Here's an idea, Verizon: Shared data for smartphones

12/7/2011 Update:  It seems that Verizon now has plans for this, but no date other than "sometime" in 2012.  I just hope "sometime in 2012" doesn't turn into "Q4 2013."  Come on Verizon, help me rule the air!

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I've been with Verizon Wireless for a bunch of years now, and every now and then I browse their site to see what's new.  I like to know what changes have been made to their family share plan, and what phones they have available.

My contract with them has been up since August, and I've been happily paying my normal monthly amount now and enjoying the features of my plan.  However, they don't offer my particular flavor of family plan anymore.  I got on this plan shortly before all the Android and iPhones hit the market.

Now, I don't mind my LG enV3 (except for the random rebooting).  The phone has served me well, and it's quite easy to send text messages with this device.  But it is an old phone, and I'm hearing the alluring siren song of the iPhone.  But there's a catch... (isn't there always a catch?)

It's the data plan.  I have 3 enV3 phones on my plan.  Switching them out to iPhones would not only be expensive in the since of having to buy new phones, but also in the sense that I'd now be having to pay for a data plan for each phone.  A $90 monthly charge for 6gb of data is a real buzz-kill (3 2gb/month plans @ $30 each).  However, on my current plan, I'm paying for a blanket data plan for the enV3's.

So, how about it, Verizon?  How about a shared data pool for family plans?  You've already got an option for $80 for 10gb for an individual line.  How about extending that for all phones on a family plan?  With additional charges if we go over that limit?

It appears that others are talking about it, so why not?  Something like this would get someone like me off the fence and into a new smartphone.  X3