Verizon dropping unlimited smartphone data plans

July 5, 2011 By Geoff Duncan

As expected, Verizon Wireless is shifting from unlimited data for smartphones to tiered data plans starting at $30/month for 2 GB.

Although Verizon Wireless still hasn’t made it official, Verizon Wireless has confirmed that the company will shift from offering unlimited smartphone data plans to a tiered pricing scheme beginning July 7. Although existing customers with unlimited plans (and anyone who gets in the door by July 7) won’t be impacted, new customers will be paying a minimum of $30 a month for 2 GB of data.

Verizon Wireless’s new plans will have three tiers. The first will offer 2 GB of data transfer a month for $30. For folks with bigger data needs, the company will also offer a 5 GB plan for $50 per month, and a 10 GB plan for $80 per month. All three plans will bill overages at $10 per gigabyte per month

Some feature phone customers will also be eligible for a lower-cost data plan enabling up to 75 MB of transfer for $10 per month, or a $1.99 per megabyte pay-per-use plan.

According to sources at Verizon Wireless, adding mobile hotspot service to a smartphone package will cost an additional $20 per month on top of one of the three smartphone service plans, with overages billed at $20 per 2GB of additional data. Customers who already have Verizon’s unlimited LTE hotspot plan will apparently be able to retain that functionality for $30 per month.

Verizon’s conversion to tiered data plans has been expected since last year. AT&T converted to tier-based data plans in June 2010, and T-Mobile degrades data service for customers that go over plan limits. Verizon’s move leaves Sprint as the only major wireless operator with unlimited data plans.

Showing 19 comments

Dustin at 10:35pm 6th July 2011 Cesar: that's nice but does Virgin have global coverage? I pay $60/month for unlimited data worldwide. I don't text or make calls because that is ridiculously expensive and local prepaid phones are better served for that. I hate that the US is moving backwards with data plans though. US mobile companies rape Americans, and most don't even know it.
Eric Asianman Quach at 11:04pm 6th July 2011 tmobile for 10 dollars more I can add unlimitted data. lololol. but the coverage fucking sucks with t mobile
cesar at 12:05pm 6th July 2011 Both of you pay way tooooo much. $40 per month for unlimited data/text and 1200 min on virgin mobile and $30 insurance at best buy for 2 years covers water and even if dropped or run over by a car as they say. Great service on virgin never going back to a 2 year contract.
1. Dustin at 10:43pm 6th July 2011 I'm with Verizon for their awesome global plan and their customer service has always been good to me. if I were to only live in the US I think this Virgin mobile thing you speak of would get me to drop them.
moew at 7:23am 6th July 2011 Frank, I'm on VZ and actually get service where sprint doesn't. I also have the $6 insurance plan, through VZ/Asurion, and it does cover water damage. Not so sure what you are saying here.
frank at 6:27am 6th July 2011 That's why I love Sprint ,unlimited everything for 99.99 a month,well worth every penny also I've never had a dropped call and great 4 g service ,a 7 dollar insurance plan that replace phones with water damage ,great customer service
Adam Krant at 1:14pm 6th July 2011 What is not cool is it is 30 for 2 gigs
Karl William Davis at 6:25am 6th July 2011 try coming to australia, where we have never had true unlimited data plans, for internet, phone or otherwise
Marcelo Leal at 3:25am 6th July 2011 Go Sprint!!!
Tim Bledsoe at 11:56pm 5th July 2011 Hi there, Sprint. How you doin'
Somphou Keomisy at 11:36pm 5th July 2011 As expected, next T-Mobile going under the wings of AT&T then Sprint...just what we needed under this economy...
Anthony Montoya at 11:17pm 5th July 2011 We customers can drop Verizon like an unlimited data plan...
David Ramirez at 10:58pm 5th July 2011 No good
Landa Walker at 10:12pm 5th July 2011 Leave Verizon
Scott Aron Bloom at 10:08pm 5th July 2011 And they just (back in december) added unlimited plans for family emebers
David Nakamura at 10:07pm 5th July 2011 Used to be able to say pretty confidently "you get what you pay for" in defense of Big Red but really beginning to rethink all this. Yeah, I like the coverage but I don't travel anyway so what benefit does all that extra money each month do me? NONE.
Jae Son at 9:50pm 5th July 2011 Go to SPRINT.. 69.99 for EVERYTHING UNLIMITED...
Luis Linares at 9:44pm 5th July 2011 WACK
Jessica Trau at 9:44pm 5th July 2011 This is sad to see. More companies trying to penny pinch to get extra profits, despite giving little back to the consumers to whom they are supposed to serve.