Verizon Wireless mandating data plans for all 3G devices? UPDATED
We’ve been told that Verizon Wireless will be switching around some of their 3G data plans for handsets starting January 18th.
Supposedly, all 3G-capable phones, Rev 0. and Rev A. will now require a minimum $9.99 data plan which includes 25MB (and also includes mobile email). The 75MB plan is reportedly going away to be replaced with a $29.99 unlimited option (including mobile email). The only exception to the rule are the PTT phones.
UPDATE: Added photo confirming this, but the required data plan only applies to “3G Multimedia devices,” apparently.
That such bs. Verizon must hate their customers
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Don’t worry about it too much. You’ll see a change in the next few weeks as far as pricing plans. The change is in a good way as well.
So, unrelated to all of this data stuff, there are new plans that are coming, or the current ones would change (drop?) in terms of price?
So with the changes leaked now, realistically only the unlimited plans have a good change associated with them (drop in price), while it seems that the Connect and Premium plans are going away, which, along with these new data requirements, is going to make it that much more expensive for people to have data on their feature phones (in particular messaging and data together). So, overall, the change isn’t exactly “in a good way”.
WARNING! The price has dropped from 45.99 to 29.99.
Yes thats a break….However they do not notify you of the change and keep you on the 45.99 plan unless YOU change it. sounds like an expencive lawsuit to me……If you have a buisness account it will also remain 45.99 and they have no answer what the difference is between buisness and personal..lol
I agree noname… I just cancelled my service for this reason. I wanted to upgraded to the alias 2 and told me I needed this data plan..well I don’t use my phone for internet so why should I have to be forced to pay this..all other non-smart phones that didn’t require this are phones that I didn’t like and I called customer service and they wouldn’t budget as far as removing this option for me so I said I guess I’m not a valued customer but I guess if you do you use the internet on your phone it’s good deal but don’t force customers that don’t use it to get this plan..so I said Goodbye…going back to Sprint where I has happy the service and phones.
March 3rd. That’s the date. My contract will be up. Can’t wait…
I’ve been with Verizon for 6 years and have watched their pricing go higher and higher. Last year my family tried to get 3 enV touches only to be told we would have to pay $10 bucks a piece for data we wouldn’t use. We said “no” and had hoped they would get the picture and remove the fee. Guess not. So March 3rd we will be getting iphones and only paying $10 more a month (we get to reduce our minutes because AT&T have rollover minutes). I always wanted a reason to get an iphone. Now I do. Goodbye big red. Hello AT&T!
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it doesnt even matter. at least with the iphone u can get the option of getting data or not. but with verizon even pressing a button can cost u something. i am a verizon customer and i have a normal slider phone with $5/250 text. i want a full keyboard with $10/500 and unlimited verizon to verizon but i cant have that because they need a $10 data plan. what the hell is the point in that?! i dont use data. and i am only in need of texting. and with att u get unlimited texting and data for $30 a month (not BB) however on verizon u get $30 only for data. and texting is a whole different story. so what if “J M” wants the texting? it would be his choice and not being verizon shoving the plan into their customer’s faces.
Only an idiot could make such a short sighted, ignorant statement. there are many reasons that a person would choose to buy a “data” phone and not want the data package. Some of these would be the added features, camera, keyboard, music, wi fi apps. the only idiot here is the one who cant see past the end of his nose and feels the need to denigrate others. Seems common sense isn’t so common.
JM, that’s the ONLY way to show these companies the consumer won’t stand for it. Right on!
But see what JM’s experience was, verizon mandated the $10 data package on the env Touch (which shouldn’t require one if you dont want it) and they got away with it. Now they’re doing it to a number of other phones! When will it stop? It doesn’t look like it’s going to!
For those of you who think we’re complaining about data plans in general, we’re not. (At least I”m not). I understand the need for one on a data-centric devices such as the blackberrys, treo’s and droids. The complaint is when the carrier mandates it for data capable phones where it’s an option, NOT integral to the operation of the phone. And they do it to make more money.
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This is fine as long as they don’t chagnge the rules mid game. The new data plan charge is on phones that others have bought without having to have a data plan. So bascially we have two sets of rules for verizon customers, all depending when you were available for upgrade. If they want to do this with new phones that makes good business sense, but to do this with existing phones is only going to cost them money in the long run.
anyone (OTHER than a business-person) who pays a bajillion $$$ for these smart-phone data plans is just tossing their money away. If people would stop THROWING money at Verizon, they would be more reluctant to keep raising the prices!
Seriously… it’s called the f’n internet. find a free hot-spot, buy an ipod touch, and stop giving these greedy phone companies more money than they deserve for inferior quality networks and technology.
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TJ…
Im with you on this one. Obscene monthly fees for sometimes spotty coverage/service. Finding a hot spot is becoming easier….Why cant ANY carrier offer an unlocked android phone with wifi in order to use VOIP Skype (or others) and then offer the option for METERED Cell phone usage? This is another model that hasnt been embraced yet ( or has it?). Especially in this tough economic climate. This is oriented towards the needs of the customer. I currently use a metered cellphone per minute and have dumped the phone company and use my laptop wifi to skype calls from home and hotspots. Would love to have an android phone with both options. Can anyone help here? thx.
No kidding. I agree totally. I have yet to see ANY phone worth paying for to use as your primary internet surfing tool. I pay $30/mth for my home internet and can access it with an unlimited number of PCs…why are phones so different?…cuz Verizon has enough idiots out there willing to pay the fees just because they’re told it’s best for them…fools! If you use it and are willing to pay…great. But for those of us that use phones for TALKING…why should we have to pay for features we aren’t using? A major lawsuit is in order…and it is long overdue.
This will backfire on Verizon and here is how…I always upgrade each of my five family plan phones as they become eligible. Not because I need the latest greatest features but usually because the phones have taken a beating by then. I currently have data block (after being told by 4 reps over a year that it wasn’t possible) because I was getting 1.99 data charges from unintentional web hits while the phone was in my pocket. The Dare is terrible about pocket calling and pocket surfing. With this mandatory data requirement I will not upgrade any more of my phones because I don’t want to pay for something I don’t need and not to the tune of $50/mo (5×10). Not to mention the fact that I don’t want my kids to be spending all of their time surfing from their phones while driving etc. The end result will be that in the not too far off future I will be free to flee with no ETF when my last phone is no longer under contract. I never minded re-upping for two more years because it was fair to me (new phone) and fair to Verizon (new contract). Net net, I think Verizon is unwittingly going to be encouraging more of their customers like me to avoid the upgrade and thereby find themselves in a great position to switch. Verizon is forcing me to rethink my options. Till now, I’ve been able to tolerate the arrogance and the stupid map commercials but this changes everything.
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I thought for sure this was my mom posting on this. We also have the family plan for 5 people.. AND we have data blocked as well for the same reason. The phone I found needs one of the new data plans… well we have gone round and round with Verizon and they will not budge.. although they did hint that on Monday the 18th, that I can get that phone.. w no additional cost for the internet… they would not be able to give details, but told me to simply call back on Monday and they would explain this.. not sure if this helps, but call Monday as well and see what they will do for you.
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Ok explain to me how you can get a phone with no additional cost for the internet? I was hoping for a price reduction but was told the 700 and 1400 family share plan does not qualify and it has to be plans over that. The news made it sound like our bill would go down so didn’t give all the details I guess. Mary
We have a data block on all 3 phones but can still send text with pictures. I was told even if I accidentally hit the button just the fact that it tried to connect I will get charged the least amount of MB but I figure that was fine and if my phone was lost or stolen someone couldn’t use the net and rack up $$$ worth of charges. Mary
my thing is what if i have one of those phones already and dont have a data package on it, Will they leave it or will i have to add it on my plan
all I can is..once again…*calls his friend about his email sent*…did you send the email to me John, yea..well I cant check it while on a phonecall..lol..*hangsup*
I have 5 phones on a family plan. We do not need a data plan – and I am now thinking we do not need a cell phone plan. $600 per year increase for something I don’t need – No thanks verizon.
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I think that verizon forgets that “it’s a phone”, not everyone wants to get internet and e-mail on a device that they have to speak to another person. Personally internet on the phone is a waste, the little bit that I have seen the speeds are slow and to look at it on a itty bitty screen is ridiculous. The consumer includes all of the users of the network, and just because x percent has it doesn’t mean that everyone wants it. I think that this policy is crap, it is verizon trying to get more money out of people.
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I totally agree with you Murle Meetze. We have 5 phones and none of us need or want a data plan. We use our phones to talk, text and send pictures. We have EnV3’s and Alias2’s none of which have data plans. Now our last phone is ready to be updated – it is currently an EnV2 – and we were shocked to discover that to get any phone like we already have we must pay an additional $9.99 per month! My son pointed out that when all the phones get updated it will amount to $600 per year for DATA PLANS WE DON’T WANT AND WON’T USE. When the two year contracts are up we will have to reevaluate if we want to stay with Verizon. For now, we are considering pulling the fifth phone off the plan and switching to another carrier for that one.
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I’m so frustrated and infuriated with Verizon right now! All 5 of our phones are up for renewal- had all the phones picked out as of 2 weeks ago and went today to get them all and found out they all had to have the additional monthly data fee! $50- a month for a service we don’t need??? So they tell me- well- you can pick from these 5 basic phones- all with terrible reviews and bulky sizes! So- I’ve never done this before- but I told the little vzw agent that they can just close us down and we will go else where!! I’ve been with them for over 20 years!!!! Aagghh! Sooooo mad!!!!
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How long til they start requiring a $10 texting package too so all the older people who don’t even know what a text or data package is will get to shell out an extra $20 per month per line for a service that IS NOT NEEDED for the phone to function AS A PHONE! Just because a car can have GPS, Onstar, satellite radio, leather seats and a sun roof doesn’t mean everyone wants or needs it!!!
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I AM an older person, and all I wanted was a decent phone (bigger displays!) with a qwerty keyboard so I could add a text plan to get me by in the low-signal areas.
But the EnvTouch required a data plan. What am I going to do with that? And I’d have to pay even more for the text plan because THAT’S NOT DATA..
So, I’m handing it back and getting a dumb phone. Dumb dumb dumb, verizon.
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so ive been having fun with vw. i call and explain that i want a chocolate touch and then remark i dont want the data plan. the best sales pitch they have is that the data plan unlocks additional features and that it protects against accidental use…so which one is it, opening doors to new technology or protecting against those open doors? there no logic in this on their part. so heres some logic. hold to your guns and require the additional $10/month…and loose out on the base monthly fee when i take my business else where or wave the 10 bucks and make at least 4 times that amount every month…i offered them several points of logic all of which they cant muster a rebuttle…with the exception of offering me another music phone which is no longer available…they can block data transmission, this sceme is nothing more than a way to generate revenue from weak willed and open walleted fools.
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Today I went on the VW website to get my every two update. I wanted the Droid Eris because it has a 5mp camera. Last week all they required was the $9.99 data plan. Today the required the $29.99 text plan. I don’t text
enough to warrant a text plan that 150 messages is the break even point. I emailed customer service that I would consider leaving VW. They said that if I don’t like it go with a simple phone. Their simple phone a garbage.
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This verizon shit stinks they should try to be there self and not try to be like at&t at least at&rt works with there coustomers verizons fucks you over. 9.99 that they are charging for ppl should come together and sue they
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Face it. Verizon just sucks, You get FIOS at home and then find out that all the HD channels are extra.
Chris,
Pretty sure that’s not the case for me, but go ahead and assume you’re right. It could be because people don’t want to pay for internet if they aren’t using it. Did you ever happy to think of that?
If you really think what they are doing is wrong AS I DO.
Then file a complaint with the FTC.
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/
What Verizon is doing is actually illegal its called tying.
IM GUESSING THE ONLY WAY TO KNOCK SOME SENSE INTO VERIZON IS IF A LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE LEAVE THE COMPANY AND LET THEM NOW WHY…. THATS WHAT IMA DO
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I went to verizon to look at what they had to offer. Not happy with basic phone choices at our current provider. All of the nicer phones at verizon required 9.99 data pkg. I asked cant we get the nicer phones without data, and was told they wouldn’t work without it. I know people with the same phone and they dont have data, it works fine. I didn’t know until I stumbled on this that Verizon just made this change. So I sent verizon a question, are you phasing out basic phones therefor forcing eveyone to pay for data plans? Have not gotten a response yet and dont think I’d trust their answer. Not sure what were doing now.
Hello,
It all comes down to greed, that’s plain and simple. It also doesn’t help that you see some people having contests over how much data they can use in one month, 6GB, 7GB, I’ve even see over 8GB usage being bragged about. That’s the other problem, instead of VZW going after the people who abuse it, and limiting them, everyone has to pay, but that’s the way everything is, and I’m tired of being screwed when I don’t abuse it, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way. VZW and the other are getting out of control with their greeed, and it will bite them on the ass sooner rather than later.
The nicer multimedia phones do work without the data package. I have one and I don’t have the data plan because I got my phone before Jan. 18, 2010.
Basically, if you want a nicer phone, you have to pay an extra $10/month for the data package whether you want the package or not.
Verizon knows people want the nicer phones, so they have found a way to suck an extra $10/month out of their customers.
ah, Verizon is also pissing me off. My family was actually able to upgrade our phones to the enV3 and enV Touch by getting them at Best Buy (because some of the sales reps are more lenient/are not as stringent) without having to upgrade to the 9.99 data package plan.
Now what I want is a wi-fi capable phone without having to pay for the 29.99 data plan, because my university campus has campus-wide internet access….but that’s wishful thinking
Also, being a successful business isn’t all about making money, customer consideration is a really big factor in overall success. I know that Verizon used to call ex-customers who had switched to competitors, trying to get them to switch back (not sure if that happens anymore though).
wow, just tried to upgrade my phone and, like all of you above, I was attracted to the nicer phones. I finally settled in on the one I wanted asked the vw worker if I could get it and then he tells me that I need to pay an extra 9.99 a month, great. Fuck you verizon. In the near future I may actually muster up the courage to argue with these people and hopefully I’ll get rid of that heinous charge.
Agreed. The stench of greed is starting to stink right through their incessant marketing campaigns.
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