Verizon's Tiered iPhone Data Plans to Debut on July 7th

Tuesday July 5, 2011 11:46 am PDT by Eric Slivka

Even before the iPhone launch on Verizon earlier this year, the carrier had announced that the unlimited data plans being offered with the device were a temporary program, set to be discontinued as soon as this summer in favor of tiered data packages.

Just two weeks ago, Verizon confirmed that it would be dropping the unlimited data plan in July, with leaks pinpointing the new data plans and a debut date of July 7th. Existing unlimited plan subscribers were said to be grandfathered in and thus able to keep their current plans after that date, even after upgrading their devices.

FierceWireless now reports that Verizon has confirmed the new offerings as previously leaked, with the new plans indeed set to go into effect this Thursday, July 7th.

Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney told FierceWireless that new smartphone customers will choose from one of four options: $10 for 75 MB per month, $30 for 2 GB, $50 for 5 GB or $80 for 10 GB. There will be an overage charge of $10 per GB of data. AT&T Mobility charges $15 per month for 200 MB and $25 per month for 2 GB.

Verizon has also confirmed that existing customers on the unlimited plan who upgrade their devices on or after July 7th will be able to keep their data plans.

Both Verizon and AT&T have confirmed that they are also looking into rolling out shared data plans across devices, following the lead of other international carriers already offering the plans. Under those plans, customers can draw from a single data allotment using multiple devices such as an iPhone and iPad, but Verizon and AT&T have yet to announce specific timeframes for rolling out such plans.

Update: FierceWireless has edited its story to clarify that the $10 plan offering 75 MB of data is available for feature phones and not for smartphones such as the iPhone.

Top Rated Comments

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toddybody

112 months ago

These service providers make me sick. Innovations in technology, and its infrastructure, should be driving costs down for consumers...not the other way around. Total A Holes/

Rating: 17 Votes

Moof1904

112 months ago

These service providers make me sick. Innovations in technology, and its infrastructure, should be driving costs down for consumers...not the other way around. Total A Holes/

I completely agree.

It's the nature of most companies to get away with whatever they can, always pushing the envelope of what's legal and what the paying public will tolerate.

I'm not surprised by what the providers are doing, but what saddens me more are the actions of we consumers who let them get away with it. Instead of dropping services like a hot potato, we, myself included, line up month after month for this. Even while we complain, we pay their outrageous charges just so we can keep sticking the data needle in our veins because we can't live without it.

Rating: 7 Votes

Penguissimo

112 months ago

The only people complaining about this are the people that ruin the network streaming videos 24/7 using over 5GB a month, lol. We don't want them on the network anyway! Haha. Most decent users use under 1GB unless there is no WIFI anywhere you go.

SERIOUSLY. Check your data numbers online. I bet you they aren't as high as you think. I used to complain about AT&T nixing unlimited until I realized how low my numbers are, and I run my iPhone out about every day doing all kinds of stuff.

This may be true today, but with the LTE rollout and continued introduction of video services (see: Netflix on Android phones with HDMI output), these caps will quickly become crippling.

Rating: 5 Votes

chalpin

112 months ago

For $10, you get 75mb, with a $10 overage for 1 GB. So for $20, you'll get that 1GB.

If you continue the logic, why would anyone sign up for a $30/month 2GB plan?
If you sign up for a 75MB plan for $10 with $10/GB overage:
$10 = 0 - 0.075GB
$20 = 0.075GB - 1.075GB
$30 = 1.075GB - 2.075GB.

Instead of a constant $30 a month, people who have erratic monthly usage but consistently stay under 2GB will benefit with $10 or $20 data bills sometimes.

Or am I missing something?

Rating: 5 Votes

wikus

112 months ago

Why is everyone complaining about the price? It's actually quite decent for most users when you factor in the overages of $10.

Absolutely FALSE. These prices are astronomically high.

Rating: 4 Votes

jav6454

112 months ago

Wow, that $10 plan makes AT&T look like charity...

Rating: 4 Votes

pdjudd

112 months ago

Thank goodness for Verizon FIOS.

If you can get it.

Rating: 4 Votes

siurpeeman

112 months ago

if it was 2 gb for $20 (or 1 gb even), i could be tempted, but i'll be hanging onto my unlimited plan as long as i can.

Rating: 4 Votes

swingerofbirch

112 months ago

Wow, even the worst UK networks are better, my Hutchinson 3 network plan consists of 10000 minutes, 6000 texts, Unlimited Data (no invisible cap) and free tethering, it is used as my home broadband, saving me £25pm and everywhere I get signal it's always 3G never 2G, all for £35pm and the iPhone 4 for free!

You idiotic Americans dig your own graves: people with low cash buy these phones with **** plans, go over the limits, get hammered with charges. Unable to pay, get hammered by the banks. The contract is cancelled, Verizon lose money, the banks lose money, the customer has dug a hole through to China... Same with everything else, you dip***** don't think more than 5 minutes into the future..... And what's even better is that in a few years, all these companies will reintroduce unlimited data and everyone will rejoice! :mad:

We idiotic Americans should keep to ourselves so as not to spread our madness around the world. On behalf of all Americans, I want to apologize for our involvement in World War II. I want to apologize for our continued presence as a known defender of the Western world, allowing countries like the UK to spend money on health care and education instead of the world's most powerful military. It is a bit silly of us to spend money defending all of Europe when we should spend it on ourselves and our phone plans.

Rating: 3 Votes