Verizon Wireless Announces Unlimited CallingAnd revamps their EVDO broadband packages
(
old news - 12:00PM Tuesday Feb 19 2008)
tags: prices · business · wireless · bandwidth · telco · Verizon Wireless BroadbandAs
leaks predicted, Verizon today announced that they've started offering customers the option of paying $99.99 for unlimited domestic calling. The announcement somewhat steals the thunder from Sprint, who has been working on an unlimited calling plan of their own. The
pricing isn't as hot (or as simple) as leaks had suggested. Real data access plans on top of these unlimited voice plans cost extra, as we'll explore below the break.
The company's
Basic unlimited voice plan is $100 per month. Users interested in adding unlimited messaging to anyone in the U.S. pay $120 for the
Select plan. Both plans charge users
$1.99 per MB for data sent or received. Users can also pay $140 a month for the
Premium plan, which includes unlimited voice, unlimited messaging, and access to e-mail and Verizon's walled-garden VCAST service without per-MB charges.
In addition, after
running into trouble with New York's Attorney General for selling limited and capped wireless broadband service as "unlimited", the carrier is being very clear about their wireless broadband data rates and limits. Starting March 3, they'll offer Broadband Access in two flavors: 50MB of monthly EVDO usage for $39.99, or 5GB of monthly EVDO usage for $59.99. Sayeth the bubbly marketing man:
"These new flat rate plans make mobile broadband more affordable than ever," said (Verizon Wireless marketing exec Mike Lanman). "The $39.99 plan is perfect for the occasional or light data user, while the $59.99 plan meets the needs of the majority of heavy data users. The plans are easy to understand and give customers the technology they need to manage their lives – both business and personal."
Users on the 50MB plan who cross the monthly limit will pay $1 per each additional megabyte. Users on the 5GB monthly plan (which Verizon used to call unlimited) will pay fifty cents for each additional megabyte. Keep in mind that according to the Verizon TOS, you're still not technically allowed to use these plans for anything more than browsing and e-mail access.
