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Verizon Says 5G Network Will Cost Extra $10 a Month (go.com)
Verizon said on Tuesday that it will charge an additional $10 a month per smartphone for subscribers who want to add 5G speeds to their devices, the first major U.S. carrier to disclose pricing for the faster cellular service. From a report: Verizon says it'll flip the switch next month on a much-hyped, next-generation "5G" phone network. Service will start in parts of Chicago and Minneapolis. Verizon expects to have 5G in 30 cities this year. For now, few people will sign on. The offer is available only on unlimited plans, which currently start at $75 for one person or $160 for a family of four without 5G. On family plans, each 5G line would cost $10 extra. And network access will initially work with just one phone, Motorola's Moto Z3, with a special 5G attachment. Verizon will offer some promotions at first, including discounts on the phone and attachment and the first three months of 5G service free.
5G benefits primarily the carrier, not the subscriber. The chance that you'll see any faster speeds than 4G/LTE is very slim. The carrier however gets to reap benefits from lower traffic congestion meaning that they'll be able to cram more connections on the same hardware. And make the customers pay for it.
Adding to that irony is that $10/mo is the price of an entire monthly LTE plan in many countries, including tethering, unlimited voice and text, unmetered messaging apps, etc. (albeit not unlimited data). The price of telecom service in the US and the rampant nickel-and-diming is outrageous from a consumer-centric perspective, although obviously it's outstanding from an investor perspective.
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