Verizon, AT&T along with Sprint and T-Mobile are all providing unlimited plans with varied benefits. Because of the availability of devices that are unlocked, switching from one carrier to another has become easier.
This is so as to avail the best benefits of the unlimited plan that are being offered by the various carriers.
For choosing the unlimited plan, a lot of things come into consideration. The most important one is the interpretation of “unlimited” by the carrier and is it in harmony with your needs.
For many of the carriers, unlimited basically means capping the speed after the usage of a certain amount of data by the customer.
Apart from this, there are also perks offered by each carrier which are specific and unique to them. Free Netflix or HBO and Hulu are examples of such perks.
The restrictions of each carrier are also specific to them. These may include mobile hotspots restrictions on the resolution of the video streaming. There are also restrictions on the data that is offered to tablet as well as wearables.
Therefore to help you all figure out the exact specifications as well as the restrictions that are offered by each carrier, here is a rundown.
Capping on unlimited plans
There ain’t any unlimited plan that allows the user to have access to an unlimited amount of LTE data and that too without any penalties.
There are always warnings from each carrier that it will slow down the speed after a certain amount of data has been consumed. The capping is usually on monthly basis.
Nowadays, there are also cappings on what can be done with the unlimited data and how it can be put to use. This capping is usually on the amount to be spent on hotspots or international usage, etc.
The matter gets worse when such restrictions are looked upon from mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). These include Boost Mobile as well Cricket Wireless.
Verizon’s unlimited plan
Verizon’s once preferred unlimited plan has now been changed into two different options both of which have questionable value.
These two unlimited plans of Verizon have been named “Go unlimited” and “Beyond unlimited”
Verizon’s Go Unlimited plan begins with $75 per month for a single line increasing to $130 for two lines and $150 for three lines. A maximum of six lines each could be added to the plan and each of these are added at $40 for each month.
There the amount reaches a maximum of $400 per month for 10 lines.
The Beyond Unlimited plan of Verizon begins with$85 for a line. The cost for two lines increases to $160 per month and to $180 for three lines.
In this unlimited plan, each additional line costs an additional $50 per month and a maximum of 10 lines will cost about $500 per month.
The previous unlimited plan of Verizon began with $80 per month for a single line. For two lines the amount increased to $140 per month. On taking three and four lines, the value increased to $160 and $180.
The customers who had subscribed to the previous plan of Verizon get the chance of retaining the original unlimited plan.
The prices quoted by Verizon for the various unlimited plans do not contain taxes which changes from places to places.
The actual data in the Unlimited Plan of Verizon
The company states that in the Beyond Unlimited Plan, Verizon will slow down the speed of the data if more than 22GB is used. This is applicable in the areas of congestion. The same was the case with the previous Unlimited Plan of Verizon.
However, in the Go Unlimited Plan, Verizon stated that it will slow down the speed of the internet at any point in the areas of congestion.
This restriction by Verizon fails to go in harmony with the concept of “Unlimited.”
T-Mobile’s Unlimited Plan
The regular Unlimited Plan of T-mobile is available for $70 for a line on a monthly basis. The cost of lines increase to $120 and for three it reaches $140.
The four lines Unlimited Plan of T-Mobile is for $160 but current,ly the company is offering a discount on this deal in which it is available for $140.
For T-Mobile, the rates are inclusive of taxes and thus the customers what they see.
T-Mobile also has an additional opt-in feature which is known as “Kickback” in which if any of the lines in the plan uses less than 2GB per month then the carrier will credit back $10 in the next bill.
However, the Kickback ain’t available for four line plans.
The actual data in the Unlimited Plan of T-Mobile
T-Mobile has stated that when the usage increases 50 GB, then in the areas of congestion the speed would slow down temporarily. This is an improvement from the previous offer of T-Mobile.
Sprint’s Unlimited Plan
Sprint offers the unlimited plan for a single line for $60 and for any multi-line plan $100 per month. The capping in the number of lines is five.
However, this plan will change from the 31st of March in which the basic plan remains the same.
However, an additional $40 will be charged for the second line. And if you have 3-5 lines, then an additional $30 will be charged for each line.
These prices are not inclusive of the taxes which will vary as per the region.
The actual data in the Unlimited Plan of Sprint
According to Sprint, if the usage is above 23 GB per month, then the speed will be temporarily decreased in the areas of congestion.
AT&T’s Unlimited Plans
AT&T offers two unlimited plans namely “Unlimited Plus” and “Unlimited Choice”.
Unlimited Plus plan for a single line is for $90 which increases to $145 for two lines, $165 for three lines and $185 for four lines. After this, any additional line will be charged at $20 per line per month.
The Unlimited Plan of Unlimited Choice offers a single line for $60. Under this unlimited plan two, three and four lines are offered at $115, $135 and $155. Any additional line until ten is charges at an additional $20 per month per line.
These prices are not inclusive of taxes and the prices vary by region.
The actual data in the Unlimited Plan of AT&T
AT&T actually offers 22GB of data in these unlimited plans. Any usage over this value will lead to slow down in the speed of the data in the areas of congestion.
