Verizon $9.99 data charge

[Eastern]

Maybe this is yesterday's news, but I just called Verizon about something and the guy told me that I no longer had to carry $9.99 monthly data on my kids' qwerty phones and that I could block data so they couldn't accidentally access it.

Previously, I was told I had to carry this on their EnV3s. He said it is no longer mandatory and changed 2 of my phones, saving me $20 per month.

"Feature phones" no longer require mandatory data. Only 'smart phones' require a monthly data plan.

 

[Belle0101]

Thanks OP, I'm going to look into this.

I'm on my sister's Family & Friends plan and I would like a newer phone, mine's practically an antique. She has been telling me that I would need to get a Data Plan no matter what phone I chose. I don't want a Data Plan.

My birthday is next month. I'm thinking a new phone would make a great gift!

 

[pixiewings71]

Ummmm we had EnV3's (DBF still has his, I upgraded to the Droid X) and we didn't have to have any data plans......

 

[luvmy3]

Maybe this is yesterday's news, but I just called Verizon about something and the guy told me that I no longer had to carry $9.99 monthly data on my kids' qwerty phones and that I could block data so they couldn't accidentally access it.

Previously, I was told I had to carry this on their EnV2s. He said it is no longer mandatory and changed 2 of my phones, saving me $20 per month.

"Feature phones" no longer require mandatory data. Only 'smart phones' require a monthly data plan.

I don't believe the EnV2 ever needed a data plan. I think you were mislead before. The Env3 and the EnV touch require one, but the EnV and the EnV2 do not.

Ummmm we had EnV3's (DBF still has his, I upgraded to the Droid X) and we didn't have to have any data plans......

They do require a data plan but if you had them before that policy went into effect then you wouldn't have to.

 

[Eastern]

I don't believe the EnV2 ever needed a data plan. I think you were mislead before. The Env3 and the EnV touch require one, but the EnV and the EnV2 do not.

Actually 2 of my sons have the EnV3s; I don't know my phones very well. My one son has an early EnV and he never needed the data, so he's had his phone for 3 1/2 years now

Over a year ago, I promised my other 2 sons new phones and when we bought these EnV3s (March 2010) they required 9.99 data. I called Verizon and complained, went on forums, etc, everyone had the same complaint.

I called yesterday about roaming and the rep told me I was eligible for new phone. I told him I wasn't interested because I didn't want to pay for data I didn't use. At that point, he told me their policy had changed.

So to sum it up, 'feature phones' with qwerty keyboards such as EnV3s no longer require a data plan of any kind, and you can block data on these phones (previously, they told me I couldn't do that, although I block data on youngest son's EnV phone).

Rep also said there is a qwerty phone with free something, WiFi maybe? so you can get your emails? on sale for $50 now, KIM2M maybe. I am not very tech savvy so excuse my detail errors.

I am sure there are lots of people out there currently paying for 9.99 data that they don't have to pay for.

 

[Eastern]

Ummmm we had EnV3's (DBF still has his, I upgraded to the Droid X) and we didn't have to have any data plans......

If you had them before the data plan "policy change", you didn't need to purchase 9.99 data. I think it happened in Jan 2010. We got phones in March 2010, right after the change. It was really aggravating at the time.

 

[Eastern]

Thanks OP, I'm going to look into this.

I'm on my sister's Family & Friends plan and I would like a newer phone, mine's practically an antique. She has been telling me that I would need to get a Data Plan no matter what phone I chose. I don't want a Data Plan.

My birthday is next month. I'm thinking a new phone would make a great gift!

Tell her to call and ask about any of her phones that aren't "smart" phones. If she just has ones like the EnV that are not really meant for heavy internet usage, she may be able to drop the 9.99 data and block data so she doesn't accidentally access it.

I only use an average intelligence phone, ie vintage Samsung, so I never had this problem.

 

[elgerber]

Interesting. I just went to Verizons website, and the Env3, is only available as a refurb now. And it still says $9.99 data plan required. But I looked at several other feature phones, including a couple of touch screen phones and none of them said they required it. I'm kinda surprised they would back off now, when the uproar has died down by now. But I'll be glad when my kids need new phones, or if I have to get rid of my smart phone.

 

[spacemountainmom]

DD and I have had EnV2's since December 2009 and we were never required to have a data plan.

I don't really want a smartphone or a data plan, but I am afraid those will be the only things available when we renew in December.

 

[Eastern]

DD and I have had EnV2's since December 2009 and we were never required to have a data plan.

I don't really want a smartphone or a data plan, but I am afraid those will be the only things available when we renew in December.

I think the 9.99 mandatory data plan for most of the qwerty keyboard phones started in Jan 2010. As I said, we got our EnV3s in March 2010, and were required to take the data plan.

The rep yesterday told me that this policy had changed and he took the data plans off our phones even though we were not out of the 2 year contract period. He mentioned that 'feature phones' like the EnV would no longer require data.

I'm sure people stopped getting new phones in order to avoid the 9.99 charge so they had to rethink it. If it was working for them, they would have kept it.

 

[luvmy3]

I think the 9.99 mandatory data plan for most of the qwerty keyboard phones started in Jan 2010. As I said, we got our EnV3s in March 2010, and were required to take the data plan.

The rep yesterday told me that this policy had changed and he took the data plans off our phones even though we were not out of the 2 year contract period. He mentioned that 'feature phones' like the EnV would no longer require data.

I'm sure people stopped getting new phones in order to avoid the 9.99 charge so they had to rethink it. If it was working for them, they would have kept it.

There are a few newer qwerty phones that do not require a data plan. The LG Cosmos, the Samsung Intensity and the Intenisty II do not. There are also a bunch of older phones that don't require it, but there is a very limited selection if you want something newer. I am stuck with Verizon but I do pre-paid so I can keep my cost down, but I'd love to go to another carries, you can get a data plan and a modern phone for the same cost as just talk/txt from Verizon.

 

[elgerber]

I tried to google it to see if it was announced, and all I can find is this from last fall...

http://www.phonedog.com/2010/09/17/rumor-verizon-to-drop-required-data-plan-on-3g-multimedia-phones/

 

[yankebabie]

After seeing this post yesterday, I too called Verizon. When we got new phones earlier this year we were told that we HAD to pay for the 9.99 data plan on both our phone even though we don't use the internet on the phone. We have the Samsung Reality. So I called Verizon last night and said that I wanted the data plans removed as we don't use them. He said he just had to check and see what kind of phone we had. He did so and said yes, he can remove the data plan, no problem. So we will be saving a little over $20.00 per month. Seems that he said something about the data plan being a must have on the smart phones.

 

[pixiewings71]

We had the EnV3 before the data plan was required, when I upgraded they tried to tell me we would have to get a data plan for the other 3 phones on the account. I argued, they backed down. I upgraded my phone in Feb of this year, I do pay the data plan because I have a smart phone, but that was mostly the point in my upgrading.

 

[dhuba]

I got an Env3 in Jan 2011 and was required to get the 9.99 data plan for 25 mb of data. When I was looking around on their site a while ago I saw that they now had 75 mb of data for 10.00. So for a penny more I am getting a lot more mbs. I don't really use it that much, but I don't mind paying the 10 bucks so I can use it when I am bored waiting for an appointment or something.

 

[sam_gordon]

DW & I both got ENVtouches in the fall of 2009. We had to get (minimum) the $9.99/month plan.

We're available for upgrades in about 3 months. I'm going to have a hard time staying away from a Droid/Iphone. There are so many things I've wanted to do with my phone that I can't. Although the $30/month data plan doesn't sit well.

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

You can take the data off non-smartphones if you don't want it. I know this for a fact.

If you do want it, there is a new $9.99 data plan for feature phones that includes 75 mg of data, VZ Navigator and ringback tones. VZ Nav is usually $9.99 by itself, so this is a good deal.

 

[Eastern]

I tried to google it to see if it was announced, and all I can find is this from last fall...

http://www.phonedog.com/2010/09/17/rumor-verizon-to-drop-required-data-plan-on-3g-multimedia-phones/

Thanks for posting, that was interesting. In the article it says that they will not discontinue existing data plans, but they did for my 2 EnV3s, so I am saving that $20 per month now.

 

[Eastern]

You can take the data off non-smartphones if you don't need it. I know this for a fact.

If you do need it, there is a new $9.99 data plan for feature phones that includes 75 mg of data, VZ Navigator and ringback tones. VZ Nav is usually $9.99 by itself, so this is a good deal.

I am talking about a very specific, narrow range of phones. In this case, EnVs that were required to take a 9.99 data plan around Jan 2010 and beyond.

There may be other phones that fall into this category, ie qwerty-type phones (aka 'feature phones') that formerly required minimum data, and now, do not.

I have a dumb phone, and yes, I have never required a data plan, but I am not talking about those type of phones.

The main idea here is that you should check your plans occasionally, and see if what you are paying for is still necessary, or your best use of dollars. I'm not debating the intricacies of every phone plan available from Verizon.