In a major shakeup to how it handles its billing, Verizon Wireless plans to start charging customers almost exclusively based on how much data they are using, rather than on the amount of phone calls or text messages sent.
The plans, known as “Share Everything,” allow users an unlimited number of calls and texts and also allow data usage to be pooled among up to 10 devices on one account. With the move, Verizon becomes the first U.S. carrier to offer the ability for customers to share a bucket of data across multiple devices. AT&T has also said it is working on plans that will allow such sharing, though it has yet to detail its plans.
Verizon’s monthly charges are based on two factors–the number and type of devices a person or family has and the amount of data they want to use. The per-device charges range from $40 for each smartphone to $10 for a tablet, while the data portion ranges from $50 for 1GB to $100 for 10GB.
The new plans will go into effect June 28 and be the only option available to new customers.
Verizon is looking to do several things with the rate plan changes. First, the plans are designed to encourage customers to use more devices by allowing them to share a pool of gigabytes for use across a number of different devices.Customers want the ability to connect anytime, anywhere,” Verizon Wireless marketing chief Tami Erwin said in an interview on Monday.
The carrier has been telegraphing this move for a while. Speaking at an investor conference last month, Verizon Communications CFO Fran Shammo promised new shared data rate plans that would be a game changer for the industry.
“We think we have something that is very different, very innovative, something that really hasn’t been tried before in the industry and you will see that this midsummer,” Shammo said.
Verizon Overhauls Its Rate Plans, Focusing on Shared Data
