The good news for those itching to get their hands on a Verizon Wireless iPhone next month is that the endangered species of wireless billing, the unlimited data plan, will still be an option. The bad news is that the $29.99 unlimited charge seems be the only option for now, and higher prices may be just around the corner.
Verizon told us Tuesday that a current promotional $15 plan for 150 megabytes will expire at the end of the month, before the iPhone debut.
Tiered Pricing Soon
Verizon Wireless COO Lowell McAdam told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that the unlimited option will be available for a limited time. “I’m not going to shoot myself in the foot,” he said, apparently meaning he wants every advantage in competing with AT&T, which loses its exclusive U.S. deal to carry Apple’s iPhone next month.
McAdam has previously said the company will eventually shift to tiered pricing as phones become more data-hungry.
His comments are the first official word from the nation’s largest wireless carrier on pricing options as Verizon gears up to release Apple’s iPhone 4 on Feb. 3 for existing customers and on Feb. 10 for everyone else. The company is also preparing to offer four smartphones that can use its high-speed Long Term Evolution network. McAdam didn’t mention other price details in the brief interview with the Journal.
But a “leaked memo” from Verizon published Tuesday by Engadget lists three data plans for 3G phones, the $29.99 unlimited plan for feature phones and smartphones and a $10 option for feature phones only for 75 megabytes of data. Those users can also opt for a $1.99-per-use charge with $5 for e-mail.
Curiously, the memo attributed to an anonymous source notes that all 3G phones will require a data plan of $29.99 “or higher,” though it’s not clear…