Verizon’s silence on data plan pricing for the coveted Apple iPhone is deafening.  In the absence of definitive information, Verizon’s refusal to comment Tuesday about what it plans to charge its data hungry iPhone customers has triggered rampant speculation.

On Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported Verizon was going to keep pricing stable for its unlimited data plans and extend them to iPhone owners, if only to further tweak AT&T’s stingy data plan allowances and pricing:

Verizon Wireless, the country’s largest wireless carrier, is confident enough in its network that it will offer unlimited data-use plans when it starts selling the iPhone around the end of this month, a person familiar with the matter said. Such plans would provide a key means of distinguishing its service from rival AT&T Inc., which limits how much Internet data such as videos and photos its customers may use each month.

But that was before Verizon officials conspicuously avoided answering direct questions about data plan pricing at Tuesday’s press event.  Verizon’s FAQ for those interested in the iPhone doesn’t help (underlining ours):

Are there minimum service and data pricing requirements?

Yes, iPhone customers will need to choose from any of the current Nationwide plans. Customers will also be required to activate a data package, pricing will be announced at a later date.

ComputerWorld seemed to deliver the highest predicted inflation rate of Verizon’s data pricing — guestimating it will cost iPhone owners up to $120 a month for unlimited wireless data:

“Data plans for Verizon iPhone could range from $20 to $90 a month or even $120 unlimited a month,” Rob Enderle, an analyst at Enderle Group told the publication. “The iPhone uses an awful lot of data, so they will have to charge heavily for data and it will be fairly expensive.”

If Verizon wanted to find some way to kill Apple iPhone addicts’ enthusiasm for the phone on Verizon, charging a potential $330 a month for a single line plan is probably the way to do it.