Verizon Wireless looks to stimulate data on 'basic' phones

Looking to entice more of its “basic” phone users to sign up for data services, Verizon Wireless has added a handful of previously premium applications to its bundle for no charge.
The carrier is now offering its mobile e-mail, ringback tones and VZ Navigator offering to the basic phone data package that runs $10 per month for 75 megabytes of data transmission. The mobile e-mail service typically costs $5 per month for customers not selecting a data package, while the VZ Navigator service is priced at $10 per month without data. While the ringback tone service is included, the tones themselves cost $2 per year.
Verizon Wireless noted the offering would be available for a limited time and that current “basic phone” customers with existing data packages or who subscribe to the carrier’s VZ Navigator service would be able to sign up for the new package.
The basic phone segment continues to be a significant portion of Verizon Wireless’ business despite strong sales of smartphones. The carrier noted that at the end of the first quarter 32% of its customer base were on smartphones with the data-heavy devices constituting 60% of postpaid device sales during the first three months of the year.