What are my real options with Verizon and EVDO?

thatseattleguy · EVDO Newbie Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 3

[moved from the Seattle coverage thread where it didn't belong]

I'm in Seattle and of course VZW just rolled out EVDO here. But I'm having trouble wrapping my head around what Verizon's offering and what I can do with it. I had thought EVDO was going to work like a fast version of 1XRTT (aka "National Access"), where with the right phone I could do an data-only connection just for the cost of my minutes, but apparently that's not the case....

Correct me, because you guys all seem to eat and breath this stuff, but from here it sounds like:

1) to use EVDO with Verizon I *must* use a PC-CARD, nothing else; and

2) even if I have an EV-DO-capable phone (eg: Samsung A890, LG 8000/8100), all I can do with it (within Verizon) is download eye candy via their VCAST service; I can't use it with my computer as a modem no matter what kind of cable I buy or what kind of software hack I do; and

3) To even do #1 I have to busy the $80 all-you-can-eat data plan; no lower-priced or by-the-minute (or byte) plans are available.

Am I right in all this? Is Verizon really that unimaginative about how people might want to use their network and equipment? (ie we're all either data-hungry power users or brainless multimedia-slurping bimbos, nothing in between?)

In any case, their CS reps aren't helpful in figuring it out, so if anyone here can set me straight...

cheers Jon

brendanhoar · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 09 Jun 2005 Posts: 140

I'd follow the recent postings on the i730. It appears that Verizon may be offering limited voice access for certain "primarily data devices" such as the i730 at the same $80 rate that they charge for the data pc cards.

Clearly, they want to control what kind of equipment/data/voice mix is available in their network.

However, if it were possible to also allow a device such as the i730 to become a wifi<->evdo bridge, there's a lot of potential...

-brendan

herbky · Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 10:14 pm Post subject: Portland!!

I just ordered it. Can't wait... has anyone tried a different area for 1x. how about another carriers 1x service?? I hope this is all they say it is!! I report back.

bpmcclure · EVDO User Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 55

illiterate · EVDO User Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 97

take a look at the vcast phones.. vcast == evdo, and some phones use that the way others use 1xrtt.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=phoneFirst&action=sortPhoneOverview&sortOption=featureSort&featureGroup=14

Michael · Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 9:02 pm Post subject:

See this previous thread:

http://www.evdoforums.com/about56.html

Also, my understanding, is that if you have a PDA Unlimited Plan AND a voice plan on the same PDA, you can use the PDA as a modem for unlimited data, but I will check again tomorrow and post what I find.
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thatseattleguy · EVDO Newbie Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 3

Yes, VCAST *uses* EVDO to xfer the data to the phone...but big deal. That doesn't do a thing to let me use the phone to connect to the Net with my laptop tagging along (as I do with the 1xRTT network now). The VCAST phones are, from what I can tell, "locked out" from accessing EVDO an open fashion - all they can do is the VCAST dreck. (Of course they can still use 1xRTT - big deal...).

And that's my original point...Verizon seemingly thinks EVDO users fall into exactly two categories: power users who'll pay $80/month for all-you-can-eat data sent to their dedicated PCMCIA EVDO cards, and the unwashed masses, who will pay over and over to download eye-candy multimedia clips via VCAST onto their shiny new VCAST phones. Nothing in between. It's a classic case of "*we* know how you should use our stuff" instead of "*you* can figure out best how to use our stuff".

(I do think VZ has a $40/month plan that lets you get a whopping 20mb/month, but it still takes a dedicated PCMCIA card - you can't use an EVDO phone.)

Anyway, I understand they want to control access and usage on the network, but the current plans sure aren't inspiring me buy a new phone and get a new contract with them. I'll get an older 1X phone off Ebay and go month-to-month until I see them offering something more usable for me.

Or until I win the lottery or get my boss to pay the Broadband Access monthly fee, whichever comes first. Smile