Droid X2: The Missing Manual, 2nd Edition

Appendix A. Setup and Signup

Setting up your Droid X2 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 X2 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 X2, 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 X2’s $499.99 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. You’ll have to buy a data plan as well. As of this writing, data plans offer unlimited data, although Verizon has said that will change and there will be a data cap at some point. Above the data cap, you’ll have to pay for extra data.

Adding unlimited texting 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 ...