Verizon Wireless revamped its service plans by introducing shared-data plans that allow users to put additional devices under one data plan. The new service plan will include unlimited calls and texts and a block of data for one flat cost. There would be an additional fee for each device that will be drawing on that data.
The idea behind the new scheme is to get each customer to connect more gadgets such as tablets to its network and draw additional revenue from these devices. The benefit to customers would be that they would not need to sign up for separate data plans for each additional device. Most people do not buy tablets with expensive cellular connections as they prefer to stick to the cheaper albeit more limited range Wi-Fi wireless networks rather than pay a second data service fee.
Most carriers had already eliminated unlimited data plans. Sprint is the only one that still offers true unlimited data for its customers. T-mobile also offers an unlimited data plan, but throttles, or slows down the network when uses cross a data threshold.
Today Verizon customers pay $30 for 2 gigabytes of data and $40 for the cheapest voice plan with 450 minutes of talk time and another $20 for unlimited text messages. But if a customer also wants to connect a tablet computer today they have to pay another $30 a month for another 2 gigabytes plan, leading to a total bill of $120 per month.
The new plan, which will launch t on June 28 and will allow users to cover up to 10 devices under one contract. The shared data plans begin at $50 a month for 1 gigabyte of data and range up to 10 gigabytes for $100 a month. The monthly device fees for smartphones are $40, basic phones are $30, laptops are $20 and tablets are $10.
There is no additional charge to turn applicable devices into a Mobile Hotspot.
There will be no fee or contract extension for current subscribers to move to the new plans.
