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Verizon temporarily drops the 5G fee on its most expensive data plans
Verizon (Engadget's parent company) is shaking up its offerings. Today, it introduced four new unlimited plans -- Start, Play More, Do More and Get More -- which will replace the three current unlimited plans. Surprisingly, each new plan is $5 less expensive than its previous equivalent, and for a limited time, Verizon is waiving the $10-per-month 5G fee for the three top-tier options.
MetroPCS outs LG Motion 4G in tandem with unlimited all-you-can-eat plan
LTE doesn't have to mean premium pricing -- just ask MetroPCS. The budget carrier, notable for its recent launch of VoLTE, has announced the availability of a limited time promo service bundling unlimited voice, text and data dubbed Wireless for All. And to help give that initiative a proper public splash, the company's tossed in some new kit: LG's Motion 4G. That handset, a humble 3.5-incher, is actually the first Android 4.0 device to bow on the company's lineup and bears a familiar dual-core CPU setup clocked at 1.2GHz, HVGA display, 5GB of internal storage (expandable to 32GB via microSD), a 5-megapixel rear camera capable of 1080p video and 1,700mAh battery. As ICS handsets come, it's certainly no big leaguer, but at $149, plus the addition of that all-you-can eat $55/mo plan, it's hard to find fault with affordable. Skip on past the break to peruse the company's official presser.
Shocker! Three's unlimited data adopters use lots of 3G
Three, a UK mobile network provider specializing in unlimited data packages, has reported that its customers are talking full advantage of their plans. Specifically, the average monthly usage has more than doubled this summer (we use the term loosely) from 450MB to 1.1GB over the same period last year. Smartphone users are understandably the healthiest eaters, sucking down around 1.5GB per month. With the BBC continuing to expand its 3G offerings and an undoubted increase in tablet use, tethering and the like, we imagine these figures are far from their peak. With 4G on the horizon, will Three regret positioning itself as the great provider; or, like Sprint over in the US, will it stand its ground for the sake of an advantage?
AT&T adds a throttling limit of 3GB for iPhone owners on unlimited plan
AT&T announced on Thursday that it now has a policy for throttling users on unlimited data plans. According to an AT&T statement relayed by Ars Technica, the wireless carrier will begin to throttle customers with a 3G/HSPA+ handset at 3 GB and 4G LTE handset owners at 5 GB. This new 3 GB soft cap will affect iPhone owners who have clung to their unlimited plan. This change in policy follows a recent small claims court lawsuit in which iPhone owner Matt Spaccarelli was awarded $850 for being throttled at 2 GB on an unlimited plan.
Dan Hesse: Sprint's not following Virgin's tiered data movement, but 'nothing is guaranteed forever'
Without a doubt, it's the 800 pound gorilla in the carrier realm: will Sprint follow AT&T, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless down the woeful tiered data route, laced with pain, confusion and general awfulness? We asked Sprint CEO Dan Hesse that very question today at Sprint's campus, and the answer wasn't exactly heartening. He stated that people are simply willing to pay a price premium (when it comes to rate plans) for something that's just dead simple -- something that they don't have to think about when they use. He (rightly) admitted that most average consumers have no concept of what a gigabyte is, or how long it takes to use one up, and that's why the outfit's unlimited plans are still striking a chord -- and in fact, more so now than ever with its three main rivals giving it an even stronger differentiator. When asked whether Sprint would eventually have no other option but to switch to tiered data plans if heavy users begin to come over in droves, Hesse replied that having enough bandwidth to efficiently go around "could be an issue," and while it's working diligently with OEMs and app developers in order to implement things like WiFi offload, we were told that "nothing is guaranteed forever." We specifically asked if the recent tiered testing implemented at Virgin Mobile (which runs on Sprint's network) was an early indication that Sprint was also leaning this way, and Dan was steadfast in his denial. According to him, the postpaid and prepaid sectors are markedly different beasts, and it's not reasonable to consider that Sprint will follow Virgin's footsteps. Moral of the story? Sprint's clinging to unlimited for as long as it can, but we get the impression that a transition is imminent -- even if it's still a few years out.
Sprint's Virgin Mobile brand to test throttling while Sprint pokes fun at throttlers (video)
Alanis Morrisette couldn't have possibly thought up something this ironic to put in her hit song. On the same day Sprint launches an ad campaign trashing T-Mobile's "unlimited" plan for throttling its data speeds, the Now Network announced that it intends to begin throttling Virgin Mobile's broadband sometime in October. Those who use larger amounts of data on the prepaid brand will experience the briskness of 256kbps as soon as they hit a monthly threshold of 2.5GB. This won't affect postpaid customers on Sprint for the time being, but it's hitting a little too close to home. After all, the company -- always playing the role of consumer advocate -- is now at least experimenting with the idea of employing the same practices it's currently trashing its competitors for. Those who're taking full advantage of Dan Hesse's spoils are safe for now, but the question remains: who'll throttle the throttlers? Check out the vid and press release in all their irony-dripping glory after the break. [Thanks, John]
Virgin Mobile preparing to alter pricing, send love to BlackBerry users?
With price hikes trending as the mobile industry's latest fashion faux pas, it appears that Virgin Mobile is readying its latest summer styles -- and yes, it may cost you. Sir Branson's minute misers will pay an extra $10 each month ($35 total) for the same 300 minutes, and casual chatters will pay an additional $5 each month ($45 total) for their familiar 1,200 minutes. Fortunately, those with an unlimited voice plan will actually pay $5 less, thanks to the new $55 plan, and the company seems prepared to eliminate its $10 monthly tax on Blackberry users -- not a bad move, since they've got it hard enough already. Hey, at least a few will be thankful for the Rebel Billionaire's latest move.
AT&T to enable BlackBerry Bridge support before sundown
Most tablets function just fine on their own, but RIM's BlackBerry Playbook introduced a unique, yet restrictive interface that limits Bluetooth tethering to a similarly-branded handset. This feature, called BlackBerry Bridge, lets your tablet piggyback on a handset's 3G data connection, also enabling access to productivity apps like email and calendar, which are still otherwise unavailable on the PlayBook. Unfortunately, this option hasn't been made available for AT&T users, but that's about to change, as the feature will be added to App World today. While the Bridge suite is totally gratis, enabling the AT&T 3G data connection requires a monthly tethering plan of $45, which means anyone grandfathered into the unlimited data feature will need to decide if it's worth the jump. Bridge not sounding like your cup of tea? Don't worry -- at least you can take comfort in knowing that the days of pining for native email are numbered.
Verizon Unleashed open for business, $50 unlimited prepaid plans are go
The final frontier of wireless competition turns out to be...prepaid? It appears that way, now that Verizon has officially launched its Unleashed prepaid service plans to give smaller rivals Boost and MetroPCS a run for their money. Our screenshots of the pricing plans were spot-on; a new Unleashed site confirms rumors that the nation's largest carrier is offering all-you-can-eat talk, text and data for exactly $50 per month as well as the same daily options from the earlier leaks. The unlimited plan happily sweetens the deal even more by including international texts to Canada and Mexico. There's only one thing preventing this plan from attaining pure bliss: the unlimited data is geared toward WAP-based feature phones, so it won't provide the full browsing experience normally found on a smartphone. If this alone isn't enough to entice you, the handsets are affordably priced, ranging from $40 for the LG Accolade up to $100 for the LG Cosmos.
More Verizon Unleashed phones popping up, pricing confirmed
This morning's 'Unleashed' tipster has let loose a few more branded phone snapshots from his local Best Buy, further confirming Verizon's new contract free $50 unlimited talk, text, and mobile web plan. These new shots show off the same price structure we saw leaked earlier this month, as well as two more handsets: an LG Accolade, and a Pantech Caper -- both priced at $79.99. This seems a bit steep for the Accolade, a run of the mill flip phone, as this morning's tip priced the more capable LG Cosmos featurephone at a mere $39.99. Take your grain of salt, and check out the gallery below. [Thanks, Anonymous] %Gallery-122115%
First Verizon Unleashed phone gets pictured, priced at Best Buy
When a screenshot of Verizon's new 'Unleashed' pricing plan surfaced, we held our breath to see if this contract-free $50 unlimited talk and text plan was in fact too good to be true. As it turns out, more evidence has been unearthed that lends credence to the rumor. A tipster snapped the above photo of the LG Cosmos donning Unleashed attire at a local Best Buy, and went out of their way to note that the phone was priced at $39.99. We like what we're seeing here; for a full messaging phone without commitment, this is definitely an aggressive price. No additional pricing details were leaked, but we're sure savvy international texters will notice that the packaging specifically promises the option of unlimited messaging to Mexico and Canada. If the 'Unleashed' phones are already making their way into Best Buy, this could very well mean an impending launch is coming sooner than we expected. We'll continue keeping you up-to-date as we hear more. [Thanks, Anonymous]
T-Mobile's new plans get official: starting at $60 for unlimited everything, throttling included
T-Mobile's just gone official with the new unlimited plans we caught wind of a few days ago, and while they are truly unlimited by numbers, they're not completely unlimited in functionality. The plans cost $79.99 for Even More customers (buy a subsidized device on contract) and $59.99 for Even More Plus subscribers (bring your own phone commitment-free). Either way this gets you unlimited data, domestic calling, and domestic messaging, with a $5 surcharge for BlackBerry users. Unlike Sprint's similar offering, once you pass the 2GB bandwidth mark, "data speeds will be reduced for the remainder of that bill cycle," essentially informing users that throttling will most certainly take place. In all, we're pleased to see the compromise T-Mo's put in place for data (whereas most other carriers are simply axing the unlimited option altogether), and we hope some of the competition takes heed. It does sound like a pretty sweet deal for those of you not grandfathered in on unlimited data plans. Still, for those of you interested, we suggest getting a jump on, as the (potentially leaked) press release reveals that these plans might only be available for a limited time.
T-Mobile unlimited plans coming April 13th with a catch
If you've been waiting for T-Mobile to introduce unlimited plans that include everything, it's time to do the happy dance! It looks like everyone's favorite magenta carrier will be adding "Truly Unlimited Data + Talk + Text" plans to its lineup on April 13th. According to the leaked screenshots, Even More customers (who purchase a subsidized phone and agree to a two-year contract) will be able to choose a $79 plan, while Event More Plus customers (who bring a compatible device and are commitment free) will benefit from a $59 plan. There's a catch, however: T-Mobile will throttle data speeds until the next billing cycle if data usage exceeds 2GB. Also, this offer only appears to apply to individual customer plans, not to family plans. So go ahead, celebrate -- just keep an eye on that data cap, OK?
Leaked Verizon Unleashed pricing sheets detail $50 unlimited talk / text plans
Just in case you're still dissatisfied after taking a peek at one leaked Verizon screenshot today, well... here's numero dos. The folks at Droid-Life managed to get their paws on a couple of monochrome sheets that look more like VZW promotional material than anything else, and if Sprint's Simply Everything plan thought it had the whole market locked down, it might just have another thing coming. Best we can tell, the impending (?) 'Unleashed' pricing options will allow customers to choose a contract-free $50 / month unlimited calling and texting plan, with "Mobile Web" access thrown in as well for featurephones. 'Course, you'd have to pony up extra for legitimate data on a legitimate smartphone, but it's hardly a bad place to start -- particularly for those who are growing increasingly tired of locking themselves into two-year agreements. Hard to say if the carrier is planning to actually implement any of this, but why waste the intern's time mocking it up, right? [Thanks, Mio]
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.
Cricket launches new wireless plan with unlimited music for $55 a month
Stop us if you've heard this one before: a cell phone comes with an unlimited music subscription. Now, flip it on its head and say the cellular carrier was the one offering the all-you-can download audio buffet -- built right into a totally unlimited data, text and voice monthly slate -- and you've basically got the new $55 Muve Music plan from Cricket Wireless. Cricket doesn't have the reach of the big four US carriers and may not even have coverage in your area, but that didn't keep it from tempting Universal, Warner, Sony and EMI from signing over millions of songs. It'll debut on the new Samsung Suede featurephone pictured at right, which comes with a "special" 4GB Sandisk encrypted flash memory card (et tu, slotRadio?) that will likely protect the music from prying pirate claws... at least for the weeks or months it takes the open-source community to rip it a new one. The Suede will reportedly hold about 3,000 songs, which (barring antics) will be irrevocably tied to the phone and only play there, and disappear entirely if users stop paying for the Muve plan. PC Magazine got a brief hands-on with an early version, and says there's a bit of irksome audio compression, but also some Zune-like social networking features, too. The service will debut at CES on January 6th, and spread to other devices and other markets over the course of 2011. PR after the break!
Walmart Family Mobile enters the postpaid war, reselling service from T-Mobile
Walmart's already firmly entrenched in the prepaid cellular business, offering handsets and service via Common Cents (Sprint) and Straight Talk (Verizon Wireless), but according to Greg Hall, vice president of merchandising at Walmart US, there's a "perception among customers that prepaid service doesn't offer access to the best phones or the best network quality." In order to combat that, the outfit will be launching a new postpaid service today dubbed Walmart Family Mobile. The actual fine print is somewhat confusing, as it offers the best of both the pre- and postpaid worlds; users will still pay their monthly bill at the end of the month, but no subsidization will take place on the phones themselves due to this being a no-contract ordeal. It'll cost $45 per month for unlimited calling and texting for the first line, and $25 per month for every extra line; unfortunately, data will be a pricey addition at $40 per month for 1GB... but at least that rolls over each month in case you don't use it all. Initially, Wally World will offer five handsets, with the flagship phone being Motorola's Cliq XT at $249. Frankly, we aren't too impressed at what's on offer here -- get unlimited data bundled with calling and texting for the same $45 / month, then we'll talk. Update: Official PR is now after the break, and that's a September 20th launch date, so next Monday. Update 2: So, Walmart's PR team contacted us to flesh out the data plan details that the AP sort of glossed over. Thankfully, the full skinny is far more attractive than what we were led to believe. In short, each line comes with 100MB of data (one-time); after you use that up, you've got a trio of prepaid 'WebPak' options to keep you going. $10 buys you an extra 200MB, $25 gets you 500MB and $40 gets you 1GB. Good stuff! [Thanks, Ksadd]
Boost Mobile adds $2-a-day unlimited everything option
For voice and data alike, "unlimited" is a major buzzword among value carriers like Cricket, Virgin Mobile, and Boost Mobile lately -- and when they can offer it for $10 or $20 less than the big guys, why shouldn't it be? Boost is slicing the unlimited option in a new way this week with the announcement that it's now offering unlimited nationwide voice, messaging, web, IM, email, and information for $2 a day, which if our rough math is correct, works out to $60 a month. That's $10 a more than you pay if you just bite the bullet and prepay on a monthly basis, but obviously it's a heck of a lot more flexible, too -- and with these prepaid guys, flexibility is king. Follow the break for the full press release.
Virgin Mobile USA foretells unlimited prepaid mobile broadband for $40 a month (update)
Whereas AT&T's move to tiered smartphone data pricing signaled "the end of unlimited" to some, Sprint subsidiary Virgin Mobile USA has just defied that notion with an all-you-can-eat broadband buffet priced at $40 per month. First reported by IntoMobile and confirmed today on the carrier's Facebook page, the plan will replace existing $20, $40 and $60 monthly offerings that currently top out at just 5GB, so only those accustomed to paying $20 a month (for 300MB) won't get a totally sweet deal. As you can see above, the $10 for 100MB over 10 days plan will still stay pat, so you can still choose whether to sip or gulp down Sprint network packets when the plans purportedly go into effect on August 24th. Update: Virgin Mobile's PR department just let us know that there's been a slight delay with that spiffy new unlimited plan, namely that the company's website hasn't been updated to allow you to purchase the new service quite yet. They're telling us the offer should be up within the next 24 to 48 hours, and appear in retail stores in the weeks after that.
Verizon testing a $99 unlimited plan that simply matches Sprint's famous offering
Carriers test the waters on new plans all the time, but this new one from Verizon seems -- at least at cursory glance -- squarely aimed at its CDMA competitor. According to research from Current Analysis, the nation's top carrier is trying out an unlimited Nationwide Talk & Text plan for $69.99 in San Diego and Los Angeles retail outlets. That's $20 less than the current price, and coupled with a $29.99 data plan, we're looking at a monthly fee that's within pennies of Sprint's Simply Everything plan. As with other network trials, this one may never expand beyond certain test markets -- but needless to say, this seems to indicate Verizon's taking its smaller CDMA rival a whole lot more seriously. Amazing what a quarter of positive subscriber growth can do, isn't it?
