FierceWireless noted yesterday that Verizon Wireless was quietly offering pay-as-you go service to folks buying laptops with integrated EV-DO service. Unbeknown to me, it made the news public as FierceWireless was going to press yesterday. It announced that customers buying certain notebooks with embedded EV-DO capabilities can sign up for a $15, 24-hour session service directly from the notebook. Verizon Wireless has been aggressively marketing its EV-DO service against WiFi hotspots in recent months pointing out the fact that WiFi hotspots are limited in their coverage.
Some analysts have told me that Verizon has been testing several pricing plans in the Midwest, which included giving away free modem cards and pay-as-you-go plans, to learn how it can spur sales. While Verizon Wireless says EV-DO access service has been well-received, analysts say the operator's sales of PC cards number in the thousands on a quarterly basis, which pales in comparison to the 2 million or so handsets sold every quarter.
To read more about Verizon's new EV-DO pricing options:
- take a look at this press release