Verizon unlimited $40 cheaper than AT&T's

Verizon this morning confirmed a late rumor by revising its cellphone plan structure. In addition to simpler Talk and Talk & Text pricing structures, the carrier is now offering a $70 unlimited voice plan as well as a $90 unlimited voice and MMS/SMS plan. The two don't include data by themselves but are as much as $40 less expensive than similar plans from AT&T.

Family plans are as much as $80 less expensive at $120 (voice-only) and $150 (voice and text).

In exchange, the company is dropping a $20 data plan for non-smartphones but is now expanding the need for a $10 basic data plan to all of its 3G media phones. Devices like the LG Chocolate Touch and Nokia Twist now must be linked to the extra service, which gives them just 25MB of data along with e-mail. These customers can also opt for the same $30 unlimited plan as on a smartphone.

Prepaid customers now also have the choice of getting plans much like their subscription-based counterparts and for $5 more get similar service with the option of temporarily interrupting service at any point; this starts at $45 a month for 450 minutes of voice or $65 with talk and culminates at $75 and $95 for unlimited voice and unlimited voice with messaging respectively.

It's perceived that much of Verizon's efforts are meant to drive customers towards the use of smartphones or else towards more lucrative higher-end plans. Unlimited usage has been a focus of all four major US carriers, though the potential best deal is from Sprint, whose combined voice and data plans from $70 upwards provide unlimited calling to US cellphones regardless of the carrier or region.

By Electronista Staff