Ars Technica: Verizon Threatens Heavy EV-DO Users With Higher Prices

[Raphael Salgado]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060407-6548.html' target='_blank'>http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/pos...60407-6548.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"A lot of us have a hard time living without broadband, even when we're on the go. That's why Pocket PCs and other mobile devices with built-in 3G capability (like Verizon's EVDO BroadbandAccess) have been selling well. Another popular 3G use is EV-DO cards for laptops. Surfing via EV-DO can leave dial-up in the dust or be like using DSL's little brother who rides the short yellow bus, depending on the conditions. BroadbandAccess' increased usage is starting to raise warning flags for Verizon Wireless, which is threatening to implement a tiered pricing structure to punish the service's heaviest users of bandwidth. Verizon would prefer its customers limit their BroadbandAccess usage to checking e-mail and non-bandwidth-intensive web browsing."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/salgado_vzwspoof.jpg" /><br /><br />This is a very interesting article that will really set off a lot of people who are already paying for Verizon's already-pricey unlimited EVDO data service. If companies continue to use the word "unlimited," they should be prepared to be taken up on the offer. That last sentence regarding email and non-intensive (read: WAP, yuck) web browsing really makes me chuckle. ;) I can understand that bandwidth for airwaves could be more precious than wired connections, but if people are already signed up into their contract and then attempt to get extorted, you can just imagine the attorneys lining up for a class action lawsuit. Your thoughts?

[tmmburke]

I have VZ Broadband service unlimited and I can tell you htat if they start tiering their service based on usage (unlimited - what does that mean), I will immediately cancel my service and go with Cingular 3G service. I hear its pretty fast and available in the major markets. What I don't understand is Verizon Wireless offering their Vcast service for $15 a month which uses theri EVDO network and uses a lot more bandwidth for tose videos than any Laptop user. Mixed messages...

[Jerry Raia]

I hope they get the pants sued off them if they try it. :devilboy:

[Don't Panic!]

False advertising is all I can say. Unlimited Broadband Access is what they say they sell. Any use of the word Unlimited means exactly that.

But as to a class action suit. The last time I got involved in one was during the Jornanda 520 debacle. I sent my device back to HP and never saw a penny or even recieved acknowledgement that they ever received it. Lawyers make money on those things regardless of the outcome. The people actually affected receive little or nothing sometimes.

[apeguero]

This is why when you were talking about switching your service provider a while back because of the new Pocket PC phones out there I tried suggesting Sprint to you. I had a choice between Verizon and Sprint. I originally wanted the Palm 700w - mainly because I had a 650 at the time so I was going to be able to use most of my accessories for it (case, stylus and whatnot). But, 700w is a Verizon only phone. That company only cares about their bottom line and could give a fat rat's ass about their customers. Not to say Sprint would be any better but so far I've been able to surf anytime for as long as I want and tether with no problems for $15.00 minus my 15% military discount. Verizon couldn't even come close to that.

Also, isn't Verizon trying to charge Google and the others more money for their bandwidth? The whole Net Equality stuff that was flying around a couple of weeks ago? Sorry guys, Verizon is just another Evil Empire company out to stiff us out of our money. I too hope they get sued back to the stone age for this!

[Silver5]

This is why I am not a Verizon customer. They do have good service (not as good as they advertise, but pretty damn good nevertheless) but they nickel and dime after already charging an arm and a leg. Enough with the cliches though...

They charge $45 per month for UNLIMITED data access from a PDA phone. It shouldn't matter what Verizon prefers its customers use the service for. If they say "unlimited" data access then it is just that. If "unlimited" means limited then they just need to say it up front.

[CoreyJF]

I am not a network expert but how would Verizon know if I am downloading large attachments such as database files or streaming through Orb. I would think they would have to take a pretty close look at the packets to figure that information out. It would seem to me that if they do go that route, not only would they face issues with the way they marketed “unlimited”, this could quickly morph into some major privacy concerns.

[DaleReeck]

Don't you know? VZW's data networks are like a museum. It looks pretty, but you are only allowed to look, not touch.

[efjay]

High prices, limited device choice and possible increased running costs. I am actually surprised anyone would use Verizon. $45 is comparable to some home broadband prices, not worth it in my book. But i dont think lawsuits are the answer, rather more competition from other carriers. Once the consumer has more attractive options Verizon will have to rethink their pricing strategies or lose market share. Roll on Cingular and T-Mobile's high speed service, I say.

[Jerry Raia]

I dumped Verizon a while back. I don't miss them either. :lol:

[animlmed]

I don't enjoy paying 45 bucks a month, but I'm not sure who else I'd go with. I'm a CDMA fan, and I hate Alltel. The only other choice is Sprint, and they burned me a few years ago too. Verizon has been great so far, just a bit high in the price area.

[Janak Parekh]

I have VZ Broadband service unlimited and I can tell you htat if they start tiering their service based on usage (unlimited - what does that mean), I will immediately cancel my service and go with Cingular 3G service. I hear its pretty fast and available in the major markets.
You're assuming, of course, that Cingular won't think of doing the same thing as their network use begins to saturate. Or Sprint, for that matter. Wireless is much more easily saturated than, say, cable/DSL/T1/etc.

What I don't understand is Verizon Wireless offering their Vcast service for $15 a month which uses theri EVDO network and uses a lot more bandwidth for tose videos than any Laptop user. Mixed messages...
I think most people don't use VCAST all the time, and the cost is amortized amongst the large number of subscribers -- plus, it leads to additional sales, like from their music or other download stores. Moreover, what a cell phone can do is relatively limited. EVDO PDA/laptop users, though, can be huge consumers, especially with video or P2P services.

--janak

[Janak Parekh]

They charge $45 per month for UNLIMITED data access from a PDA phone. It shouldn't matter what Verizon prefers its customers use the service for. If they say "unlimited" data access then it is just that. If "unlimited" means limited then they just need to say it up front.
Unfortunately, I think a lot of wired ISPs do this too, via capping and rate-limiting. :( There needs to be more regulation in this regard.

--janak

[Janak Parekh]

I don't enjoy paying 45 bucks a month, but I'm not sure who else I'd go with. I'm a CDMA fan, and I hate Alltel. The only other choice is Sprint, and they burned me a few years ago too. Verizon has been great so far, just a bit high in the price area.
... and Verizon knows it. If you go into a New York store and ask a Verizon person why their prices are higher, they point out that people are really happy with their service and as it stands people continue to sign up at a high rate. It's a supply-and-demand problem. If/when/where Cingular or Sprint can provide a compelling high-speed alternative, with the same service coverage, at a lower price point, then Verizon may eventually be forced to rethink its situation. This may take some time, though; data is still in its infancy, and veteran cell phone users may remember how much minutes used to cost back in the analog days.

--janak

[scottb]

It's interesting to read comments about what "unlimited" means or doesn't mean. However, Verizon has terms of service that state what the data service can be used for. Streaming content and tethering (for most devices) is in violation of those terms.
Do I like it? Not particularly, but it's what you and I agreed to.

[eagle63]

I'm always curious as to why anyone would choose Verizon, unless you happen to live in an area that only they cover. (which is pretty rare nowadays)

Seriously, horrific data pricing, crippled Bluetooth, ugly logo... am I forgetting anything??

[Don't Panic!]

You're forgeting folks like us. The W?BIC! people. ;)

[ADBrown]

It's interesting to read comments about what "unlimited" means or doesn't mean.

un·lim·it·ed (ŭn-lĭm'ĭ-tĭd)
adj.
Having no restrictions or controls: an unlimited travel ticket.
Having or seeming to have no boundaries; infinite: an unlimited horizon.
Without qualification or exception; absolute: unlimited self-confidence.

I think that what "unlimited" means is pretty damn clear.

However, Verizon has terms of service that state what the data service can be used for. Streaming content and tethering (for most devices) is in violation of those terms.
Do I like it? Not particularly, but it's what you and I agreed to.

And by those terms of service, you're not allowed to use the service for ANYTHING. Ever. Unless you can prove to Verizon's satisfaction that you're not using it as a "backup or substitute" for any other service. For instance, as a substitute for going back to your home or office and accessing the internet from there. Or using it as a WiFi replacement, the way Verizon advertises it. I don't know about you, but where I come from, we call that false advertising, and I'm also pretty sure that there are laws against writing contracts that burden only one party.

[CoreyJF]

I'm always curious as to why anyone would choose Verizon, unless you happen to live in an area that only they cover. (which is pretty rare nowadays)

Seriously, horrific data pricing, crippled Bluetooth, ugly logo... am I forgetting anything??

The coverage in the DC metro area is currently the best option. Their EVDO network has far greater coverage then Sprint, and the other providers, at least in the DC area, have failed to provide a true 3G network.

45 a month is not cheap, but they are providing a service, no other carrier has yet to match. I am sure prices will come down as competition grows. Like anything else, you pay for being an early user.

I could be wrong, but I still think if they were to go after people who are downloading movies and the like, they will face issues from privacy advocates.

[maximum360]

I had Verizon for a couple years and the EVDO service was decent. I also live in the DC Metro area. I got tired of paying $45 for EVDO and having a crappy signal where I lived (most other places seemed fine though) so I made the switch to Sprint. I don't recall ever having an issue with a signal strength with Sprint unless I am deep in a garage or basement of some building. Plus for $15 it can't be beat.

With the same exact plan (plus 100 extra minutes) I save at least $40 a month with Sprint vs. my previous plan with Verizon. The only one-up Verizon has on Sprint at the moment is that you can get EVDO access on the Metro (which has always been spotty to begin with).

[CoreyJF]

I had Verizon for a couple years and the EVDO service was decent. I also live in the DC Metro area. I got tired of paying $45 for EVDO and having a crappy signal where I lived (most other places seemed fine though) so I made the switch to Sprint. I don't recall ever having an issue with a signal strength with Sprint unless I am deep in a garage or basement of some building. Plus for $15 it can't be beat.

With the same exact plan (plus 100 extra minutes) I save at least $40 a month with Sprint vs. my previous plan with Verizon. The only one-up Verizon has on Sprint at the moment is that you can get EVDO access on the Metro (which has always been spotty to begin with).

I guess that depends where in DC area you are. I had Sprint and switch to Verizon because of single strength issues. I actually get pretty good coverage in the Metro tunnels. I live in Bethesda, work in NoVA, and spend a lot of time in DC. I am sure there are small pockets where Sprint or any of the other carriers might have better reception, but if you are looking overall, Verizon has a much larger and better connected network for phone service. As for Internet, Sprints EVDO coverage is still significantly smaller then Verizon's. Just look at their service maps. Now I haven't been on sprint in years, and I know they have upgraded since then, but up until a few months ago, when my wife's sprint contract finally ran out and we switched her over to VZW, we often had to use my phone often because her's couldn't get service.

That being said. Sprint is still in the process of building its network and Verizon EVDO expansion has pretty much stalled. I do think that eventually Sprint will catch up and maybe even surpass the vzw coverage. If that happens, sprints pricing point will drive the market. But as long a Verizon still has a clear market advantage, it can and will get away with charging 45. For me, and a lot of other people, the extra money is worth the reliability and continuity of coverage.

[Janak Parekh]

I'm always curious as to why anyone would choose Verizon, unless you happen to live in an area that only they cover. (which is pretty rare nowadays)
You'd be surprised. Verizon is the only service that works reliably in my office in Manhattan and my home on Long Island, and almost everywhere in between (including underwater tunnels). Sprint sucks at home as does T-Mobile, and my officemate with Cingular constantly has reception problems in the office. :|

It's getting to be more of an even playing field, but obviously, Verizon's doing well, so there must still be a difference in enough places. As Cingular continues to improve their UMTS footprint (and Sprint with their EVDO footprint), we'll probably see increased competition translate to lower prices.

--janak

[scottb]

un·lim·it·ed (n-lm'-td)
adj.
Having no restrictions or controls: an unlimited travel ticket.
Having or seeming to have no boundaries; infinite: an unlimited horizon.
Without qualification or exception; absolute: unlimited self-confidence.

I think that what "unlimited" means is pretty damn clear.

Thanks for the insight--that's very helpful.


And by those terms of service, you're not allowed to use the service for ANYTHING. Ever. Unless you can prove to Verizon's satisfaction that you're not using it as a "backup or substitute" for any other service. For instance, as a substitute for going back to your home or office and accessing the internet from there. Or using it as a WiFi replacement, the way Verizon advertises it. I don't know about you, but where I come from, we call that false advertising, and I'm also pretty sure that there are laws against writing contracts that burden only one party.

Anything? I use it all the time for Web surfing (I'm using it now), email and news. I use about 150-200 Mb per month and have never had to prove anything. I guess it's because I use it within the terms of service instead of agreeing to something and then crying about it.

You're "pretty sure" about contract law? As long as you agree to it (and can legally do so), your bound by it.

I'm not condoning the restrictions, just stating facts. If I want a mobile data connection, this is what is available to me. I've made the choice to purchase it and attempt to stay within the terms.

[CoreyJF]

un·lim·it·ed (n-lm'-td)
adj.
Having no restrictions or controls: an unlimited travel ticket.
Having or seeming to have no boundaries; infinite: an unlimited horizon.
Without qualification or exception; absolute: unlimited self-confidence.

I think that what "unlimited" means is pretty damn clear.

Thanks for the insight--that's very helpful.


And by those terms of service, you're not allowed to use the service for ANYTHING. Ever. Unless you can prove to Verizon's satisfaction that you're not using it as a "backup or substitute" for any other service. For instance, as a substitute for going back to your home or office and accessing the internet from there. Or using it as a WiFi replacement, the way Verizon advertises it. I don't know about you, but where I come from, we call that false advertising, and I'm also pretty sure that there are laws against writing contracts that burden only one party.

Anything? I use it all the time for Web surfing (I'm using it now), email and news. I use about 150-200 Mb per month and have never had to prove anything. I guess it's because I use it within the terms of service instead of agreeing to something and then crying about it.

You're "pretty sure" about contract law? As long as you agree to it (and can legally do so), your bound by it.

I'm not condoning the restrictions, just stating facts. If I want a mobile data connection, this is what is available to me. I've made the choice to purchase it and attempt to stay within the terms.

I have two concerns.

Regardless of the contract terms and "small print" TOS. Deceptive advertising is deceptive advertising. They promote and advertise one thing, then in small print serve you up an entirely different dish.

Privacy is my second concern. Exactly how are they determining how the bandwidth is being consumed.

[PPCMD]

Cisco systems which sells alot of routers to the major carriers has introduced a new level of router that allows them to see more into the packets and determine the types of traffic you are sending/receiving. Bottom line is they know what you sent and how much of it.

Also its not too hard for them to see 100MB of useage in a small window of time say an hour or less.

I don't like the TOS or the BS advertising or the pricing. But I have found Cingular QOS &amp; CS to be lacking. I wanted GSM to work in my part of upstate NY but it just doesn't cut it and Verizon does. Hopefully in the coming years Cingular will get it right and pass Verizon.

Class action suits do work, I received $175 ETF refund from Verizon on my V710 something like 120k or more respondents to the Class action suit.

[CoreyJF]

Cisco systems which sells alot of routers to the major carriers has introduced a new level of router that allows them to see more into the packets and determine the types of traffic you are sending/receiving. Bottom line is they know what you sent and how much of it.

Also its not too hard for them to see 100MB of useage in a small window of time say an hour or less.

I don't like the TOS or the BS advertising or the pricing. But I have found Cingular QOS &amp; CS to be lacking. I wanted GSM to work in my part of upstate NY but it just doesn't cut it and Verizon does. Hopefully in the coming years Cingular will get it right and pass Verizon.

Class action suits do work, I received $175 ETF refund from Verizon on my V710 something like 120k or more respondents to the Class action suit.


Having the capacity to look and making it a business practice to do so are two very different beasts. If Verizon or any other provider starts publicly admitting to examining our data that closely, I think there would be many privacy advocates that would express public concern. If some tech or cr department is constantly monitoring and has access to my data as a regular job responsibility how will I know they aren’t going to leak it to a competitor. Obviously they have to capacity to monitor anything that goes through the servers, just has they can tap you phone lines, that doesn’t mean it is appropriate or even legal.

[scottb]

I have two concerns.

Regardless of the contract terms and "small print" TOS. Deceptive advertising is deceptive advertising. They promote and advertise one thing, then in small print serve you up an entirely different dish.

Privacy is my second concern. Exactly how are they determining how the bandwidth is being consumed.

Advertising is deceptive no matter who does it--it's certainly not unique to Verizon. Since we've gone this far into it, I've never seen the unlimited data plan advertised anywhere. If you can point me to an ad for it, I'd liek to see one.

Here is some text from the Verizon Wireless Web site. This text appears on the same page where you select the unlimited data plan. If you scroll down a few inches you'll see it. In this case, both the appetizer and main course are on different dishes, but on the same table.

Again, I'm not defending these terms, I just get frustrated when people make strong statements that have little or no basis. In my simple thought process, there is no deception if the terms are spelled out clearly--mere inches below the "advertisement" for the plan.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unlimited PDA/Smartphone and BlackBerry® Plans:
Data sessions may be used for following purposes: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) email; and (iii) intranet access (including access to corporate intranets, email and individual productivity applications like customer relationship management, sales force and field service automation. Intranet access requires the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.). Unlimited plans are for individual use only and not for resale. The Unlimited plans cannot be used: (1) for any applications that tether the device to laptops, PCs, or other equipment for any purpose, (2) for uploading, downloading or streaming of movies, music or games, (3) with server devices or with host computer applications other than the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, including, without limitation, Web camera posts or broadcasts, continuous jpeg file transfers, automatic data feeds, telemetry applications, automated functions or any other machine-to-machine applications, (4) as substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections.
Data sessions automatically terminate after two hours of inactivity unless used with a Mobile IP-capable device. We reserve the right to deny or terminate service, without notice, to anyone who uses the Unlimited plan in any manner prohibited above or whose usage adversely impacts our network or service levels. We also reserve the right to terminate service upon expiration of Customer Agreement term.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

[scottb]

I'm always curious as to why anyone would choose Verizon, unless you happen to live in an area that only they cover. (which is pretty rare nowadays)
You'd be surprised. Verizon is the only service that works reliably in my office in Manhattan and my home on Long Island, and almost everywhere in between (including underwater tunnels). Sprint sucks at home as does T-Mobile, and my officemate with Cingular constantly has reception problems in the office. :|
[snip...]
--janak

Similar situation here. I tried Cingular, which was fine in my office, but I could not use the phone at my house unless I went outside or upstairs. I haven't tried Sprint, only had comments similar to my Cingular experience from a colleague at work.

[packetstorm]

I have VZ Broadband service unlimited and I can tell you htat if they start tiering their service based on usage (unlimited - what does that mean), I will immediately cancel my service and go with Cingular 3G service. I hear its pretty fast and available in the major markets. What I don't understand is Verizon Wireless offering their Vcast service for $15 a month which uses theri EVDO network and uses a lot more bandwidth for tose videos than any Laptop user. Mixed messages...

Why wouldn't you just go to Sprint? $15 a month unlimited EVDO. Had it for a year, no muss, no fuss and I use it ALOT.

[CoreyJF]

I have two concerns.

Regardless of the contract terms and "small print" TOS. Deceptive advertising is deceptive advertising. They promote and advertise one thing, then in small print serve you up an entirely different dish.

Privacy is my second concern. Exactly how are they determining how the bandwidth is being consumed.

Advertising is deceptive no matter who does it--it's certainly not unique to Verizon. Since we've gone this far into it, I've never seen the unlimited data plan advertised anywhere. If you can point me to an ad for it, I'd liek to see one.

Here is some text from the Verizon Wireless Web site. This text appears on the same page where you select the unlimited data plan. If you scroll down a few inches you'll see it. In this case, both the appetizer and main course are on different dishes, but on the same table.

Again, I'm not defending these terms, I just get frustrated when people make strong statements that have little or no basis. In my simple thought process, there is no deception if the terms are spelled out clearly--mere inches below the "advertisement" for the plan.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unlimited PDA/Smartphone and BlackBerry® Plans:
Data sessions may be used for following purposes: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) email; and (iii) intranet access (including access to corporate intranets, email and individual productivity applications like customer relationship management, sales force and field service automation. Intranet access requires the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.). Unlimited plans are for individual use only and not for resale. The Unlimited plans cannot be used: (1) for any applications that tether the device to laptops, PCs, or other equipment for any purpose, (2) for uploading, downloading or streaming of movies, music or games, (3) with server devices or with host computer applications other than the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, including, without limitation, Web camera posts or broadcasts, continuous jpeg file transfers, automatic data feeds, telemetry applications, automated functions or any other machine-to-machine applications, (4) as substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections.
Data sessions automatically terminate after two hours of inactivity unless used with a Mobile IP-capable device. We reserve the right to deny or terminate service, without notice, to anyone who uses the Unlimited plan in any manner prohibited above or whose usage adversely impacts our network or service levels. We also reserve the right to terminate service upon expiration of Customer Agreement term.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

There is tons of case law were deceptive advertising practices has have lead to successful class action lawsuits.

As for there marketing Verizon I hear VZW commercials for unlimited broadband internet all the time, turn on the TV they are constantly hyping the multimedia capabilities of the phone an there nationwide broad band access.

[scottb]

There is tons of case law were deceptive advertising practices has have lead to successful class action lawsuits.

As for there marketing Verizon I hear VZW commercials for unlimited broadband internet all the time, turn on the TV they are constantly hyping the multimedia capabilities of the phone an there nationwide broad band access.

Ok. We might be talking about two different things here. The TV commercials I've seen are for V-Cast multimedia phones. These ARE unlimited in the amount of data you can use and they only work on EV-DO connections, for $15 per month. They don't use the $45/$49 PDA Data plan.

[Janak Parekh]

Cisco systems which sells alot of routers to the major carriers has introduced a new level of router that allows them to see more into the packets and determine the types of traffic you are sending/receiving. Bottom line is they know what you sent and how much of it.
Protocol-aware rate limiting has been around for a fairly long time and various places implement it, but at a level that should assuage privacy concerns (e.g., the router computes aggregate statistics to see if you've passed a particular threshold, but does not log the traffic for future data).

Also its not too hard for them to see 100MB of useage in a small window of time say an hour or less.
Right, traffic flow analysis may be sufficient without packet introspection.

--janak

[jpurv]

Ah yes, the contract. Let's examine it to make sure we don't break it inadvertently:

The Unlimited plans cannot be used: (1) for any applications that tether the device to laptops, PCs, or other equipment for any purpose,

The i730 I use comes with a synchronization cradle that tethers it for purposes of syncing, but according to this I'm not allowed to use it. Guess I have to sync via bluetooth.

(2) for uploading, downloading or streaming of movies, music or games,
(3) with server devices or with host computer applications other than the BlackBerry Enterprise Server, including, without limitation, Web camera posts or broadcasts, continuous jpeg file transfers, automatic data feeds, telemetry applications, automated functions or any other machine-to-machine applications,

The internet itself is by definition automated and machine-to-machine. I also have mine set to automatically check my email every 15 minutes, a native feature but means that I'm violating my contract a minimum of four times an hour.

(4) as substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections.

This is my personal favorite. If I use my i730 as a telephone OR as a web access device at home, I'm in clear violation of this part of the contract. At home I have access to both a private line and a dedicated data connection, yet I'm substituting my i730 for them.

You may say I'm interpreting this in an absurd fashion, but actually I'm taking it quite literally. It's obvious they wrote this contract so that EVERYONE is in violation of it, therefore I have no qualms about violating the parts I believe are absurd. I agree with the general sentiment, either sell true unlimited data or call it something else (I would certainly prefer the former).

[scottb]

You may say I'm interpreting this in an absurd fashion...

Yes, I agree. :)


It's obvious they wrote this contract so that EVERYONE is in violation of it, therefore I have no qualms about violating the parts I believe are absurd. I agree with the general sentiment, either sell true unlimited data or call it something else (I would certainly prefer the former).
Interesting way to justify your abuse of it. ;)

[arb]

I use my Treo very little now. When I do it is for lite Yahoo news. I wanted to connect my Treo to my laptop but then decided to give up... If I really need broadband access, I would ask my employer to purchase another piece of equipment and pay another monthly bill. :)

But seriously.. I stop trying to get BBand access from my PDA. And I don't want to pay a 175 term fee, it just means they win either way. I mean really, you cancel your service with VZ, then goto another carrier, Buy their phone, get their service, buy NEW accessories, blah blah blah, so that is
175 (term) + 400 (phone/pda) + 35 (activation fee) + 100+ (monthly service) + xxx(accessories), does that really bother you? (you meaning ones wanting to cancel service with VZ)

I think I will keep my service.. thank you very much.

[Kursplat]

Ah yes, the contract. Let's examine it to make sure we don't break it inadvertently:

The Unlimited plans cannot be used: (1) for any applications that tether the device to laptops, PCs, or other equipment for any purpose,

The i730 I use comes with a synchronization cradle that tethers it for purposes of syncing, but according to this I'm not allowed to use it. Guess I have to sync via bluetooth.


You are quite literally misinterpreting their contract. They are saying that the unlimited data plans can't be used for any applications that tether the device for any purpose. The last time I checked, using a sync cable to sync your PDA to your computer does not use the unlimited data plan, so your example has nothing to do with their contract.

[cbf]

The restrictions against "tethering" are why I recently left Sprint -- even though I was otherwise satisfied with their service.

For $30/month T-Mobile not only allows tethering a laptop to my MDA Vario (HTC Wizard), but provides the instructions. Note that the $30/month includes full access to T-Mobile's WiFi hotspots (virtually all Starbucks) as well.

Yes, T-Mobile is in last place in terms of rolling out a "high speed" network. But most of what I want to do on the road I can do acceptably at EDGE or even GPRS speeds. Makes a good backup when you're stuck someplace without broadband.

Obviously, it's not an all-purpose alternative to VZW's, Sprint's, or Cingular's high speed networks, but at least its terms of service are more reasonable.