Verizon introduces two prepaid plans for 3G-only phones
updated 12:23 pm EST, Fri February 1, 2013
Plans include 500MB, 2GB data options
Verizon has introduced a pair of prepaid price plans for its wireless service that excludes LTE usage. The 3G-only options, aimed at those "facing a tight budget," offer the same unlimited calls and text messages as the company's previous prepaid plan, though one of the options offers more data at a much lower charge.
The new plans cost $60 for 500MB of data transfers, while the $70 option increases the allowance to 2GB per month. The plan with the 2GB allowance beats the previous single prepaid option of unlimited calls, unlimited texts, and 1GB of data for $80, though the new options are far more expensive than a Verizon prepaid plan from 2011 that offered unlimited calls, texts, and mobile Internet for $50 per month.
The plans will not take advantage of Verizon's 4G LTE network, which expanded by 29 markets in December, and now covers more than 250 million people. A new handset purchase is not required for the offer either, as any 3G-capable smartphone will work, including "a no-longer-used smartphone sitting in a drawer at home," the carrier claims.
