About a month ahead of Apple's unveiling of their new iPhones and iPads, one of the nation's premier cellular carriers announced a dramatic change in service.
According to USA Today, Verizon Wireless is axing its two-year contracts in order to simplify how customers buy cell phones and pay for service. Summarily, the system offers four different data plans with free talking and texting, as well as two ways to buy a given device.
Like T-Mobile, customers will be able to buy smartphones without a contract by either paying the full retail price upon purchasing, or by signing up for a payment plan. This allows customers to leave their cellular plan or upgrade their device whenever they want.
For data, Verizon will offer four plans, per the carrier's news release:
- Small: $30/month for 1GB of shareable data
- Medium: $45/month for 3GB of shareable data
- Large: $60/month for 6GB of shareable data
- X-Large: $80/month for 12GB of shareable data
There will also be no family plans, as additional devices can be added to these plans as such: $20 for a smartphone, $15 for a tablet, and $5 for a wearable device.
"Choosing a wireless plan is now easier than ever. Customers said they don't want to have to do a lot of math to figure out their best options, and we heard them," Rob Miller, vice-president of consumer pricing for Verizon Wireless, said in the release. "A plan with small, medium, large and x-large choices makes sense for the way people actually use their wireless service.
"We were the first to introduce shared data plans more than three years ago, and our new S-M-L-XL options build on that success, using the insights our customers have provided since then."
The new system will go into effect on Aug. 13, but Verizon is already advertising monthly payment plans for its devices. In the midst of a contact with Verizon wireless? Then nothing will change during the life of the contract, unless you change it.
