<p>“SIMPLE” (non data plan) PHONE RECOMMENDATIONS, with qwerty for text? </p>
<p>We have a family text plan at Verizon, But since I just have a numeric keypad on my current phone, mostly I do text from my laptop (to: <a href="mailto:aaaxxxyyyy@vtext.com">aaaxxxyyyy@vtext.com</a>). I’d like to do more from my phone, but I am not yet ready to splurge on a data plan. </p>
<p>Visiting two different Verizon stores today, it appears that “simple phones” are being de-emphasized. Supposedly they may not even be available at Verizon stores in a few years. (I find that hard to believe, but at one store they only had a few hidden behind the counter. None on display). </p>
<p>It looks like either model I saw would do the trick:
<p>Have had it since January. No data plan. Has a nice camera and a video camera too. I felt it was a nicer phone than the two you mentioned. I looked for quitr some time and tried them all.</p>
<p>I have a basic LG (actually have 4 on my plan) and one Android for oldest son. The LG was the free phone I got with upgrading last fall. None of the 4 has a data plan or any internet data plan. We have unlimited texting on the qwerty. I have heard that they are phasing those out but I will change providers if that is they case. I have no interest in paying for internet access. Oldest son wants it and he pays the difference.</p>
<p>Not sure if it would work for Verizon, but I have a not-smart Pantech phone, it looks like a Blackberry in layout, but it’s not. Flat with a small screen above a qwerty keyboard. The keys are bumped up above the plane of the phone fairly well, so it is quite good for less than dexterous fingers</p>
<p>Sax - Thanks for the LG Octane suggestion. It looks like a nice phone. I didn’t realize there were phones with web capability (which I won’t use) that don’t require data plan. </p>
<p>Joan52 - I’m like you… no interest in paying for internet phone access. I spend enough time on the computer at work and home. </p>
<p>We pay for data plans for our college kids (one is ADD-ish and really utilizes the organizational advantage, and the other one also puts the extra function to good use). And we are considering a Droid for DH. But I can’t justify the cost of data plan for myself, and my mother would NEVER use it on her “emergency phone” that we carry on our plan. We would need to go back to Trac Phones if Verizon made drastic changes.</p>
<p>We do get a nice corporate discount for Verizon. And our phones are on staggered renewal dates (on purpose, with one or two renewals left on tap if needed). So at this point I’m not considering new company. (I suspect whatever happens at Verizon will be an industry thing.)</p>
<p>I have been looking a replacement phones for my D, we are with T-Mobile, and I am having the same issue. Very few options without the data plan. I am eligible for a new phone but am keeping the one I have.</p>
<p>My H and S have droids and absolutely love them, but I don’t really need one and don’t want to pay for an additional data plan.</p>
<p>colorado_mom…I just did the same thing this last week. Went to Verizon to get a new phone with a keyboard but not smart phone. There were three to choose from…the LG Octane,LG Cosmos and Samsung Intensity. If you go to the Verizon website, you can see reviews of all three. </p>
<p>After reading the reviews and checking them out in person, I chose the LG Octane. Of course it was the most expensive of the three but it got the best reviews, the numbers on the keypad are larger and more widely spaced (good for those of us w/out perfect eyesight) and the screen was easier to read (at least for me it was). It flips open (so looks like a tiny laptop, whereas the other two are sliders. Overall, I just liked the Octane the best. My Verizon store also had an Octane in the touch screen version that was less expensive but I was a little leery of the touch screen.</p>
<p>Colorado_Mom, My S2 had Cosmos before and now he has the Intensity phone. He likes the Intensity better and it is a good phone for texting.
I was the same way as you for a long time-chose not to upgrade to a smart phone for the same reasons. Early this year I decided to get a smart phone for my BD and to keep up with the technology :). I got theAndroid Incredible and the $15 data plan (it is not available anymore thru Verizon). I LOVE my phone! I have everything I need in my phone everywhere I go: calendars/appointments, emails, contacts, reminders, pictures of families, GPS, camera and so on. I forget less things these days.</p>
<p>I have the Intensity II and my daughters have one (no-longer-available) LG EnV2 and one LG Octane. I initially thought that Verizon would require a data plan on the LG Octane when my daughter upgraded, but they did not.</p>
<p>I bought a Samsung u370 (like Reality but no data plan required) at Costco a few months back. It was exactly what I wanted and has been great so far. Verizon doesn’t carry it at their stores. (at least ours doesn’t) They had a deal at the time and I think it was $10 or $20 PLUS came with chargers and other accessories included.</p>
<p>I just got my youngest D the Kin ONEm. No data plan required and it connects to wireless networks so you can surf the net without a data plan. She has had it for about a week and loves it. You can’t buy it a verizon store, you have to get it online.</p>
<p>When my old phone broke in January, I went to the Verizon store and was extremely disappointed to find so few choices, unless you want a data plan. Seriously . . . they keep these phones behind the counter???</p>
<p>I told the manager my feelings, not that it did any good, and finally ended up with an octane. I liked the phone except for the fact that it was very echo-y and I had to ask people to repeat things. I took it back, got another octane and the same thing happened. Then I looked up reviews online and found that it was a common complaint. :/</p>
<p>I returned to the Verizon store, had to pay a restocking fee, and chose the cosmos touch. The sound is fine, but I hate the texting on it. It does have a regular qwerty keyboard, but the keys are closer together and they seem to be harder to push. </p>
<p>I’m unhappy, but what can I do? I don’t want to pay $30 a month for something I won’t use. It’s frustrating.</p>
<p>We have 2 Octanes in the family. Mine, which I have had close to a year and my 14 year old just got a phone - even she chose the Octane. Seems more durable than the Intensity (IMO) and we like the flip up vs. slide up for texting. Also, texting keys are slightly bigger than the Intensity - important for my not-so-young fingers!!!</p>
<p>Neither of us have data plans. Also, the camera on the Octane is much better than the Intensity ( 1.3 megapixel for Intensity, 3.2 megapixel for Octane).</p>
<p>I have the cosmos and the sound is great (but then it was a big change from my old phone). I have never had trouble with the keyboard, my problem is with the length- the darn phone doesn’t fit well in my pocket like my old flip phone did. I also miss flipping the cover to turn it on. I like simple phones, I guess we are all dinosaurs.</p>
<p>I agree, abasket. I liked the bigger keys on the Octane. I wish I could have kept it, but I don’t think anyone in my family would talk to me for any length of time because of the sound. Onward, I agree with the great sound on the Cosmos. I wish I could put the two phones together. I used to like texting, but not so much anymore.</p>
<p>Darn, it sounds like no clear money. I would pay the little bit extra for Octane, but I don’t like the idea of echo. Heck, talking to my Dad is already tough enough with hearing issues at his end. </p>
<p>Today I talked to a coworker who likes Blackberry for ability to access work email and Calendar (that could be nice…). But yikes, the plan he needs is $45 extra per month (including data plan).</p>
<p>My Octane echoed a couple of times early on when I got it but hasn’t for a long time. My daughter has not complained of hers echoing. Maybe there was a software fix.</p>
<p>I have had an Octane (no data plan) for several months, and have never had an echo problem. I really like the big keys and the qwerty keyboard. At one time Verizon used to give you a 30-day trial with a new phone where you could return it for any reason without penalty. I don’t know if they still have this policy, however.</p>