Verizon killing pay-as-you-go data plans, making other changes

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 3rd 2008 at 8:21AM

Rumors on this one have been flying in the VZW world, but now it looks like we've got some confirmation on the matter -- and chances are, some folks won't like it one bit. According to a leaked document from within the company, every new PDA / smartphone launched on or after November 14th will "require a data feature / plan of $29.99 or more." Additionally, Pay As You Go, 1X Block and the 10MB data plan / feature will be unavailable for those very phones on the same day. Ready for more? In 2009 (vague, right?), "select" Mobile Web 2.0 devices will also require a data feature / plan. We are told that those who have one of these soon-to-vanish plans can keep it so long as they stick with their current phone, but as soon as the upgrade bug bites, be ready to pony up for data, too.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Filed under: Verizon Wireless, EV-DO, CDMA, Misc

Tags: data block, data plan, data plans, DataBlock, DataPlan, DataPlans, pay as you go, PayAsYouGo, pda, smartphone, verizon, verizon wireless, VerizonWireless

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

cl347bv @ Nov 3rd 2008 9:13AM

looks like there is egg on my face.

i think this is stupid. kinda a good thing in the sense that we will be getting people to use there smartphones for what they are intended, but whatever. gotta pay to play.

Neutral

OH Well!! @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:12AM

Hate to say it, but I told you so!

Neutral

Draco @ Nov 3rd 2008 9:45AM

Sounds to me like we have a tentative date set for the new Storm launch? Don't see why they'd mention such a specific date in the middle of the month unless there was a device that this change would effect.

I'm hopeful anyway... My VX6000 is literally falling apart.

Neutral

Hey Ya @ Nov 3rd 2008 2:57PM

Blackberries on Verizon have always required a data plan (there is no pay-per-kb, with data block option). This change only affects non-Blackberry smartphones.

Neutral

MidnightDT @ Nov 3rd 2008 10:52AM

storm is launching 11/16 but maybe the Omnia launches on the 14th? no ones talking about that.. anyway who knows. soon enough we will find out

Neutral

cl347bv @ Nov 3rd 2008 10:59AM

i think the date is just to streamline deadlines. no other correlation.

Neutral

Shadow08 @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:02AM

This is ridiculous. Why should I have to be forced to upgrade my phone to their Nationwide plan with the insanely overpriced megabyte charges? Funny how when WE sign a contract, WE have to uphold to it (or pay an ETF), yet Verizon can do whatever the hell when they want regardless of the terms we signed to.

Neutral

cwfluke @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:26AM

Any change to contract (such as this one) gives you a free out for your ETF. I got out of mine when they raised text messaging rates from $0.10 to $0.15. Not BECAUSE of that reason - but it gave me a loophole to get out. If you don't like Verizon, find a way out of your contract and get out. That's what I did and have been happy for the past 2 years!

Neutral

tra la la @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:15PM

I don't recall EVER hearing about someone who was FORCED to upgrade. If you CHOOSE to, and the phone you want falls into the category, then you agree to the new plan. plain and simple. there's no backwoods logic here, no deception or misleading information.

grandfathered plans, like that of these pda/smartphone data plan agreements, are in place until YOU change the terms.

Neutral

Shadow08 @ Nov 3rd 2008 3:02PM

Oops. I misread the Mobile Web 2.0 announcement. I thought that if you already had one of the Mobile Web 2.0 phones they were going to force you to switch. Knowing Verizon's business practices, I wouldn't be surprised at all if this ever did happen.

By the way, isn't most of this already in effect? I'm pretty sure I read that the Chocolate 3, which is a Mobile Web 2.0 device, requires the NW plan. Also, I'm pretty sure all BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices require the $29.99/mo data plan already.

Low Ranked

hondamini @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:30AM

What's the point of a PDA w/o a data plan? I agree w/VZ here....

Highest Ranked

ByronGman @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:35PM

If you are a poor student living on a college campus with a good wifi network your phone can be quite useable without a data plan...

This totally sucks. :-/

Highest Ranked

zephxiii @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:11PM

Probably because PDAs can do more than just "use the internet". (pc sync of contacts, calendar, tasks. GPS navigation, office....etc. etc.)

Highly Ranked

GetOverIt @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:37AM

Shadow.....you don't HAVE to sign a new contract anymore. They have a month to month option, you just have to purchase the phone at retail price. That way you won't have to worry about it. As far as nationwide pricing, have you ever compared Verizon's MB charges to other companies.

If you don't put a data plan on a phone plan with AT&T they charge you 0.02 cents per kilobyte. At that rate, 1MB (which by the way Verizon charges $1.99/MB) will cost you $20.48.

Sprint you are looking at 0.03 cents per kilobyte, thats $30.72 for MB.

T-Mobile's runs $5.99 a month for what i believe is unlimited, but i could be mistaken on that.

Do you research before you make a stupid comment like verizon's "insanely overpriced MB charges" That rate of $1.99/mb doesn't look that bad now does it?????

I don't 100% agree with the some of the dumbphones requiring a data package, but i don't totally disagree either. Smartphones I think should have it required.

Neutral

tra la la @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:10PM

thank you for posting this. most people don't even know this information.

Neutral

The D Train @ Nov 3rd 2008 3:19PM

Most of the information is right but there is one stipulation, while VZW does only charge 1.99 for mb, its only on HTML web browser dumbphones and regular dumbphones. the PDA phones are still billed at $.005/perkb if on the current PDA Pay as U go pricing. So because of that, like stated below, people figure out that they can eventually do something online but dont know that its taking them online to do it, and generate large billing charges.

Neutral

GetOverIt @ Nov 3rd 2008 11:44AM

They have protected themselves from people getting out of the contract over this. This will not be retroactive, meaning if you already had a PDA without a data plan they are not going to call you and say you must put it on. They will only let you out of your contract if the change affects you, ie. text messaging increase when you don't have a text plan.

This is not and will not be a free out of your contract. If they were making this retroactive and MAKING you put on a data plan when you didn't have it already then yes you could get out of your contract, but they closed that loophole.

Neutral

Marty @ Nov 3rd 2008 12:47PM

PDAs without phone service were out way before smartphones. It makes sense that anyone using a PDA back then might want to add a phone to their PDA without an expensive data plan. I've been doing it for years. And I do more with my PDA than most people with data plans do with theirs. There's tons of functionality on a pda phone without a data plan. Unfortunately, this is another way for Verizon to make more money than they already do. I'd switch right to an iphone if it wasn't for my verizon contract and I've been a 100% wintel and windows mobile user/developer since they both started (no Macs here...yet).

Neutral

flipflopsnpolos @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:39PM

I think a lot of this has to do with the ridiculous amounts that some credits the company has been forced to issue b/c a customer didn't think they would need a data plan. "what? $29.99 - i'm not paying any more than the bare plan." becomes a $900 data overage because the customer discovered they can get weather updates on their centro.

Neutral

Mike @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:21PM

Its clear and simple.

They wanted you to buy the storm instead, cuz if u paying for a data plan for the wifi version of the pda , then by that maybe u might consider buying their profitable phone the Storm, and why this came late, yes its a reaction to what everybody was talking about which is no to Verizon crippled Storm its a tactic. Obviously blogging is working and people voices are heard. Or maybe after acquiring Alltel they are too powerful, maybe the government should encourage T-mobile and sprint do something together to face and challenge the greediness. I think buying a powerful phone like the XPERIA or the IPHONE HD 32GB with a full price worth it. At least they are not crippled. I think we should pay more attention to small carriers like Cricket .... cuz u will pay for a full price but at least ur phone is not crippled and ur wallet is not empty at the end of the month.

Neutral

flipflopsnpolos @ Nov 3rd 2008 1:42PM

you realize the jesusphone is locked down and crippled just as much as any vzw dumbphone, right? in fact, vzw smartphones are arguably more open than the jesusphone

Neutral

slamEVIL @ Nov 3rd 2008 5:18PM

what did he just say?

Highly Ranked

The D Train @ Nov 3rd 2008 3:22PM

Also where are you getting the info about a 32gig HD iphone, unless I missed something that doesnt exist?

Neutral

reggie @ Nov 6th 2008 2:00AM

What im to understand, is that the post says new smartphones/pda's launched on/after nov 14th. my issue is, im looking to buy the xv6800 from ebay soon...will i have to get a data plan when i activate it or no, considering its not a new release smartphone ????

Neutral

The D Train @ Nov 4th 2008 12:28PM

Any NEW PDA sold on or after the 14th of November will require a data plan, this would be like the Samsung OMNIA, I770, if they get another Palm, it would include that, the Touch pro or whatever they are getting too will require it. but your 6800, which is for all intents and purposes, a terrible device, will not require a data plan.

Neutral

GetOverIt @ Nov 7th 2008 2:42PM

ANY pda at all whether it's new, old, ancient, or whatever will require. If you have a PDA w/o a data plan already, if you change your plan, have to get a replacement phone.....pretty much any change you will be required to put it on there. The feature will be automated to default on the device and cannot be taken off.

Neutral

EDA74 @ Nov 14th 2008 7:38AM

Is this confirmed yet? I have not see the official release on VZW website.

Neutral

bothered @ Jan 14th 2009 6:09PM

I had just recently got an old xv6800, and planned to put it on the InPulse network (VZW prepay). The cust service person went through the motions and got stuck, turned to me and said "This phone can't be put on InPulse." I called Verizon, and they confirmed what the lead to this blog said, which I hadn't known. So now I have to carry a cheap phone for calls, and the pda is just that - a wifi capable pda, with no phone function. Too bad I need the coverage VZW can provide, that AT&T or TMobile cannot.