Reviews » Verizon Wireless cell phone plans
Verizon
Wireless is a joint venture between Verizon Communications and UK's Vodafone
Group. The company is based in New Jersey and, as a results of acquiring
AllTel Wireless in January 2009 it is now the largest US wireless carrier
and service provider with a customer base of over 80 million subscribers.
Verizon Wireless is generally regarded as being the most reliable cellular carrier in the US and has won numerous awards for best customer support, fewest dropped calls, best website, etc.
The company is also involved in humanitarian causes through its HopeLine program. No longer used cell phones/accessories are collected, refurbished and sold. Money resulted is given to non profit organizations such as anti domestic violence agencies.
Technology and roaming
Verizon Wireless uses a CDMA (IS-95, 1x, and EV-DO) network for its voice and data communications. There are no extra charges for roaming in the US 50 states and Puerto Rico. International roaming is provided for many countries also due to Vodafone's worldwide presence.
Service highlights
30 Day guarantee
New subscribers are allowed to cancel service in 30 days time without paying a cancellation fee. We advise you to read all the details of this offer for charges you may incur.
Free calls to/from Verizon subscribers
Included with all national plans.
No extra charges for roaming/long distance
Available within the US and Puerto Rico.
'Nationwide Plan with OnStar'
Service from Verizon including a second line for in-car security services. OnStar is a provider of such services and is available on General Motors vehicles.
Disadvantages
The 'Get It Now/Media Center' program provides many features such as downloading music, tones, games or using instant messaging. To better monetize these paid services (and others) Verizon has been blocking installation for certain applications. Also, there have been instances of disabling access to GPS mapping applications except for the paid subscription GPS service offered by Verizon itself.
Current Verizon plans
Individual plans
- Basic* (from $39.99) - Included: 450 anytime minutes, unlimited in network minutes, unlimited Night&Weekend minutes, domestic long distance not charged extra, Mobile Web at $1.99/mb, 20 cents/text message, 25 cents/picture and video messages
- Select* (from $59.99) - Included: all the features in the Basic plans plus unlimited text/picture/video messages
- Connect* (from $69.99) - Included: all the features in the Select plans plus unlimited Mobile Web access and Mobile Email
- Premium* (from $79.99) - Included: all the features in the Connect plans plus V Cast VPAK and VZ Navigator
- Nationwide & Canada* (from $59.99) - Included: 450 anytime minutes, 1000 Night&Weekend minutes, unlimited in network minutes, national long distance plus Canada and Puerto Rico not charged extra, $1.99/mb Mobile Web
- 65 Plus ($29.99) - Included: 200 anytime minutes and 45 cents/min thereafter, 500 Night&Weekend minutes, unlimited in network minutes, national long distance not charged extra, $1.99/mb Mobile Web
- Unlimited messaging (from $34.99) - Included with regular phones at $34.99: unlimited messaging, Mobile Web and data usage plus voice calls charged at 40 cents/min. For Smartphones and Blackberry phones at $54.99: all of the previous plus unlimited personal email and voice calls are 25 cents/min.
- Push to talk ($29.99) - Included: unlimited Push to talk minutes within the Verizon network, 25 cents/min for regular voice calls
*Friends & Family™
If you choose to include 900 minutes instead of 450 you will be able to
place unlimited calls to 5 favorite numbers (any mobile/landline network
anywhere in the USA).
Family plans
All the Individual Plans above except for the Text Messaging plan are available as Family Plans with the following differences:
- Pricing starts at $69.99, $99.99, $119.99, $139.99, $89.99 and $59.99 for the Basic, Select, Connect, Premium, Nationwide & Canada and 65 Plus plans respectively
- 2 lines included
- 700 anytime minutes included
- The Friends & Family™ option allows unlimited calling to 10 numbers if you upgrade from 700 to 1400 anytime minutes
- For the 65 Plus plan: 450 anytime and 1000 Night&Weekend minutes
Mobile Broadband plans
- Mobile Broadband 5GB ($59.99) - stand alone plan including 5 GB of data usage, 5 cents/mb thereafter
- Mobile Broadband 250mb ($39.99) - stand alone plan including 250 mb of data usage, 10 cents/mb thereafter
- Mobile Broadband DayPass $15) - 24 consecutive hours of unlimited data usage with no commitment
- Mobile Broadband Connect - wireless phone
used as modem, 5GB included, 5 cents/mb thereafter, must be added to
another voice/data plan as follows:
- $15 when added to a nationwide Email plan
- $30 when added to the Connect/Premium plan or to any of these data plans: Unlimited Wireless Email, Email and Web for Smartphone/Blackberry
- $49.99 when added to any voice plan