Datasheet

13
Chapter 1: Beginning at the Beginning
One way that Windows Phone 7 devices differ from other smartphones is that
you can set up a page for some of your favorite people to keep track of their
e-mails, texts, and entries on their social networking sites (see Part IV). When
you read a message or an interesting entry, you may be more inclined to call
that person — which may be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how
many minutes you have on your calling plan.
Text usage
Some service plans include unlimited texting; others offer a certain number
of text messages for a flat rate. A texting bundle is an add-on to your voice
plan. For example, you may pay an additional $5 per month to get 200 free
text messages; that means you can send and receive a total of 200 messages
per month. If you go over that limit, you pay a certain amount per message
(usually more for text messages you send than those you receive).
As with voice, the Windows Phone 7 operating system makes it convenient to
text, but it doesn’t obligate you to buy a text plan. You can make phone calls
regardless of whether you have a text plan.
At the same time, texting is so darn convenient when you just want to get or
send a little bit of information. Plus, it’s being built in to many of the com-
munications tools that will be part of your phone. Although your Windows
Phone manages the technical interfaces, you may end up sending and receiv-
ing more texts than you expect.
My advice is to get at least some texting, and be ready to decide whether you
want to pay for more or stay with a minimal plan and budget your texts.
Data usage
Access to the Internet is essential to get the full experience of Windows
Phone 7. The Internet is where you access all the capabilities that make the
Windows Phone 7 so special.
Paying for the Internet on your Windows Phone is similar to paying your
Internet service provider for Internet access for your PC at home. Although
you can use Wi-Fi to supplement the coverage you get from your cellular car-
rier, you need to have a data plan from your cellular carrier as well. There’s
no getting around it with your Windows Phone.
Most cellular companies price Internet access with one flat rate. So, when
you get a Window Phone 7 device, you’ll pay a certain amount per month for
data usage (access to the Internet), and it doesn’t matter how much you use
(or don’t use) the Internet on your phone — you still pay that same flat rate.
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