Verizon Express Network Questions

[fmcgirt]

I now have a National Single Rate plan plus the Mobile Web added
feature. I was looking at the Express Network plans and they appear
very similar to the NSR plans, both in cost and features. So my
question is why should I not change to an equivalent cost EN plan and
drop the Mobile Web add-on? I would appreciate hearing from anyone
about the pros and cons of the Express Network. Also if I go to an
area without EN service, but still on the Verizon Extended Network, can
I then get on the internet using Mobile Web? I realize that once I roam
in any area without Verizon service that I can no longer use either EN
or MW.

Are the "real" data rates that one sees with EN as advertized or is this
mostly hype?

I have the LG VX4400 phone so is there anything to watch out for using
it for EN?

Also my wife now has Vision on Sprint PCS - has anyone had both and done
a comparison of features, data speeds, etc??

Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

Frank McGirt
fmcgirt@mac.com

[budney]

First EN will not work with the wap browsers in there phones. Verizon's phones use the 2G voice network for this. EN works with PDAs & Laptops via connection card or your phone used as a modem with the right cable & drivers. The pros are the speed & flexable plans, cons are won't work off Verizon's 1x network & CS & techs are clueless about EN, so good luck if anything goes wrong. And yes if you are on Verizon's network that is not 1x, MW will work. In most areas your EN speed will be from 40KB to 80KB. Well I never had a chance to use the VX4400 with EN, so I can't help you there.

With Sprint they do use Vision on there phones. But since the processor in the phones is so slow it dosn't make a differance between Vision & WW. And if you have Vision on your plan it is only to be used with your phone only. But you can use it as a modem with correst cable & software, but use it sparingly. In Sprint's TOS they forbid that kind of use with a Vision phone. The only people who have had there service terminated from this are people who download MB of music and other large files in a few days. If you use it once in a while to download email and browse for a few minutes you won't get in trouble. I have done this personally and havn't gotten anything from Sprint threating me. You can use Vision with a PDA or Laptop if you purchase a connection card and signup for there unlimited use for laptops & PDAs for $80 a month if you are worried. IMO there is no speed differance compared to EN. Plus if you want to use there Wireless Web you will need to add a older 2G phone to your account, And pay $5 for it. This is good for the slower connection (like Verizon's MW) with your laptop or PDA. This will use your plan minutes and not touch Vision, so you won't get in trouble if you need to browse for a long time.

If you are going to use these services mostly on your phone (phone's browser), I would go with Sprint. But for use with PDA or Laptop I would go Verizon. Larger & more reliable network, better & more pricing plans with EN calling + data, EN MB plans & the unlimited MB, which you can add to your calling plan. Plus Verizon dosn't mind if you use your phone as a modem if you have EN. And Verizon's Netork should be all 1x by years end. Hope this helps.

[fmcgirt]

Thanks for the detailed response. The first sentence tells the tale for me. I had thought that EN was much like PCS Vision and that one could get directly on EN from the phone rather than through a laptop or pda. I will definitely then stick with NSR and MW until Verizon goes completely 3G. Wonder if phones like the LG 4400 will have their software updated with new browsers when 3G becomes available over all Verizon areas??

As for Vision it works pretty well but the speeds are much lower than advertised - I have measured 40-60kbs here at the house - nothing like the 200kbs and up which are advertised. I haven't measured MW yet but sometimes it appears faster than Vision. And part of that may be that we have a stronger Verizon signal than we do Sprint.

All in all for us Verizon is the better choice and I hope their plans to get to 3G everywhere by the end of the year don't change and then we will probably drop Sprint altogether. I know that their customer service has been much better for us than Sprint's.

Funny thing about coverage differences between Sprint and PCS. We have found that even though there is no Verizon service when we are in eastern OK (Sequoyah Co), we are still on the Verizon Extended NW almost everywhere around there, while with Sprint - who claims full coverage there (through roaming) - we wind up going to the American Roaming network sometimes - which is the pits. I think the bottom line is that you just have to always try it to be sure - guess that's what 15 trial periods are for.

Again thanks for the help.

Frank