Verizon prepaid plans gain more data
Verizon Wireless is bolstering its prepaid plans in an attempt to turn around sagging fortunes in the space and provide a more compelling alternative to its rivals.
The carrier is increasing the data allowance for its $45 and $60 per month plans, boosting the $45 plan from 1 gigabyte of data to 2 GB of data, while the $60 per month plan grows from 3 GB per month to 5 GB of data per month. Customers can also continue to receive an additional 1 GB of data per month by enrolling in the carrier’s Auto Pay service.
Both plans continue to offer unlimited domestic voice calling and unlimited text messaging across North America. There are no changes to the carrier’s entry level prepaid plan to continues to only offer the calling and messaging features with no cellular data for $30 per month.
Verizon Wireless last updated its prepaid plans in November when it increased the data allotment for its $60 per month plan from 2 GB per month to 3 GB per month.
The carrier has since posted continued struggles in its prepaid business, with the carrier posting 157,000 net customer losses from that segment during the fourth quarter, which followed the loss of 80,000 customers in Q3.
By comparison, rivals AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile US have been a beacon of light for prepaid subscribers. AT&T Mobility and its Cricket prepaid division posted 469,000 net additions in Q4, while T-Mobile US and its MetroPCS prepaid division also claimed 469,000 net additions for Q4.
One competitive bright spot for Verizon Wireless was that it did managed to loss fewer prepaid customers than Sprint, which said it lost 491,000 prepaid customers during the final three months of 2015, though the carrier has since juggled rate plans for its Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile USA divisions.
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