If you've been living in iPhone-less shame while patiently awaiting Apple's wonder device to become compatible with your big red wireless carrier you'll probably want to check the price tag on those fancy data plans before you sign your life away for the next two years. According to Verizon, as reported on the Chronicle, unlimited voice and text will run you $60, tack on $30 per month for data and you're looking at $90 a month - the same you're paying on Verizon right now if you're working with some Android or other smartphone hardware.

AT&T, by comparison, no longer offers an unlimited data plan (old unlimited contracts are the cellphone equivalent of rent control), but they will sell you 2 gigabytes of data per month for $25. (After that it's a sort of pay-for-what-you-use kind of system.) Without getting into a debate abotu reception, Verizon's iPhone does offer one other advantage - the ability to use it as a WiFi hotspot, but that service will cost you another $20 per month, or you roughly the same as 10 drip coffees at Starbucks.

Existing Verizon customers can try to get their hands on a limited number of phones up for preorder tomorrow morning in an effort that Verizon hopes will create artificial demand reward loyal customers. So, is anybody eager to ditch their flip phone or jump ship?

[Chron]