Droid 2: The Missing Manual

Appendix A. Setup and Signup

Setting up your Droid 2 is easy, especially if you buy it at a Verizon store. There, the sales folk will walk you through the process of activating your phone and signing up for a plan. If you buy your Droid 2 over the Web, you set everything up either on the Web or over the phone. This appendix tells you everything you need to know.

Choosing a Plan

When you buy a Droid 2, you’ll usually get it in conjunction with a one- or two-year Verizon service plan in addition to the cost of the phone. When you buy a plan, Verizon knocks a few hundred dollars off the Droid 2’s $599 list price. The cost of the plan varies according to how many minutes of talk you want each month, and whether you want text messaging as well. Verizon offers enough permutations to meet almost any need imaginable.

For the most recent rates, visit www.verizonwireless.com. Currently, the most basic voice plan costs $39.99 per month for 450 minutes, plus 45 cents per minute after that; an unlimited voice plan is $69.99.

Adding unlimited text to either plan is $20 per month. Or you can purchase 250 messages per month for $5. If you don’t sign up for a text plan, you’ll pay 20 cents per message (sent or received).

Your Phone Number

The phone number you use on your Droid 2 depends on whether you already have a Verizon account:

Keeping your old number. If you already have an account with Verizon, you can have an old cellphone number transferred to your new Droid 2. Transferring the number to your ...