Gizmodo: data plans

Verizon Forcing Data Plans for Smarter Feature Phones

matt buchanan — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:19:00 EDT

I guess the end of summer means "ramp up the data charges" for carriers, since Verizon's about force anyone with an "enhanced multimedia phone"—basically, phones with a QWERTY keyboard, EVDO Rev. A and HTML browser—to pick their (mandatory) choice between a $10/month plan with 25MB or $20/month for 75MB. It starts for all phones launching on or after Sept. 8. [BGR]

AT&T Forcing Data Plans With All Smartphones Starting Sept. 6

matt buchanan — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:24:14 EDT

Planning to skimp on your smartphone's data plan with AT&T? Not after September 6, you won't—that's when AT&T will be making all new smartphone buyers pick up a smartphone data plan to go with it. Updated.

We got a snapshot of the email that went out about the changes—read it and weep. [BGR]

Microsoft Cuts iPhone, BlackBerry and Palm Pre Employee Reimbursement Program

Jack Loftus — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:30:00 EDT

Microsoft, on the heels of its big layoffs and other cost-cutting measures enacted earlier this year, has reportedly stopped reimbursing its employees for iPhone, Blackberry and Palm Pre data plans even if they're being used significantly for work-related purposes.

Only—you guesed it—Windows Mobile device users will have their data plans reimbursed. It may sound fishy at first (Bill Gates banning iPods in his house, anyone?), but you have to remember that many companies offer no such perk for their employees to begin with. The economy being what it is, such a cut in employee benefits wouldn't be out of line for any tech company. [Business Insider]

British Airways to Launch Text- and Data-Only Cellphone Usage on London-NYC Flights

John Mahoney — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST

Hey, this makes sense. No one wants to hear (or pay for) in-flight voice calls, and since only grandpa uses the voice feature of his phone these days, why not simply allow data plan usage?

The service will launch only on BA's business-class-only flights from the smaller London City airport to New York's JFK, so right now this is limited to banker types who can afford it. Also, the Telegraph does not hint at rates or service providers for the service. Other airlines like Emirates and BMI have implemented similar deals, and it seems like a pretty good compromise to the voice-calls-on-planes hubbub. No VoIP! [Telegraph via Mobile Burn]

T-Mobile Officially Increases Price of Wireless Data Plans

Sean Fallon — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:40:00 EST

As expected, T-Mobile has passed on the costs of running their 3G network on to you, the smartphone customer. All plans now match the T-Mobile G1 at $25 for unlimited web and 400 text messages. Unlimited web, text, picture and email will run you $34.99. [T-Mobile and Brighthand]

T-Mobile Becomes Less Budget, Increases Price on Data Plans

Erica Ho — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:24:19 EDT

Before T-Mobile customers start cheering for the long-awaited 3G services which began rolling out earlier this year, they might want to stop and think twice as rumors surface that T-Mobile plans to increase their data packages as early as the beginning of November. The cost of supporting the 3G network is now being passed on to consumers.

Some people will not be affected, such as Blackberry users who want unlimited data and unlimited messaging. Included among some of the changes is a data cap for T-Mobile Shadow users, at 50 MB and 100 MB respectively. Current T-Mobile customers who are planning to add data to their existing plans might want to do so now to grandfather the price. [TmoNews]

Japan Has Subnotebooks For $1 With Data Plans

Matt Hickey — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:40:09 EDT

I've thought for awhile that the key to selling the super cheap yet very underpowered sub-notebooks that are exploding all over the place would be carrier subsidization, and now a carrier in Japan is taking the the idea and running with it, selling the Eee PC 701 for less than $1 American with a data plan contract, much like how we get cell phones. These devices often feature 4G—in this case with an external wireless modem—networking, which means you get an always-on Internet connection for your tiny laptop for less than $65 a month. American carriers, are you paying attention? [JK On The Run, via Liliputing]