Yesterday, we reported that Verizon is planning to end grandfathered unlimited data plans when customers switch to 4G LTE smartphones.
Verizon issued a clarification to the New York Times today regarding the changes noting that the loss of the grandfathered unlimited data plans will be limited to customers upgrading to subsidized handsets.
When Verizon started offering Apple’s iPhone on its network in early 2011, it offered customers unlimited data plans. But in less than 6 months, it followed AT&T’s footsteps to kill the unlimited data plans and moved to tiered data plans.
It however allowed customers to grandfather their unlimited data plans when they wanted to upgrade to the new iPhone on a fresh two-year contract.
Verizon – Apple’s iPhone carrier partner in the US has posted a first-quarter profit of $3.9 billion, or 59 cents a share in 2012, compared with a year-ago profit of $3.26 billion, or 51 cents a share, an increase of 15.7%.
Verizon has just announced that its 4G LTE network will cover two-thirds of the population in the U.S when it introduces its 4G LTE network in 27 new markets and expands in 44 markets on April 19.
Verizon has announced that it will also start charging a $30 upgrade fee from April 22nd for current customers switching to new mobile phones at subsidized rates with a two-year contract.
The Wall Street Journal carries a report on the major four U.S. carriers working with the government to build a central database of stolen or lost mobile phones. This database would then be used by the authorities to disable and locate these mobile phones.
Sprint has just announced its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2011. Sprint reports that it sold 1.8 million iPhones in the last quarter, of which 40 percent were new customers.
Sprint started offering Apple’s iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 for the first time in October.
Verizon will very soon impose a strict rule, requiring all smartphones on its network to be 4G LTE compatible, CNET reports.
Verizon followed AT&T’s footsteps and killed their unlimited data plans for their smartphone (including iPhone) customers on July 7th, 2011.
Fierce Wireless reports that Verizon – the largest carrier in the U.S. plans to offer shared data plans (data plans for multiple devices) to customers in 2012.
CEO Lowell McAdam revealed Verizon’s plans at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference.
