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Gadgets Verizon May Offer Unlimited Voice Plans
Purav Sanghani - February 19, 2008 3:58 AM
Print 18 comment(s) - last by UNCjigga.. on Feb 19 at 4:51 PM

A recent Verizon Wireless banner ad on USAToday.com  (Source: BoyGeniusReport.com)

Another frame of the same Verizon Wireless banner ad on USAToday.com with pricing information  (Source: BoyGeniusReport.com)
Verizon WIreless may offer unlimited voice plans with flat rates

Cellular phone plans today include not only voice and text messaging services, but also options to add data/internet features, music and video streaming, and email services among many other services.

Almost all cellular carriers have tiered plans that allow consumers to use a certain amount of voice minutes, text messages, and data/internet in megabytes or gigabytes per month for a different price as the limits are increased. After the limits have been reached by the user, the cellular provider then charges rates for additional usage each month.

Consumers have become used to these types of plans, limiting their cell phone use according to their subscriptions. Some are satisfied with such plans, yet others feel tied down by these limits and have no other option than to choose a higher tier if one is available.

These limits may soon be a thing of the past if the rumors circulating the internet are true, at least for current and future Verizon Wireless customers. According to a recent report, a banner ad hints at unlimited talk plans which asks site viewers the question "What can you plan on doing with Unlimited Anytime Minutes?" then states "Truly Unlimited Calling...Just $99.99”.

Verizon may offer an unlimited voice package with 6 different tiers that include combinations of various features such as text messaging, multimedia messaging, navigation services, email, data, and Verizon's VCast service. Pricing starts at $99.99 for a voice-only plan with the top-tier single-phone plan at $169.99 before taxes and fees. There is also a family plan priced at $199.99 for two lines with each additional line costing $99.99 which will most likely be a monthly fee.

The new unlimited usage plans are not limited to new customers either. Existing Verizon Wireless customers can choose to switch to these new plans without contract extensions on those one/two year contracts.

The details of such unlimited plans aren't quite set in stone as there has been no official word from Verizon. We'll have to wait until the wireless service provider makes an announcement, which may be as early as today.

Verizon Wireless is also on one end of a large-scale class action suit regarding early termination fees which has just been approved by mediator for the American Arbitration Association, Eugene I. Farber. Whether or not Verizon moves to settle with the class, it will take a hit somewhere in the billion dollar range if it loses this suit.

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verizon user
By sandalsocks on 2/19/2008 4:55:54 AM , Rating: 2
I'm a long time verizon user (3+ year). When I started out with them they were the most expensive. Now ATT seems is more expensive but seems to be more popular.

Looks like verizon is feeling the pressure to offer this as they were pretty arrogant before: highest cost plan, limited phone selection with features, and crippled phones.




RE: verizon user
By zombiexl on 2/19/2008 7:32:19 AM , Rating: 4
Verizon is way expensive, which is funny because some of the smaller ones (cell companies) use verizon's network and provide service for far less.

Their is a company a few people i know use that offers unlimited voice/text/etc for under $70/mo with no contract at all. With phones starting at around $100.

Myself, I'm stuck in a verizon contract for another 12 months or so (somehow my wifes company discount also allowed us to get an 18 month contract). Paying $200 a month for unlimited calling (on 2 lines) is really not something I'd jump for joy about.


RE: verizon user
By AlexWade on 2/19/2008 8:16:03 AM , Rating: 2
I have a sweet AT&T plan, 850 minutes + rollover shared with my mom, my brother, and his wife. 4 lines, my brother lives in a different state. We split the bill, and it is $31 a person. Of course, that was an older plan that I haven't changed for obvious reasons. Plus where I live AT&T service is excellent (although their service is lousy in other places).

My problem with Verizon is they cripple their phones. Verizon strips off the handset default software, and puts their own proprietary. Sure it makes it easier to write manuals for. But Verizon also at the same time removes features they don't like. Such as MP3 transfer over Bluetooth, because you should buy ringtones from Verizon for $2 a song.

I have come to sad conclusion that no cell phone company in this country is perfect. I just wish the FCC would kill off CDMA and iDen and mandate GSM so that we can have much more competition for handsets locally and globally. If everybody was GSM, Verizon wouldn't be able to get away with crippling. Europeans laugh at our cell phone service. I've been to the Ukraine, a country which it is a miracle if your land-line call is free of static. But even their cell-phone service is superior than ours. Very sad.


RE: verizon user
By oab on 2/19/2008 9:00:58 AM , Rating: 2
If the FCC killed off CDMA (which won't happen), you would still get crappy phone deals, with locked features, removed features, nerfed features, etc. Why? because despite that there is market "competition", there is no real competition.

The 7/11 wireless people who simply buy minutes and re-sell them? Who trusts 7/11 for wireless? Even though it's the same network, people assume that even though they are paying more, it's "worth" more because it's from a "big" "respected" company, and unless another suitably large company (ie. AT&T) offers the same thing, but for less, the mainstream perception (not an average DT readers), is that the big service providers are better, even though it's exactly the same.

The only way to get more competition, is if the FCC rules with the 700mhz spectrum (or some other spectrum auction-off) that only NEW telcos can bid on it, and that if they can build a nationwide network in 5 years, they can keep their allotment of it. Just imagine all the european companies trying to get in on that. Virgin, 3, Orange, etc. THEN you have real competition, but there is no real competition in the marketplace now. It's just like the oil industry. Sure there are 5 companies, but they aren't REALLY competing with each other, more co-existing.


RE: verizon user
By noirsoft on 2/19/2008 12:08:03 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
My problem with Verizon is they cripple their phones. Verizon strips off the handset default software, and puts their own proprietary.

You should get a phone running Windows Mobile. Verizon doesn't change the software.


RE: verizon user
By ThePooBurner on 2/19/2008 1:58:56 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Such as MP3 transfer over Bluetooth, because you should buy ringtones from Verizon for $2 a song

If you have the LG-8350 you can save any sound sent to you via text/vid message as a ring tone. As such, i can send myself my own MP3s and have a custom ringtone for 70 cents. :)


RE: verizon user
By UNCjigga on 2/19/2008 4:51:16 PM , Rating: 2
Moot point, Verizon's already announced that their next network will be LTE (the 4G evolution of GSM/UMTS). Yes, that means future Verizon phones will have SIM cards (still part of the LTE spec I believe.)


More plans?
By trinitron603 on 2/19/2008 8:15:47 AM , Rating: 2
Wow.. more plans. This is getting very sad honestly. Look at the prices for these things.. Example. The plan i have is 80 bucks a month, that includes my extra line for the family. so 2 phones.. at 700 minutes (shared) for 80 bucks a month?! thats pretty sad.. what needs to happen is this.

Lets get rid of all the extra lil nickle and dime schemes they have. ohh you want this phone.. well its an extra $xx.xx for this, and you want to have insurance.. hand over another $xx.xx

lets make this fair. unlimted use - $80.00 - month
Phone - $ however much they ask
No Activation Fee
No Surcharge, and extra lil fees.

lets have it fair. ok.. enough of my ranting..

i just think this is sad. i only have my phones because of family emergencies and if i absolutly need to get ahold of someone. oh well life will move on right?




RE: More plans?
By oab on 2/19/2008 9:09:14 AM , Rating: 2
unlimited use for $80? That's too expensive for me. I'd pay $25, or about the same price as a landline for unlimited local calling. Now, that plan wouldn't have any extra features (ie. 100 free text messages), it would be ONLY a calling plan.

200 text messages: $5
500 text messages: $10
unlimited text messages: 15

voicemail, caller id, call display, distinctive ring, etc. all included (based on phone capability)

10mb data: $2.50
20mb data: $3.50
100mb data: $5.00
unlimited data: $10.00

You can simply 'bolt on' as many additions as you like. No subsidized phones, no activation fee, no cancellation fee, no contracts just "agreements".

Of course, if you just use the phone as a "portable pay-phone", a pre-paid option is much, much better. I can go into 7/11, and put $10 on a pre-paid plan, and it lasts for one year. ONE YEAR. If I top-up the account before that, all existing balance I have carries over for another year. Having said that, I use Rogers pre-paid plan. $100 credit on my account lasts for one year, and 6 months later I've used up $90 of it. It's still cheaper than ANY monthly plan I can sign up for.


RE: More plans?
By oab on 2/19/2008 9:11:30 AM , Rating: 2
I know the text message pricing in there is a bit too high for what I would want/what it is worth, but I was going more for "realistic" instead. Besides, data offers all that text messaging does, but more.


RE: More plans?
By VahnTitrio on 2/19/2008 10:38:58 AM , Rating: 2
Hopefully prices will come down. With most of the infrastructure in place and only requiring upgrades, coupled with the fact that just about everyone has a cell phone (ie this is near the end of the surge in subscriptions), I would think pricing is going to become increasingly important when it comes to market share. The problem is Wall Street likes to see more and more revenue from telecom cos. so they are very reluctant to budge from their current pricing. I mean if there was a reliable network out there that let you have unlimited whatever your phone is capable of for $25 a month everybody would be jumping to you as soon as their contract expired.


a bit behind the times?
By Gastrian on 2/19/2008 5:49:53 AM , Rating: 2
We've had packages in the UK with cross network unlimited calls + a few hundred texts for about 35 quid for a few years.




RE: a bit behind the times?
By idconstruct on 2/19/2008 8:19:05 AM , Rating: 2
ALL data services here in the US suck


RE: a bit behind the times?
By FITCamaro on 2/19/2008 11:03:19 AM , Rating: 2
Here in Charleston, a coworker downloaded a file faster using Verizon's data card in his laptop than on our T1. And I get over 1MB/sec download rates on our connection. Now I don't know what he was downloading. But that it was faster at all is saying something.

Verizon's and Sprint's data services are extremely fast.


Sprint also
By SLEEPER5555 on 2/19/2008 4:10:29 AM , Rating: 2
Sprint is also rumored to start offering totally unlimited plans this month but at a lower price. This hasnt been done with the major nationwide carriers since the old At&t Wireless (not including the smaller carriers cricket, metro pcs, etc.) It will be an interesting battke.

--Sleeper




RE: Sprint also
By zombiexl on 2/19/2008 7:27:26 AM , Rating: 2
I know they had a nextel plan for 99 unlimited a few months back when i was looking at their dev tools and test kits.


Greeeeeaaat
By retrospooty on 2/19/2008 9:56:25 AM , Rating: 2
Now all they need to do is drop the price on their rediculous $45 per month for unlimited data and well be set.




reverting to their old ways
By elfy6x on 2/19/2008 12:34:08 PM , Rating: 2
I have a friend that has Verizon from way back in the 90's. Her plan was already unlimited. Granted her phone is old and eventually I think she had to give up the plan, but they used to have unlimited plans. The moment cell phones became popular, they created tiered and limited plans for the masses. Seems they're coming around full circle again.




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