Verizon Updates Plans, With Cheaper and More Confusing Data Services
Verizon Wireless launched into a full-scale overhaul of their service plans today, and the results for consumers are mixed. Here are the main points:
- They’re now called “Nationwide Plans”
- Everybody now gets “Mobile Web,” which used to cost $5.
- Data connections that used to take minutes out of your bucket, no longer do.
- But you’re charged $1.99/MB for some data services.
- If you want to switch, you don’t have to re-up your contract
Downloading games or ringtones or using Mobile Web or e-mail trigger the $1.99 charge. (That’s the smallest division; 1025 to 2047 KB costs $3.98.) But downloading V CAST music songs, sending or receiving text or picture messages, or using VZ Navigator doesn’t trigger the charge.
The end effect is a slight reduction in prices for light users of Mobile Web (if you use less than 3 MB/month, you’re paying less than the $5 you used to) and a slight increase in prices for people who like to buy games or ringtones, which get at least $1.98 tacked on for the data use. (Verizon argues that it’s a wash because the new plan saves voice minutes, but I don’t know many people who use up their voice minute buckets.)
I don’t generally like charge-by-the-megabyte plans because no ordinary human knows how much a megabyte is in terms of Web surfing or downloading. It adds a stomach-churning element of uncertainty to pricing. Fortunately, you can dial #DATA (#3282) to find out how many megabytes you’ve used so far in the month, and stop when necessary.
Now obviously, this being a wireless carrier, there are a ton of additional options with confusing pricing adjustments. Here’s the plain-English rundown of some of the basic add-ons.
- $15 gives you unlimited downloadable video clips, plus no more megabyte charges (V Pak)
- $20 gives you unlimited text messaging (Select Plan) - there are other, cheaper messaging packs too
- $40 gives you both, plus unlimited VZ Navigator and Mobile E-mail.
Oh, and one other thing - if you travel to Canada frequently, the Canada plans are back. They cost $20/month more than domestic plans; for that you get unlimited Canada/US roaming and long distance, along with a few other perks. I think $20 is a great deal for unlimited usage in Canada.
One big thing that hasn’t changed: Verizon’s expensive $45/month smart phone data plans. While Verizon is on par with AT&T, Sprint’s $15/month and T-Mobile’s $20/month plans are much cheaper.
Original post by Sascha Segan