Julie the answer is yes, but depends.
Yes, I have a treo, and I access my email/browse the internet and pay for
minutes of use. It is actually called minutes of use (Feature MOU) as I
recall. I've had it for years. BUT: They try and put me on data plans, and
each time I explain that I want to keep my "existing" feature, do NOT want a
data plan, and they have always let me keep it. Although occassionally an
automated "audit" will change it; a phone call to wireless data with an
explanation gets it back.
Works this way now: When you sign up for a new smartphone, the ordering
system "requires" that a data plan (heard it was unlimited) be put into the
"plan." But it will not take effect until you activate the new phone.
(Automated process). My suggestion is this: make sure that you have the
MOU feature now, and have it noted in the account "before" you order your
smart phone. Do the automated process, and then call in and have the
correct codes put back onto your phone. Works for me every time. If you
have MOU, you seem to be able to keep it. Be firm.
Caveat: If you've never had a smartphone, and want to order a smartphone and
get the MOU? I am not aware of anyone that has done that successfully.
Since it is not a current offering, it is hard to convince someone that your
"entitled" to it. One possibility: State that you want the phone as a
phone. And expect to use the PDA portion in lieu of a 2nd device. You do
"not" intend to use it for data, but as a PDA (Good so far). But you do
want Get-It-Now functionality to work. That should get you data with MOU.
However: if you want to be "fair", and want to use the data features, then
perhaps you should have to pay for a data plan. I am not encouraging a
workaround, just bringing it up as a thought. We ask VZW to be fair (and
their contracts and business ethics are plenty short), so to set an example,
we should try and be fair even if they aren't. Especially since depending
on the phone, you can use data AND voice at the same time, so you are
getting more, should perhaps pay more. IMHO. dr

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dr.news Better Price? (not better than you deserve, just more than you are
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If I can help: dr.news@better-price.biz.delete-the-obvious or thru this
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: JW Jewels [mailto:xx.xxxxxx@verizon.net]
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 10:16 PM
To: dr.news@better-price.biz
Subject: Treo data plan
Hi,
Is there a way to access my email and browse the internet, and only
having to pay for minutes of use on Verizon?
Thanks,
Julie
rangerssuck@gmail.com - 28 Jul 2005 14:59 GMT
I just ordered a Treo 650. I went to the Verzon store, and the sales
manager there told me that he couldn't sell me the phone without an
"updated" plan.
I called customer service, and told them that I just wanted to upgrade
the phone and not change the plan. The woman was very accomodating and
said she could do that. So I placed my order. That was Tuesday.
Today is Thursday, and I just got off the phone with customer service,
asking them for a tracking number (when am I going to receive the
phone?). I was told that it hasn't shipped yet, because the order was
kicked out of the system due to the "non-compliant" rate plan. It was
re-entered yesterday and approved today.
In theory, the phone will ship today, and I can have a tracking number
tomorrow morning. Hopefully, it will show up before the weekend.
The point is, don't believe what they tell you in the store. There is
(almost) always something they can do to give you the plan that you
want. In my case, I wanted to keep my MOU and calls to Canada included
as part of the free long distance. The store guy said "no", customer
service said "yes."
rangerssuck@gmail.com - 28 Jul 2005 17:10 GMT
Just a followup about the shipping.
I called customer service again, and asked if there's anything we can
do to expedite the order. The guy said "probably not. all our orders
ship fedex two day." But he ried anyway.
I spent a few minutes on hold while he talked to the shipping
department, and then he came back to me and said that they told him
that they'd try to ship for tomorrow. Then he asked me if I wanted
Fedex standard overnight or Fedex Priority overnight. Of course, I
asked for Priority. Back on hold for another couple of minutes. Then he
came back and told me that I'd either see the phone tomorrow by 10AM,
or else (laughing) Monday before 4:30PM.
A half hour goes by, and I just got a call from(!) a customer service
person informing me that they had, indeed, modified the shipment, and
it would go out today for delivery by 10AM tomorrow.
So, I got my MOU, calls to Canada AND overnight shipping.
It pays to be the squeaky wheel sometimes.
Dave - 28 Jul 2005 23:07 GMT
Be careful, per verizonwireless's data tech support, Verizon will or already
has started to charge kb usage on all data (q2net too) if a data plan is not
on the account.
> Just a followup about the shipping.
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> It pays to be the squeaky wheel sometimes.
Treo Leo - 29 Jul 2005 01:05 GMT
>Be careful, per verizonwireless's data tech support, Verizon will
>or already has started to charge kb usage on all data (q2net too)
>if a data plan is not on the account.
Isn't this what Dr. News means when he says:
"They try and put me on data plans, and each time I explain that
I want to keep my "existing" feature, do NOT want a data plan,
and they have always let me keep it. Although occassionally an
automated "audit" will change it; a phone call to wireless data
with an explanation gets it back."
What's the phone number for Wireless Data ?
Is there an extension we can call to reach a rep who knows about
this or do we just keep calling until we find somebody who does ?