More information about Verizon's new Enhanced Multimedia Phone Data Plans
0. phoneArena posted on 31 Aug 2009, 14:07
Before you purchase the Samsung Rogue U960 next week, you need to read this about the new Data Plans...
This is a discussion for a news. To read the whole news, click here
31. WnnaFghtAboutIt posted on 31 Aug 2009, 23:43 0 0
Lets just look at it like this...in 2 years, you're essentially going to be required to put data onto most every phone worth purchasing. Do you think that the carriers arent going to find new ways to increase revenue? They realize that the text messaging boat has almost hit port, now they need another new ship. Carriers like t-mobile cant do this, because they dont have the network to back it up. AT&T will eventually do it because they're smart and big red and them copy everything the other does. Lastly sprint....do we even have to go there? The rogue is an ok phone, its aimed at kids...its aimed at getting 15 year olds to whine to their parents to pay more money to get them what they really want. Trust me on this one, you'll see ALL of the current phones that fit the profile (env3, env touch, etc) replaced with a quickness to take advantage of this new pricing. Also this was all supposed to start back in February, they were just getting their ducks in a row...
32. davidTT23 posted on 01 Sep 2009, 01:07 0 0
I think this phone is definitely marketed/made for me. I'm a college student (whose broke) who wants a nice and slick looking phone that isn't a smartphone, because I cant afford it. I do think that it is wrong/sleazy for Verizon to make data plans MANDATORY with this phone. I have been waiting for months for this phone and most likely will get it. I'm on a family plan and my sister got the envtouch and they gave her the option to have unlimited internet for $10 a month if the primary phone/ user (my dad) got it too. For me I don't think 10 extra bucks is a lot. I wish I didn't have to pay for it but I willing to do so because I really want that phone. How much is 25MB over the course of a month? If i check my email everyday what does that equal? I wont be a heavy internet user. It's not like I will be going on youtube all the time. Maybe just for maps, to check my email, facebook, real basic stuff.
33. Xarios posted on 01 Sep 2009, 01:12 0 0
Newbie here, but could you, in theory, buy an unlocked phone to circumvent all these effects? Not sure how much money you may lose or save by doing so however.
34. KnownothingBozo posted on 01 Sep 2009, 02:45 0 0
Data plans on cell phones are like cigarettes. Once you get somebody to use it at least once a day for a week...they can't go without it. I know, I just made the change. And Verizon is trying to do something more. Get people hooked on data. Yes, Verizon makes more money. Yes, it's greedy. But cell phones are a unique market of gadgetry. Cameras, mp3 players, gps, organizers, computers...they are all separate devices. The cell phone industry is the only one that is successfully integrating all of these things into one device. This is good because of all the things most people don't leave home without, there is wallet, keys, and cell phone. Everybody is pissed off about data plans because you are used to thinking the no matter what the truth is, your wireless provider is fleecing you. Nobody cares that you are being given access to the internet wherever you go (regardless of the browser quality)...you're being charged by the cell phone company so it must be too much. But the fact of the matter is that you pay at least $30 for internet at home...why is it wrong to pay the same to use that internet EVERYWHERE ELSE? Yes, because you already use the internet at home...but you can't keep it in your pocket. But the generation of people who don't want anything on their phone but a phone is not going to dominate the wireless consumer market much longer. This growing generation is swiftly being filled out by people who don't want to wait until they get home to update their facebook or upload a youtube video, and that generation will pay for internet in a pocket...we've already seen in the iphone...which is for some reason excused the required data plan where others are not. Verizon is the smart one...all those people who want the "cool new sexy" phones, who think they are being forced to pay $10 for something they won't use...they are actually having their very first cigarette. And pretty soon $5 a pack will be a small price to pay.
51. WKlingbeil posted on 02 Sep 2009, 10:45 0 0
The iPhone actually has a good internet, and that's why they're excused, not to mention the millions of apps available for download. There are NO apps available for any of the BREW phones with VZW, because nobody wants to develop for BREW because it's so expensive. So what if the internet is available everywhere else? It's slow as dirt, and once again, it's not even the internet, it's the MOBILE WEB or HTML Web, not the real thing, that's why paying $30 for it is ridiculous. Smartphones, Blackberries, and the iPhone are all somewhat warranted because at least they're close to the real internet. I work for VZW, so the statement in your 2nd paragraph doesn't apply to me. Yes, you're correct though, there are many people that do think that way, but I know what's justified. And it's not the cost that is frustrating, it's the fact that you're being FORCED to pay for it. If I'm WILLING to pay the $30, they can charge what they want, but to force me to pay for a mediocre internet experience is just greed. Everyone here can continue to attempt to justify to themselves that VZW's greed is acceptable, but that's exactly why greedy companies have gotten to the point that they are now. Accepting greed and making concessions put this country in the hole it's in now. VZW is more than welcome to continue these policy changes, but if the consumer is intelligent, they will learn, and go with someone who isn't greedy... If there's a wireless company out there that fits that description...
37. DonLouie posted on 01 Sep 2009, 08:30 0 0
Verizon's Connect plan is the same price as Sprint's Everything plan w/o entertainment or nav. On top of all that you won't be allowed unlimited data unless you get these plans, Sprint still has 3 unlimited data plans at $15, $25 and $30
38. dmoney09 posted on 01 Sep 2009, 09:13 0 0
If you are against this call.. 1-800-922-0204, that is verizon customer care service any complaints go to therre... Complain about the data required maybe it wont be issued.. PLEASE
39. DonLouie posted on 01 Sep 2009, 11:18 0 0
I doubt that would do anything, vzw is imbedding "you get what you pay for" in there response, as if to say anybody (Sprint/T Mobile) offering cheaper prices will have a shoddier network to justify the higher cost to own a phone on thier network
40. KnownothingBozo posted on 01 Sep 2009, 15:43 0 0
I have not seen any studies or reports thus far that says anything to the contrary, that Verizon's high speed coverage is more comprehensive, that the customer service is one of the best (not perfect, but better than what most people seem to experience with the other guys). So "you get what you pay for" is not just a cheap excuse..and it's not a generalization. Why should Verizon lower their prices and face the idea of cutting back funding for research or expansion when companies like T-Mobile already provide that service? If you want to save money and use a provider that doesn't give you a signal in your own home (Like some of the people I know) that is your choice. But think about how much that's worth to you the next time you fool yourself into thinking that it's worth the money to buy a plain black t-shirt at the Armani Exchange instead of at Macy's (Like some of the people I know).
52. WKlingbeil posted on 02 Sep 2009, 10:48 0 0
Your last statement completely contradicted your whole point. You're trying to prove that paying more sometimes gives you more value, but then you say that the same black t-shirt at Armani that's so much more expensive is not the value that you'd get at Macy's. Your point should be that the quality at Armani would be so much more because they invest so much more into the production of the t-shirts than Macy's. Macy's in your analogy would be the Sprint/T-Mobile... If I'm wrong, and that's not what you were going for, let me know.
41. DonLouie posted on 01 Sep 2009, 20:15 0 0
Verizon has had no bad times by any comparison so a required plan for a non-smartphone while ridding themselves of the unlimited data option has no justification.
50. WKlingbeil posted on 02 Sep 2009, 10:37 0 0
Just as a final comment about all the people that try to use whatever analogy, car, HDTV, etc. to express their opinion on using all the features of a phone. There's one minor feature you're forgetting: text messaging. If you're doing all of this comparing and saying that you wouldn't buy a Porsche or HDTV without all of the extra features, why isn't VZW forcing people to have texting? To try and convince yourself that it's somehow a good deed that VZW wants people to have the full effects of the phone, but then forget that you don't have to have texting is just silly. It's got nothing to do with using extra features, it's got to do with getting extra money. They're trying to push the envelope and see how many requirements they can slip on the phones without customers making a big deal about it. They figure, since they require data plans on smartphones, why not push it over to dumbphones? Where do they draw the line though? When do they start requiring text messaging on all phones? When do they require data plans on all phones except Coupes or Knacks? That's more of my concern, I'm not going to buy the Samsung Rogue because how sucky the Glyde was, I'm not taking the risk. I'm concerned about how far VZW will go in trying to force every customer into paying more so they can, once again, stuff their pockets.
56. KnownothingBozo posted on 02 Sep 2009, 14:30 0 0
1st point about internet and apps: Well made and I won't argue that. 2nd point about the shirt: You're almost right about the flaw in my analogy but there was a reason I specified t-shirts and not the entire Armani lineup. If you're getting the designer clothes or something that Armani made that nobody else does, than what you pay is your business. But the difference in quality for a $50 black tshirt and the pack of 3 t-shirts for $20 is huge. To me, this is a bad analogy because Verizon's pricing is not nearly so different from competitors as all that. But that means the difference in quality of service you get with Verizon comes at small, if any, extra cost to the consumer. But that's turning into a digression, and for all I know you may be right about what I said. 3rd point about how far Verizon is going to take this: It's another mostly valid point but I consider texting different than data because everybody already has voice, Verizon would have a harder time pushing a redundant service on people than something like data. For the time being, having a data requirement on the "advanced media phones" means that all those people who come into the store and say "I want the awesome new touch screen phone but I don't want to do anything but talk on it" have to ask themselves 'how much is this device worth to me' and 'do I really want to get into that?' Besides that, I would guess most people who don't get smartphones probably don't get per mb charges for internet...instead they get those per mb charges for browsing ringtones and games and wallpapers. So requiring that data plan might not even be a hook for internet so much as a hook for the Get it Now services. This is going to divide the consumer demographic even further...where the phone only crowd will just stop looking at them fancy new trinkets and probably stop getting those accidental data charges, and the rest of the people willing to put up with the data charges will be forcefully introduced to everything else Verizon is selling. But the corporation probably believes that it's worth it, to alienate the minimalists in order to create a new breed of data dependent subscribers. For all I know, this could be a subversive way of getting people prepared to leave their old data/calling plans for whatever new data/calling plans become available with LTE. And lastly, I think the Rogue will be a very awesome phone for a couple reasons(data plan issues aside)...most of all because the biggest mistakes teach the biggest lessons. I have faith that the Rogue will be a very respectable device because the Glyde was too much of a mistake to ignore all the issues. Samsung will have looked at it, and worked out the kinks...they released a refresh so they knew already that there was something terribly wrong with the phone.
54. BrokenImaege posted on 02 Sep 2009, 14:21 0 0
The reason why I am happy about it (even though I am an employee) it because it will get people to break out of thier shells about what a cell phone can do. People who are outside of Verizon and Samsung have not seen what this phone can really do. The screen shots of the internet and You Tube are absolutely amazing. If people would start to use the phone for what it is truly intended for, then this makes perfect sense to have this. This also stops all those overages. And I did see one comment by someone about DATA BLOCKS. That is why Verizon gives you the option to block that on other phones. They are other phones that will give you a keyboard and allows calls that you can block this on. Envy 3, Envy Touch, Alias 2 to just name a few. People have to realize that phone companies are going to go to this. All carriers will. There is really now way to stop it. At $10 bucks a month for for unlimited (when on an unlimited text package) this is actually really good. Average that out over 30 days and it comes to 33 cents a day. Really? Is that what everyone is bitching about?
55. BrokenImaege posted on 02 Sep 2009, 14:25 0 0
Oh, and by the way..... Those companies that don't require data plans on phones, and most of those are more regional, they've gone out of business or been bought out due to those plans and not being able to make profit. Why do you think T-Mobile just started it on the Blackberries???? They were losing money. People tend to think to that Verizon Wireless is greedy. That plan you pay for, look at what they actually put back into the network to keep it moving. $6 billion. Tell me what other carrier does that!!! And don't tell me it is BS because they have the financials to prove it!!!!!
58. WKlingbeil posted on 02 Sep 2009, 20:06 0 0
No, the $6 billion isn't b.s., I'm fully aware of how much VZW invests in their network. But in that whole point, I really doubt that VZW will be able to continue being #1 by making more and more requirements on the devices. There will always be regional carriers, and other carriers that are aimed at the consumers who don't buy into the whole data on your phone nonsense, and eventually, consumers will catch on. I mean, VZW is a greedy company, regardless of what your position is. That's simply a part of business, and for a while, sure, they'll be successful, but it will catch up to them. Of course kids that are on their parents' plans are going to want all these extra features, and why? Because they don't pay for it, but once they get their own plan, you know what happens to that kid's phone? Data blocked, 450 minute select plan, because why pay all that extra money if you don't NEED it? The fact that T-Mobile didn't require data on blackberries before is stupid, because that's what they do. However, you're trying to make a radio into a T.V. in this case, and it just isn't there yet. If LTE were available, and the GIN phones had decent internet/apps/email clients, then yes, I understand. But as of now, my point is that they're mandating that you overpay for services that are inferior to others. AT&T has so many more apps available to their regular phones because it's Java, not BREW. If we're going to do this, VZW needs to get on the right ship and go with Java, because nobody wants to develop for BREW.
57. dmoney09 posted on 02 Sep 2009, 20:05 0 0
Haha as i sit hear and read some comments threw the data plans one required it is funny to see people say that sprint dont do this, tmobile, dont do this... Verizon does it and they get voted the top carrier of the year... Talked to T-mobile, sprint, and at&t so who think there safe.. The carriers are all following behind.. They are making fones that are intended to do this and people block it... The other carriers wont have it the same day but they will have it... So HAHA to all you companies who think ur safe.. stop B****ing about it and either pay it or dont get a phone hat requires it.... OR leave... so suck it up people...
59. katiedid92 posted on 03 Sep 2009, 12:25 0 0
Wait, let me get this straight. If my family is on the Nationwide Basic Family Share Plan, I will have to Change it to what plan for this phone?
60. KnownothingBozo posted on 03 Sep 2009, 13:11 0 0
either keep the same calling plan and add a data package onto whichever line you activate the Rogue on...or... Change everybody from basic to connect, which gives you unlimited messaging and data
