FFS? have you seen the Verizon data charges? On a basic 900 Minutes"Smartphone" calling tariff data is charged at $1.99 PER MB; so O2's included 500Mb would cost you over $500.
Or you could bundle "unlimited data" too (which is really about 500Mb based on fair use), which is $29.99 ON TOP OF your calling plan of $39.99.
Not how the calling and data plans dont include SMS and MMS? Correct, you have to fork out for those on top too. 500 messages is $10 per month.
Want voice mail? $1.99 per month
Billing? $1.99 per month
Oh, and dont forget if you want a Smart Phone in the States it will cost you too as the networks dont subsidise the price like O2, Voda etc do here. So lets say a nice figure of $250 for the phone.
And thats for 3g, not this new LTE service!