New Feature Phones????

I spoke with a Verizon customer representative and the last new feature phone introduced was in November of 2010. I see new smart phones being introduced almost every month. When is Verizon going to put out a new feature phone. You know...someting comparable to my EnV Touch? 3 mp camera, web browser, good reception, no echoing, excellent user ratings...

We are on the old Connect plan with unlimited data. I would love to have another feature phone that we can use on the connect plan. I don't expect smart phone capabilites but it sure is nice to be able to look up addressess, phone numbers, check in on face book and the like.

Heck...I don't even see a designated place for feature phones on thiis community website but every smart phone has a listing....

Accepted answers

EdW_VZW

Thank you for your feedback. Adding to what was stated, the Connect Plans are no longer available. Some customers who have the connect plan are those who have not changed their plan since they went on the connect plan. Also, to inquiry on when new phones and products become available, you can sign up for email alerts to be kept informed and updated.

When the link is accessed, please look on the lower left hand side of the web page to a red sign up box.

The link is: http://search.vzw.com/?market=53520&q=email+alerts&p=null&ss=null&b2eFlag=N

All comments

SuzyQ

nodataplan wrote:

We are on the old Connect plan with unlimited data. I would love to have another feature phone that we can use on the connect plan. I dont' know if there are any newer phones that will work on the old Connect plan. They are either a very basic feature phone with no web access capability, or you are looking at a smart phone. Possibly the Kin phones....but they may not work on the Connect.

I don't expect smart phone capabilites but it sure is nice to be able to look up addressess, phone numbers, check in on face book and the like. You can do most of this with just text messaging, no data....

nodataplan

Suzy...How do you look up phone numbers and addresses with text messaging?

SuzyQ

Text the name to GOOGL - 46645 - if they are listed you will get text(s) back with matches, narrow it down with a city if you know that. You can use 46645 to get all kinds of information.... :smileyhappy:

**If you mean maps and directions, for that you DO need data....

nodataplan

Thanks for the tip on texting and my current plan has unlimited data. I just wish Verizon would offer a more robust feature phone and if they are going to do it soon. There are no Kin2 phones in my area to look at and I don't like ordering sight unseen.

If I order a new LG EnV Touch and activate it...will there be a $10.00 charge for data even though I have unlimited data on the Connect plan?

nodataplan

Thanks for the info on texting. Great to have. However would a Verizon rep log in and let us know if any new feature phones are coming? I am beginning to think Verizon doesn't want to really sell them anymore and is totally focused on the smart phone/blackberry/iPhones. This is why they are no longer offer great multimedia phones.

UHMANOAPROF2

I agree completely. I've been with Verizon for 11 years but I'm about to leave even with three contracts. I have two

teen daughters and they both want smart phones as all the feature phones are "gross!" That means I have to pay close to $1000 a year for the three of us. Why? So they can take time away from studying to access Facebook from yet another site? This

is absurd. Verizon needs to hear from us ... we need a phone like Motorola Droid 2 with a QWERTZ key board etc. but not

the data contract requirement. How can one justify this? I'm getting the info from Verizon now about cancellation charges, etc.

Here's the other rub however. All the contracts start at different times when you add "friends and family." This of course makes it very difficult to leave without a huge penalty on one or more contracts. Great business model except for the customer!

SuzyQ

UHMANOAPROF2 wrote:
I agree completely. I've been with Verizon for 11 years but I'm about to leave even with three contracts. I have two
teen daughters and they both want smart phones as all the feature phones are "gross!" That means I have to pay close to $1000 a year for the three of us. Only if you buy them smartphones and pay for the data plan. If they just have to have the smartphone, then they can earn the money to pay for the data plan. Since the bill is in your name, and is your responsibility, then you get to choose the phones/plans/options your teen daughters have. If they want to choose their own phone and options, then they can also pay for it.

Why? So they can take time away from studying to access Facebook from yet another site? This is absurd. Verizon needs to hear from us ... we need a phone like Motorola Droid 2 with a QWERTZ key board etc. but not the data contract requirement. How can one justify this? I'm getting the info from Verizon now about cancellation charges, etc. I would shop around first, and see if there are phones and plans out there that DO meet your specs (or your daughters', since they seem to be the ones dictating your options to you), and compare the contracts, coverages, and options. You may find a better deal elsewhere, and you have the freedom to make the choice.

Here's the other rub however. All the contracts start at different times when you add "friends and family." I'm not getting the connection - the end date of the contract on each line depends on when the phone was purchased/upgraded at a discount. It has nothing to do with "friends and family" or what plan you are on, and everything to do with phone purchase dates. This of course makes it very difficult to leave without a huge penalty on one or more contracts. Great business model except for the customer!

The bottom line is that YOU are the account owner, and a parent; your daughters may WANT the latest, greatest smartphone, but it doesn't mean they will get it unless they are willing/able to pay for it. And you are right in that they don't NEED to have data and internet access on their phones. Until they can afford it, and are of legal age to take the responsibility, YOU determine what phone they carry. Pretty simple.

nodataplan

Again....not arguing for a phone like a droid just a nice feature phone like the EnV Touch. Is anything in the pipeline? Hard to believe a phone I bought 16 months ago is better than what Verizon is offering today. Shamefull really.

EdW_VZW

When the link is accessed, please look on the lower left hand side of the web page to a red sign up box.

The link is: http://search.vzw.com/?market=53520&q=email+alerts&p=null&ss=null&b2eFlag=N

nodataplan

Since I never heard from a Verizon rep then I don't consider this solved! Please remove the solved check

nodataplan

So sorry missed the reply but since the last new feature phone was introduced back in November my question was not answered. IS VERIZON COMING OUT WITH NEW FEATURE PHONES?

MojaveMoon_

nodataplan wrote:
So sorry missed the reply but since the last new feature phone was introduced back in November my question was not answered. IS VERIZON COMING OUT WITH NEW FEATURE PHONES?

During the several years my family has been Verizon customers, with just about no exceptions Verizon has never announced upcoming feature phones. The only way we as customers have been finding out about them is whenever information is leaked at websites like bgr.com, phonearena.com, phonescoop.com, and howardforums.com

And Verizon employees on the phone or in the stores are forbidden from divulging foreknowledge of a phone's release. The employees here are presumably forbidden from divulging that, too.

Next, as you pointed out, the latest phones the LG Octane and the LG Cosmos Touch were just released last fall. In my time as a customer, since Verizon phones generally stay on the market for about a year then my guess is that the only new phone we'd see from LG is a low-end phone to replace the Cosmos.

Motorola appears to have dropped out of making feature phones for Verizon.

That leaves Samsung, Pantech, and ZTE as the makers that we'd see any new phones from. Pantech and ZTE so far have released what seem to be low to mid level feature phones. So, that finally leaves us with Samsung as my guess for the best bet for a new high level feature phone to come out from.

MojaveMoon_

In your original post, you said:

"someting comparable to my EnV Touch? 3 mp camera, web browser, good reception, no echoing, excellent user ratings..."

Have you looked into the LG Octane, the Kin Twom/Onem, and the Samsung U370/Reality ?

LG recently released version 5 of the firmware for the Octane, and judging from the customer reviews posted at Verizon this latest update may have finally resolved the chronic issues.

Have you considered one of the discontinued phones with specs that come close to what you posted such as the LG Dare or the LG Versa ? According to the Verizon employees on this forum, I *think* the Samsung Rogue no longer requires a data plan; so maybe that phone could be another candidate to consider. But I don't know anything about the reliability and quality of the Rogue.

If none of those would meet your requirements in a phone, then have you considered turning to places like ebay or craiglist to buy a few more enV Touchs ? If that phone is meeting your needs so well, maybe you'd be best off stockpiling on extras of that model.

nodataplan

LG is still making nice phones check out the specs on LG Ellispe carried by Intelos. Why can't Verizon carry such phones? If you activate an EnV then Verizon still requires the data plan. Go figure!!

aRBy67

Why was this topic tagged as solved? The original question was not answered, this got way off topic, and that's what was "solved"

AraceliT_VZW

Thank you all for your replies. Nodataplan, we do not have any information on upcoming feature phones; however, you can sign up for email alerts at:

https://email.vzwshop.com/servlet/formlink/f?NFOQU&SOURCEID=WEB_DGF_VZW_SUPPORTNAV

We also want to clarify that the LG enV does not require a data plan.

Thank you,

AraceliT_VZWSupport