If you have been thinking about getting a new smartphone from Verizon, you will now have to deal with the wireless carrier"s new data pricing plans. As of today, the company"s previous unlimited data plan for $30 no longer exists for new Verizon Wireless customers. As we have reported before, the new data plans for smartphones will now be 2 GB of data for $30 a month, 5 GB for $50 and 10 GB for $80 a month. If users go over those broadband caps they will have to pay $10 for each extra GB. If you already have a contract with Verizon that includes the old unlimited data plan you are still safe. Verizon will grandfather that plan for you even if you upgrade your phone after your contract is over.
In addition to the new pricing plan for data, users who have phones that contain wireless tethering features will no longer be able to use those features for free. Instead the data plans will increase for those customers to 4 GB for $50 a month, 7 GB for $70 a month and 12 GB for $100 a month. Verizon is also rumored to launch a data sharing plan for family and friends sometime in the near future.
This new move by Verizon means that Sprint is now the only major wireless carrier in the US that still offers an unlimited data plan for its smartphones. That"s one of the reasons while a financial analysts predicts that Sprint will soon get its own version of Apple"s iPhone.