Verizon rolls out unlimited messaging
By Chris Ziegler 
posted Apr 16th 2007 1:59PM
posted Apr 16th 2007 1:59PM
Text addicts, rejoice: your plans have arrived. Verizon's unlimited messaging plans are now official, offering limitless text, picture, and video messaging to any carrier in the US on a wide variety of plans at the "America's Choice Select" level -- starting at $60 -- and above. Dovetails nicely with the release of the text-friendly u740 in black, does it not?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
to clarify, this if if you sign up for a America's Choice Select. This is the same as the regular calling plans but $20 tacked on for the unlimited messaging. if you don't get the plan, it's still $20 for unlimited IN + 5000 other carrier.
and probably, when you get the plan, it will require a contract extension.
Yeah Cingular is releasing this as well on April 20th
Just be aware if you are signing a multi-year deal that INCLUDES the free messaging. Currently, you could add or remove the messaging but it looks like they may be built into the plans the way Verizon is doing this. There are going to be some pretty ticked people at month 4 when they call to get the messaging removed only to find out it is an bundled deal and they are SOL.
JG, do you have a link on this Cingular offer? I have not seen that.
TC: last week we were told it would be 6000msgs but today they changed it to unlimited.
wow. sad. i get unlimited messaging (text, pics, etc.) for $9.99 from tmobile, but i've had that for years.
@John
what good is unlimited video messaging if you're stuck on an EDGE network?
ok so here's how it works, instead of unlimited text being added as a feature, its now part of ur calling plan, so sorry ShortFuse, no contract extension, cuz at verizon you can change ur calling plan at any time without changing ur contract, its always been like that too. anyway not only can you u text anyone on any network, it also incudes, pix messages from vzwpix.com, im's from aol, yahoo, etc., and emails sent from any email address. and as long as you can at least one bar with the 1x signal(standard for vzw customers for the last 3 years), you can recieve pix messages. i work at verizon, and we've had to review this material for the last month, any other questions?
America's Choice Select bundles the unlimited text. So if you don't need more than 5000 messages a month, it's better to get the America's Choice Basic, that way, you can add or remove the text messaging option whenever you want.
Are Engadget & Verizon customers really fooled by this overpriced text plan? Basically they are charging $20 for "unlimited" text on network and 5000 text off network. Currently they charge $5 for 250 texts. The "unlimited" plan sounds like a deal for the most extreme text users but a rip off for most customers. In another great oversight Verizon failed to add these "unlimited" options to their voice/data bundles - the people who proabbly use text more than the average customer. Maybe if Verizon customers are lucky Verizon will charge another $20 to turn on & off their phone - Verizon can call it the power freedom plan.
I stand corrected. They are charging $20 for unlimited text on & off network. Still not a great deal. If verizon wants to make current customers happy and draw in many new customers they should focus on free mobile IM. Tie it in with other carriers text and then they would have a strong draw for new customers & old customers alike.
@ Tom - This is an all access pass to UNLIMITED messaging. This includes all other networks, google sms, mobile IM (which is availible on most all VZW phones) and everything but a premium txt (you voting for deal or no deal). Not to mention this is not only for single lines, a Family Share plan with 5 lines can ALL have the same UNL messaging as above for $30 for the entire account. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me. WAY TO GO VZW!
Expensive plans is the reason I left Verizon. T-mobile to Verizon, back to T-mobile. I hate EDGE, but willing to put up with it for awhile. Rumor has it T-mob is going to release EVDO this summer (read it on this site).
Umm no Shaun, no. EV-DO is CDMA based, T-Mobile is a GSM network so that is never going to happen. Enjoy your EDGE.
I think the unlimited text is a great idea, its just $20 a month if you dont want it because its too expensive do not get it then. You get what you paid for if you want a cheap network with cheap service well then be it.
Hey, we switched already. Our family plan will now be $5 cheaper every month, and no overages on all my kids text. It will save us on average really about $15-20 every month - I'm happy!