Peer pressure really works. Or at least, healthy competition among the leading phone service providers does. After enduring what seems like years of ridicule from T-Mobile and Sprint, Verizon is finally back in the game — the unlimited game, that is. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Verizon will be offering a new plan that gives customers unlimited data on smartphones and tablets.
Beginning Monday, Verizon customers who opt for an unlimited plan will also get HD video streaming, Mobile Hotspot, calling and texting to Mexico and Canada, and up to 500 MB/day of 4G LTE roaming in Mexico and Canada.
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So what’s the fine print? You’ll be paying $ 80 a month for unlimited data, talk, and text on your smartphone with paper-free billing and AutoPay. If you’d like to add additional lines, you can add up to four more for $ 45 each. We should note, however, that while you’ll be getting unlimited data, it’s not all created equal. After you use 22 GB of data (which granted, is a lot), Verizon says that it “may prioritize usage behind other customers in the event of network congestion.” And although the company notes that it doesn’t expect that this will happen often, “network management is a crucial tool that benefits all Verizon customers,” and Unlimited customers can’t get that much special treatment.
“We’ve built our network so we can manage all the activity customers undertake. Everything we’ve done is to provide the best experience on the best network — and we’ve built it for the future, not just for today,” said Ronan Dunne, president of Verizon’s wireless division. “We also fundamentally want you to have more choice. We’re not limiting you to a single plan. If you don’t need unlimited data, we still have 5 GB, S, M, and L Verizon plans that are perfect for you.”
