Regional carrier U.S. Cellular updates data plans with lower per-GB rates, higher per-device charges
U.S. Cellular said it’s targeting larger rivals Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility with updated rate plans as part of its previously announced guarantee to “beat” data plans from those carriers.
The Chicago-based regional carrier said it now offers lower-priced shareable data buckets ranging up to 20 gigabytes that also include unlimited domestic calling and text messaging. The plans begin at $25 per month for 1 GB of data up to $110 per month for the 20 GB plan. Devices accessing the data bucket are charged a per-line fee each month that for smartphones ranges from $40 per device on subsidized, two-year contracts; $20 per month installment pricing for rate plans up to 6 GB; and $15 per month for installment plans on data buckets larger than 6 GB.
The changes look to reduce the per-GB price on the data buckets, but increases the per-device charge to access that data.
Thus comparison to legacy plans are somewhat difficult as U.S. Cellular altered the size of the data buckets. For example, U.S. Cellular previously charged $120 per month for four smartphones on installment plans to share 8 GB of data, while it now charges $130 for the same smartphones to share 10 GB of data per month.
The new plans are available to new and current U.S. Cellular customers.
U.S. Cellular earlier this year said it was targeting Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility with a promotion offering $50 to customers if the carrier can’t provide a “better plan” than the nation’s two largest operators. Verizon Wireless in August altered its shared data plans that witnessed the carrier remove the subsidized-device option, lower the per-GB on shared data plans and also increase the per-line charge to connect smartphones to the plans.
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