IP: New Verizon wireless data rate plan

[David Farber <dfarber () earthlink net>]

Lots more rational than their old plan. Might even try it. Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: "Wong, Brian" <brianwong () dwt com>
Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 19:41:18 
To: "'Farber, Dave'" <farber () cis upenn edu>
Subject: New Verizon wireless data rate plan (full article text attached)

Dave, perhaps of interest.

- Brian -


Verizon Wireless to charge by data 
By Reuters 
March 14, 2002, 3:50 PM PT

Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless operator, on Thursday
unveiled a data-pricing plan for business customers seeking high-speed
always-on Internet access using its new network. 

The company, which launched its new network in January, said business
customers will be charged by the amount of data that they send or receive
instead of by minutes of use. 

Pricing for data has been a point of discussion in the industry, which is
just starting to unveil the high-speed data capable wireless networks.
Wireless companies have until now charged for data by minutes of use on
current circuit-based networks, which require people to dial up for Internet
access. 

Under the new rate plan, Verizon Wireless said it was offering $35 a month
for 10 MB (megabytes), which is the equivalent of thousands of e-mails or
hundreds of Web pages. It will charge $55 for 20 MB and will have plans for
up to 150 MB of data. 

John Stratton, chief marketing officer of Verizon Wireless, said in a news
release that the new price plans were an ideal option for businesses that
can understand the applications they are using on mobile devices and
accurately determine usage patterns of their employees. 

By contrast, the company had said in January that it will charge consumers a
fee to allow them to use minutes from their voice plan to surf the Internet.


Verizon Wireless, a joint venture between Verizon Communications and
Britain's Vodafone Group, launched its new service, called Express Network,
in 20 percent of its networks including areas from Boston to Virginia on the
East Coast and from Salt Lake City to Silicon Valley and the San Francisco
Bay Area in the West. 

The network is based on the next-generation version of Qualcomm's Code
Division Multiple Access (CDMA), the most widely used technology to build
wireless networks in the United States. 

The network promises data transmission speeds of up to 144 kilobits per
second with average speeds between 40 kilobits to 60 kilobits, the
equivalent of a home dial-up connection. 

Verizon said it will significantly expand Express Network on April 2, making
it available on 30 percent of its network, including more Northeast cities,
several metropolitan areas in the Midwest and cities in the South. 

Customers can currently take advantage of Express Network through a Sierra
Wireless AirCard for personal computers and the Kyocera 2235 cell phone,
which can be connected by cable to a laptop or handheld computer. 

http://news.com.com/2100-1033-860819.html?tag=cd_mh

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