Verizon Adds More Data To Wireless Plans
Verizon Communications said on Wednesday that it would increase plan rates but expand data buckets by 30 percent for its customers. Starting July 7, the company will roll out a revamped version of its My Verizon mobile app to let customers control data overages and billing, as well as manage plans, it said. Moreover, in a move similar to rivals AT&T and T-Mobile US, Verizon will let customers carry unused data over to the next month and begin offering users on certain plans unlimited text and calling to and from Mexico and Canada.
Verizon is hiking rates and increasing data across all its plans. For instance, the basic "S" plan will cost $35, a $5 rise, and offer double the data at 2 gigabytes and the high-end "XXL" plan will cost $10 more at $110 and offer 24 gigabytes as opposed to the previous 16 gigabyte limit.
The company also said it will introduce a "safety mode" that protects customers from data overages by slowing down their speeds. The feature is free for those on the "XL" and "XXL" plans and costs $5 for those on the "S", "M", "L" plans, it said.
Smaller rival Sprint has been offering half-off discounts, and T-Mobile has launched free music, video-streaming plans and other customer-friendly offers and free gifts to attract customers away from competitors to their networks.