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Bob Russell · 06-02-2005, 03:56 PM

Thanks cnek. It almost works. I did already buy Battery Doctor.. it's very nice!

But Verizon apparently does audits that would find people on MOU, and supposedly they will charge you for data usage as if you were on the pay per meg plan. You might be able to fight with cust service to get charges removed, but that's not a nice result.

So Verizon's tactics are too good for me. I resign myself to no data or $45/mo data, just like they wanted me to. This great smart phone was designed for data connectivity it was built for, and that side of it may just be wasted on me unless I splurge on the data plan. Quite a shame, and extremely frustrating. I hope some real information gets out about the data access costs for various carriers so future consumers can be educated by a simple web search.

For a little perspective, my last two (cheap) Verizon phones had unlimited WAP web data access for $5/mo, and if I went back to them I could still do it. My friend has a Cingular phone with 500meg data for $5/mo. I've heard Sprint's unlimited data plan is $15/mo, and it works with the Treo. Those numbers are all just rumor because I didn't check on them, but Verizon gives a measly 10meg for $25/mo!

So here's the situation as I understand it:

1) Verizon requires a data plan with the Treo 650. But sometimes CSRs will just add one and delete it because they don't know better, or because they are pushed to do it by customers.

2) If someone uses wireless data with the Treo (which I can right now), Verizon supposedly will charge for it eventually because they are beginning to audit data usage. I've heard that twice now so it seems real.

3) Some Treo owners are hoping that by altering network connection settings to be on another data network they can only incur MOU. Similar to what cnek spotted. It's intruguing, but I'm not convinced, and I'm afraid it may just lead to problems when audited anyway. There's really no way to confirm all this with Verizon.

Okay, for balance...

Verizon does have good cust srvc for voice calling, and they have great signal coverage, and they have in-Verizon free minutes in some plans. One more nice Verizon option is insurance for the Treo for about $5/mo. Same price as every other phone they have, and it covers up to 3 claims per one year period. That could be reasons why people might want Verizon to be their carrier even with a Treo.

I regret my choice of carrier, but I don't regret getting the Treo one bit, even without wireless data. It's a great little smartphone, and it's really growing on me.

06-02-2005, 03:56 PM	#19
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Thanks cnek. It almost works. I did already buy Battery Doctor.. it's very nice! But Verizon apparently does audits that would find people on MOU, and supposedly they will charge you for data usage as if you were on the pay per meg plan. You might be able to fight with cust service to get charges removed, but that's not a nice result. So Verizon's tactics are too good for me. I resign myself to no data or $45/mo data, just like they wanted me to. This great smart phone was designed for data connectivity it was built for, and that side of it may just be wasted on me unless I splurge on the data plan. Quite a shame, and extremely frustrating. I hope some real information gets out about the data access costs for various carriers so future consumers can be educated by a simple web search. For a little perspective, my last two (cheap) Verizon phones had unlimited WAP web data access for $5/mo, and if I went back to them I could still do it. My friend has a Cingular phone with 500meg data for $5/mo. I've heard Sprint's unlimited data plan is $15/mo, and it works with the Treo. Those numbers are all just rumor because I didn't check on them, but Verizon gives a measly 10meg for $25/mo! So here's the situation as I understand it: 1) Verizon requires a data plan with the Treo 650. But sometimes CSRs will just add one and delete it because they don't know better, or because they are pushed to do it by customers. 2) If someone uses wireless data with the Treo (which I can right now), Verizon supposedly will charge for it eventually because they are beginning to audit data usage. I've heard that twice now so it seems real. 3) Some Treo owners are hoping that by altering network connection settings to be on another data network they can only incur MOU. Similar to what cnek spotted. It's intruguing, but I'm not convinced, and I'm afraid it may just lead to problems when audited anyway. There's really no way to confirm all this with Verizon. Okay, for balance... Verizon does have good cust srvc for voice calling, and they have great signal coverage, and they have in-Verizon free minutes in some plans. One more nice Verizon option is insurance for the Treo for about $5/mo. Same price as every other phone they have, and it covers up to 3 claims per one year period. That could be reasons why people might want Verizon to be their carrier even with a Treo. I regret my choice of carrier, but I don't regret getting the Treo one bit, even without wireless data. It's a great little smartphone, and it's really growing on me.