Filed under: Cell Phones
Some trends, like trucker hats, come out of nowhere. They capture the entirety of celebritydom, then disappear (thankfully), just as quickly as they appeared. Others, though, serve a more practical purpose, and come out of people’s interest and desire. That seems to be the case with the “unlimited” calling plans now offered by every cell phone service provider (and their mother).
It started with Helio earlier this month, which launched a $99-per-month plan that includes unlimited calling, texting, and data. Sprint quickly followed suit with its own plan that featured offerings, but only in limited areas and for a monthly cost of $119. Then yesterday came Verizon with an unlimited calling plan for $99 a amonth, but it bumps up to $119 to add on unlimited text messaging and a painful $139 to add unlimited data as well.
T-Mobile is the latest to join the fray, matching Helio as the least expensive plan at $99 for unlimited voice and texting. But it’s AT&T that has by far the most dizzying suite of offerings. Its unlimited calling plan starts at $99 a month. Paying $119 gets you unlimited messaging, too, or you can pay $114 for unlimited data on non-smart phones and then another $20 on top of that to add unlimited messaging. Shelling out $129 a month gets you unlimited data on a smart phone and “consumer” e-mail, or $144 for unlimited data on “corporate” e-mail.
Don’t worry, we can’t keep track of it either, just remember that it’ll cost you anywhere from $99 - $144 for any of the aforementioned plans. Regardless, we think $99 is a pretty hefty price to pay every month for your cell phone, unlimited or otherwise, and figure it’s only of use to those people who literally live on the phone or use it for work.
From Engadget, Engadget Mobile, and GigaOM
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