Regional carrier U.S. Cellular mimed Verizon and AT&T with its latest rate plan changes, save for bypassing overage protection feature
Similar to recent moves by industry heavyweights Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility, regional wireless provider U.S. Cellular updated its rate plans in a move to offer customers larger data buckets at a lower per-gigabyte rate.
The Chicago-based carrier’s Shared Connect plans move from the previous 1 GB of data for $25 to month up to 2 GB for $30 per month; previous 3 GB for $40 to now 4 GB for $45; and previous 6 GB for $55 to now 8 GB for $60. For $80 per month, customers now receive 16 GB of data instead of the previous 12 GB, and the top-tier plan now includes 24 GB of data for $100 per month.
The carrier further incentivizes the 16 GB and 24 GB plans by including unlimited calling and text messaging to and from Canada and Mexico, and “data usage controls” that is said to allow customers to limit the amount of data each line on an account can access.
Per-device access fees have also been simplified at a slightly higher price, with smartphones on installment plans charged a flat $20 per device and subsidized devices priced at $40 per month. U.S. Cellular previously charged $15 per month for smartphones on installment plans tied to data buckets in excess of 6 GB.
The one feature the new plans do not include is the ability to limit overage fees by cutting connection speeds, with U.S. Cellular continuing to charge customers $15 per GB if they go over their allotted data bucket.
Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility both instituted the overage-fighting feature on their recent plan adjustments, with the former’s “Safety Mode” standard on larger data buckets and a $5 upcharge for smaller buckets, and the latter including the feature on all data bucket sizes.
T-Mobile US and Sprint had both previously launched a feature that slowed network speeds for consumers who went beyond their data bucket allotments instead of charging overages. T-Mobile US and Sprint more recently have looked to tackle overage fees by focusing their marketing efforts on “unlimited” data plans.
U.S. Cellular last October updated its Shared Connect plans in a move the carrier said continued its aggressive targeting of Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility.
The latest rate plan changes also come on the heels of a mixed performance quarter for U.S. Cellular, with the carrier showing the continued evolution of its operations and pressure from larger rivals.
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