Verizon Introduces New Flat-Rate Wireless Plans

I guess it is official now. The closest you will get to an unlimited data plan with Verizon is 5GB of data per month. That doesn’t stop the headline writers from using the word “unlimited” everywhere to help Verizon’s marketing aims. With the announcement of the new flat-rate wireless plans unveiled today, Verizon is actually very clear on this (aside from some interesting phrasing in the sub-head of their press release). The new Unlimited plan at $99 per month will allow you to make unlimited voice calls each month. If you want data or text messaging you can add to that plan depending on your needs. The largest data plan availalbe is 5GB a month for an additonal $59.99 per month. If you roll that into the premium plan it will run you $139.99 a month.

What’s sure to cause some consumer confusion is the headlines that are trumpeting Verizion’s new unlimited plans. I’m sure we’ll see new offerings from other Telcos coming down the pike as well. And I’m guessing they’ll all play foot loose and fancy free with the “unlimited” word. Sprint has already said it is thinking about flat-rate plans, so hopefully there will be a little competition there, which can only help.

The worry here is that other companies will seize on that 5GB limit as the most “unlimited” plan they will offer. We know how these guys love to play follow the leader.

UPDATE: What was I saying about follow the leader? AT&T just announced their own “unlimited” voice plan price at, yep, you guessed it: $99.99.