I think this is ridiculous. Everyone that I know that has those phones don't have or want a data plan. They just use the phone for texting and calls. I think that they should allow customers to choose whether or not they want a data plan. I know many people who have these types of phones that don't even know what a web browser is or where to even find it on their phone and now Verizon wants to make it a requirement that to purchase any non-smartphone with a keyboard you must get at least a $10 data plan. Many older people have these phones for texting because it is simply easier to use with a full keyboard rather than having to use ABC or Word and now they are going to have to get a data plan for $10 a month per phone that they will never use?
Also this is bad for us because with all these popular phones needing data plans, is the Verizon network going to become overloaded with traffic like AT&T is? If everyone and their brother now have a phone with a data plan and are using it, what Is going to happen to the network?? Will our speeds be throttled to provide enough bandwidth for these new non-smartphones that now have data plans? I think this is a very bad choice for Verizon and an even worse choice for AT&T who is making any customer who purchases a phone with a keyboard get either a $20 unlimited texting package or a $30 unlimited data package. Their network already experiencing problems can't handle the data from iPhone users and now their going to make it mandatory that if you buy a phone with a keyboard, you must have a data plan? If you don't believe me that AT&T is having network issues then watch this video directly from AT&T talking about the issue themselves:
With all these new non smart phones using data AT&T is going to be in for some real trouble and I can almost guarantee that Verizon will be loosing customers left and right because their phone selection already puts them at a disadvantage and the customers who purchase the En V phones don't want to get get ripped off with a $10 data plan for 25 mb a month-- They just want the phone for texting. If they wanted a data plan, wouldn't it be better for it to be optional so they can choose to have it or not? Why not give customers the choice of what they want, rather than forcing them to have a data plan that most people wont even use. I understand that people enjoy checking their Facebook, updating their Twitter accounts and the whole social media type of thing (I do. Which is why I CHOOSE to have a smartphone) but this isn't the time to force people into paying more a month for something they may never use. We are in a recession right now, the unemployment climbs higher everyday and people are going to have to make the choose to either have food on their table, or get rid of their cell phones that are constantly increasing in price.
Not only do I believe that consumers should be able to choose what they want, but they are simply being ripped off by this new mandatory data plan. Ten dollars for 25 megabytes is very pricey, that's 40 cents per megabyte and with the poor tools Verizon offers to track your usage many individuals will end up going over. I can say this with experience, I use about 300 megabytes of Data a month on my Blackberry and If I decide to go on Youtube and watch a video, then go to check my data usage, it takes a few days for the data I just used to populate on their website or the My Verizon app. on the phone. If these carriers plan on making data mandatory on non-smartphones, they at least need to provide an up to date tracking solution so people can tell how much data their using in real time. If a user that goes on with say their En V Touch and checks their Facebook a few times and then later checks My Verizon to see how much data they used, it may say they only used 15 megabytes so they think they have 10 remaining megabytes that their data plan allows, without going over and next thing they go back on the web to a few sites and now they check back and their over by 10 megabytes because originally when they checked their data usage, they were already over but it didn't update in the system.
I just thought I would bring this up. The press seems to put this as a good thing because they are reducing the price of their unlimited voice plans, but making it back by forcing customers into a mandatory data plan which is only ripping off consumers. When I had an LG Dare on the connect plan it was only costing me $10 for unlimited data. That was a year and a half ago and mobile internet has been out longer now, so you would think that the price would degrease as time goes on. But that's not the case, its big businesses screwing over consumers. T-Mobile and Sprint are doing the right thing and they will see a positive gain by it, when people get fed up and switch over. What do you guys think?
Personally I agree with Berry fit. Wouldn't it be a win/win situation for the customer to be able to choose whether to have a data plan or simply pay the $1.99 pay as you go data? This would clearly be the best situation; the people here that feel they need a data plan could purchase one and the people that may not need or want to shell out an additional $10 or $30 a month wouldn't have to, plus they could get the phone they want. I know many people, teenagers especially that love the En V line of phones. They are extremely popular among teens and with the economy the way it what makes you think that parents who pay their kids wireless bill are going to pay an additional $10 for every child they have? While I understand many feel they should just not upgrade, eventually your phone will be in need of a replacement and you will have to purchase another phone. Verizon simply has very little "simple phone" choices with keyboards. Verizon has one phone, the Samsung Intensity, a keyboard phone. With this new required data plan choice both Verizon and LG can say goodbye to their En V products being a top hit, but instead the majority of the market who doesn't want a data plan will have the Intensity simply because its the only full qwerty keyboard they offer and research shows the industry is going towards keyboard phones and less towards the standard "Flip" design.
As a Blackberry user, I understand the required Data plan on smart phones but I think that it is absolutely ludicrous that a data plan be required on a feature phone. It should be the choice and it seems the growing trend is to let big business dictate to what consumers are going to get and we don't mind letting them dominate the industry and rip us off. Paying $10 for 25 megabytes is just outrageous and with the poor data tracking Verizon provides, its obvious that the majority of users will go over which again means more cash to these big business. I've been a Verizon Customer for years and their coverage is excellent, but if these data plans are in effect when my contract end data is up and I go to upgrade, I won't be a Verizon customer anymore. The only way to let these companies know your not happy with their choice to shove something you may not need down your throat is to take you business elsewhere and if enough people do this, Verizon and AT&T will see their not making $$ and they must either change with the demands or go out of business.
I hope you can see why I took the time to express my thoughts on this issue. I think that as consumers we should have a choice not be forced into something. If you want data plan, then you should be able to purchase it, if its not something you need then you should have the option to not have it. It's all about choice and as consumers we should be able to choose what is best for us. If we want something done we must tell these companies that we aren't happy and as consumers we deserve a choice. If we call, email, send in letters, take our business elsewhere something will be done and everyone will benefit. Unfortunately this is just only the beginning in the cell phone industry and not before long, there will be another "must have" feature that the carriers will be trying to make mandatory so they can get us consumers to pay more cash for something that we many of us will not even use or need.
If you haven't seen the Press statement heres where you can view it:
AT&T messes with plans in wake of Verizon's moves, slashes unlimited voice pricing -- Engadget Verizon Wireless Offers Simple, Affordable Convenience With New Unlimited Voice Plans