Enjoy your unlimited data plans while you can, Verizon users, as it looks like the carrier may be killing them off in favor of tiered data plans when mid-summer 2011 comes rolling through. Soon, users will have the option to choose between different data plans to suit their needs, especially if those needs include 4G LTE access.
The Verizon iPhone 4 currently comes with an unlimited data plan option, but according to Big Red’s Communications CFO Fran Shammo, that may not last much longer.
We will move to tiered pricing in the mid-summer time frame.
Following in the steps of AT&T, tiered pricing plans can be a good thing for the user if they do not use their carrier’s network for data all that often, but it can also go the other way as well. If you go over your allowed data, the tiered data plans will charge you overage fees, and depending on how much you go over, it can be a lot of extra money. Still, our WiFi-filled world certainly may soften the blow when you have less data to work with.
We’re wondering if the tiered data plans for Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network will remain the same price as 3G plans, but it’s definitely a possibility. Motorola Xoom users will not have to fork out more money after their tablet is upgraded, and hopefully that translates to their upcoming tiered LTE plans as well. Actual prices have yet to be announced, but we can imagine the country’s largest carrier will be pricing them competitively. Verizon could even charge $10 extra bucks for their new plans, as Sprint did for access to their 4G network.
So what do you think about Verizon going the tiered data plan route? Does it even matter to you as long as you get the internet on your device somehow?
Tell us what you think in the comments!
[Via: FierceWireless]