Verizon move follows Sprint decision to increase unlimited data prices
Verizon Wireless is reportedly set to turn the screws on current “unlimited” data customers with plans to increase the per-line charge for the bottomless bucket by $20 per month.
Published reports indicate Verizon Wireless is set for the price increase beginning in mid-November, with the current monthly rate for unlimited data services set to increase to $50. The carrier did note the increased price would come with the ability for the less than 1% of customers with the unlimited plan and choosing to maintain that plan despite the price increase to also partake in Verizon Wireless’ monthly device payment program instead of the current policy that requires those customers to pay the full price on the device up front.
Verizon Wireless for years has been marginalizing its unlimited data plan, which it stopped offering to new customers in 2011, providing various promotions in an effort to entice those customers to switch to tiered data packages. Those enticements also have included taking away features, such as the ability to receive device subsidies, although the carrier recently moved away in total from that practice.
Verizon Wireless also threatened at one point to implement data throttling under the guise of “network optimization” across its LTE network that would have limited network speeds for customers with unlimited data plans in some instances. Those plans were pulled after Verizon Wireless received a stern letter from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler, who said he was “deeply disturbed” by the move, and accused the carrier of abusing the principle of network management to try to reap more profit from its customers.
“ ‘Reasonable network management’ concerns the technical management of your network; it is not a loophole designed to enhance your revenue streams,” Wheeler wrote.
However, this is the first move by Verizon Wireless to raise monthly pricing for the feature.
Sprint recently stated it plans to increase the price of its unlimited data option by $10 per month beginning Oct. 16. Sprint and T-Mobile US, which increased its price on unlimited data last year, remain the only two nationwide operators still offering unlimited data for postpaid customers.
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