Verizon reveals higher-usage tiers for Share Everything plans

Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) has disclosed higher-usage tiers for its Share Everything shared data plans, which it had not previously advertised.

The carrier announced five additional tiers of service for data sharing, which can be shared across up to 10 devices. The company will offer 12 GB for $110 a month, 14 GB for $120 a month, 16 GB for $130 a month, 18 GB for $140 a month and 20 GB for $150 per month. (These prices are on top of the per-device connection fee Verizon customers pay per month, and all of the plans include unlimited voice and texting.) Verizon had previously advertised 10 GB for $100 per month as its top tier.

Verizon spokeswoman, Brenda Raney told Computerworld the carrier has been offering the higher tiers since the plans went on sale in late June, mainly through customer service via phone or in its stores. Verizon did not previously advertise the higher tiers because it wanted to keep the pricing simple and because "the majority of customers use under 2 GB a month," Raney said. "Who would need 20 GB?"

AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T), which will start offering its own Mobile Share shared data plans Aug. 23 to new and existing customers, has data tiers that range up to 20 GB for $200 per month. At that rate AT&T charges $30 for each smartphone per month; Verizon's smartphone connection fee is $40 per month.

Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) and T-Mobile USA have come out strongly against the two carriers' shared data plans, arguing that they are expensive, confusing and will likely lead to unnecessary overage charges. Both Sprint and T-Mobile have touted their existing data plans as cheaper alternatives to the new shared plans.

For more:
- see this Computerworld article
- see this CNET article

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