I have Verizon. Their service is good but their calling plans are expensive. It costs $299 a month for unlimited texting and internet.

We've had their cell phones for 10 years. Their plan is expensive, but we have never had problems with making calls. I'm not switching, too much trouble.

Exactly what do you mean "require a data plan"? I've had Verizon for years. My plan is $79mo. I get 900 minutes, unlimited text and 5 Friends and Family numbers. My F&F numbers do not use my minutes.

i too have verizon and have had for twelve years, i'm talking about any of the new phones you buy now. i don't have internet with mine but it's time to get a new phone and a lot of the ones now you have to get a data pkg ( internet) with. like the lg choc touch when it first came out a short time ago you didn't have to buy data but now if you want that phone buying the data pkg is a must. I have no complaints against verizon it's self just some of the way there doing things. my plan is a family plan ( 2 of us ) with unlimited text. But in order to get the the friends and family i would have to go to 1400 minutes. If you already have these phones your under the grandfather clause and don't have to buy the data but when it's time to renew your plan then you have to switch to data if it's one of those phones.

DH and I have the LG enV phone, which is new (got them on January 1). We just signed a new contract for 2 years. The LG enV phone has the capability for data/data package, but we did not have to get the data package. We have the family share plan with 750 minutes shared between us and unlimited texting, also Verizon to Verizon cell use is no charge. I don't see how they can "make you" sign up for a package that you don't want or won't use. Am I missing something?

I have the LG Dare and it also has capability for data/data package. I got mine in Nov.08. When I got mine, it did change what my plan is called..but it was the same price for the same amount of minutes. At anytime I can access the internet,navigator,etc., but it costs something like $1.99 per megabyte or something. I just don't "go there"! lol At one time, I did have all the premium stuff added to mine, but decided it wasn't worth the $$, so cancelled it.

Okay, been there done that...they will say they "require" a data package..but you can opt out..you just have to be firm...

Patches...looks like you may be right! There's an ad, but just click on the "go directly" in the upper right corner.

Here is a link that might be useful: Verizon

Maybe instead of buying a new phone from Verizon you could buy a new phone from Ebay and keep your current plan? I have heard of people doing this but I've never tried it. My plan is about 18 months past the due date when I could get a different phone and plan. I decided to keep my phone. I have 4 phones and I can't afford the new plans.

From what a friend experienced you're wise to keep your phone. They have this thing where occasionally, and, ahem, "coincidentally" a few months before his contract expired they offered him a new "free" phone. He was having trouble with his phone so why not? Well, if you change phones, you have a new contract and the "new and improved" rates, terms and conditions. With the ability to cancel of course at the penalty of nearly the contract total cost.

With all these scams, I still use prepaid and have no intention of getting stuck with a contract until or unless I absolutely must.

if you get a knew phone and it is a phone you can use data on you can not any longer opt out. To get around this just don't buy a phone that data can be used on. About all your new touch screens are now data phones.As long as you don't renew your contract your under the grandfather clause and aren't required to buy the data. This just started on Mon.