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Get it now, VCast, and VZNavigator
Get It Now is Verizon Wireless' implementation of Qualcomm's BREW technology, allowing a user to download and use applications on a Verizon Wireless Get It Now-enabled phone. It is a proprietary interface to download ringtones, music, games, applications, and use instant messaging on a phone. Users usually are unable to load content on the Verizon Wireless phones outside of Get It Now system; this is done for financial reasons. Verizon Wireless has exclusivity agreements with its Get It Now content providers (this is a walled garden system). Sometimes cell phone enthusiasts perform unsupported modifications to their phones or use 3rd-party software to make the phone accept non- Get It Now -originated content, or use free services that send ringtones through picture messaging, like Mobile17. In 2008 Verizon Wireless announced that their "Get It Now" service will be renamed "Media Center" on all their future phones beginning with the LG EnV2.
All applications through Get It Now/Media Center are BREW-based and the selection differs depending on what Verizon phone one is using.
Many first-time mobile phone users freely access the internet through internet-capable phones ("Mobile Web"), only to find that a sizable charge has been added to ther phone bill at month's end. Verizon currently charges $1.99 USD per megabyte (in 2009) downloaded into the phone from the internet. This is called "Megabyte Usage" or "Data Usage". Whenever anyone accesses the internet, the charge is incurred, because in order to access the web, web pages must be downloaded into the phone for viewing. New customers are often confused on what activities incur a charge and which activities do not. Visiting 50 web pages is a download of .3 MB. A visit to Media Center/Get It Now page incurs a charge, even if nothing is bought/downloaded. Music, games or ringtones downloads incurs the MB charge, but Picture/Video messaging (MMS) does not charge. Whenever data is being downloaded into the phone, a little phone icon with arrows going back and forth appears. Blocks can be set by account owner to block specific types of downloads. If a specific type of unlimited download is included in the customer's plan, then the customer is charged a flat fee per month instead of per MB.
[edit]VZ Navigator
Main article: VZ Navigator
Within Get It Now, Verizon has implemented a GPS navigation application, VZ Navigator, that works for the most part like a standalone GPS unit. Users can also locate businesses within their vicinity, searching by category or business name. Users can type in addresses and receive turn by turn directions to their destination.
[edit]V CAST
Main article: V CAST
Also within Get It Now/Media Center is V CAST, Verizon Wireless' high-speed audio, video on demand, and entertainment delivery system.
[edit]V CAST Mobile TV
Main article: MediaFLO
Verizon Wireless uses Qualcomm's MediaFLO technology to broadcast live TV to certain phones, such as the LG Voyager. A VCAST mobile TV subscription is required.
[edit]V Cast Music with RHAPSODY
A subscription based service which allows access for $14.99 per month for unlimited song downloads to a person's computer using the VCAST with Rhapsody software. This program also allow the user to sync the music with up to three different media devices examples (mobile phones and mp3 players). The user has to authorize these devices through the VCast with Rhapsody software in order to sync the music. However if the consumer wants to move the music from a digital medium to a physical medium example (compact disc) the consumer will need to pay $.99 per song in order to move it to that physical medium.
[edit]Backup Assistant
Backup Assistant is a white label product that backs up the mobile address books of Verizon Wireless subscribers. The contacts are stored on My Verizon and can be edited and migrated to a new device if needed. The monthly subscription for Backup Assistant is $1.99, but is waived for subscribers who register for online account management via My Verizon. The technology for Backup Assistant is provided byFusionOne, Inc. Recently, Feb 2010 backup assistant became free to all VZW subscribers.
[edit]"Friends & Family"
On February 16, 2009, Verizon Wireless launched its new service, called Friends & Family, in light of their recent acquisition of Alltel Wireless, which had a similar service called My Circle. With an eligible plan, customers will have unlimited calling to a select group of numbers outside their standard mobile-to-mobile calling group, including landlines. This will give single line accounts up to 5 numbers to choose from on plans with 900 or more minutes, and family plan accounts up to 10 numbers to choose from on plans with 1,400 or more minutes.[21]
[edit]HopeLine
Verizon Wireless collects no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries, and accessories in any condition from any wireless service provider.[22]Phones that can be refurbished are sold for reuse and those without value are disposed of in an environmentally sound way by way of CWGProceeds from HopeLine are used to provide wireless phones and cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness.
Since HopeLine's national phone recycling and re-use program was launched in 2001, Verizon Wireless:
Has collected more than 4.5 million phones
Awarded nearly $5 million in cash grants to domestic violence agencies and organizations throughout the country
Distributed more than 60,000 phones with more than 160 million minutes of free wireless service to be used by victims of domestic violence
Properly disposed of more than 1 million no-longer-used wireless phones in an environmentally sound way
Kept more than 200 tons of electronic waste and batteries out of landfills[23]
Hopeline's #HOPE is a service available across Verizon Wireless' nationwide wireless network. By dialing #4673 then pressing send, callers will be connected directly to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, where they can receive the confidential help they need through empowerment-based crisis intervention, information and resources. The call is toll and airtime free.[23]
[edit]OnStar
Verizon Wireless currently offers the "Nationwide Plan with OnStar," which is a bundle plan between Verizon Wireless service and OnStar service.[24] With this plan, the Verizon Wireless phone is the "primary line" and the OnStar device is the "secondary line." This plan is actually based around the "Family SharePlan," with rates starting at $69.99 USD for 700 minutes.[25]
Effective July 13, 2009, OnStar and Verizon Wireless stopped accepting any new customers on this program. This decision does not affect those OnStar customers who already are enrolled in the Verizon Wireless shared minute program. While the shared minute program is being discontinued, OnStar customers can still use OnStar’s voice-activated Hands-Free Calling by purchasing minutes from OnStar.
Get It Now is Verizon Wireless' implementation of Qualcomm's BREW technology, allowing a user to download and use applications on a Verizon Wireless Get It Now-enabled phone. It is a proprietary interface to download ringtones, music, games, applications, and use instant messaging on a phone. Users usually are unable to load content on the Verizon Wireless phones outside of Get It Now system; this is done for financial reasons. Verizon Wireless has exclusivity agreements with its Get It Now content providers (this is a walled garden system). Sometimes cell phone enthusiasts perform unsupported modifications to their phones or use 3rd-party software to make the phone accept non- Get It Now -originated content, or use free services that send ringtones through picture messaging, like Mobile17. In 2008 Verizon Wireless announced that their "Get It Now" service will be renamed "Media Center" on all their future phones beginning with the LG EnV2.
All applications through Get It Now/Media Center are BREW-based and the selection differs depending on what Verizon phone one is using.
Many first-time mobile phone users freely access the internet through internet-capable phones ("Mobile Web"), only to find that a sizable charge has been added to ther phone bill at month's end. Verizon currently charges $1.99 USD per megabyte (in 2009) downloaded into the phone from the internet. This is called "Megabyte Usage" or "Data Usage". Whenever anyone accesses the internet, the charge is incurred, because in order to access the web, web pages must be downloaded into the phone for viewing. New customers are often confused on what activities incur a charge and which activities do not. Visiting 50 web pages is a download of .3 MB. A visit to Media Center/Get It Now page incurs a charge, even if nothing is bought/downloaded. Music, games or ringtones downloads incurs the MB charge, but Picture/Video messaging (MMS) does not charge. Whenever data is being downloaded into the phone, a little phone icon with arrows going back and forth appears. Blocks can be set by account owner to block specific types of downloads. If a specific type of unlimited download is included in the customer's plan, then the customer is charged a flat fee per month instead of per MB.
[edit]VZ Navigator
Main article: VZ Navigator
Within Get It Now, Verizon has implemented a GPS navigation application, VZ Navigator, that works for the most part like a standalone GPS unit. Users can also locate businesses within their vicinity, searching by category or business name. Users can type in addresses and receive turn by turn directions to their destination.
[edit]V CAST
Main article: V CAST
Also within Get It Now/Media Center is V CAST, Verizon Wireless' high-speed audio, video on demand, and entertainment delivery system.
[edit]V CAST Mobile TV
Main article: MediaFLO
Verizon Wireless uses Qualcomm's MediaFLO technology to broadcast live TV to certain phones, such as the LG Voyager. A VCAST mobile TV subscription is required.
[edit]V Cast Music with RHAPSODY
A subscription based service which allows access for $14.99 per month for unlimited song downloads to a person's computer using the VCAST with Rhapsody software. This program also allow the user to sync the music with up to three different media devices examples (mobile phones and mp3 players). The user has to authorize these devices through the VCast with Rhapsody software in order to sync the music. However if the consumer wants to move the music from a digital medium to a physical medium example (compact disc) the consumer will need to pay $.99 per song in order to move it to that physical medium.
[edit]Backup Assistant
Backup Assistant is a white label product that backs up the mobile address books of Verizon Wireless subscribers. The contacts are stored on My Verizon and can be edited and migrated to a new device if needed. The monthly subscription for Backup Assistant is $1.99, but is waived for subscribers who register for online account management via My Verizon. The technology for Backup Assistant is provided byFusionOne, Inc. Recently, Feb 2010 backup assistant became free to all VZW subscribers.
[edit]"Friends & Family"
On February 16, 2009, Verizon Wireless launched its new service, called Friends & Family, in light of their recent acquisition of Alltel Wireless, which had a similar service called My Circle. With an eligible plan, customers will have unlimited calling to a select group of numbers outside their standard mobile-to-mobile calling group, including landlines. This will give single line accounts up to 5 numbers to choose from on plans with 900 or more minutes, and family plan accounts up to 10 numbers to choose from on plans with 1,400 or more minutes.[21]
[edit]HopeLine
Verizon Wireless collects no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries, and accessories in any condition from any wireless service provider.[22]Phones that can be refurbished are sold for reuse and those without value are disposed of in an environmentally sound way by way of CWGProceeds from HopeLine are used to provide wireless phones and cash grants to local shelters and non-profit organizations that focus on domestic violence prevention and awareness.
Since HopeLine's national phone recycling and re-use program was launched in 2001, Verizon Wireless:
Has collected more than 4.5 million phones
Awarded nearly $5 million in cash grants to domestic violence agencies and organizations throughout the country
Distributed more than 60,000 phones with more than 160 million minutes of free wireless service to be used by victims of domestic violence
Properly disposed of more than 1 million no-longer-used wireless phones in an environmentally sound way
Kept more than 200 tons of electronic waste and batteries out of landfills[23]
Hopeline's #HOPE is a service available across Verizon Wireless' nationwide wireless network. By dialing #4673 then pressing send, callers will be connected directly to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, where they can receive the confidential help they need through empowerment-based crisis intervention, information and resources. The call is toll and airtime free.[23]
[edit]OnStar
Verizon Wireless currently offers the "Nationwide Plan with OnStar," which is a bundle plan between Verizon Wireless service and OnStar service.[24] With this plan, the Verizon Wireless phone is the "primary line" and the OnStar device is the "secondary line." This plan is actually based around the "Family SharePlan," with rates starting at $69.99 USD for 700 minutes.[25]
Effective July 13, 2009, OnStar and Verizon Wireless stopped accepting any new customers on this program. This decision does not affect those OnStar customers who already are enrolled in the Verizon Wireless shared minute program. While the shared minute program is being discontinued, OnStar customers can still use OnStar’s voice-activated Hands-Free Calling by purchasing minutes from OnStar.