month by month data plan question

Gary, can the Chocolate be tethered to a computer for EVDO use?  If so, does it use the Bluetooth connection?  I have not been able to find the $2/day data plan on the Verizon site, do you have a URL?

seilerbird said:

Why not leave it on all year and use the service at home?

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My home cable internet is cheaper and 10 times faster.

BernieD said:

My home cable internet is cheaper and 10 times faster.

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What Bernie said.  But the real reason is that I might leave home without Camille and we might fight over custody of the internet.

Check the data rules on the newer Verizon phones. I bought my new Verizon 6900 PDA in November about the time the Storm came out. The 6900 allows me to turn data on and off for a prorated 29.99 a month and then pay a prorated 30/mo (1.00/day) for tethering. The newer phones (Blackberry and Treo) required a continuous data plan for either 29.99 or 44.99 and then prorated the difference from those rates and 60/month for tethering.

IIRC this applied based on when the phones were released, not when you purchased them.

As far as I know (haven't verified every one) all the EVDO phones can all be tethered, either via Bluetooth or cable. You can't see the deatils until you bring up the page for the individual phone and view its Bluetooth (look for profile called Dial Up Networking) or a cable coonection (usually called High Speed Connection).

For a phone, you add the Broadband Handset Connection FEATURE, with the key word being "feature". There is no contract associated with a feature, so it can be turned on/off at will.  The Feature costs $59.99/month but it is prorated, which works out to $2/day it is in effect. Note that you pay as long as the feature is in effect, whether it is actually used or not. You start or stop it with a call the Verizon Customer Service and it takes effect immediately. The Broadband Handset Feature has the same data capability as the Broadband contract - up to 5 GB/month and unlimited connect time.

Verizon does a good job of hiding this info and keeps leading you to Wireless Broadband contracts, which apply to data cards and not phones.

To find a phone, view All phones on the VZW site and then filter (using the search filtering on the left side of the page) for the Mobile Broadband capability. That will get you a long list of phones and data cards, but they all can do it. Problem is, Verizon doesn't always have the modem drivers for all these phones and that sometimes stops them from offering the Feature for it. You can get the drivers & cables elsewhere, but their system isn't geared to let the reps accept that without a struggle.

The PDA plans are cheaper but do not include tethering. You only get tethering via Broadband Handset Connect. Since a PDA already has a limited connect as part of its voice plan, they allow an upgrade to provide tethering and it brings the total cost to the same $59.99/month that you would pay for a non=PDA phone. No free lunch there.

I just found a link to the Verizon Mobile Broadband Connect page which gives  some useful info as well as a list of supported phones. I located it by using the Verizon site Search box and the words broadband connect

http://b2b.vzw.com/productsservices/wirelessinternet/broadbandaccessconnect.html

joelmyer said:

How can I find which current Verizon phones are EVDO Rev A capable?

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this gal knows her phones: http://www.evdoforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=65727#65727

What is Verizon speak for the ability to turn broadband on/off at will with no fees?

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Probably just as you stated it.  The fee/No fee is tied to the existence of a contract or a dedicated phone line. To be able to start/stop at will, you want to have a FEATURE rather than a CONTRACT. With a phone, the contract & phone line are associated with the phone, not the Broadband data FEATURE. As long as you keep the phone & line, they don't care if you add or delete a FEATURE.  But if you have a contract on a data card or on a phone line to use the data card (as you do), then the contract has to be satisfied.

Gary, thanks for the detailed info and URL.  VZW does hide a lot of information, I have searched many times and never found that page.  My phone is listed (Chocolate 3) so I'm going to investigate adding the feature to my voice plan for those times I can use it.  $2/day is cheap backup to the HughesNet service.

Ned said:

Gary, thanks for the detailed info and URL.  VZW does hide a lot of information, I have searched many times and never found that page.  My phone is listed (Chocolate 3) so I'm going to investigate adding the feature to my voice plan for those times I can use it.  $2/day is cheap backup to the HughesNet service.

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Ned,

Let me know how that works out for you.

I'm going to wait until I'm"eligible" for an upgrade (Feb 6th - still in my 30 day window) and try again.

The LG Dare winds up at the top of a lot of lists but I'm thinking the Motorola Adventure V750.  Thoughts?

Joel

I had no luck finding any more information than the page that Gary listed, and a few that are linked from it.  The "feature" doesn't show up on my account as one I can add to my account.  I suspect it requires a call (or more than one) to VZW customer service to get it added.

As for phones, I'm not up on the myriad of models available, and they change almost daily   We have 2 LG phones, a Chocolate and a Chocolate 3 and both are ok, but not the greatest.  I've always liked Nokia but the choices are more limited than they used to be.  I've never had a Motorola.

You have to call to get the Broadband Handset Access added to your phone. Same to delete it. Cannot be done online.

It used to be a struggle to get the reps to understand what I wanted, but the last 3-4 times I have done it they have responded immediately and it was done in a few minutes.

Gary, I just got off the phone with VZW customer service and neither the rep nor his supervisor was aware of any Broadband Access feature that can be enabled by the day.  The only available feature is the monthly data plan for $60/month.  Perhaps you have a grandfathered feature?

Ned said:

Gary, I just got off the phone with VZW customer service and neither the rep nor his supervisor was aware of any Broadband Access feature that can be enabled by the day.  The only available feature is the monthly data plan for $60/month.  Perhaps you have a grandfathered feature?

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Ned:

Ask them what happens if you call and cancel the feature 5 days after you enable it. The answer should be that they will credit you the balance of the billing cycle's share of the 60.00.

Jeff, but that's not the same as Gary described.  He was describing a feature that can be enabled on a daily basis, not added and canceled, unless that's what he's doing.

Ned

Acording to the 3G store if you get an EVDO REV A phone like the LG Dare, you can turn on/off the $59.99 broadband data plan on a daily basis.... through them or Verizon. You have to tell them it is for a tethered modem to pc. It works out to about $2.00 a day.

I have a supported phone, the Chocolate 3.  As I said, neither the CS rep nor his supervisor knew anything about turning the broadband access plan on a daily basis.  It was a full month or nothing.  Maybe I have to keep calling until I find a rep that knows the secret.

Ned

Try asking about "tethereing".. If they can't help you try contacting Maureen at 3G & she can probably set you up.

We did specifically talk about tethering, not data on the phone.  I have that, at $2/MB   I'll give Maureen a call, thanks.

Ned I don't think there is a problem. I have had the total month billed and then credited less the 22-3 days of use. It does make a mess of your bill, especially when it works out the credit appears on the next months bill.