Verizon requiring a data plan with smartphones

According to this post on Brighthand, Verizon Wireless will require customers to get a data plan if they purchase a smartphone. I have been recommending smartphones to medical students and residents who wish to combine a phone + PDA into a single device. Why carry around both if you can have one? However, medical students often don't need a wireless data plan with their smartphones, so I generally suggest that they bypass the data plan. However, this may no longer even be an option if you're with Verizon Wireless.