Verizon to Offer $15/Month Data Promotion

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Reuters is reporting that Verizon will begin moving into tiered data with a $15/150 MB per month promotion being offered that will last through at least the end of December. Verizon isn’t the first company to introduce such data packages, with AT&T offering a similar tiered structure. However, AT&T’s plans allocate 200 MB per month for the same price as Verizon’s and also offer an exponential increase to 2 GB for only $10 more.

With Verizon’s $15/month offer, if a user goes over their allotted bandwidth they will be charged an additional $15 to their monthly bill and given an extra 150 MB to work with as opposed to a flat data rate. That doesn’t sound too good now, does it? While Big Red decline to comment on whether or not this was in fact the beginning of their tiered pricing structure, I think it’s safe to assume that unlimited data from the carrier will shortly become a thing of the past.

[via Reuters]

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33 Comments

  1. I’m already over 150 MB, and I’m only 6 days into my billing cycle. I think I’ll stick with the $30 unlimited plan, thanks.

  2. And here I remember reading a statement from a Verizon official saying that AT&T’s tiered data pricing was “laughable”. Apparently they found it humorous that AT&T would charge so little. :P

  3. Tiered data plans are a good idea for people who don’t use their phone that much. But for nerds like me I need either unlimited or a whopping amount of data transfer. My transfer last month was 1.46gb. Quite a lot for a smartphone lol.

  4. There is nothing negative to this. If youre a heavy user, it doesnt effect you. Just keep your unlimited (thats what im doing)

    But to people like my mom or sister that want an android phone but not for data and what not, this is a good thing. Why? Because if you remember, before, it was REQUIRED that you had a $30 data plan. So, yeah. This will bring in more users that perhaps wanted an android phone but didnt need all that data.

  5. I’ve used 2Gigs this month just from occasionally streaming music and light browsing and my billing cycle will be over in a couple of days. I don’t see myself being able to switch to one of those tiered data plans much less have to give up unlimited up due to a change in my plan, especially on heavy flow (data) months….

  6. they will still offer unlimited data for 30

  7. I pulled 30 gigs in September. I’m so glad that AT&T hasn’t pulled the rug from under us that have been with them for a while.

  8. $15 for 150MB is a rip-off. I’m from Australia, where even our fixed-line broadband services have data limits, and that’s too expensive for data. You can get 500MB for $8/month here, or $5 for 100MB if you barely use data. I signed on for a half-price deal and got 6GB for $20/month. Email/IM, social networking and carrier supplied content don’t count towards that data.

    (there’s like a 2 cent difference in exchange rates, so you can’t blame that…)

  9. I assume that when you activate and actively use Google Navigation it requires data, and quite a bit of it correct? The same with a hefty amount of web-browsing?

  10. This rumor has been on other sites, too, but it included other plans besides the $15/mo plan, including the existing unlimited $30 plan.

    It also, apparently, includes a $5 price drop for MiFi users: $55/mo for 5GB.

  11. I use 5 gigs a month. I’ll be sticking to my unlimited data for 10 bucks.

  12. We’ll see what the final pricing is. Verizon is actually pretty good about letting you change your plan around. My wife changes her text message plan around all the time. Let’s just hope they keep their unlimited plan. 150 meg would be hard to stay under.

  13. How much does Google Maps use? I use my Navigation at least 6 times a day with my Droid. I guess I’m sticking to the unlimited.

  14. I pulled 12gb last month and so far this month I’m close to 20gb. Even with my “unlimited” plan they only charge me 10$ overage for using so much data. I always fight it but Verizon keeps telling me 5gb is unlimited after that they have to charge me a fine. in total I probably get close to 100gb a year on my smart phones and tthats not sharing data with other devices.

  15. The sky isn’t falling and this won’t affect anyone who is on an unlimited plan. Verizon isn’t going to kick in your door and force this $20 plan down your throat. This plan is for people like my little sister who have a smartphone and don’t use much data at all. My little sister is on my plan and doesn’t really take advantage of unlimited/5GB data. So, if anything, Verizon is helping out consumers like my sister with a plan like this. I know some people around here really don’t like Verizon, but to act like this is all they’re going to offer is ridiculous.

  16. How do you check your data useage per month?

  17. That is absolutely ridiculous… SPRINT should be rocking with new customers if the competition continues the moronic price gouging! 150 mb per MONTH??? omg, that is so cruel! But it was like this when text messaging got popular a few years back, they jacked up pricing and lowered thresholds until they could charge you even more $ for going over limits, it’s an old game! Tisk Tisk… GO SPRINT!
    (hahahaha)
    :)

  18. This sounds kind of retarded. If you have enough money for a 500 dollar android phone I would believe you would have enough for unlimited every month. By saying that I also mean why would you have a smart phone if you don’t plan to use your smart phone extensively. Now if it was $15 for around 2GB that would be an amazing deal.

  19. Ive been told unlimited is really 5 gigs of data. Im a data hog around 6 0r 7g’s a month. Verizon hasnt penalized me yet. Hope it stays that way

  20. Wow $15 per 150mb’s? rape much? then again this is normal with Verizon. They like to rape their customers.

  21. Why are carriers doing this crap?

  22. man that’s expensive, here in Sweden it’s like 15 dollars for 5gb or unlimited

  23. I agree with anyone – good thing I don’t live in US

  24. Goodbye Verizon. Looks like I’m going to Sprint or T-Mobile.

  25. verizon, we suck less

  26. yeah, the people saying “goodbye verizon” are idiots and likely not even customers. it’d be one thing if the tiered plan was 15 for 150 and 30 for 2 gigs but the 30 dollar-unlimited plan is remaining.

    if you have a smart phone now why would this upset you if you are already paying 30 dollars a month? i do admit, the 150 is skimpy and if they do limit the 30 dollar plan to something small then they can go screw.

    customers shouldn’t be paying for infrastructure of LTE and 4g either. guess what…if the company does not want to upgrade then let the competition out-do them and steal their sales. the burden of upgrades shouldn’t be placed on the customer.

    but for now…why the complaining if you already own a smart phone? it was 30 dollars already and remains..unlimited. if they change the limit on the 30 dollar plan, then lets start our riot.

  27. @Grongol: Peace out! We didn’t want you anyway! HAHAHA!!!

  28. Navigation doesn’t use as much data as you think. It uses satellite navigation as opposed to 3G data to navigate. The only data it pulls is to retrieve directions, search for nearby places, use street view, etc.

    Pandora, on the other hand, is a data hoe-wer.

  29. I don’t think the objection is tiered data plans, but just how ridiculous the difference is. Let’s assume “unlimited” actually means 5GB, as stated at least one place very, very deeply in the Verizon licensing agreements (essentially, you have “unlimited” data use according to their agreement, but their policy is that, if you exceed 5GB, you’re obviously breaking the agreement in some way they can’t detect — no way anyone can use more than 5GB/month on a smartphone. Of course, we all know that’s nonsense…).

    That’s like charging $1.50 for a 2L bottle of soda-pop, but $0.75 for a can… with 60ml in it (2oz). It would be far more reasonable to set a 1GB tier at $15, and a 150MB tier maybe at $5.00.

  30. 150mb? Is that per day?

    These tiers are a total joke.

    @yewslus, where do you think it gets those nice satellite view maps from?

  31. Well I’m one of the ones who wanted this $15 a month plan. I never would get a smartphone because I wasn’t willing to pay $30 a month for data when I barely use it. But I do like checking e-mail, reading the headlines occasionally on my phone. I was doing that on a non-smartphone and paying per meg (using only 3-6 megabytes per month). When my contract ran out, I was able to get one of those mid-range phones for only $20 with a 2-year contract + $15 a month for data. This is great for me!!!

    But with that said, even minor usage makes is hard to stay under 150 mb. They don’t tell you that 150 mb means what you do plus whatever data-pack updates are forced on you without your consent. What you have to do is be a geek — learn how to switch to Wi-Fi only. I had to install an app to let me disconnect from the 3G data network. I only turn on that network occasionally and then turn it right back off. I use Wi-Fi when I’m at work and will soon be using Wi-Fi at home. But I mostly just have the smartphone for occasional usage when I’m traveling or something and want to check my e-mail, etc.

    It’s a good option, but they really need to raise that 150 mb limit to something much more reasonable!

  32. I am so confused on what takes data can someone break this down for me? do looking at facebook and watching youtube count?

  33. @kiarsfrom123
    Anything that uses the internet would count against the data. Checking your location, youtubing, facebooking, emails, and googling. That’s pretty much the main ones.

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