VZN games -- if they're going to get you they're going to get you
- From: "NotMe" <me@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2009 22:27:46 -0500
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Verizons-New-Ridiculous-Wireless-Data-Prices-104235
Verizon's New, Ridiculous Wireless Data Prices
If they can't control apps and hardware, they'll just squeeze the pipe...
09:02AM Tuesday Sep 01 2009 by Karl Bode
tags: prices · business · wireless · bandwidth · Op/Ed · consumers
The Boy Genius Report has snagged an interesting internal memo from within
the halls of Verizon Wireless that hints at some significant wireless
broadband pricing changes that will be dropping in September. According to
the memo, Verizon's introducing some new, restrictive pricing options for
those users who buy phones that are slightly less robust than traditional
smartphones (aka "Enhanced Multimedia Phones"). According to the BGR, those
pricing options are downright ugly, with incredibly low caps and very high
overages:
Customers who snatch up an Enhanced Multimedia Phone will be required to
chose a data plan of $9.99 for 25MB or $19.99 for 75MB. Other changes
currently brewing at Verizon include the death of the $15 VCAST Vpak
(current subscribers grandfathered) and introduction of a $10 ?VCAST Video
On Demand? plan. For those unfamiliar with the option, the Vpak provided
unlimited data for feature phones whereas the new $10 VCAST plan will only
provide unlimited videos, thus requiring either the $9.99 or $19.99 data
option for users wanting Web, email, etc (or pay $1.99/MB without a data
plan).
$9.99 for 25MB or $19.99 for 75MB sounds like rather painful non-bargains,
aimed at lighter data users who don't want to pay the fairly standard $60
monthly for 5GB worth of usage. In addition to those high prices, customers
on the 25MB plan will pay an additional fifty cents per megabyte used, while
customers on the 75MB plan will pay an additional thirty cents per megabyte
used. Does that sound like a good deal to anyone?
Welcome to Verizon's open platform future, where you're going to have
slightly more device and application freedom, but you're going to pay an arm
and a leg for it. Back in 2007 we noted that Verizon's "openness pledge"
wasn't about good will, it was about ramping up per-byte billing in the face
of inevitable network evolution. If Verizon can't retain control of
applications and devices, they're going to maintain control by squeezing the
pipe.
.
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