Verizon's unlimited plans get official, not as stellar as previously assumed

We had a sneaking suspicion that the lineup of unlimited plans we got wind of earlier this week was just a bit too good to be true, and sure enough, it was. Now that Verizon's Unlimited Plans have gone official right on cue, we're left with three general plans that can each have additional lines tacked on for more dough. The $99 / month Basic Plan seems to include limitless calling only (read: messaging of all types and data still cost extra), while the Select Plan ($119.99 per month) throws in messaging but still demands $1.99 per MB of data. The Premium Plan is the one that's really attractive, offering up unlimited everything (for all intents and purposes) for $139.99 per month or $269.99 for two lines. Needless to say, we're a bit let down, but you can hit up the read link for more details on what's offered.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[CallMe @ Feb 19th 2008 10:00AM]

There is a WI based GSM carrier that offers UNLIMITED voice for PREPAY for $35/month. You pay about double what the phone is worth (but they do have a decent lineup) or you can bring your own unlocked GSM but $35 for unlimited and no contract is pretty solid. These Verizon prices stink.

[jjlange @ Feb 19th 2008 6:57PM]

You forgot to mention that unlimited texts can be added for $5/month and unlimited data is $6/month. That's a grand total of $46/month for unlimited voice, data, and texts. Yeah.

[Nelson @ Feb 19th 2008 10:00AM]

I really wish Metro PCS existed in the DC/Baltimore Metro Area. I would switch in a heartbeat.

[scott @ Feb 19th 2008 11:11AM]

i live in florida, and metro has some of the worst reception out of all the companies.

[john @ Feb 19th 2008 10:03AM]

I'm confused, these look better than the previous article.

[Collin Koch @ Feb 19th 2008 10:06AM]

that is ridiculously expenses.

[Chris @ Feb 19th 2008 12:06PM]

What you said is a little confuses.

[Colin @ Feb 19th 2008 12:25PM]

hahaha, touche

[Bob S. @ Feb 19th 2008 10:08AM]

Holy sh&t. Say what you will about the Sidekick... it has the best keyboard of any smartphone and its unlimited data plan is 1) unlimited and 2) reasonably priced.

[paul.reissner @ Feb 19th 2008 10:18AM]

*glare*

The Sidekick is NOT a smartphone... a smartphone runs a grown ass os, not some fluffy poppy kiddy bs.

Don't make me go quoting the boondocks on hooking it up to a printer...

*glare*

Also, no phone as modem for the sidekick, so really it's worthless..

Sprint's Unlimited Blackberry Plan = $35/mo Thats unlimited data, unlimited txt... and phone as modem...

[RyanTV @ Feb 19th 2008 10:08AM]

That's really ridiculous. Sorry, but i can live with 500 minutes a month voice, but give me unlimited data.
I have 2 iPhone's on my line with plenty of minutes and unlimited (slow) data and it costs me $130 a month for both. no way I'd double what I'm paying a month for this.

[Peter @ Feb 19th 2008 10:33AM]

Absolutely - I'd gladly trade voice minutes for more data. I don't even come close to using half my voice minutes, and I've got as few as they'll let you get. But there is no way I'm going to pay that kind of money for unlimited data.

[Teetdogs @ Feb 19th 2008 10:59AM]

What I find funny about your post is you had to throw the fact that its your iphone when all you had to say was your plan consists of... instead you show off with stating that your iphone has this, I just think its funny that iphone users have to show them off even in their writing.

[RyanTV @ Feb 19th 2008 11:05AM]

It has nothing to do with Showing off. It was merely a way of saying I was using a data centric mobile phone. Before the iPhone I had an Excalibur. Before that I had a Treo... and the only reason I use an iPhone now is because now I only have to carry 1 device rather than my phone and my MP3 player.

Some of you people need to understand that some people out there use Apple products because they actually work better in their lives, not because we are trying to "show off" or stroke Steve Job's ego.

[Jon Doe. @ Feb 19th 2008 10:19AM]

Someone needs to give these guys an award.

Verizon
---------
Screwing consumers since 2000

[eseiber @ Feb 19th 2008 10:23AM]

I will stick with my Helio all in for 99 dollars a month. Unlimited everything!

[Homeboy @ Feb 19th 2008 10:24AM]

Do Verizon think that we have unlimited funds in our bank accounts?? Seriously speaking I can't see this data plan targeting more than 0.5-1.7% of the population.

[Reid @ Feb 19th 2008 10:46AM]

It's not meant for everyone, which is why Verizon (as much as I hate them) gives you a choice.

Unlimited voice is clearly targeted at business users who sit on conference calls all day. I've got a 900min plan on my phone because my employer pays for it -- I'd never pay for more than 400 or so minutes just for a personal phone (of which I often only use 150-200ish prime time minutes). Those conference calls can really eat up your minutes (60 or 90 a pop, just sitting there listening while you do something else).. but even at that I rarely come anywhere near 900.

No doubt plenty of people out there can go thru 1000 or 2000 minutes a month this way, though.

[Libb @ Feb 19th 2008 10:28AM]

I couldn't give a hoot about voice minutes, my family hardly use a third of the 450 anytime minutes on our plan, and we have FOUR LINES. (Once you factor in unlimited after 7PM/weekends and unlimited Sprint2Sprint, there really isn't much else - we're not big talkers) Right now we're on pay-per-text, but I'm probably going to add the 200 message pack for either $5 or $10 a month. So those prices look ridiculously high to me.

And then factor in Sprint offers all-you-can-eat EVDO for $15, with phones that can easily be hacked to enable computer tethering without a PAM plan, and with much higher limits than Verizon before they bother calling you and say "Hey, would you please stop abusing our absurdly cheap plan?", and suddenly Sprint is a steal.

[hold_mcgroin @ Feb 19th 2008 10:29AM]

One little acronym: SERO

[bcollinstex @ Feb 19th 2008 10:35AM]

Unlimited bend over and take it plans.


Thanks Verizon!

[steedums @ Feb 19th 2008 10:38AM]

I dont know why anybody would do this. Why not just get an iphone? its better and the plan is cheaper. or if you want a good data plan, go with sprint.

[djholland7 @ Feb 19th 2008 10:45AM]

Verizon is horrible. V cast is ridiculous. Everything about verizon turns my stomach. I am about to switch.


PS.
I HATE YOU VERIZON "can you hear me now" GUY.

[Nicky-Larson @ Feb 19th 2008 10:46AM]

Now I want all those who were yelling at me for calling Verizon and exploiting son of a ***** of a company. I knew that price yesterday was just the start of something bad to come. Now Once again I ask," How would an average American,who of course are more populated, to make that amount of payment monthly?". I mean, how do these guys come up with these expensive plans? Do they like, " Yeah, that it. I think they will love and blindly pay for these prices we consider reasonable". Hey Austin, you insulted me yesterday for calling Verizon an exploiting company. I would like to see you pay $139 a month for that "Limited Unlimited", oh and read the fine prints too.

[brian @ Feb 19th 2008 10:46AM]

ok att and t-mobile, your turn to make it unlimited and make it cheaper!

[Scott @ Feb 19th 2008 10:51AM]

Um, already been done for a while. Verizon is the only one lagging in the data prices.

I use T-Mobile with unlimited T-Zones (works with all web sites with some Googling) and my plan is $56/month including 600 anytime minutes and 400 SMS. Even if you use their "official" unlimited data plan, it's an extra $20 for any phone.

[Scott @ Feb 19th 2008 10:48AM]

Verizon: "We apologize if we got everyone's hopes up. We're really just the same $*&%ing expensive provider as we were last month. We recommend Sprint for cheap unlimited data plans."

[Iridium @ Feb 19th 2008 10:49AM]

Way to go Telcos! Through your insane practices of double charging, adding hidden fees, and charging people assloads of money for going over thier minutes, you've actually made $139 a month look attractive to a lot of people. Mission accomplished.

There are a lot of people who pay over $100 a month for thier $35 a month contract plan. They would look at this and say "where do I sign" without realizing it is a total ripoff.

For $75 after taxes and fees you can get unlimted EVDO and unlimited incoming calls from Sprint. I find that to be way too high but at least its half of what this is.

[Alex Padilla @ Feb 19th 2008 11:05AM]

When I heard the news of Verizon offering unlimited plans, I got scared. I actually thought they stopped being evil. Boy, I'm glad to see that AT&T isn't the only evil cellular company left. Verizon had me going there for a sec!

[CassilineKnight @ Feb 19th 2008 11:18AM]

Is it just me or do those rate plans seem WAY TOO EXPENSIVE...

Sorry I think I'll pass.

Come on iPhone 2.0...I really need to switch from Sprint ASAP!

[sitruc @ Feb 19th 2008 12:09PM]

As others have said, these plans aren't for everyone. This being Engadget, data plans are what people care about. The selling point of these plans is the unlimited voice. Too many commenters would rather brag about how they don't talk to people, but use the Internet need to realize in the real world a lot of communication is done on the phone. Unlimited voice and data on the VZW network is really useful and important to some.

[Dennis @ Feb 19th 2008 12:14PM]

These prices arent that good. I have an iPhone now which is just an OK phone. Like someone else said it saves me from carrying two devices. Was thinking of ditching the iPhone and getting a Blackberry Pearl but the Verizon data plans are so expensive.

[JD @ Feb 19th 2008 1:00PM]

some of these comments are just funny. many people need to take a business or marketing class. first, how dare verizon try to make a profit? oh yeah, the goal is to actually make money, something that helio isn't doing. second, which market is bigger? customers preferring unlimited voice or customers needing unlimited data? my guess would be unlimited voice. third, after reading all of these comments sprint sounds phenomenal. then why are they losing more customers than they are bringing in and currently contemplating a "nuclear" option? finally, how dare verizon try to keep customers from "hacking" and "abusing" the data network? oh yeah, they need to keep up their network integrity.

damn the man for trying to run a business!!!

[Bob S. @ Feb 19th 2008 1:54PM]

Oh puhleez, Mr. Reissner. If you want to be at the front of the "The Sidekick isn't a smartphone because I don't like its graphics" parade, you go right ahead.

And I'm not sure why you'd want to tether your computer to your Sidekick to download your email when it's all sitting there on the Sidekick anyway. About the only thing the Sidekick can't do is play YouTube videos, which I'm fine with, because there are perhaps four YouTube videos worth seeing.

(P.S.: You still use paper?)

[gshb @ Feb 19th 2008 2:30PM]

hmm i pay 70 for helio's unlimited data/500 minutes. im so glad i switched out of verizon.

[Christian Chandler @ Feb 20th 2008 1:42AM]

AT&T has unlimited voice starting Friday

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080219/aqtu145.html?.v=31

[Andrey K @ Feb 20th 2008 1:24PM]

Those prices are ridiculous, in couple years WIFI or wireless internet will be wide-spread - then anyone will be able to talk free using phone apps like Skype, watch videos, music and DOWNLOAD over the internet. Then the price of monthly access will be the price to access the internet, in some cases - free, in other maybe 40-60$ a month. Charging per data rates reminds early days of internet about 12 years ago when most of the IS providers charged data rates for internet access. "The future is already here it is not just equally distributed"