Telecom Lead America: Verizon
Wireless is set to scrap its unlimited plans for 4G users, though the company
said that customers who move to its fourth generation (4G) network from its
older network can still use the company’s unlimited wireless data plan for a
flat monthly fee.
Meanwhile, the company added that it will change after
Verizon Wireless launches a new shared data plan offering this summer.
Fran Shammo, chief financial officer of the company said
that the company is planning to force customers to give up their unlimited data
plans when they move to its high-speed wireless service.
“As they start to migrate they’ll have to come off unlimited
and go to the shared data plan,” Shammo added.
Mobile operators set to avoid unlimited LTE data plans
Recently, Ovum opined that unlimited data tariffs for LTE
are unsustainable because of the traffic growth and management issues they
generate.
Leading operators in Asia-Pacific, the US, and Sweden are
devising new ways to transition to LTE without continuing to offer burdensome
unlimited tariffs. Experience is showing that the move to LTE without flat
rates can be achieved with positive results.
Under the new plan, Verizon customers will be able to share
a monthly data allowance among different devices, where they have to sign up
for a separate data plan for every device connected to the wireless operator’s
network.
However, Shammo added that customer’s monthly fees will
increase as they increase their usage.
One area where carriers like Verizon have been missing out
is tablet computers as consumers have been hesitant to pay the extra cost of
connecting their tablet to the cellular network. But Shammo said this may
change with shared data plans.
Verizon introduces new prepaid plans for mobile customers
Verizon Wireless announced the availability of a new prepaid
plan for its customers in the U.S.
The new prepaid plan offers unlimited talk and text
messaging, as well as 1 GB of data for $80 per month. The operator said that this
monthly plan is available on the prepaid Samsung Illusion.
