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Droid X - What do you pay monthly?

NOVAdroid2151

Well-Known Member
Jul 20, 2010
120
5
Northern, VA
Hello everyone,

First I just wanted to say its great to finally post here. I have been reading these forums for a while and I really enjoy the great information that is shared by all.

Secondly, I was hoping people who have received the DROID X could post what there plans are and what they are paying a month?
My work offers discounts through the VZW website when upgrading or updating your service.
I have found that with 450 minutes ($39.99) , and the unlimited text ($9.99), of course the data plan ($29.99) that my montly bill comes out to
$81.97 a month.

Is this higher/lower than what others are paying? is there a way to pay less?
Also, the $1.99 extended warranty that is offered, is this warranty worth it? I don't like the Assurion insurance.

Thanks for your tips everyone. I know a lot of my questions are probably best answered with opinion and taste than facts. I just want to save all the money I can with all the options available.


Thanks!
 
If you wanted to change your number you could enroll in google voice and avoid the text plan. I have the $39.99 min plan and the $30 data plan= $70. I will not have texting since I am using google voice to text with. I can still use the same dialer just have to use the google voice app for texting and voicemail. I do believe my plan has a discount on it too of 17%, so I would be at $58 before taxes and fees?
 
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If you wanted to change your number you could enroll in google voice and avoid the text plan. I have the $39.99 min plan and the $30 data plan= $70. I will not have texting since I am using google voice to text with. I can still use the same dialer just have to use the google voice app for texting and voicemail. I do believe my plan has a discount on it too of 17%, so I would be at $58 before taxes and fees?

I'm not familiar with Google Voice, but this sounds like a great idea. I would still be able to text anyone (AT&T / SPRINT) as well as non smart phone users from Google Voice to their phone for free? Would the message be recieved and handled the same way?

Is this a common practice with most Droid users?
Does Google Voice cost money?
And by Dialer, do you mean the same phone number & Cell phone?

Thanks,
 
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I have had google voice for a while now but never really used it. I pay 30 bucks a month for unlimited texting and am wondering if it is possible to use google voice to text with my same number? Or would I have to use my GV number?

No, you have to use your GV number. That's the thing that's impeding me from solely using GVoice for texts. I want people to CALL my normal verizon number since most people I know also have verizon so it's in network and unlimited. but I'd prefer people to TEXT my gvoice number so it's free. But I can't realistically give everybody I know two different numbers to use, can I? So, I just have 250 texts. When I send a text, I use the gvoice app and people reply to that so it's free. But if somebody initiates the texting, they typically use my Verizon number and then I respond via gvoice. Not the most ideal; but a way to cut down on # of texts. (Some people have friends and family where they can list the gvoice number that comes in when people call it. I don't have that option, and it's also against Verizon's policy to do so.)

Im confused...why do you pay extra for unlimited texting? Isn't that included in data? I pay $39.99 for the minutes and $30 for the data. My state employee discount pretty much eliminates taxes and fees.

No, "data" doesn't include texting. You would think it would, wouldn't you? But it doesn't...
 
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No, "data" doesn't include texting. You would think it would, wouldn't you? But it doesn't...

This is interesting. I have had unlimited texting from day 1 without an extra charge...

Screenshot of your account charges. Texting is not data, it does not use the data network but the cell network.

I'm fully utilizing everything google voice can offer and have the basic 450 minute plan + data, minus 10% employee discount, which brings it to about $70/month with all taxes included.

I would go even lower if I could get maybe 100 minutes a month.
 
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You have to use/pick a google number. The only thing your verizon number is used for is the voicemail part of the service. Last I read they're working on possibly working around this so you can use your regular number for everything, but I wouldn't count on it.

Thanks Foxtrot -
So would I give out my Google Voice Number and then they would call/text this number? Meanwhile, the same device also has my current cell number that can also receive calls/texts?

Are there programs (such as Blackberry Messenger) on Android phones that will allow free texting between them? The assistant at the VZW store said Android phones now have Push to Talk apps for free between droid phones.
 
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I started using Google Voice a couple of days after launch. Once you get past the initial pain of giving everybody a new number to use when they call and text you, you'll find that it's actually pretty awesome! The best thing is that it's all integrated with your Android phone.

I bought the 250/mo texting plan when purchasing the Droid X, but I'm probably just going to take that off now and block texts to my Verizon number. You simply use the Google Voice app to do all of your texting and it just uses your data plan. You can still set up notifications too.

As for voice, if you have a plan that has Friends & Family, you can add the number Google Voice uses to make calls and then you will not use minutes on your phone either. If you have a family plan, your other lines will use minutes when they call you or you can just have them use your Verizon number since it'll be free mobile to mobile.

I'm not sure if you are supposed to put a Google Voice number in your Friends & Family but it's definitely working for me so far. I figure, I'm paying extra for the plan that has Friends & Family anyway, so what do they care? If they remove my GV server number from Friends & Family, I'll just drop down to the lower plan and they will actually get less from me anyway. I would just have to watch my minutes more.

I have a 20% discount, so I'm curious to see what my first bill is going to be!
 
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People keep saying that unlimited texting is not included, however I am on the vzw website right now and the "Talk and Text" plan includes unlimited texting no matter the level of minutes purchased.

However, I'm a new vzw customer so my plan offerings might be different than a legacy customer.

Maybe I'm just not reading the thread correctly.
 
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People keep saying that unlimited texting is not included, however I am on the vzw website right now and the "Talk and Text" plan includes unlimited texting no matter the level of minutes purchased.

However, I'm a new vzw customer so my plan offerings might be different than a legacy customer.

Maybe I'm just not reading the thread correctly.


That would be great if it were. Its ridiculous that $10 more a month for texting is what they charge us. Its easier on the network for them too from what I was told.
Oh well. So it sounds like $60-$120. I am paying $95 for my BB Storm1, so I think I will be able to save money by switiching!
 
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People keep saying that unlimited texting is not included, however I am on the vzw website right now and the "Talk and Text" plan includes unlimited texting no matter the level of minutes purchased.

However, I'm a new vzw customer so my plan offerings might be different than a legacy customer.

Maybe I'm just not reading the thread correctly.

Um, the Talk & Text plans are $20/mo more than the plain Talk plans. For individual plans, for example, there's a 450 minute Talk plan for $40 and a 450 minute Talk & Text plan for $60. So in essence, you're paying $20/mo more if you want unlimited texting.

If you use Google Voice, we are saying you don't even need to buy a Talk & Text plan. Just go with a Talk plan and have them block text messaging on your plan. If you give everyone your Google Voice number to use, then text messages go through your data plan and you do not even need texting on your VZW plan.

If you still want to be able to send/receive texts using your Verizon number, then you could just add a 250 message feature to a Talk plan for $5/mo. That's what I did, but I may end up canceling it once I have everyone using my Google Voice number.

For Family Plans, Talk & Text is $30/mo more than Talk. Or you can do Talk on all the lines and just adds texting ala carte for each line. My wife and mother will be joining me on a Family Plan with Verizon shortly. My mother does not text AT ALL, and my wife only does a little. So I'll disable texting on my mother's line, add a 250 text plan to my wife's line, and disable texting on my line as well since I'll be using Google Voice.
 
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I was browsing on Google Voice and it looks like you can't keep your same number. Can someone confirm this?

Currently no you cannot use your current phone number, but in a month or two google is supposed to allow you to port your current number to google voice. Some people already have figured out how to apparently.

I just told everyone i got a new phone, new phone number and gave 'em my GV number, but still call my wife and a few folks with my Verizon number to save minutes.

GV integration is very, very slick.
 
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Thanks Foxtrot -
So would I give out my Google Voice Number and then they would call/text this number? Meanwhile, the same device also has my current cell number that can also receive calls/texts?

Are there programs (such as Blackberry Messenger) on Android phones that will allow free texting between them? The assistant at the VZW store said Android phones now have Push to Talk apps for free between droid phones.


There's one app I have heard of: Cncted (something like that ) that is supposed to be a BBM-type service that works across platforms. I am migrating towards GTalk.

There is a free push to talk app I know of: Tikl.

Re: GV... I have been using it as my "main" number for years now.
 
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I get a discount through my work and I'm paying $62.39 (after tax) a month. Now this for only 450 minutes and only the data plan. Nothing else.

I'm careful enough with my phones that I've never needed to use my warranty and I use Google Voice for my texting needs. Everyone I would text has unlimited texting on their phones so it's not a problem for them to text me and it not be "In". Plus for calling, everyone I know has a Verizon phone, so no need for a bunch of minutes I wouldn't even use.
 
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