Rumor Mill: Verizon readies family data plans

Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) has started internal billing training for family data plans, according to the blog Engadget, news that could indicate the carrier will launch the new plans in the near future.

The blog posted what it said was a screenshot of an internal Verizon billing system describing "account level data plans." The blog said the updates include an account-level charge for data allowance and a fee of $9.99 per line, but the report noted that there is no word yet on when such changes might be implemented.

Verizon spokesman Brenda Raney declined to comment specifically on the report. "We have said we are looking at shared data plans but there is nothing specific we can share at present," she told FierceWireless.

Indeed, in December Verizon Communications CEO Lowell McAdam said at an investor conference that the carrier expects to offer data plans for multiple devices sometime in 2012. "I think in 2012 we will see it," he said at the time. "We have been working on this for a couple of years. Getting to one bill and getting to account-level pricing is our goal."

Executives from AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) and Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) have hinted at such plans as well. However, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Products CEO Ralph de la Vega recently said the carrier is still working on family data plans and did not give a timetable for introducing them.

For more:
- see this Engadget post

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