Verizon and AT&T Implement New Fees for Legacy Unlimited Plan Users

New Fees for Customers on Older Unlimited Plans

In a strategic move to drive customers towards their latest offerings, leading mobile carriers Verizon and AT&T are now imposing additional charges on users of their older unlimited plans. This new initiative has triggered a spectrum of responses in the telecommunication industry.

Verizon and AT&T's Plan to Push Users to Newer Plans

Both Verizon and AT&T are reportedly sending out notifications to customers still on their older unlimited plans, indicating an imminent addition of a new charge on their subsequent bills, starting in August. The users targeted by these new fees are those subscribed to Verizon's 5G Start and AT&T's Unlimited Elite plans. This move is seemingly designed to nudge customers towards subscribing to newer and potentially more profitable service plans.

Verizon's "Plan Rate Adjustment" Charge

Users on social media platforms, such as Reddit and Twitter, report that Verizon has issued a notice of a soon-to-be-implemented monthly "Plan Rate Adjustment" charge. This fee, amounting to $3 per line, is applicable to older plans, including 5G Start. Originally introduced as Start Unlimited four years ago, this plan carries a monthly cost of $70 for a single line.

Verizon appears to be driving its subscribers towards its new Unlimited Welcome plan, which although starts at a lower price of $60 per month, does not include the mobile hotspot data feature that comes with the Start Unlimited plan. Users wishing to use the hotspot feature would need to shell out an extra $10 per month.

AT&T's Rate Adjustment for Unlimited Elite Plan Users

AT&T's rate adjustment, on the other hand, impacts users of the older Unlimited Elite plan, adding an extra $2.50 to their monthly bill. The legacy plan, which previously held the position of AT&T's top-tier unlimited plan, has a standing monthly cost of $85 for a single line of service. As stated on a support page on AT&T's website, the reason behind the imposition of the new fee is to enable the company to "continue to deliver the great wireless service you expect."

Effect on the Telecommunication Market

This new fee essentially serves as a subtle push, persuading users to transition from their old plans without directly hiking the rates of those plans. In the current telecommunication market landscape, where consumer choices are limited, customers are left with no choice but to adjust to these new charges.