Verizon Wireless has revealed plans to change smartphone packages by removing the option that allows unlimited Web access for a set price. Instead, the cost for web access will be tiered. The switch will mean a significant increase in costs for heavy data and smartphone users.
According to Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo, the switch will be followed by a new option: family plans. This move is intended to soften the blow, as it can reduce costs in areas other than internet. The current plan enables families to share a collective number of minutes, however, each smartphone user is still required to pay $30 per month. Tablets also require a separate data cost.
“We had individual minutes for individual users. Then we eventually got to what we call family share where everyone in the family shares the same minutes,” Shammo explained. “I think it’s safe to assume that at some point you are going to have mega-plans and people are going to share that mega-plan based on the number of devices within their family. That’s just a logical progression.”