I'm looking for a new phone online and I see that all the cool phones have a minimum data package. (They have 16 phones that don't require it, but they all kinda suck.) Is that going to be a requirement now? I'm already paying enough for service and I have no desire to add any more. I really just need a phone with a decent camera. Will I get a better deal if I go into the store?

thanks!

The store I just recently went to only had like 6 phones that didn't require a data package. And it was a pretty big ass Verizon store too.

I doubt it.

I do find it odd that they'd force that on an upgrade, though maybe because it's not part of the plan itself.

However, I've had my old add-ons grandfathered. I just upgraded my Curve to the Storm2, and I've had $45 for combined Internet and tethering since my old 8830 device. They've let me grandfather each time.

Good thing too, because that also means I have the truly unlimited tethering package (which they did away with some time ago), and I'm a bandwidth hog.

Online typically has better deals than the stores.

Only issues is if you have a problem right away. Id say i fyou were intelligent enough to figure stuff out...go to a store to check out phones first hand. then go and shop online...

I called them and asked why they are forcing people to get the data package and they said it was easier to just make it mandatory then have people pay per mega byte or whatever they use. I said I didn't want to use the Internet and they basically said oh well. So thumbs down to verizon.

It's happening more and more at carriers. Customers are saying they don't want data, and don't want a data package. But then will come in complaining that they got charged on their bill. Usually it's accidental, and the charges aren't that great. But some people are blatantly using data, and then claiming ignorance. Carriers are losing money by having to issue credits to angry customers who claim they shouldn't get the data charges.

So Verizon (and don't be surprised when the other carriers jump on board with this) decided that it is just easier to require at least a $10 data plan so that when people use the data...which 9 times out of 10 they do when they get a new phone...there is no need to credit anything back.

Also, data is considered a "sticky product" in the wireless industry. When customers use data products, they are less likely to churn to another carrier. By forcing a $10 data charge, Verizon is basically forcing their customers hand. They are banking on the customers thinking, "well, if I'm paying for it, I might as well use it." Verizon is hoping that once the customer starts using it, they will get hooked on it.

Free_is_better wrote: I called them and asked why they are forcing people to get the data package and they said it was easier to just make it mandatory then have people pay per mega byte or whatever they use.

What they meant to say was "Well, we make a fuckton of money off of it, so we require people to get it."

By that rationale, they should make texting mandatory since the markup on texting is something like 6500%.

You better edit your post before they see that and make texting mandatory. If enough people call in pissed off they might drop it but I doubt that will happen.

You can always get a better deal online. I have nine Verizon lines and online or calling 6111 Always trumps the jackasses at the store.

You can now get free texting through Google Voice.

Also, Google is expected to be rolling out something big in a few months (although, will probably be longer) after their purchase of Gizmo5 (VoIP service) in November. Most expect this to be free VoIP, which means with your data plan you'll have free calling over the internet so most will just need the standard $30 data plan from Verizon and minimum $40 voice plan.

And if you really want to be frugal, you could roll the dice with tethering and getting rid of your home internet. VZW wants to charge you an additional $15-$30 a month for this, but I don't think they really have any ability to differentiate between tethering and high usage (i.e. from Pandora, youtube, etc.). They may simply limit the "unlimited" plan to 5gigs. There again, with flash coming to the Droid you could start hitting that 5gig limit if you are streaming movies or tv shows such as from Hulu.

Tethering and free VoIP on smart phones is going to cause carriers to re-think how they charge for their plans. Once people start catching on to free SMS over Google Voice I imagine that will be a pretty significant hit to the bottom line since many of those people are paying $5 - often $15 - a month for texting. I can send texts over GV very easily (default choice when I send SMS), response is forwarded instantaneously to my gmail and I can then respond just as quickly from gmail which is then directed back thru GV to SMS.

sherm03 wrote:Customers are saying they don't want data, and don't want a data package. But then will come in complaining that they got charged on their bill. Usually it's accidental, and the charges aren't that great. But some people are blatantly using data, and then claiming ignorance. Carriers are losing money by having to issue credits to angry customers who claim they shouldn't get the data charges.

That did happen to me. One month I had data charges on my line, and also my moms. I know I didn't use it, and she doesn't even text so there's no way she did it on purpose. I'm not convinced it was a coincidence that it just popped up that one time. (I'm betting they hope people will just pay it and not complain.) I had them shut down data on all of my lines so it can't happen again.

dlazz wrote:What they meant to say was "Well, we make a fuckton of money off of it, so we require people to get it."

You're probably right. If they try to make me get a data package I think I'll just hang onto this phone until my contract is up and then try out a new carrier. (I have four phone lines and I'm not paying $40/month for packages we won't use.)

I've been with Verizon since the mid 90's. How hard is it going to be to take my current phone numbers with me?

FatHobbit wrote: You're probably right. If they try to make me get a data package I think I'll just hang onto this phone until my contract is up and then try out a new carrier. (I have four phone lines and I'm not paying $40/month for packages we won't use.)

The thing is..ALL carriers are going this route..it's not just Verizon.

GoChiefs wrote:

FatHobbit wrote: You're probably right. If they try to make me get a data package I think I'll just hang onto this phone until my contract is up and then try out a new carrier. (I have four phone lines and I'm not paying $40/month for packages we won't use.)

The thing is..ALL carriers are going this route..it's not just Verizon.

My contract isn't up until 2011, so I'll probably be SOL. :dodgy:

Is sending pix via texts/bbm covered under the "data plan"?

Scarlet_Buckeye wrote: Is sending pix via texts/bbm covered under the "data plan"?

texts and picture messages don't count. I'm not sure about bbm. (I don't know what that is. lol)

^^ Blackberry Messaging WILL use the data plan, I believe.

Scarlet_Buckeye wrote: Is sending pix via texts/bbm covered under the "data plan"?

No, it's under text messaging and photo texts will cost you an arm and a leg if you don't have at least the $5 min plan