MetroPCS introduced a trio of new unlimited LTE plans that start at a rock bottom $40 for unlimited talk, text, 4G web browsing and unlimited YouTube access. As with all MetroPCS plans, this ultra-low price is available contract-free and includes all applicable taxes and regulatory fees. As long as you stay within the terms of the plan, you will not pay more than $40 for this unlimited 4G offering.
MetroPCS also introduced a new $50 plan which includes the same unlimited talk, text, 4G web and YouTube access as the $40 plan and adds on international and premium text messaging, MetroNAVIGATOR navigation, 1 GB of extra data and MetroSTUDIO, a WiFi-based service that lets customers download music and access preview video content. The king of the new unlimited plans comes in at a reasonable $60 and includes all the features of the $50 plan and steps it up a notch by throwing in unlimited data access and MetroSTUDIO premium content which includes audio downloads and 18 video-on-demand channels.
Currently, MetroPCS offers LTE in nine metropolitan areas including Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Sacramento and San Francisco. Expansion into Atlanta, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and beyond is expected in 2011. Customers living in one these areas looking to sign up for one of these new plans may be disappointed to find out that the only 4G phone available from MetroPCS is the Craft, a souped-up feature phone from Samsung. The Craft does include a web browser but it lacks the full feature set smartphone users expect from a high-end smartphone.
If you want a 4G smartphone, you still have to look to Sprint and the WiMAX-enabled Epic 4G or the EVO 4G to met your needs. Of course, this may change later this week when manufacturers and carriers announce new hardware at the Consumer Electronics Show being held January 6-9th in Las Vegas. We will be on location covering CES and will keep you updated on all wireless news as it happens.
The full MetroPCS press release announcing this trio of unlimited plans is available on the second page.