon’s network is better because they actually pay attention to the phones they let on it. did anyone ever think about that? and btw… their smartphones aren’t crippled. their dumbphones really aren’t either.. they use brew.
It never ceases to amaze me, the amount of people commenting on this post that either don’t read the entire post or are just plain stupid.
The data plan for ALL blackberries is $29.99, unless your corporate email account runs off a BES (blackberry enterprise server) then you must be on the $44.99 plan.
The connect plans are NOT for smartphones, not even alil bit. They are for “regular” dumbphones, ones with HTML browsers. With the connect plan you will get unlimited messaging, unlimited data, and mobile email along with your respective minutes.
The flaming idiocy in these comments is rampant. Att and vzw voice and data plans are practically identical! And who the hell buys a web phone without a data plan duh. You people making stupid posts, does it make you feel better, or feel like you’re better person for ranting like a loon in blog comments? Sheesh.
What does it matter – company pays for the service anyway
Verizon will lose sales and give in. They can huff and puff but cell phone data plans will never be popular. I use internet on my phone two or three minutes a month. Even if it were free, hardly anyone would use it.
I’m not bashing Verizon! I have 3 phones with them!!! Please point me to the section on their website that shows the phones with wifi and the gps that is dead on like other carriers and not within 1700 meters. I’ve yet to see them in the over 10 years as a customer! I would love to have dead on gps w/o paying for VZ Navigator like Blackberry is on other carriers. Still continue to be with VZW because I agree they’re the best wherever you go!
You do realize you still need data plan for your dumbpone when you download from Get it Now.
And you are dumb if you think people barely use the net on their phone. The iphone, blackberry, g1 all prove that wrong by far.
so a data plan makes it a smartphone?
I have open wifi connections from my home to my job 15 minutes away. I am out of an open wifi connection for 3 minutes from my home to school. Rarely will i need internet when im out with friends.
Forcing a data plan on people who do not need one is a terrible way of doing business
maybe if YOU read the post asshole u will see for SMARTPHONES it is 30$ and for regular its 15$ (dumb phones). maybe u shouldnt assume things.
CDMA Blackberries do not have WiFi on ANY CARRIER (even the much laurelded Sprint), not just VZW. Several Verizon Wireless branded smartness running Windows Mobile DO. It’s a CDMA Blackberry/RIM thing, not a VZW thing.
Boogereater:
Whatever, jackass. I’m talking about corporate contracts, and their associated employee programs. By check it out, I mean to say find out for yourself if it applies to your line of service or situation. And I’m not talking about PAYG, I’m talking specifically about the legacy 10MB data plans.
It’s possible that our corporate rep’s regional sales director is mis-informed, but not very likely. I’ve been dealing with Verizon on these contracts since Verizon existed. Since Airtouch was still around. Since before you could stand and pee at the same time. So STFU.
I understand the first BB with wifi will be the Javelin to be released in early ‘09.
Um, Ken, Bold has wifi and came out in USA last week.
I’ve never been one to follow the masses. And as Verizon continues to become bigger and more restrictive in their “requirements”, just reinforces my behavior to stay with Sprint. Say what you will about the old Sprint, but I’ve never been wronged by them…And this increasingly emperial behavior of Verizon, continues to turn me away from them.
Umm the Curve 8320 (GSM) has been out with WiFi for over a year. I’m also pretty sure the Curve 8350 has WiFi & GPS *on CDMA*. (may be iDen?)
Thought I would set the record straight on that front, in this cespool of ignorance.
JaggedXJ,
The Curve 8350 is a iDen BB, the first ever BTW. Only CDMA BB’s don’t have WiFi
XX00 – GSM (and in most cases no WiFi or GPS (the Bold being the exception
XX10 — GSM with GPS (but no WiFi)
XX20 – GSM with WiFi but no GPS
The Bold (90000) is the first GSM handset to have both WiFi and GPS
XX30 – CDMA (and in some cases overseas GSM) with GPS (sometimes) but no WiFi
XX50 – iDen
7100i is iden so the 8350 is not the first iden blackberry. nice try smart guy.
This pisses me off so much! US Cellular is also telling me I cannot have a smartphone (Q) without the goddamn data package! BULLSHIT! FTW