The major cellphone carriers are adding a pretty stiff contractual obligation to their cheap phones…mandatory data plans. That’s right: get a Blackberry, and iPhone, or another qualified ‘smartphone’ from these carriers, and lock yourself into one of the more expensive plans for your contract term.

AT&T’s current users are exempt from a mandatory plan upgrade until further notice, but any upgrades since Sept 6th are subject to the penalty of these stipulations.Read the details of their deal by clicking here.

Verizons dates and phones are a little different. Their requirements have apparently been in place for a while, but are also subject to many changes. Read more about the details of their requirements here.

I’m not able to offer much more knowledge about this right now, but wanted to make sure any chance readers of this article are informed. I am personally outraged, and will not buy a phone from one of these carriers again…regardless of my need for a data plan. This kind of requirement appears a bit manipulative to me…money hungry and insensitive to their unsuspecting customers.