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Verizon doesn't have an "unlimited" (as in uncapped) data plan, at least not here in GA. You get to chose 250MB/month (!!!) or 5GB/month. I believe they do use the word "unlimited", but it's a lie -- the caps have been in place for at least the 30 months I've been with them.

Not true.

Been discussed before. Etc.

Blah, blah, blah.

Verizon is Verizon is Verizon is Verizon, whether in GA, MN, TN, VA, or FU.

Verizon currently does offer an unlimited data plan, but only for smartphones. There are no specified limits, at all, thus making their unlimited smartphone completely unlimited (on paper, at least).

A MiFi or a netbook or an aircard or a whatever other non-smartphone device is limited to, at most, 5GB/month.

So: I can, currently, absorb as much bandwidth as I want with my Droid. But if I had a MiFi tied to a laptop, the plan would cap out at 5GB.

It's been this way at least since I got the Droid not long after launch last year. Previous to that, I didn't care enough to pay any attention.

Their telephone data plans are toward the right side of this page. Their dedicated data plans are described separately, however, over here, with very clearly stated limits. And, in neither case do I see any particular mention about excluding Peaches.

Verizon requires a $30/month unlimited data plan with (some?) smartphones. This is distinct from the 5 GB/month data plan that you can buy separately. I would assume that so few smartphone users exceed 5 GB that they figure it's more profitable to advertise it as unlimited. Especially since people tend to greatly overestimate their data usage. OTOH, all tethering plans are limited.

Verizon requires a $30/month unlimited data plan with (some?) smartphones. This is distinct from the 5 GB/month data plan that you can buy separately. I would assume that so few smartphone users exceed 5 GB that they figure it's more profitable to advertise it as unlimited. Especially since people tend to greatly overestimate their data usage. OTOH, all tethering plans are limited.

200 texts a day is 6,087.5 texts per month. If you have a Verizon Wireless plan called "Nationwide Talk", which does not include allotted texts but does charge you $0.20 per incoming or outgoing text, then that would cost $1,217.50 per month, or $14,610 per year. Huh.

Here is VZW's description of that per text charge from their site:

Text Messaging
Fun, easy way to stay in touch. TXT Messaging is a two-way text messaging service. Send and receive text messages of up to 160 characters right on your two-way messaging-capable phone. $0.20 for messages received and $0.20 for messages sent. Bundle plans also available. Sending and receiving text messages does not deduct from a calling plan's airtime allowance.

Picture/Video Messaging
It's fun & easy to share life's most memorable moments with your friends and family. Send and receive picture messages to other Verizon Wireless camera phone customers or virtually any email address. $0.25 for sent and received picture/video messages. Bundle plans also available. Sending and receiving picture/video messages does not deduct from a calling plan's airtime allowance.

I have a 3G data-only (no voice/SMS) SIM from Vodafone (UK).

Unlike Vodafone (UK), Vodafone (US) uses CDMA2000, and instead of using a removable CSIM card, it programs the subscriber information directly into the phone.

I think it's £10/GB or so

Data-only service from Vodafone (US) costs 50 USD for 1 GB.

Canada:
http://www.rogers.com/web/Rogers.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=WLRS_Plans&category=data
Australia:
http://broadbandguide.com.au/bigpond

America (wireless):
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=plans
http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/plans/data-plans.jsp?rel=nofollow&wtSlotClick=1-003J13!CISM01-1-1

I knew these off the top of my head. You've never heard of these plans?

Australia:
http://broadbandguide.com.au/bigpond
Canada:
http://www.rogers.com/web/Rogers.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=WLRS_Plans&category=data

America (wireless):
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=plans
http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/plans/data-plans.jsp?rel=nofollow&wtSlotClick=1-003J13!CISM01-1-1

If the survey does not publish who paid for it then the results can not be trusted.

Why don't we try to compare user satisfaction ourselves. Lets go to the carrier's web sites and see how people actually using the products are rating them.

AT&T: We can view and rate all phones except the iphone. You will see the Captivate has a almost perfect score. phones

Sprint: The Evo has 4.7 out of 5 starts. phones

Verizon: Verison lets you sort by rating! You can see the blackberry is first with all Droid phones above 4.5. phones

Why can the iPhone not be rated by the actual users of AT&T? Is Apple and AT&T trying to hide somethings?

Note: No money was involved in this study :-) and it also makes the Yankee Group study look very cooked!

Or you could be a two-time loser and buy a Kin ... it's been almost a week they've been cancelled, and Verizon is still selling them.

Why would you compare a Kin phone's hardware software to an Android phone? The least expensive Android phone still costs 3 times more than the Kin phone.

Are you on drugs?

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=5290 Kin 1: $329.99
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=5291 Kin 2: $429.99

Sure, you can get them for less on a 2-year plan, but the same thing applies for Android phones. And there's a $350.00 Early Termination Fee.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=5331LG Android: $369.99 - so it's cheaper than the Kin 2.

The kin phones are DOA.

Why would you compare a Kin phone's hardware software to an Android phone? The least expensive Android phone still costs 3 times more than the Kin phone.

Are you on drugs?

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=5290 Kin 1: $329.99
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=5291 Kin 2: $429.99

Sure, you can get them for less on a 2-year plan, but the same thing applies for Android phones. And there's a $350.00 Early Termination Fee.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=5331LG Android: $369.99 - so it's cheaper than the Kin 2.

The kin phones are DOA.

Why would you compare a Kin phone's hardware software to an Android phone? The least expensive Android phone still costs 3 times more than the Kin phone.

Are you on drugs?

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=5290 Kin 1: $329.99
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=5291 Kin 2: $429.99

Sure, you can get them for less on a 2-year plan, but the same thing applies for Android phones. And there's a $350.00 Early Termination Fee.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=5331LG Android: $369.99 - so it's cheaper than the Kin 2.

The kin phones are DOA.

VZW offers an unlimited plan for BlackBerry data. There's one for other phones too http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/plansingleline.jsp?lid=//global//plans//individual

Don't forget folks - if you have a Verizon BlackBerry, the deal isn't the same. When you make a call through Skype over 3G, it uses minutes from your voice plan. See their website [WARNING: There's Flash on that page]. You get free Skype-to-Skype calls, and international calling goes against your Skype credits. So it is still beneficial to have it, but not for making calls to domestic US phone numbers. Now - I don't know how the technology works - if Skype is actually routing through the voice network or data network for domestic calls - but either way, they'll charge you just the same.

I wouldn't put it past AT&T and Skype to work out a deal like this.

The following is mostly unopinionated and uses actual cited facts.

Of the total cellphone market the iphone is around the 3% mark, although I do not have a source for this. You specifically said *smartphone market*, which according to http://comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2010/4/comScore_Reports_February_2010_U.S._Mobile_Subscriber_Market_Share and http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2010/02/google-makes-biggest-gain-in-smartphone-market-share.ars Apple holds 25 % market share. Now android may be growing fast but it will reach a market saturation point. It is worth noting that at launch, iPhones were $600 and Droids were $200 http://blog.flurry.com/bid/31410/Day-74-Sales-Apple-iPhone-vs-Google-Nexus-One-vs-Motorola-Droid and they had almost identical sales figures in the first 74 days. Granted, that is just the droid and not all android phones, but as my previous citations indicate, the iPhone still has greater market share despite lower priced android based phones on multiple carriers.

As far as your data plan pricing goes http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/plansingleline.jsp?lid=//global//plans//individual for a 3g 'smartphone' you will need the $29.99 a month, exactly the same as an iPhone data plan. Even with sprint http://shop.sprint.com/NASApp/onlinestore/en/Action/DisplayPlans the base plan with unlimited data is $69.99 a month, same as iPhone. Im not going to bother looking at tmobile.

Not to open up a flame war but I need to make a quick point on how useful the ability to tether, use linux and flash, I will keep it to a minimal here. I do not mean just on one smart phone, if you are using you laptop, you are sitting down somewhere which in all likelihood has (free) wifi, mainstream consumers(read: non technically inclined people) have little use with linux(not to fault distros like ubuntu which will serve most users needs but most people do not want to learn something new), and flash is a good way to heat up my computer.

If you want to give citations for your 'better' network, 'cheaper' data plan(inexpensive was the word you were looking for, which I still think would be inaccurate) and 'better' data service, that would be nice. That does not include tv ads demonstrating 3g speed differences, some form of 3rd least biased party, please.

And just to clarify, I believe people should be allowed to run third-party applications on their iPhone without having to go through the App Store (or jailbreaking). I'm just saying that the inconsistency is what really bugs me. If they want to sell a G-rated phone, that's fine with me. Advertise it as such and enforce that policy consistently, but don't blame me when I take my business elsewhere. As a matter of fact, I'm switching to an Android-based phone on Thursday.

There's a difference. You're dealing with the Wireless division... Compare these two pages for what I'm talking about (Both were 1 click away from the home page):

FIOS Internet Plans: http://www22.verizon.com/Residential/FiOSInternet/Plans/Plans.htm

Mobile Broadband: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=plans

Mobile explicitly states that not only is there a cap, but what it is. Fios makes no mention of even the existence of such a cap, yet alone what it is. And that's where I see the implication of "unlimited"...

Heres the link. Thats with a 2 year contract. So naturally its cost is subsidized through the carrier bullshit.

What are you talking about?

1) there have been numerous articles in the last year (since May when they last changed the plan terms) of people receiving bills with multi-hundred dollar overage charges.
2) The pro-rating may have doubled, but it's still over $100 in the last 30 day period, and many times what it was a few months ago any time prior to that.
3) I don't need to be on a call while driving, but I need to know some one is TRYING to call, or left a voice mail, or a text about an emergency. If I go on a 4 hour ride, and need GPS to get me there, I'm completely disconnected during that time. yes, it's a CDMA limit, but they could have deployed 3G anytime in the last 5 years, and they chose not to. I'm also not complaining about the limitation, I'm complaining all their advertising hinges around an OS that's crippled because of it, with no honest communication to buyers at time of purchase about that limit or its potential issues.
4) Smartphones no, but if you get a smartphone, you have to pay $30 a month extra (or $45 if you use push e-mail). I want a camera phone that lets me copy pictures to a PC to free. Verizon's phones can not do that since Verizon chooses to alter the firmware to prevent it (though a few new ones can, and it's becoming less of a common practice for them).
5) http://www.verizonwireless.com/customer_care/add_feature/TC486R1099.html: Section 10, clearly states "next whole minute" I'm right.
6) You can turn it off, but not if the text plan is part of your existing contract, without resigning for another 2 years from the date you turn it off (unless you simply keep paying for it after turning it off on the control panel without changing your plan, fick that!)
7) $100 after 18 months, $200 after 2. Not $400 after 18 months and $200 after 12 as they've done on the iPhone 3 times, including existing subscribers. Also, AT&T lets you get the full rebate, up to $400, after 2 years, but Verizon caps you at your new every two amount.
8) Sorry, happened to us twice. There's also a slew of oline articles about this. Add or remove a line, change to new plans (not different tiers in the same plan, that's OK), activate a dew device, these all triger contract renewal. I was burned by this just 7 months ago and had to pay $170 to get out of a plan we'd had for 29 months because my wife had changed her terms to a different plan that included texts a bit more than a year before.
9) I dig into rollover on my AT&T plan about every 3-4 months, and by doing so, I've saved $20 month by having 1 plan tier lower for more than 3 years. That's HUGE, and something worth bitching about.
10) Verizon bit 4 people in my office with this in the last year that I'm personally aware of. One got back billed over $150 on his Windows mibole (from day 1 on his contract), and he'd only connected the device to our exchange server 3 months earlier. (we only moved his department to Exchange 4 months before). If you buy a new device, it's one of the first questions they ask, and they inform you that use of push e-mail without the term on your contract IS monitored, is a violation of your contract, and they'll not only back bill for it, they can terminate your contract without prior warning.

From: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=products_connect

"5 GB (5,120 MB) of data usage for Internet access through your notebook or Netbook. $0.05/MB after allowance."

This is for the "capable smartphones and blackberries"

Yes they do charge overages. They added that in May of 2009 (which dropping it from $0.40 to 0.05)

Really? You mean I can carry around an iPad and a laptop?! Ooh! Where do I sign up?!?

That said, there are other ways besides carrying around a computer.

Just buy a Verizon mifi and tape the fucking thing to the back, jesus christ. It's big enough.

Problem solved.

Can anyone with a droid confirm if the "can't surf and talk" is true? The droid features on Verizon specifically state that the multi-tasking OS "does" "Make a call, take a picture, answer a IM, and switch between up to 6 apps at once". So I guess that AT&T really means is what a black-berry doesn't?

The most ground-breaking discovery for mobile enterprise has been the MiFi®. It's a portable device that connects to 3G/1X wirelessly and creates a small WiFi domain that you control. Kind of like a tiny router, but with just a power supply and a USB cable. IIRC, you can have up to 3 WiFi connections going at once and up to 10 unique devices using it.

In other news, Verizon has a shiny new line of Android phones (also by HTC, but their "biggie" is by Moto) and attractive plans. I'm still waiting for something competitive to the new $50 T-Mo "unlimited" plans to appear at VZW, but time will tell.

It's always a good time to be a newcomer into the US wireless carrier market; free- and discounted devices abound with rate plans that fit almost every lifestyle.

At some point, you will find yourself regretting your decision... no matter which one you choose.

MiFi accepts 3G connections from handsets. The same as a cell site.

No, it doesn't accept 3G connections from handsets! Where on earth did you get that idea?

The MiFi is quite simply a wifi router that gets its internet connection from 3G instead of a cable or DSL modem.

You seem to be thinking of some kind of nano-cell device that does the opposite of what MiFi does.

You are apparently just disagreeing with me for the point of disagreeing.

That's rich, considering the load of misinformation you just dropped. It turns out the reason I'm disagreeing with you is that you're spouting off about something you don't understand.

then the question is which network are your friends and family using?

Land lines from the phone company or the cable company, in my case. If you're in the same situation, "friends and family" may be more apropos than you may have thought.

I was under the impression that Verizon and Sprint happen not to.

Verizon.

Sprint (select "Mobile Broadband" toggle).

AT&T.

T-Mobile.

Unfortunately, they aren't going to lose much in the way of sales. As someone else pointed out a few replies back, their network is probably the best in the US right now...

I happily use TMo, who has coverage (or at least roaming I dont seem to pay for) in every area I need them.

If one looks at their coverage map here:
Verizon

And enters Ticonderoga, NY in the City/State field, one will notice that they have... ummm... something. I dont know what. There is no key on their map that indicates what blue with white lines through it means. The same goes for Rt9N and the outskirts of Port Henry.

Well, I know what blue with white lines means (even though there is a Verizon store there). It means NO coverage... even though one would suspect from the map that it means 3G.

As a matter of fact, if you zoom out, it shows the coverage as blue - which is on their map key.

Gee, that's an outright lie. I wonder how many other areas are similarly mis-marked. Ticonderoga and Port Henry dont have 3G, EDGE, or even just basic phone coverage from Verizon. We (the Star Trek Phase 2 Team) has even made some "funny" videos about it that are on YouTube (well, "we" is our sound engineer Ralph Miller mostly, with a couple of us participating in some of them).

When we called them asking if or when they'd have it (since it is marked as they do on their map), they told us they dont, wont and never plan on as there is no demand for coverage up there. Four years later, and calls as recently as this past fall, and their maps are still incorrect.

Regardless, I am sure Verizon has better coverage in many areas than TMo, but for me, TMo's coverage is all I need for where I travel, and their customer service (regardless of how it may or may not be able to be improved) is light years above Verizon's - including helping me with phone/connectivity issues with "unapproved" and "untested" phones - as well as with my "tested/approved" G1 that I bought second hand on eBay.

Fairness would be selling the phones at standard unlocked prices and letting people buy their contracts ala carte.

You mean like Verizon Wireless already offers, by selecting the "Month-to-Month" contract type option? Notice the phones are at full price. Notice you have no ETF. Why are people complaining? They have choices.

Oh please . Can I sign up, get service, and not sign and agreement? NO. Now exactly would I know how good their customer service, the network, or coverage is without signing up with them? Then once I find out how crappy the service for -my- needs I am stuck? Then they can charge -ANY- amount of $$$ to release me from crappy service?

If only there was some sort of short term period wherein you could return the phone for a small "restock" fee (ie: the non return of the activation charge and pay only for your actual usage and have the contract null and void. SIGH!

Not true. I got the BlackBerry 8830 subsidized for $250. It's currently $49.99 with a 2 year contract.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneOverviewByDevice&deviceType=BlackBerry%20Devices

Average Joe's don't see asterisks.

verizon

asterisk. i don't see an asterisk. it just says unlimited

Explain this then:

I just took this straight from Verizon's website

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=planFirst&action=viewPlanList&sortOption=priceSort&typeId=3&subTypeId=49&catId=448

DATA PLANS AND FEATURES

Data Plans and Features (such as NationalAccess, BroadbandAccess, GlobalAccess, Push to Talk, and certain VZEmail services) may ONLY be used with wireless devices for the following purposes: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) email; and (iii) intranet access (including access to corporate intranets, email, and individual productivity applications like customer relationship management, sales force, and field service automation). The Data Plans and Features MAY NOT be used for any other purpose. Examples of prohibited uses include, without limitation, the following: (i) continuous uploading, downloading or streaming of audio or video programming or games; (ii) server devices or host computer applications, including, but not limited to, Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections or peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing; or (iii) as a substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections. This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services and/or redirecting television signals for viewing on laptops is prohibited. A person engaged in prohibited uses, continuously for one hour, could typically use 100 to 200 MBs, or, if engaged in prohibited uses for 10 hours a day, 7 days a week, could use more than 5 GBs in a month.

For individual use only and not for resale. We reserve the right to protect our network from harm, which may impact legitimate data flows. We reserve the right to limit throughput or amount of data transferred, and to deny or terminate service, without notice, to anyone we believe is using an Data Plan or Feature in any manner prohibited above or whose usage adversely impacts our network or service levels. Anyone using more than 5 GB per line in a given month is presumed to be using the service in a manner prohibited above, and we reserve the right to immediately terminate the service of any such person without notice. We also reserve the right to terminate service upon expiration of Customer Agreement term.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=plans

All of the plans listed here have caps.

Right on the top of that page it says: "Mobile Broadband Plans for USB Modems, PC Cards, ExpressCards, MiFi 2200, Notebooks or Netbooks". Those plans do not apply to phone data.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=plans

All of the plans listed here have caps.

The summary and article are HORRIBLY wrong. These things have been discussed on various cell phone forums many times, and here is the truth:

The data used on the phone is indeed unlimited.

Exchange access is not needed on the Droid, but it was something needed for certain Blackberry users. Note that the Droid can still access Exchange servers. This cost $15, making the data plan $45.

Tethering is limited to 5GB, and is clearly stated on their site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=plans&lid=//global//plans//mobile+broadband+plan
This is $15 if added to the Exchange plan, or $30 if added to the regular plan. Either way, the data portion is now $60, the same cost as a standalone tethering plan.

Data from the phone is counted separately from the PC (but currently, the only tethering options mask the tethering as being from the phone, which is against ToS)

This crap has been circling the web and it's not completely accurate. With the $30 and $45 data plans for smartphones, you get unlimited data for the phone itself. If you want to tether, it's an additional $30 for the $30 plan or $15 for the $45 plan and will allow you 5GB of tethered data and unlimited on the phone. In any case, if you want to tether and be within their TOS, you need to pay $60. It's still possible to tether without the extra cost and their software, it's just not within their TOS

The difference between the $30 and $45 data plan isn't documented well and leads to a lot of confusion. I fault VZW for not getting this strait. All the $45 gets you is access their WirelessSync service and supposedly allow you to do Exchange ActiveSync within the TOS. The $30 plan CAN DO Exchange ActiveSync, but it's supposedly not ok within their poorly documented TOS and every VZW employee will tell you that you need the $45 plan if you're going to do Exchange ActiveSync.

If you do use a lot of data on your phone, VZW can cancel your data account according to their TOS. I've used >5GB/month without a peep from VZW and any additional charge on my bill. It has been said in HoFo, if the data usage is extreme by VZW opionion, they could consider that your must be doing something that's violating the TOS. If VZW was smart, they wouldn't do much canceling since they're launching a bunch of Android phones and saying streaming YouTube and music is ok, which obviously will soak up a lot of bandwidth.

I suggest that Pickens and the article author do some fact checking before publishing assumptions and hearsay.

This crap has been circling the web and it's not completely accurate. With the $30 and $45 data plans for smartphones, you get unlimited data for the phone itself. If you want to tether, it's an additional $30 for the $30 plan or $15 for the $45 plan and will allow you 5GB of tethered data and unlimited on the phone. In any case, if you want to tether and be within their TOS, you need to pay $60. It's still possible to tether without the extra cost and their software, it's just not within their TOS

The difference between the $30 and $45 data plan isn't documented well and leads to a lot of confusion. I fault VZW for not getting this strait. All the $45 gets you is access their WirelessSync service and supposedly allow you to do Exchange ActiveSync within the TOS. The $30 plan CAN DO Exchange ActiveSync, but it's supposedly not ok within their poorly documented TOS and every VZW employee will tell you that you need the $45 plan if you're going to do Exchange ActiveSync.

If you do use a lot of data on your phone, VZW can cancel your data account according to their TOS. I've used >5GB/month without a peep from VZW and any additional charge on my bill. It has been said in HoFo, if the data usage is extreme by VZW opionion, they could consider that your must be doing something that's violating the TOS. If VZW was smart, they wouldn't do much canceling since they're launching a bunch of Android phones and saying streaming YouTube and music is ok, which obviously will soak up a lot of bandwidth.

I suggest that Pickens and the article author do some fact checking before publishing assumptions and hearsay.

I dunno... according to this map, they really are comparing 3G to 3G.

My exploration of AT&T's site seems to corroborate Verizon's map.

i'm sorry you're wrong. If you compare verizon's maps here: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/CoverageLocatorController?requesttype=NEWREQUEST&lid=//global//plans//coverage+maps you'll see the difference between normal digital service (1X) and their "broadband" 3g service (EVDO REVA / B / etc) It's just that the two maps are so similar that you may be getting confused. You can also get it explained/compared with AT&T, sprint, T-mo here: http://vzwmap.verizonwireless.com/dotcom/coveragelocator/images/maps/3Gcomparison.pdf

i'm sorry you're wrong. If you compare verizon's maps here: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/CoverageLocatorController?requesttype=NEWREQUEST&lid=//global//plans//coverage+maps you'll see the difference between normal digital service (1X) and their "broadband" 3g service (EVDO REVA / B / etc) It's just that the two maps are so similar that you may be getting confused. You can also get it explained/compared with AT&T, sprint, T-mo here: http://vzwmap.verizonwireless.com/dotcom/coveragelocator/images/maps/3Gcomparison.pdf

...already does this, although, as usual for Verizon, it's completely proprietary and locked down. It works pretty well, though.

despite the HTC Touch Pro2 running WinMo, you won't know it unless you intentionally go there. VZW already has a Winmo 6.5 update, and the XDA chefs are great as always. I had an older WinMo phone and I absolutely, unquestionably understand your aversion to the platform. But unless your concerns are philosophical (i.e. ABM), go give it a look. Seriously. I had an iPhone and couldn't believe I had tortured myself with one for as long as I had. A co-worker of mine owned a Curve and a Storm. He played with mine for all of 90 seconds and said "does Verizon have it?" (I've got the T-Mo version). He had one the next week and couldn't be happier.

And I'm not employed by any company involved, nor am I a $PLATFORM fanboi. The TP2 is simply the best phone that I have ever owned.

The key is the carriers.
Verizon has the largest network and subscriber base, but doesn't have any good smart phones.
T-mobile has the g1, but T-mobile is a horrible company.
AT&T has the iphone but it costs a fortune for service.

The key will be what smart phone takes hold on Verizon; currently it looks like it is going to be an android phone.

Verizon Wireless: 87.7 Million subscribers
AT&T Mobility: 79.6 Million Subscribers
Sprint: 49.3 Million subscribers
T-Mobile: 38.2 million subscribers

Personally I'm waiting for a phone similar to the G1 to be available on the Verizon network.

Were I the CEO of Verizon Wireless, right now, I would privately do everything I could to give Apple a hard enough time that they would stick with AT&T as their exclusive US provider. I would then do nothing to dash the wishful thinking of iPhone fans who fill up slash-dot and industry logs with wishful thinking that Verizon even wants to offer the iPhone at the end of Apple's current contract agreement with AT&T.

I wish AT&T well and fell sympathy for the no-win situation they are in. They are already in the midst of a multi-billion dollar network upgrade. Whether they can build enough new bandwidth to get ahead of the demand curve in the next one or two years is doubtful.

Right now, I not only have a conventional smart phone with Verizon, I have traded in my cellular USB air-card with for one of Verizon's "Mi-Fi" (MiFi2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot.) http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=4726

Wirelessly supporting up to 5 devices within 4 meters of my backpack where the Mi-Fi lives, it not only connects my laptop to the web, but my iPod Touch as well!

So.my cell phone works with clear calls that do not drop and my iPod Touch works as a neat gizmo that draws on the Verizon network.

Yes, it means I have to own an extra device, but geeks like me won't settle for a single device that gives crappy results.

Placing some users on the shitty CDMA verizon network would just cause the Verizon network experience to suffer.

Your apparent anti-CDMA bias notwithstanding, Verizon's network is actually pretty high quality. CDMA makes very efficient use of spectrum (which is why other carriers' 3G networks are also based on CDMA technology), and Verizon has been making the infrastructure investments that AT&T seems to have forgotten about.

Up here in Canada, we had two CDMA wireless providers (Telus and Bell) and both of them are switching over to a 3G GSM standard called HSPA starting next month (November) and plan on offering the iPhone on their new network. CDMA providers such as Bell, Telus and Verizon have typically demanded features such as WiFi be disabled on their blackberry devices and have tried to insist on having their "apps" and "app stores" on the devices they offer. CDMA devices also typically do not work outside of North America. Yes, there are a lot of reasons to hate CDMA technology. People don't like having the provider "brand" shoved down their throats and being forced to pay 3 bucks a ringtone.

Verizon continues to offer "unlimited" data because they know that none of their phones are useful enough to ever push their network to the limit.

Er.. they've been offering Blackberries and laptop cards for ages now, and they'll be offering Android within a few months.

Yes, and if you check out the plans the offer, Verizon charges 60 USD per month for 5GB of data. I think you proved my point that Verizon only offers "unlimited" data on phones which are locked down and limited in their functionality.

Here is a link for those who don't believe me: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=plans

So tell us, what is so damn interesting about Verizon? They charge double of what AT&T charges for the iPhone data service and it is capped to 5GB per month.

It's fun to piss on the US, but Verizon appears to be taking the lead in LTE deployment, T-Mobile (US) has announced HSPA+ by the end of 2010, and AT&T serves more HSDPA customers than any other wireless provider in the world.

So, yeah, OK. Whatever. I guess I'll have to choose between two different HSDPA networks and three different CDMA2000 EV-DO networks here in the "highly populated area" of Boulder, CO.

Go look at this map and then tell me that there isn't 3G coverage "outside the highly populated areas by 4-5 miles":
http://vzwmap.verizonwireless.com/dotcom/coveragelocator/images/maps/comparison_9_09.pdf

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/services/serviceDetails.jsp?catId=cat1360001&skuId=sku2940233

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=products_connect

Yeah no one supports tethering!!! Looks like half (the much larger half) of the US market does support tethering! You're supposed to pay extra!

That depends on if you take your wi-fi with you.

http://now.sprint.com/nownetwork/mifiProductPage.html?id9=SEM_Google_R_Sprint_Mobile_Broadband

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=products_mifi