Verizon Tells Us What The BlackBerry Storm's Plans Will CostVerizon Tells Us What The BlackBerry Storm's Plans Will Cost

Verizon Wireless, you're such a tease! People are dying to know how much the BlackBerry Storm is going to cost. What does Verizon Wireless do? It trots out an announcement about the Storm's global data plans, but not the cost of the device itself.One of the more interesting features of the BlackBerry Storm is its global capabilities. Not only can it access the fastest 3G networks here in the U.S., but it can also roam onto 3G networks in Europe. That makes it a very enticing buy for business customers who travel to Europe. The Storm wouldn't be all that great, however, if business users have to fork over an arm and a leg to cover data and voice roaming fees every time they travel. So Verizon devised some global plans specific to the Storm to help them out.

Verizon Wireless and partner Vodafone have worked out a deal that doesn't sound half bad for frequent travelers. Today, Verizon Wireless announce the Global Value Plan, which offers discounted roaming charges on calls made to and from 130 countries for $4.99 a month. In other words, you pay $4.99 per month for the privilege of reduced calling rates when overseas.

But what about data? BlackBerries are pretty useless without data plans. Downloading email adds up, especially if attachments are involved. Verizon also announced its GlobalEmail and Data Plan. For $70 per month, you can sign up for unlimited browsing, email, and messaging. That $70 covers both the U.S. and a number of countries overseas. If you tether the Storm to any voice plan, the monthly data cost drops to $65. That's about twice what most data plans cost in the U.S. right now. When you consider how quickly data tariffs add up when roaming in Europe, the extra $30 per month can be a lifesaver for the frequent traveler.

Now, about the actual price of the Storm... Care to comment, Verizon?

Best Buy will let you pre-order a BlackBerry Storm for $50, even though it, also, doesn't let you know what the full retail price will be.