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Tiered system reportedly on its way to Sprint's Total Equipment Protection plans
We'll likely never know what's driving this purported move, but we can safely imagine it has something to do with the cost of high-end devices like that Galaxy Nexus or HTC EVO 4G LTE. Either way, a recent report by the folks over at TechnoBuffalo suggests Sprint is about to switch its Total Equipment Protection plans to a tiered-based system. The adjustments, which are said to take place as soon as June 17th, will see the TEP and ERP (Equipment Replacement Program) prices change to $8 and $5, respectively, for slabs under $550, while any device -- including the aforementioned couple -- over that amount gets an $11 TEP and $9 ERP fee. As you can tell by the picture above, deductibles have also taken a hit, ranging anywhere from $50 for Now Network devices worth less than $325, all the way to $200 for those over $600. Of note, iPhone owners need not to worry, as Sprint's still holding you to Apple's careful insurance.
Sprint undercuts AT&T and Verizon with new Mobile Broadband data plans
Sprint just tossed some new data options our way for those of you who tend to sip gulp gigs of data each month. Under the new plans, 6GB of data will run you $49.99, while an extra 30 bucks will let you boost consumption to 12GB -- an amount exceeding Verizon's standard offering (but not the holiday LTE promo) by two gigs, while blowing away AT&T, which doesn't offer an option quite so beefy (12GB there will run you $120, after overage fees). Sprint customers with lighter use can add a 3GB plan to their tablets, mobile hotspots or USB cards for $34.99, while tablet users can opt for 1GB of data for just $19.99 per month. All plans include overage rates of 5 cents per MB for in-network usage (a whopping $50 per additional GB), while roaming will run you 25 cents per MB. All of these plans apply to data-only devices, and don't affect smartphones. Jump past the break for the full PR from Sprint.
Sprint's unlimited data plans aren't going anywhere, CTO confirms
Sprint may have plenty of changes in store for its upcoming "strategy update," but it looks like one crucial policy will remain in place -- unlimited data plans. Speaking to reporters at Mobilize in San Francisco yesterday, company CTO Stephen Bye confirmed that even though competitors like Verizon and AT&T are phasing out their unlimited plans, Sprint remains committed to providing its customers with infinite data. Doing so won't come without costs, since, as Bye explained, not all unlimited subscribers eat up the same amount of data. But the exec pointed out that these efforts are counterbalanced by the relative simplicity of managing unlimited schemes, and don't seem quite as prohibitive when compared with the hidden customer support costs involved with more complex, tiered plans. Yet despite all this optimism, Sprint seems fully aware that some major expenses are on the horizon, especially with a revamped 4G LTE network in the pipeline and, perhaps, with the iPhone 5 on the way. "Is there pressure? Yeah," Bye acknowledged. "There's a challenge for all engineers to work on how we get the cost structure down." Bye went on to reiterate, however, that although a new data network may attract new investors, it's ultimately Sprint's unique data plans that will keep its customer base intact.
Verizon data charges leak continues, $30 tethering for 4G customers
The scan above purports to show a Verizon customer brochure that will appear in stores next Thursday, revealing nothing beyond the detailed leaks we've already reported but at least providing some reassuringly crinkled corroboration of the salient details. New customers will barred from the happy land of unlimited data, and will instead have to cough up tiered monthly fees ranging from $10 for 75MB up to $80 for 10GB, plus an extra $20 for tethering rights. In a separate turn to this tale, we hear that customers who want to tether to a 4G handset will have to pay $30 per month to keep Big Red happy. This might come as a shock if you've been living it up on the free tethering offer that ends next week, but we had a strong inkling it was coming. Besides, it's not all bad: those 30 bucks will get you unlimited data on the fastest LTE network around, whereas the $20 crew must make do with a mere 2GB monthly. [Thanks, Verizon Guy]
Verizon's 'DataGate' plans leaked in excruciating detail
With each and every passing day, the rumors surrounding Verizon's new "usage plans" are getting tougher to ignore. It's only been two days since we initially heard Big Red was ready to ride its unlimited data plans into the sunset in favor of switching to a newer, more usage-friendly model, and the leaks continue to flood in. This go-round, very official-looking docs that offer up a whole slew of details are in the open air. Many of the details echo what we've heard before: the data plans are the same price, starting at $30 for 2GB and working up to increments of 5GB for $50 and 10GB for $80; mobile hotspot access is an additional $20 and you'll get hooked up with an extra pair of gigs; finally, going over these allotments will cost you $10 per GB. As rumored yesterday, all customers grandfathered into the unlimited monthly data will be allowed to keep it, even when upgrading to new phones. Business discounts, currently applied to the limitless plans, would now only apply to primary lines that are willing to fork out $50 or more; however, the wording did not indicate whether or not those grandfathered in would still receive those same benefits. More leaked docs can be found after the break, so grab some lunch and find your favorite chair -- you'll need 'em.
Verizon's tiered data plans won't affect grandfathered customers after all?
Yesterday's revelation that Verizon may soon be enforcing usage-based data plans came as a slap in the face to many, but there may be at least one speck of sunlight shining through the dark clouds above. Screenshots appeared today, purportedly from employee communications, that would go a long way toward assuaging our worst nightmares: Verizon is indeed planning to mirror AT&T's policy of letting current customers hang onto their grandfathered data plans -- even when renewing contracts. It's probably best to keep your fingers crossed, but we understand if your hands are busy clutching those old plans as if your life depended on it.
Verizon tiered data plans coming July 7, starting at $30? (update)
We were hoping it wouldn't happen, but it appears that Verizon CFO Fran Shammo's summer foreboding of his company's dreaded tiered data plans could be right on the money. Droid-Life is reporting the magic date will be July 7 and has provided supposed pricing details: data plans without tethering would start at $30 for 2GB, while 5GB and 10GB will cost $50 and $80 respectively. Tethering will cost an extra $20 and adds another 2GB to the pool. There's said to be no notable separation between 3G and 4G -- you'd be billed exactly the same whether you're packing a Droid X2 or a Droid Charge. These new plans wouldn't affect anyone currently under contract, though it's still unknown if customers can hang onto them when it's time to renew. While this remains filed in the "grain of salt" cabinet for now, it may be a good time to at least start checking out your next phone. Update: We just received an internal memo sent around today to select Verizon Wireless employees, and the verbiage is impossible to deny. These things are coming, and soon. Read it in full after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Verizon finally killing unlimited data plans this summer, says it'll get iPhone 5 at same time as AT&T
Verizon's been telegraphing its intent to drop unlimited data plans for nearly a year, and despite the fact that LTE smartphones launched with all-you-can-eat options, those plans haven't changed one bit. Reuters reports that Verizon will finally nix the megabyte buffet this summer, replacing it with a fully tiered data pricing scheme, though CFO Fran Shammo also floated the idea that tiered data could open up an avenue for family data plans. We've never really enjoyed sharing minutes, so we doubt counting our kilobytes will be much fun, but we suppose there's always room for Verizon to pleasantly surprise us with a really low price for mobile web browsing. Right? By the by, Fran also reiterated claims that the next iPhone will be a global device, and said that when it launches on AT&T, it'll hit Verizon stores at the very same time.
PSA: AT&T DSL and U-Verse landline internet caps begin tomorrow, if you can see this website
Tomorrow is May 2nd, 2011, and you know what that means -- tomorrow is the day that AT&T will impose data caps on DSL and U-Verse Internet, and begin tallying up overage fees. At least, that was the plan on March 18th -- when the company formally announced 150GB DSL and 250GB U-Verse caps -- but even if you're a paying customer who chows down several hundred gigabytes in a month, you may not have to worry about paying extra right away. AT&T specified that folks like yourself will have access to an online tool to self-police your usage before the company even begins to calculate the cost of your formerly all-you-can-eat bandwidth buffet, and as you can see in the picture above, the tool isn't quite ready for public consumption across the entire country. Scoot on over to our source link, enter your AT&T ID, and if you see the same, perhaps you won't have to cancel your 700-hour Star Trek marathon quite yet.
AT&T will cap DSL and U-Verse internet, impose overage fees (update)
Ladies and gentlemen, the days of unlimited broadband may be numbered in the United States, and we're not talking wireless this time -- AT&T says it will implement a 150GB monthly cap on landline DSL customers and a 250GB cap on subscribers to U-Verse high speed internet starting on May 2nd. AT&T will also charge overage fees of $10 for every additional 50GB of data, with two grace periods to start out -- in other words, the third month you go over the cap is when you'll get charged. DSLReports says it has confirmation from AT&T that these rates are legitimate, and that letters will go out to customers starting March 18th. How does AT&T defend the move? The company explains it will only impact two percent of consumers who use "a disproportionate amount of bandwidth," and poses the caps as an alternative to throttling transfer speeds or disconnecting excessive users from the service completely. Customers will be able to check their usage with an online tool, and get notifications when they reach 65 percent, 90 percent and 100 percent of their monthly rates. We just spoke with AT&T representative Seth Bloom and confirmed the whole thing -- rates are exactly as described above, and the company will actually begin notifying customers this week. He also told us that those customers who don't yet have access to the bandwidth usage tool won't get charged until they do, and that AT&T U-Verse TV service won't count towards the GB cap. Update: What prompted this change to begin with? That's what we just asked AT&T. Read the company's statement after the break.
Sprint's Dan Hesse differentiates between unlimited and 'unlimited' in latest TV spot
We're not the biggest fans of new tiered data plans that are slowly but surely becoming the norm, and if the latest ad from Sprint is any indication -- that particular carrier isn't either. CEO Dan Hesse takes the offensive, reminding viewers that the word 'unlimited' shouldn't include things like metering or throttling, while touting the company's "Simply Everything" plan that actually does include, uh, everything. With customer gains on the upswing, the move is probably a good one -- though that whole 'premium data' thing is a little iffy. Full PR after the break.
Verizon targeting mid-summer for tiered data plans, doesn't yet know what kinds of tiers they'll be
Verizon's made no secret of the fact that $30 unlimited smartphone data wouldn't last forever, but CFO Fran Shammo just made things a little more interesting today at the same Morgan Stanley conference Sanjay Jha rocked yesterday: turns out they're targeting "mid-summer" to rearrange the carrier's data pricing. Interestingly, Shammo says they're still working through the details and that they don't yet know whether the tiers will be based on speed, bit buckets, or some combination of the two. Of course, Verizon's already dipped its toes in the tiered game with a $15 / 150MB option that evaporated around the time that the CDMA iPhone launched. Speaking of the iPhone, Shammo notes that the unlimited data plan was kept around to draw users into the iPhone fold -- iPhone users tend to consume a lot of data, after all -- so it'd seem that they might comfortable with that one-time conquest before parting ways with unlimited for good.
Mobile broadband shocker: AT&T looking at tiered data pricing and speeds for upcoming LTE service
We all know AT&T just loves its tiered pricing models, so it's no surprise to hear that the carrier intends to turn its forthcoming LTE service into a tier-vana of great new sophistication. BGR has come across an internal document detailing how AT&T plans to segment its 4G pricing on the basis of both speed and data allowance, meaning that your price will reflect both the amount of data you consume and the rate at which you gobble it down. To add further complexity flexibility, Top Ups will be available that'll allow users to amp up their connection speed for a limited time or increase their allowance on a per-month basis. We're hearing trials of this new offering will commence in May, which fits in neatly with the currently planned LTE rollout in the second half of this year. So it's not all set in stone yet, but irrespective of the number of data options AT&T throws our way, the paramount question will always be the same: how much?
Verizon execs propose speed-based pricing for LTE data plans, say LTE has 'drawn the interest of Apple'
Paying for data overage is the new hotness in the wireless biz, and Verizon was the latest to dive head-first into the nasty world of usage-based pricing for its wireless data plans just a few weeks ago. But how about paying for speed instead? Seems both outgoing Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg and CFO Fran Shammo commented today that the company's shiny new LTE network could support charging different rates depending on the speed subscribers select -- just like in the landline internet business -- though they wouldn't commit to implementing such a system just yet. Speaking of LTE, Seidenberg also mentioned that he "expects" Verizon's first LTE phone to launch in February (likely the LG we saw or HTC's Mecha, if we had to guess), coming in on the early side of its 1H 2011 plan -- and what's more, he's saying more LTE-equipped devices will launch than originally anticipated. We certainly won't complain about that. On the undying topic of the iPhone, Seidenberg's basically holding the same line he's maintained for some time, which is that the companies' "interests are coming together" and that the phone will come when "Apple thinks it's time." The gem, though, is that Seidenberg specifically says that Verizon's adoption of LTE has attracted Apple's attention and helped it score the iPad -- and seeing how Verizon's cobbled-together iPad / MiFi bundle doesn't support LTE, we can only assume it was a peace offering to help the two companies come together and prepare to work together more closely down the road. Question is, just how soon would Apple like to play the LTE card?
Verizon's tiered data plans hitting October 28, smartphones still getting unlimited option?
We'd told you back in July that Verizon would migrate away from unlimited data and toward a tiered model very quickly; turns out it wasn't quite as quickly as we'd thought, but as Ivan Seidenberg said last month, it's still going down. We've now been tipped that the switchover is expected on October 28, and this is how it all shakes out: Smartphone owners will choose between $15 for 150MB with $0.10 / MB overage, or $29.99 for unlimited access. This stands in contrast to AT&T, which offers another 50MB (for a total of 200MB) at the $15 price level or 2GB for $25 with no unlimited option. As we've already seen with the MiFi-equipped iPad, there'll be $20, $35, and $50 tablet plans for 1GB, 3GB, and 5GB, respectively, all with overage of $10 per gigabyte. There will also be a $80 plan for 10GB with the same overage rate. MiFi, FiveSpot, and integrated netbook / notebook modem owners will choose between $50 / 5GB and $80 / 10GB plans. The MiFi and FiveSpot will also have access to the tablet-centric $35 / 3GB plan as part of a 90-day promo. All of these plans have overage priced at 1GB for $10. Feature phones will need to choose between $1.99 "pay as you go" (though it's not clear what that means -- could be unlimited at $1.99 per day, but we really don't know), $15 for 150MB, or $29.99 for unlimited. The old $9.99 / 25MB option will be killed off. USB modem pricing remains unchanged at $39.99 for 250MB or $59.99 for 5GB. We'd say this means Big Red is strongly discouraging folks from buying these right now. Notably, this is just 3G data pricing -- the company says it'll announce 4G plans closer to the launch of its 4G network. Existing customers can stay grandfathered on their existing plans if they so choose, just as AT&T's been playing it. Thing is, the fact that Verizon is preserving its unlimited smartphone option is a big deal -- it'll be interesting to see if it twists AT&T's arm hard enough to bring it back. Follow the break for Verizon's full internal Q&A. [Thanks, Jay] Update: We're being told that the $1.99 pay as you go option on feature phones is simply the current $1.99 / MB option. Thanks, anonymous tipster!
Verizon CEO confirms plans for tiered data pricing
We told you so. The Wall Street Journal has updated its recent article detailing disclosures from Verizon Wireless chief Ivan Seidenberg, and the latest news is as bad as it is predictable: VZW plans to consign unlimited data plans to the annals of history over the next four to six months, to be replaced by tiered, consumption-based pricing. Seidenberg says Verizon's prices will surely differ from what AT&T recently introduced, noting that his company values data differently to the competition -- though he wouldn't say whether that means costs will be higher or lower. Either way, Droidsters, enjoy your last few months in the unlimited sun. [Thanks, Tyler]
Verizon switching to AT&T-style limited data plans later this month?
Hang on to your megabytes, folks, because it looks like the Brave New World of limited data is truly upon us. AT&T and Verizon tend to follow each others' moves pretty closely -- the two carriers regard each other as their nearest competitors, after all -- and we're hearing that Big Red intends to move to some sort of tiered bucket strategy on July 29. We don't have details on whether the pricing will be identical to AT&T's ($25 for 2GB, $15 for 200MB), but we imagine it'll be within shouting distance if not. Of course, Verizon has been sending this message for a long time -- even before AT&T was -- so it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that this is going down. You might say that Droid Does Caps, eh? [Thanks, RBF]
Justifying the tiered badge system
Wrath is almost all wrapped up, and while we didn't know much about it before the expansion, we've all certainly experienced the token system that Blizzard implemented as they went along, where early instances drop one kind of badge/token, and then the newer instances offer up new tokens, which can then be exchanged back for the older ones and their rewards. Now that we see the big picture at the end of the expansion, it's pretty ingenious, actually, and it even allows Blizzard to beef up other parts of the game, as they did with the rewards in the new Dungeon system. Not that he needs to, but Bornakk steps up on the forums to justify exactly this kind of tiered system. Players complain that Ulduar is "useless" now that you can obtain its badges from lots of different places, but Bornakk says this system is definitely preferable to what Blizzard did in vanilla and BC, which was requiring new raiders to run through all of the old content before seeing the new and shiny stuff. They don't want the old content to sit useless (and it's not -- lots of guilds are still running Ulduar and even Naxx for the hard modes and achievements), but after the high-end raiders have their fun, it's important to get everyone else up to speed as well.
Surprise! The American Cable Association favors tiered broadband pricing
Guess what everybody? Time Warner Cable isn't the only one who thinks tiered broadband is the future -- so does the American Cable Association (ACA). The group claims that a stepped set of packages is the only way in which the high-speed industry can survive the coming hellstorm of your online TV viewing and rampant MP3 downloads. According to ACA president Matt Polka, "the outcome is certain," that metered pricing is on the way -- even if there aren't standardized plans in place yet. The ACA's ex officio chair Patrick Knorr adds that current billing models are "not a sustainable business model," and that "a la carte for the net is consumption-based billing." Though some of the arguments are compelling, the ACA also dramatically suggest that grandmothers shouldn't subsidize those with HD downloading habits, and can't seem to get a fix on just how they want to meter users or what kind of overages should be charged -- both of which seem to be common points of debate. While we're not sold that there's only this single option for pricing broadband (one which heavily favors the provider's bottom lines), the group does bring a tiny bit of thoughtfulness to the discussion, with a member noting that Time Warner Cable's approach hadn't made a very good case for the practice. We suggest a page from Cablevision's playbook, guys.
Time Warner Cable to axe DOCSIS 3.0 trials without tiered billing?
If you're following the Time Warner Cable capping drama (and we know that you are), then you'll be interested in a short post published on GigaOm today. From the looks of things, TWC isn't just backing off of the tiered pricing plans that they'd proposed recently -- it also looks like they're fully prepared to take their ball and go home when it comes to DOCSIS 3.0 trials. Originally the broadband provider had been hatching plans to roll out the ultra-fast internet service in San Antonio and Austin, Texas, Greensboro, N.C., and Rochester, NY -- but attitudes seem to have changed now that they might not get the new cash infusion that pricey metered usage would provide. In a flurry of tweets from the company's cocky VP of PR, Alex Dudley, there seems to be an indication that with the consumption based billing (CBB to us industry types), so potentially goes the DOCSIS 3.0 trials. In his own, understanding words -- responding to Stacey Higginbotham's query about whether or not the company will pull the high-speed without tiers: @gigastacey it was scheduled as part of cbb trial, but we all know how you feel about that. Frankly, we're still not sure if the facts on this story are totally straight, since much of it is based on 140 character tweets, which -- believe it or not -- aren't that helpful when you need details. We can however, communicate this to Time Warner Cable: you are fools and bastards if you pull this testing because you can't make your tiered billing work. Read - TWC to Customers: You Don't Want Tiers, You Don't Get Super-fast Broadband Read - Alex Dudley's tweet
