Few weeks back, a report claimed that Verizon will move to tiered data plans as early as July 7th for new customers.
Folks at FierceWireless has just confirmed that news. They report that Verizon spokesperson has told them that it will discontinue unlimited data plans for smartphones like iPhone on July 7th and instead offer tiered data plans to new customers.
This was expected as back in March, Verizon Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo had indicated that the company plans to discontinue its unlimited data plan for iPhone users as early as mid-summer.
FierceWireless reports:
Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney told FierceWireless that new smartphone customers will choose from one of four options: $10 for 75 MB per month, $30 for 2 GB, $50 for 5 GB or $80 for 10 GB. There will be an overage charge of $10 per GB of data. AT&T Mobility charges $15 per month for 200 MB and $25 per month for 2 GB.
According to FierceWireless, existing Verizon customers will be able to keep their unlimited data plans. They will also be allowed to grandfather the unlimited data plans if they upgrade to the next generation iPhone.
So according to FierceWireless, Verizon will be offering the following four data plans:
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75MB – $10/month
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2GB – $30/month
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5GB – $50/month
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10GB – $80/month
Verizon will offer the official mobile hotspot feature for an extra $20 per month, which comes with its own 2GB monthly data pool, separate from iPhone’s data plan.
Meanwhile, AT&T offers the following data plans:
- 200MB – $15/month
- 2GB – $25/month
AT&T charges $10 per GB if you go over the limit. AT&T offers the mobile hotspot feature for $20 per month, which is available only to customers who opt for the DataPro plan and users get an additional 2GB of monthly data usage.
It remains to be seen how this will impact the sales numbers of Verzion iPhone as the unlimited data plans are currently seen as a unique selling point of the Verizon iPhone as AT&T stopped offering iPhone customers unlimited data plan just before iPhone 4 was launched.
Would the lack of an unlimited data plan be a deal breaker for you? Tell us in the comments section below.
[FierceWireless via BGR]
First!!! yeah!
“Would the lack of an unlimited data plan be a deal breaker for you?”
Absolutely! At the rates they charge consumers to have a smartphone, limiting the main aspect of a smartphone’s appeal, is just to much.
I luckily have unlimited data for my iPhone already,but add another $30 for the minutes/text plan, plus all the other fees, and i pay roughly $130 a month for my phone. The unlimited data is the only thing that keeps me around, as a customer.
Take that feature away and your looking at over $100 a month for 1400 minutes, and 2gb data. Pre-payed Net10 phones have 1 month unlimited talk/text cards for $50.
If I was’nt grandfathered into the unlimited data, I would just buy a cheap Net10 phonecard every month and use my iPhone as a Ipod touch.
Not only would I save over $80 per month, I would have more freedom to talk and surf the web, as i chose to do/ All without a contract!!!
verizon!!Dickheads
as usual get the business and customers on board then change the rules
Do you guys have some legislation that prohibits “Bait and Switch” deals? Ie. bait you with a good deal then Switch you to a crap deal a couple of months into the contract. I hope you do.
Its not a “bait and swith” because verizon will let verizon customers keep whatever data rate plan they already have. The new plans come in effect for new verizon customers. This would be an example of a “bait and switch” if customers signed up for unlimited data plans, and down the road verizon decides to change existing customers plans to tiered data plans
LMAO!!! Still want an iPhone4 THAT Bad? I’m glad I have Unlimited!!! from At&t, and will Continue to.
Too expensive the data plans are, way too expensive.
The greedy Mo Fo’s. Is it just me or does anyone else think their gearing up to milk the iCloud feature for every penny/cent they can.
I have to laugh at the tethering premium they slap on to your contracts. You guys have already bought the bandwidth so it’s yours to use as you see fit.
Grow a pair. Get organised and challenge your mobile networks because they are well taking the piss out of you.
Haha! What the hell, America? I pay roughly $37 for 500 gb mobile data, 500 sms, 500 minutes and 500 mms a month. All that for $37. If I somehow managed to exceed theese limits, the prices continues to stay ridiculously low. Also no hidden charges and no obligation to stay with my operator for a certain amount of time. The name of my operator? OneCall. Country? Norway.
Sorry verizon, but it is too expensive. I pay $29 for home Internet with up to 15Gigs speed. Why in the hell would surfing the web while mobile be worth another $30 a month for a few G’s? All I want is the phone and not your slow data plans.