As we previously reported, Page Plus Cellular is offering a record 1 GB of data for a full year, but you have to lock by the end of tomorrow.
The promotion takes their “The 55”, $55 per month plan, which provides unlimited voice, text messaging, and 500 MB of data per month, and doubles it to 1 GB of data. You must continuously be enrolled in the plan, though Page Plus recently clarified that a grade period of 30 days will be allowed for late payments.
Page Plus Cellular is relevant to many readers of PhoneNews.com because it provides the ability to use not only Verizon Wireless’s network, but Verizon smartphones on flat-rate prepaid service, without contract. For users in non-LTE coverage areas, Page Plus is dramatically cheaper than Verizon’s prepaid smartphone rates, for the same exact service.
For example, a Motorola Droid X or HTC Droid Incredible can be purchased for under $100 off of eBay, and provides total cost of ownership that is far below competing options from Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and other Sprint MVNOs. The cost-benefit analysis however fails if a user wants to use large amounts of 3G data, in excess of 1 GB. At that point, Sprint becomes cheaper. However, for many, Sprint is not an option due to Verizon’s larger coverage area.
Page Plus remains controversial however for refusing to permit activations of iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, a condition widely believed to be demanded by Verizon and Apple. If Verizon were demanding Page Plus halt iPhone activations, it would be a breach of Verizon’s commitments to the public and to the FCC. Previous investigative reports from PhoneNews.com have supported evidence to such claims, but Page Plus nor Verizon will acknowledge the situation on-record. Page Plus has not provided any reason for imposing new guidelines meant to deter iPhone activations, though many continue to be successful in activating iPhones on Page Plus.
Update: Following our report, Page Plus Cellular this morning extended the promotion through the end of March.
