If you’re a grandfathered unlimited data subscriber on Verizon I have some bad news for you: The largest carrier in the U.S. will be killing unlimited data once and for all when customers switch over to 4G LTE data plans. This summer when you buy yourself a shiny new LTE handset and switch over to 4G data, Verizon will make you buy one of their new data sharing plans, which consequently will end your grandfathered unlimited plan…
The pricing of Verizon’s new data sharing plans has not been announced but we do know that they are scheduled to launch sometime this summer.
Fran Shammo CFO of Verizon talked about the company’s new data plan strategy at the JP Morgan Conference.
According to FierceWireless:
When asked how Verizon will drive customers to this new data share plan, Shammo said that LTE will be the anchor for the new plan and that as customers upgrade from 3G to LTE, they will have to be on a data share plan, allowing the company to sunset its unlimited 3G data plan. “A lot of our 3G base is on unlimited,” Shammo said. “When they migrate off 3G they will have to go to data share. That is beneficial to us.”
The news is especially bad for customers who currently pay $30 a month for unlimited data and and plan on purchasing Apple’s next generation iPhone which is expected to feature 4G LTE networking.
Sprint recently commented that they plan to continue offering unlimited data plans even for the new LTE iPhone, which will leave them as the only major U.S. carrier to do so. So if lack of unlimited data for your 4G LTE handset is a deal breaker then it looks like you will be switching over to Sprint once it’s time to renew your contract..
