Verizon’s new cell plan rolls out this Thursday
NEW YORK (BDCi) — The largest wireless carrier will soon roll out data plans with monthly usage caps and overage charges.
Verizon Wireless said Tuesday that with new plans, new smart phone users will pay a price between $30-$80 each month for 2 to 10 gigabytes of data usage.
Verizon customers who use more will be charged an additional fee of $10 per gigabyte. Verizon currently charges $30 a month for an unlimited plan.
Other cell phone companies have jumped on the same plan prior to Verizon:
< AT&T proposed capped data plans a year ago.
< T-Mobile USA made changes to unlimited plans earlier this year.
Important to note that Verizon’s plan will apply only to new customers who make the switch to a smart phone.
Some critics say this new plan has its pros and cons.
Because only a few customers really know how much a gigabyte of data is, they do not know how much to sign up for.
And although they can tell you how much data you have used for this month, they cannot confirm which of the smart phones’ myriad of functions is responsible.
However, it is much easier to read when you spend a minute talking on the phone and customers are more aware of the minutes they use that way.
Verizon is also including a free-text message and an electronic mail alert system this week that reminds users when they hit the limits of their data usage.
The warnings will come each month to prevent customers form going over their monthly limits.
They will occur when a customer hits 50%, 75%, 90%, 100%, and 110% of their monthly plans.
This new plan will begin this Thursday, July 7th.
By:Shayla Selva Source: Associated Press, Los Angeles Times July 06, 2011
9:45 a.m. PDT