Verizon to Raise Price of Grandfathered Unlimited Plans by $20/month

Those who have acquired a coveted grandfathered unlimited data plan on Verizon have always wondered what might be coming down the pike in the future.

Will the plans stay around? For how long?

Verizon has never made it a secret it is fundamentally opposed to the concept of unlimited data, and even though less than 1% of Verizon customers remain on these plans - Verizon has never been happy about it.

This morning, news is spreading that starting on November 15, Verizon will be raising the monthly cost of these grandfathered plans by $20/month for those who are out of contract. Notifications to customers should start going out on October 15 in the form of a billing statement insert.

While at first this may seem like bad news, for us RVers who rely on mobile internet - this is actually music to our ears.

Why?

Verizon repricing these plans means that instead of a looming threat of Verizon cutting these plans off entirely, Verizon is actually saying implicitly that it will be allowing customers to keep them - just charging a bit more. Verizon is hoping that those who really don't need unlimited data might be priced out of the plans.

But anyone who has one of these unlimited data plans would be foolish to let it go - even at the higher monthly price!

The price change brings the total monthly cost for a grandfathered Unlimited Data Plan on Verizon to $89.98/month (before any taxes or other discounts) if you have the plan set to the minimal 450 voice minutes without bundled texting.

For perspective, an 18GB mobile share plan with MiFi device service costs $100/month with Verizon's currently available plans.

For anyone who uses more than 18GB a month - a Verizon Unlimited Data Plan remains a huge bargain.

More Good News: There is actually more good news for those who use their unlimited data plan in a smartphone - Verizon is now allowing unlimited account owners to purchase new equipment using the Verizon installment plan and financing.

Previously to keep unlimited data active, all new phones needed to be purchased outright at full price.

Some Additional Clarifications:

• The price increase will not apply if you are currently under contract. For many who got unlimited data this time last year during the iPhone 6 ordering glitch, you still have about another year left before your plan is out of contract, and you will not see a price increase until then. Once your contract expires however, anticipate a $20/month increase to your bill.
• The price increase is not seemingly applying to government, ECPD, CLEU or former Legacy Alltel SmartChoice plans - if you happen to have one of those. This means we should see no increase in price to the OmniLynx plan that was available briefly last month for $47.75/month, as it is technically a government plan behind the scenes.

The Joys of Unlimited on Verizon

Unlike other unlimited data plans out there on the other carriers, the Verizon plans are the only unlimited data plans that allow unlimited tethering and hotspot use. This means you can use a Verizon Unlimited Plan to get all your other devices online - including computers and streaming media players.

With a Verizon Unlimited Plan, you can even swap your smartphone SIM card into a JetPack hotspot or other modem device to make sharing the service easier.

Even better - Verizon unlimited plans are completely un-throttled, and continue to run at full speed no matter how much data you use.

Can you still get a grandfathered unlimited plan?

Actually - yes you can.

If you've been holding off on acquiring an unlimited data plan for fear that Verizon might unilaterally cancel the plans soon, this may be a great time to proceed with picking one up with more confidence. Most unlimited plans available for sale on eBay are still under contract - which will actually get you in at the older rates for a while longer too.

However, do be warned that about a year ago, Verizon officially made a policy change to no longer allow 'assumption of liability' of an unlimited data plan - making taking over a "used" plan much more difficult.

It is however still possible to do a transfer if you are persistent, or if have a business account.

Do expect to pay $700 - $1200 to take over a grandfathered Verizon Unlimited Data account - though we do anticipate some fluctuation in supply & demand as more people seek out unlimited plans with this new confidence, and perhaps more become available as folks unwilling to pay the ongoing monthly price increase decide to offload them.

Read our full 8000+ word member-only guide to buying, renting, and keeping Verizon Unlimited Data Plans:

Navigating Verizon Grandfathered Unlimited Data Plans – Assumption of Liability, Buying & Renting

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