back in the saddle
Verizon is back on the unlimited bandwagon. After giving grandfathered customers using “extraordinary amounts of data” the boot last month, the carrier has introduced a new unlimited plan, with conditions.
Verizon has spent a significant amount of time distancing themselves from unlimited data. In fact, as we reported last month, they started shutting down phone lines from long-time customers using over 200GB of data per month. That is why the introduction of this new plan comes as such a surprise. Currently, Sprint and T-mobile offer unlimited data plans, so perhaps the pressure finally got to Verizon.
conditional love
[clickToTweet tweet=”Knowing the tactics of Verizon, it is certain that “unlimited” does not completely mean unlimited. ” quote=”Knowing the tactics of Verizon, it is certain that “unlimited” does not completely mean unlimited. “]
There are conditions when it comes to data usage. Similar to T-mobile, Verizon can manage data speeds and connection when customers go overboard. They claim that “after 22GB of data, we may prioritize usage,” slowing down the data connection. Still, 22GB is a large amount of data, so this should not affect most people unless Verizon decides to give more users the boot.
When considering the benefits of this new plan, cost is of obvious importance.
Verizon is known for being more expensive, but the prices seem reasonable when compared with other carriers.
A single line under the unlimited data plan starts at $80/month, which includes a discount for autopay and paperless billing. Adding another line will decrease your bill to around $70 per person each month. With more lines, cost continues to go down. Four lines will run about $45 per person each month.
Worth the switch?
However, these costs can fluctuate if you want to include mobile hotspot and tethering. Tethering will add another $25/month. Customers can use up to 10GB at 4G LTE speeds, but after that, speeds will slow down to 3G. There is a perk, though.
Unlike T-mobile, Verizon will not throttle video. So feel free to stream Netflix all you want! Just know that it will factor into your data usage.
So is it worth the switch? Should customers give Verizon another try given their past reputation with unlimited data users? For those who do use a significant amount of data, Verizon’s new plan could be a great option. However, for those using 8GB of data per month or less, their other plans are cheaper. When considering changing plans, also take into account how many devices you will be adding. There are access line fees that may increase your bill.
#verizondatadrama
