Verizon Wireless and AT&T Wireless Pricing : Would you be paying more?

It was only until recently that AT&T in a bid compete with its arch rival, Verizon, set a series of new unlimited text, voice and data plans, especially for the top-notch smartphones. The new wireless pricing plans by AT&T and Verizon has flared up a one-to-one mobile price war. The new price cuts are influenced by the aggressive pricing policy from Sprint Nextel, which introduced plans to allow customers to call any cell phone in the U.S. for free. But, what’s more interesting the new rates would impose higher prices on wireless consumers. They would have to pay higher prices each month.

The new plans introduced by AT&T’s and Verizon were expected to simplify the intricacies of new pricing plans. However, instead of simplifying the pricing, new plans remain confusing. Most of you might be asking would you be paying more now on. We made an effort to simply things for you, have a look.

Well, the consumers would definitely save on the voice calls, but data plans would the issue for most of customers. It is most likely that the customers will receive a bigger phone bill when they upgrade their phones or renew their contracts.

Before you sign up for a new contract with any of the services for your new phone take a look at the plans.

Voice Pricing

For both AT&T and Verizon Price on unlimited voice plans have been reduced.

Plans for $99.99 has dipped to $69.99 per month for individuals. Verizon’s Nationwide Unlimited Talk Family SharePlan and AT&T’s family talk plan will now each cost $119.99 per month with two lines. Additional voice lines from Verizon can be added for $9.99 a piece.

However, AT&T would offer additional lines with its plans, but prices will vary depending on the type of plan that users subscribe to

Smartphone users subscribed with AT&T and Verizon can sign up for new voice plans

Those using a  higher fee for my voice service can move to the all-you-can-talk plan without any additional charges. All they need to do is call a customer service agent to change your plan. You can switch to the lower cost plans without any additional fee.

Texting plan for Verizon

There are no change in plans for Verizon Wireless customers. You can choose to pay 20 cents for each outgoing or incoming text message or subscribe to a texting plan. Verizon offers an unlimited texting plan for $20 a month.

Talk and Text plan for Verizon

Verizon’s new Talk and Text plan costs $89.99 per month, which used to cost $119.99. The Nationwide Unlimited Talk & Text Family SharePlan will now cost $149.99 per month.

Texting plan for AT&T

Customers with basic phone pay per text message, which is 20 cents for incoming and outgoing SMS messages. Unlimited texting plans continue at $20 a month for individuals.

The Family Talk plan comes for $30 a month.

New changes in data plans for midrange phones

The new changes in data plans are most likely to hit the customers with midrange phones. They use multimedia or quick messaging that requires subscribing to some kind of data and text messaging plan.

Verizon data plan

All customers with 3G multimedia phones need to subscribe to a data plan. They have two options

• Sign up for $9.99, 25 megabyte per month data plan for data services
• Sign up for a $29.99 unlimited data plan

Given the data plans, texting plans are priced separately.

Another option is to sign up for Unlimited Talk and text plan available at $89.99 and get unlimited data for $29.99. The total package costs $119.98. The same price smartphone users would pay for unlimited services.

Midrange cell phone users must subscribe

The midrange cell phone users will have to subscribe to data services from AT&T and Verizon as a part of their cell phone purchase.

Here is the list of that would require the owner to subscribe to data plans

LG Chocolate Touch
LG EnV, LG VX8360
Motorola Entice W766
Nokia 7705 Twist
Samsung Alias2
LG Neon
Samsung Propel

Verizon Wireless customers use basic phones to continue paying $1.99 per megabyte if they don’t pick a data plan. They might spend $20 on a combination of plans.

Verizon Customers with quick-messaging device can go for an unlimited plan, voice, text, and data for a total of $105 per month. AT&T offers the same for $135 a month.

AT&T offers texting plans for either $5, $15, or $20 a month.

Data plans for smartphone customers

For the smartphone customers subscribed to AT&T or Verizon Wireless prices for data services will not change.

Verizon’s customers buying a Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, or Android phone will continue to pay $29.99 per month for unlimited data.

AT&T subscribers with an Apple iPhone, BlackBerry, Nokia smartphone, or Windows Mobile device will also pay $29.99 a month for data.

Suppose you are a Motorola Droid customer on Verizon’s network or  Apple iPhone customer on AT&T’s network you can get an unlimited voice, text messaging, and data plan for $120 a month, which was previously $150 a month. For only texting and voice you have a $90 a month plan. For additional data service you have to pay $30 a month

Limit for data plans

AT&T and Verizon Wireless data plans are unlimited for all phone users. There is no 5GB limit for phone uses as is rumored.

Prices for tethering phones to laptops for Internet service

Both the services AT&T and Verizon Wireless allow you to tether your phones to laptop to get 3G service.

The smartphone customers with Verizon have a tethering plan that costs an additional $30 per month.  Those who connect their laptops to a feature phone, the tethering plan will cost about $49.99 as per the new plan. In both case the customers will have a 5GB limit for tethering usage with 5 cents per MB for overage.

The AT&T customers tethering with most smartphone will costs an additional $30 a month.

Other Wireless Services

With details for Verizon and AT&T available you might have a pick on the two other  major services - Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile. Let’s take a look into their pricing plans

Sprint Nextel

Sprint’s offers an unlimited voice, texting, and data plan that costs $99.99, which is $20 less than AT&T. The unlimited voice, text, and data plan is available at $120 a month. Sprint offers a cheaper price for quick-messaging devices than AT&T. It offers the Family plan at $189.98 per month, which is much cheaper than AT&T that offers the family plan for more than $210. Verizon Wireless lacks a Family Share plan for data.

Sprint has a Everything Data with Any Mobile, Anytime plan that offers value to customers who mostly call other cell phones. These plans are priced as low as $69.99 for 450 minutes of talk time to landline phones. The plan includes unlimited calls to all cell phones in the U.S., as well as unlimited texting and data.

T-Mobile

It offers an unlimited voice, text, and data plan for $79.99 a month. The plan is $40 less than the equivalent plans introduced by AT&T for smartphone devices and Verizon Wireless. Their unlimited voice, text and data plan comes at is about $105 per month. The Family Plan for T-mobile comes at $139.99

Now that you know the pricing plan for different wireless services, you can look for the best option that matches your requirements.