Comments on: Verizon: Mobile Ads, Pay Twice?

By: Dave Conrey

Dave Conrey — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 05:48:22 +0000

This is absolute crap. First I got conned into getting a Blackberry from them and adding the web service for an additional $50 a month. I realized I wasn’t using it at all, so I decided to cancel it. I don’t remember the conversation exactly, but something about Blackberry requiring that I keep some sort of web access, so I reduced my usage to $25 a month for something I hardly ever use. Now they want me to sit through advertisements AND pay for a service that I don’t use? Crap, I tell you.

By: John

John — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 22:25:58 +0000

Yup, it IS evil and it DOES suck. So does getting your credit card bill (or other regular bill) in the mail and having to wade through countless advertisements in order to see what the current charges are! Unfortunately it’s only going to get worse!

By: najeeb

najeeb — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 22:22:29 +0000

I am not so pessimistic about this - i can see free wireless services/phones emerging some day if the user is willing to put up with some advertisements. But if there is no discount for the user, this is NOT going to fly.

By: DavidEzra

DavidEzra — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 21:50:38 +0000

This really sucks! I already pay enough on my exorbitantly high Verizon phone bill each month … and now I get to be “spammed” with ads on a screen - precious real estate - that is already too small to display the content that I’m really after.

I suppose “spamming” me with ads is fine if I in turn get a “huge discount / subsidy” on my already overpriced cell bill, but if Verizon thinks they are going to keep all this filthy lucre for themselves … does “EVIL” come to mind??? (I’ll stay with them for now because I have no other choice, but once another option comes along, I’ll drop them in a second.)

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 20:25:46 +0000

What pisses me off is Verizons policy to lock their phones downa nd not let the consumer use it as it should be (ie No Java) and then push ads on you

Verizon Wireless Moves To Use Ads On Mobile Phones

By: leo

leo — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 19:55:30 +0000

This is nothing but lock-in on steroids. Imagine if the old land-line telephone were run under these condition.

The one remarkable thing about the article was the complete absence of any consumer or privacy advocate.

I mean, if the only thing holding Verizon back is the sensitivity of its own Wireless COO, we're really in trouble.