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Verizon To Hike Prices On Plans But Offer More Data (cnet.com)
Roger Cheng, reporting for CNET: Big changes are afoot at Verizon. The nation's largest wireless carrier is set to unveil changes to its plans that will make them more expensive, but will also include more data, according to someone familiar with the changes. The low-end "S" plan will go up by $5 to $35 a month, but will include 2 gigabytes of data, twice as much as before. The "M" plan will go up by $5 to $50 a month, while its data will rise from 3GB to 4GB. The "L" plan will go up by $10 to $70 a month, while data increases from 6GB to 8GB. The "XL" plan will go up by $10 to $90 a month, but you'll get 16GB, up from 12GB before. Lastly, the "XXL" plan will cost $10 more at $110 a month, but you will get 24GB instead of 18GB. The changes are part of a broader overhaul of its plans, which will also include a rollover data program called "Carryover Data," a new way to avoid overage fees, and better access to Canada and Mexico. The move reflects a heightened competitive environment, one in which smaller rivals T-Mobile and Sprint have begun winning away customers through aggressive offers. Many of these changes mimic offers already available at the other carriers.
This will actually save me $10 a month. The 1GB plan was too small so I was forced into the 'M' 3GB plan which was $15 more a month and larger than I needed. With the new changes for only $5 more a month I will get a 2GB which is perfect.
Unlimited Data. $50 a month. Roaming data in 100+ countries. Free rental of WiFI router.
I'm glad that Verizon is being forced to acknowledge that customers are beings other than walking wallets, but TMobile is just better., Sorry.
In case anyone is unfamiliar with AT&T / Verizon pricing, these fees are in addition to the 'device' charges, which run ~$20-25/mo per connected phone.
So Verizon is offering a marginally less pathetic amount of data for a marginally more outrageous sum of money. Hooray?
How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
That is unlimited data at 2G speeds (around 100kbps usually), 2GB of data at 4G speeds. I love T-Mobile and have been a customer for quite some time but it isn't unlimited data in the sense many people would expect. On their base $50 plan you get as high a speed as the network can support for the first 2GB of data, then they throttle it down to a slower speed.
If you want unlimited (barring abuse, if you go too nuts they still might throttle) high speed data that is another $45/month.
Their base plan is the best plan going though. Really these days I think many people will find 2GB more than sufficient since WiFi is everywhere.
I'm not the biggest fan of US telcos, but to be fair to them the UK is much more densely populated compared to the US, and is also much smaller. The better comparison would be Virgin Media versus Comcast. In both cases you have absolutely zero competition for your wireline ISP, but at least VM gave decent value for money a few years ago when I lived in the UK.