Um no...sorry. Blackberries have always required data plans on Verizon. Those are LG phones that I have laying around here. I hate to give up my Berry, but these prices are killing me.

Im sorry but Sprint's pricing is still cheaper and they are not as bad as everyone says they are!

and AGAIN. Att and Verizon won't care about matching sprint and Tmobile until they start adding high value (data) customers hand over fist.

Generally speaking I don't think consumers are very smart people. I don't think people shop aroumd all that much and compare.

only lowered unlimited data. they are playing lockstep with verizon for the moment.

... but do they require data?

Not yet

This is the killer part.

Verizon *REQUIRES* Data on their most popular phones. AT&T... doesn't.

That now makes Verizon more expensive when you compare the face that minute for minute, and feature for feature both companies charge almost the exact same.

As someone who sells VZ, AT&T and Sprint... this is gonna make it alot easier to sell Sprint and AT&T.

Unless Verizon change things, this will NOT be good for them as it stands.

Kriis

As a long time customer of Verizon who has never used data, I concur completely. Unless the other carriers follow Verizon into this abyss, I don't see how Verizon can sustain requiring data on their most popular phones. If Verizon doesn't back off this, it will lose many customers. In many ways, Verizon has been the leader in its field. It's hard to believe that it won't reconsider this wrong-headed move.

ATT doesn't YET. IF verizon finds some way to make it work, you can bet ATT will jump on the bandwagon. Remember when verizon started requiring data on all smartphones? people went "oh! this is why ATT is better, because it is optional on most of them!" and when Verizon's smartphone sales didn't drop (in most cases they increased) guess what? Suddenly ATT was making the change too.

I don't agree with this data change, especially the move to 29.99 unlimited for dumbphones, but if it doesn't totally backfire, expect ATT to move in that direction.

And this doesn't make it easier to sell sprint. Sprint's always been cheaper. I doubt you'll get many more people for an extra 10 a month. (the real world increase on top of the already pr...
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This is just alot of speculation. Verizon has had the 9.99 25mb plan for a few months now and ATT has not followed suit, but they did talk about it and scraped the idea when they got a backlash. They still have it at unlimited for 10 dollars. The carriers started requiring data on smart phones because that just makes sense. They have to employ many customer service reps just to handle people that would buy a blackberry and not get data and swear that they wouldnt use it but would anyways. Then they would call in and try to dispute those charges. Thats just good business to require data on smartphones. I mean, smartphones are designed with data in mine. However, to charge 29.99 a month for data on dumbphones is idiotic and will probably backf...
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Yeah, I don't envy them at all.

As long as I get my paycheck Friday...I don't care.

1) Yes, smartphone data does make a lot of sense, Now. But when verizon did it, there was a huge backlash because verizon was "forcing data on people." While they didn't do a huge add campaign about it, reps made a pretty big deal about how you could activate a blackberry on their network without data in an effort to draw customers. Then guess what? Verizon didn't get a huge backlash for it

2) I don't doubt that carriers won't copy the 29.9 price point.. however, requiring data, or at least messaging? That is still a possibility.


About the 9.99 data.. Verizon wasn't the first one to require data on select dumbphones. (that's why they created the 9.99 plan)

I haven't met a rep yet who thinks they'll sell a 29.99 plan, and ...
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Isn't 1 difference is ATT doesn't have that stupid $10/mo measly 25mb -repuired- plan on regular phones?

That's a huge difference in my opinion. There is no guarantee that they won't jump on the forced data bandwagon if Verizon gets away with it though.

Yep, that's what Menno's been saying, that if Verizon can get away with it ATT will follow suit.

apparently they are making messaging on smartphones a requirement now.. and there was a rumor on HoFo that they were considering making data mandatory on new devices... we'll see

No messaging is NOT required with smart phones with ATT.

"AT&T's feature phone customers can choose unlimited talk plans for $70 (individuals) and $120 (Family Talk - two lines). Unlimited texting still costs $20 additional for individuals and $30 more for families. AT&T's messaging phones (those with QWERTY keyboards) can purchase unlimited talk for $90 (individual) and $150 (Family Talk - two lines). These plans include the $20/$30 texting fees."

Basically if one has a messaging phone they are forcing you to have a messaging plan with it. Like Menno said, it is still not as bad as VZW forcing a data plan on a VX8360 but still eliminates customer choice.

I'm not talking about smart phones.. I'm talking about qwerty phones... sorry for the confusion

Reps are going to have to sell the 29.99 plan to some customers, especially teens. With things like Myspace, Facebook, and myxer to name a few, it is not uncommon at all to see more than 25 mb of data usage on a bill.

besides that if they're going to go with unlimited data it DOESN'T MAKE SENSE to put them on a feature phone. Heck, the Ozone is sub100 and get's good reviews for being WINMO.. why not just put them on that? Since you're paying the data anway, why not give them usable data?

also, with the per use overage, 75mb of data works out to be 19.99

I spent a long time with a customer last night who was trying to access a proprietary work website, supposedly coded for mobile browsers, and designed for low MG transfer. They were looking at two phones, knew about the $9.99 for 25MB (vs. $30 for unlimited), and wanted to keep usage within 25MB. They had been in a few times, but left before anyone could help them.

So I stopped to see if I could help them. They explained the situation. We picked up the Env Touch, typed in the address, and got NOTHING. Picked up the Rogue... nothing. Picked up a couple more, nothing, too. Site doesn't work. I'm thinking the site's down, so I try it on my Droid, and it not only works, but works well (as it should). I try the Chocolate Touch, and it...
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if you are planning on using that much data why would you not get a BB or android? That is why I don't see it as negative....get 0 mb with cheap phon, get 25mb with multi media phone, or go full smartphone...That is how i see it

because why offer the plan if it makes no sense to get it.. it's like "we have this cardboard for 100, or for the same 100 we have steak"

And say that someone gets the 9.99 plan but find that they actually LIKE using data and want to use more of it. before now, they could get unlimited data for 10 (select plan) and before that ala carte for 15 (Vcast Vpak). now, with more capable devices, they have to pony up the email and web for 29.99, or pay overages until they can get a real smartphone (still 29.99 but much easier to justify)

well the same could be said when the smartphones and BBs all required data as well as the iphone. People have become use to that and I think they will accept this in the long run. There will be an intial push back but I see it becoming the norm down the road and it will be accepted. Plus there will always be some phones that don't require this so the consumer has options

I agree, customers already think they get hosed by the carriers and if anything, consumers are probably going to see what other options they have with other carriers and you better believe that I am going to capatalize on this as will other att reps. And again, I sell att but carry a storm through verizon. I really didnt have an opinion as to who the better carrier was until now.

now lets see.... I want a phone with an awesome calender...oh there is none I have to get a smartphone.

That kinda of crap is always going to happen... People just need to decide if they want just a "Phone," or they have to have the awesome camera and all the other features.... are they worth $10 dollars to them. If they are they will pay it...and if not they will be content with a slider qwerty.

plus if you read my post I said everything besides the new data requirements where a positive and you just wrote two paragraphs about The data packages being bad.....who's being silly.

Besides the data (plus there are options for those who really don't use or want it) ALL OTHER changes are 100% positive.

I am not a fan of the data changes...but I really don't think it is that big of a deal and that Verizon is going to loose more then they gain

The Connect and Premium plans going away don't specifically have much to do with data requirements, and yet the same features that those plans offered would now cost more without them (and you don't get anything more for that extra cost). So, that's "beside the new data requirements" and certainly still not positive.

So, if you exclude all that, then you are really only talking about the unlimited plans going down in price and perhaps the new pre-paid plans being positive. It would be more accurate to say that those specific couple of things are positive while the rest of the changes aren't, then to say everything is positive or everything aside from data requirements is positive, when really only a 1 or 2 things are positive, while the ...
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