Questions about plans

kat.hayes · #1 07-04-2009, 05:46 PM

I am not much of one to talk on the phone. I have had my same plan since 1999 and it is very inexpensive and I never go over my minutes. I also pay an extra $5 a month for texts.

I am considering getting the new Tour and want to use it just for email and to update Facebook and my Blog sometimes. I am not planning to do much of watching videos or web surfing (just a bit of data).

1.) Anyone know if I can add just data to my existing phone plan or will they make me upgrade my phone plan also?

2.) The VZW site shows an unlimited data plan for $49.99. Is this the most inexpensive way for me to do very light email and facebook on the Tour?

Thanks!

Lady.Khrystal · #2 07-04-2009, 06:08 PM

It really depends on what plan you're on. I don't see why you wouldn't be able to, but you do need to specify to the rep that you do not want to change to a newer plan. Off the top of your head, do you know how many minutes you have and how much you're paying for them? I would be able to tell you if that is a currently supported plan or not if you have that information available.

If you can keep that plan, I see no reason that you can't just have the $30 BlackBerry data plan on top of it.

0xcb · #3 07-05-2009, 01:10 AM

Sorry to interrupt this thread, but I have a different question about plans. When I add Blackberry Tour to my cart, I have two options:

1. Add 450 min, voice plan for $39.99 and then data plan for $29.99. Total comes to around $70.00

2. Add Blackberry Nationwide plan for $80.00

I can't see any difference in these two plans. Do you know what additional feature is included with Plan 2 for an additional $10 compared to Plan 1 above ?

Thanks

Lady.Khrystal · #4 07-05-2009, 11:09 AM

The answer to your post has also been answered in the Ask A VZW Rep forum, but basically the seperate $39.99 and $29.99 data is for the personal POP3/webmail option, and the $79.99 is basically a discounted bundled version of the $39.99 plan and the $44.99 data, which is basically for if your company has a Blackberry Enterprise Server (additonal IT and security tokens make it ideal for companies who are looking to control information going to the phone and access to the phone).

My suggestion is that if you're not getting your Blackberry for business purposes, or are just using a standard email address, such as from gmail, hotmail, yahoo, etc, just get the $39.99 plan with the $29.99 data.

kat.hayes · #5 07-06-2009, 06:04 PM

300 minutes for around $20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady.Khrystal

It really depends on what plan you're on. I don't see why you wouldn't be able to, but you do need to specify to the rep that you do not want to change to a newer plan. Off the top of your head, do you know how many minutes you have and how much you're paying for them? I would be able to tell you if that is a currently supported plan or not if you have that information available.

If you can keep that plan, I see no reason that you can't just have the $30 BlackBerry data plan on top of it.

TwinsX2Dad · #6 07-06-2009, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kat.hayes

300 minutes for around $20

That plan isn't compatible with smartphone data components, so you'd have to change plans.

But to be sure, call 611 and ask them. They have the most recent info.

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kat.hayes · #7 07-06-2009, 06:35 PM

It is an ancient plan, though any ideas why it is not compatible other than VZW wanting to make more $? Is there a reason why that voice plan needs to be updated to support the addition of a data plan?

thanks.

TwinsX2Dad · #8 07-06-2009, 06:46 PM

In reality, no - the restriction involves programming. The programming is written to exclude indefinite updates to grandfathered plans.

All carriers have voice plans below the minimum required for a smartphone - in VZW's case, it is the 450 min nationwide plan % $39.99.

Older plans cost the carriers extra to maintain provisioning on. They want you to have current plans and not stay on the old ones.

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Weekendbum · #9 07-06-2009, 07:11 PM

OT::

Since I can't PM you twin. According to sling, you got beat up :P.

Switching from the Pre to the Tour, few questions...

TwinsX2Dad · #10 07-06-2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weekendbum

OT::

Since I can't PM you twin. According to sling, you got beat up :P.

Switching from the Pre to the Tour, few questions...

I won't even click that link, if you're talking about slingbox - the kid is one of those who shows up at a mental gunfight, armed not with a knife, but a toothpick, then whines that he got shot.

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Lady.Khrystal · #11 07-06-2009, 07:23 PM

Week, Twin... I was reading into the rest of that forum laughing at how everyone got together to defend you.

Kat... There is a plan out there now that's rather unadvertised for $34.99 for 300 minutes, but no Verizon to Verizon calling. Also, I believe that the $20 plan you are on now is local only, yes? I have no way of checking the exact details of your plan at the moment since I'm not at a work computer with the ability to pull up information on grandfathered plans.

It's not really a "Verizon wanting to make more money" thing. It's more a cost of operating thing. The old analog/local plans were a lot cheaper to operate off of because the network cost less to maintain, but now that everything is nationwide and the FCC discontinued all analog towers, it's pretty much you upgrading to a new plan because your plan is not compatible with the digital service (and you would run into this with every company). So, you have to switch to the new plan because it's just not compatible due to FCC regulations, and the plan costs more because it's more expensive to maintain.

kat.hayes · #12 07-06-2009, 07:33 PM

It is a plan that lets me call anywhere within the country and I have mobile-to-mobile. I have had this since 1999 that is why it is so cheap...I do not talk much on the phone so it is perfect for me, though I really would like to start using data.

TwinsX2Dad · #13 07-06-2009, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kat.hayes

It is a plan that lets me call anywhere within the country and I have mobile-to-mobile. I have had this since 1999 that is why it is so cheap...I do not talk much on the phone so it is perfect for me, though I really would like to start using data.

Unfortunately, your least expensive option is the $39.99 voice plan, with the $29.99 data plan on top, plus any text plan you want to add. There is no cheaper option for BlackBerry with VZW.

Look at it this way - you can't get a data plan on a dumbphone with that plan either.

If you don't believe any of what you've been told here, again I will invite you to call 611. Use the plans mentioned here. Ask them if BlackBerry data is available with what you have and what you'd need to do to get BlackBerry data. Continuing to ask here, when VZW people, non-VZW people and those inbetween have already responded.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weekendbum

OT::

Since I can't PM you twin. According to sling, you got beat up :P.

Switching from the Pre to the Tour, few questions...

Alright, fine - I went. See what I wrote to crush a new war.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Jim from NW Pa · #14 07-06-2009, 11:44 PM

Twins..... The stuff at the bottom of the pot looked like it was getting burnt lol

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TwinsX2Dad · #15 07-07-2009, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from NW Pa

Twins..... The stuff at the bottom of the pot looked like it was getting burnt lol

Heh - have to stir it up from time to time - still can't believe I wasted a long post on that bozo.

Still, it was either that of I'd have to press buttons to figure out my PIN - then I'd have to use BBM, an app I have no use for.

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