Confusion around Verizon shared data plans

There seems to be some confusion around the announcement from Verizon about their upcoming shared data plans. Here's a summary of my understanding (and I could be mistaken, so don't quote me):

1. I am currently grandfathered into an unlimited data plan on my smartphone. If I upgrade my smartphone in the future, I will lose my unlimited data plan.
2. I also have multiple devices on my account, so I will probably want to switch to a shared data plan. 
3. Verizon assumes that you're on an unlimited voice and unlimited text plan. After all, the plan is called "Share Everything." 

So, it seems that I will ultimately lose my grandfathered unlimited data plan (unless I never upgrade my smartphone). 

Tiered data plans for Verizon smartphones

If you're a Verizon customer using a smartphone, get ready for tiered data plans. Fortunately, it appears like Verizon will still provide an "unlimited" data plan for smartphone users on the 3G network. We don't know what they will do to their data plans once they roll out with 4G. With the unlimited plan, you should not have any problems tethering and getting online with your laptop.

On a budget? Medical students and residents may find it difficult to spend $30/month for a data plan. Well, you'll have the option to spend $15/month if you use your data plan sparingly. You're probably living in the hospital, so you really don't need a data plan if you're connected via Wi-Fi and if you're surrounded by computers.

I'm planning on sticking with the unlimited data plan so that I can listen to music on Pandora while I'm in the car and so that I can tether when I'm traveling.

Verizon Wireless to refund 15 million customers for data charges

According to several reports, Verizon Wireless will be issuing refunds to over 15 million customers for "incorrectly charged data sessions." You can read about it here on CNN.

Don't expect too much money:

Current customers will receive notification of credits on their October or November bill of between $2 and $6 in most cases, while former customers can expect to receive a refund check in the mail. Some will receive larger credits or refunds.

5 ways medical students can save money on smartphones

If you're a medical student or a resident, you probably don't have the luxury of a really expensive smartphone plan. I remember those days when we were trying to save every penny because our finances were so tight. Of course, many people also have the luxury of student loans, so they may not be so budget-focused. For those looking for a few tips on ways to save money on smartphone plans, here are a few suggestions:

1. Eliminate the data plan (if you have the option) and choose a very simple cell phone plan. Do you really need a data plan on your smartphone? Or, can you get by with Wi-Fi only? If you can avoid the $30-45/month that you're paying for a data plan, then consider buying an older used smartphone so that you don't need to pay for a data plan. Check with your wireless provider first to see if you'll still be required to pay for a data plan for specific smartphone models. On Verizon Wireless, there are several older smartphones that do not require data plans. You won't find them on the Verizon website, but you'll see them on eBay.
2. Leverage coupons and resellers. Buy a smartphone through a reseller that offers discounts and coupons.  Do some searching online and look for savings like Best Buy coupons.
3. Share minutes on a family plan. We all have family. Are they willing to put you on their family plan? Several wireless providers have recently expanded their family plans and now offer many options for families that even wish to have unlimited calling. Look for the cheapest cell phone plan that fits your needs and try to reduce your minutes each month.
4. Get rid of your landline and use your smartphone as your primary phone. Do you really need a landline phone? If you don't, then you can save $20-30/month by getting rid of that landline phone.
5. Use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)or Google Voice instead of your smartphone minutes. I'm paying $2.95 per month to have unlimited domestic calling through Skype. I'll get into Google Voice on a different blog post.

So, are these tips practical? Well, it really depends on how much flexibility you have. If you're frequently in front of a computer and you constantly have Wi-Fi access, then you might be able to get by without signing up for a data plan.

Best tethering options for smartphone users

Interested in tethering with your smartphone so that you can get online with your notebook/laptop/netbook/tablet PC? What's the best option?

More wireless carriers are starting to charge customers an extra fee if you're planning on tethering with your smartphone. These fees may not be advertised, so you may need to do a bit of digging to find them. Some carriers (like Verizon Wireless) require that you upgrade your data plan if you wish to tether. Now is that really necessary?

Of course, there are unofficial alternatives that may allow you to tether for less. I'm not writing this to endorse any of these options. They are here simply for informational purposes only. For instance, you could try PdaNet or you might be able to load a custom ROM that allows you to tether through your smartphone data plan. Some users reportedly have "hacked" their smartphone so they can tether without paying additional fees. I'm not advocating that you should hack your phone because this generally leads to a loss in warranty coverage.

The best way to tether is to follow the rules outlined by your wireless carrier. Ask the right questions so that you don't end up being surprised when you receive your bill.

Consider one other option: some wireless carriers allow you to add/remove tethering fees without any long-term obligations. So, if you know you're going to be tethering for a long weekend, add the feature before you travel. Then, when you return home, remove the feature from your plan. You may end up with prorated fees on your bill. If this is an option for you, then it may be the best option if you're on a budget and you don't need to tether frequently.

Do medical students need a smartphone data plan?

If you're a medical student, you probably have a smartphone. I predict that you have an Apple iPhone. That's currently the most popular smartphone among traditional medical students while the BlackBerry remains popular among non-traditional students who held corporate jobs.

These days, if you want to purchase a modern smartphone, you'll be obligated to also pay for a monthly data plan. There used to be rare exceptions to that rule, but those days are ending. A data plan can range from $30-60/month, so it's not a marginal amount for a medical student on a tight budget. I still remember those days. Data plans may not cover SMS (Short Message Service), so I suppose I'm mainly talking about web/e-mail access. SMS can be very useful when you're in the hospital because it's much easier to send short messages instead of paging each other and waiting for a return phone call. Who still uses alpha numeric pagers these days?

Most hospitals currently have Wi-Fi and Internet access, so it really doesn't make sense to have a data plan if you can hop on a computer terminal to check your e-mail. However, maybe I'm talking to the wrong generation of students. You may not have a data plan, but you probably have an unlimited SMS or texting plan. If you had a smartphone during college and/or high school, then you probably can't live without a data plan because you probably spend more time texting than calling. You'll probably take photos using your smartphone and then send them to your colleagues. So at the end of the day, maybe you don't need a data plan. Instead, you simply need a smartphone that has Wi-Fi capabilities with unlimited text/photo/video SMS.

How Low Will Data Plans Go?

There are rumors floating around that AT&T may offer less expensive data plans for the Apple iPhone. Currently, you have to pay $30/month for the data plan. Would you select a $20/month that had some limits? (I guess it would really depend on what those limits were, right?)

How low will smartphone data plans go in today's economic climate? As many people struggle to pay their bills, will mobile phone carriers start lowering prices to help customers? Or, will this threaten their survival? Maybe a lower data plan is simply another ploy to get people to sign up, and then when customers go over on their usage, the carriers send a huge bill!

Pay per KB on Verizon Wireless Still Available on the XV6800

If you're lucky enough to have the XV6800 on Verizon Wireless, you can still avoid the "mandatory" data plan. So, does that mean that these types of smartphones will be in higher demand by those who don't want to pay for a data plan?