that really sucks

[ebonyanne]

if you dont have a contract you cant have a nice phone. will it even let you activate the phone? i want the diamond and i see you need a data package. like i dont need to go online and stuff i just want the phone to text and make phone calls and it looks nice. so i cant have it?

[TheGreatOne]

Diamond won't work on prepaid.   The Samsung Intensity is a pretty nice phone I hear. You may want to consider getting that

[ebonyanne]

but its not a nice phone i already looked at that. it looks like a cheap prepaid cellphone that i had when i was like 8th grade. fact of the matter is i cant have a nice phone b.c of prepaid. and i think thats horrible. and unfair. if im willing to spend 300 dollars on a new phone without a contract then i should be able to without worrying about a data package. i dont get it..

[TheGreatOne]

There are other phones you can consider that have been discontinued. You can get the Samsung U740 and have that on prepaid or even the Env2.  The Samsung U740 is an awesome phone!

[skullandbones]

but the data is required because you would get charged a bunch in data without it.

[spottedcatfish]

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skullandbones wrote:
but the data is required because you would get charged a bunch in data without it.

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Absolutely untrue.  NO phone that Verizon sells, Feature, 3GMM or Smartphone requires data to function.  And the only way you "will be charged a bunch of data" is if you use programs or do things on your phone that consume data, none of which are neccessary for the phone to make/receive calls, send texts, take pictures/video, use calendar and alarm functions, etc.  It is entirely possible to use an enV3, Alias 2, or even a Droid while consuming little to no 3G data.

The data is required because Verizon wants its users to pay for the privelege of having a decent phone in order to increase their profit margins.  If anyone at Verizon tells you anything other then "Hey, if you want to have this phone, you need to be a more profitable customer for us" they are lying.

[skullandbones]

smartphones (blackberrys etc..not multimedia phones suck as env3) connect to the internet as to search for towers therefore charging data. this is called pinging from towers....and will charge data this is why it is required on some devices.

[spottedcatfish]

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skullandbones wrote:
smartphones (blackberrys etc..not multimedia phones suck as env3) connect to the internet as to search for towers therefore charging data. this is called pinging from towers....and will charge data this is why it is required on some devices.

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No, absolutely incorrect.  Smartphones often have sync features which are always on by default that consume data (checking for e-mails, Facebook/Twitter updates, new versions of applications, etc.).  They are in not charged data usage for simply "looking for a tower."  It is entirely possible to turn these sync features off, and set them to only use available WiFi connections, and thereby consume NO data while using the smartphone to call, send/recieve text messages and access offline data and programs.

[iFrenzy]

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ebonyanne wrote:

if you dont have a contract you cant have a nice phone. will it even let you activate the phone? i want the diamond and i see you need a data package. like i dont need to go online and stuff i just want the phone to text and make phone calls and it looks nice. so i cant have it?

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I just talked to a verizon prepaid Customer Service rep that said on September 2nd they will be rolling out data services for prepaid so that you can use every verizon phone except for windows mobile phones on prepaid.  This will include the droid lineup, blackberries, palm pre, pixi, etc.  You have to be on the monthly plans and not the pay as you go and there will be the $30 a month data plan, so for 450 minutes unlimited text, mobile to mobile, nights and weekends, and data it will be $95 a month.  Considering that's only 5 for dollars a month than its contract counterpart, it sounds like a good deal to me.  There will also be a 25mb plan for feature phones for 10 dollars a month like contract service.  This has been leaked on the internet earlier this week but was just confirmed to me by the CS rep, however if you go to engadget search for verizon prepaid smartphone you'll see the whole article along with a picture of a box of a prepaid Curve 8530.

[SuzyQ]

You'll be able to use the "nicer" smartphones and Blackberries as pre-paid devices, or so it appears, that's true. You'll also have to pay for the data package in order to use the phone as pre-paid.

The OP's point (and others) is they want the phone functions (calling, texting) and the "nice" phone, without the data. That isn't going to happen. You'll end up paying as much as a contract phone for the data.

Nowhere does it mention the selling price of the phone Blackberries or smartphones when you buy them for pre-paid use. If the draw of pre-paid is to save money over a contract, this looks to be an expensive option--much like a month to month "contract".....