AT&T, Verizon Wireless Roll Out $99 Unlimited Plans

Tue Feb 19, 2008 3:30PM EST

See Comments (14)

Update: And now T-Mobile is jumping on the all-you-can-chat bandwagon, too.

Attention, chatters: now you can talk all day, every day for $99 a month. Pretty nice, especially for those who don't know the meaning of "keep it short," although data plans will still cost extra.

The $99/month plans, available now on Verizon Wireless and by February 22 on AT&T, are more or less self-explanatory: unlimited minutes, all the time. The plans mark the first time that any of the big U.S. carriers has offered unlimited calling on a nationwide basis; Sprint launched a $119/month plan for unlimited minutes and text messages last year, but it's only available in a handful of markets, while T-Mobile doesn't have an unlimited plan at all. Updated: Just got word from T-Mobile, which decided to go ahead and unleash an unlimited calling plan: unlimited voice plus messaging for $99 a month.

Each plan has its own particular wrinkles, of course. On the Verizon Wireless side, it goes like this: $99 a month gets you unlimited minutes, but you'll pay more for text messages and V Cast access. For $119/month, you also get unlimited texting (similar to Sprint's pilot plan), while $139/month tacks on V Cast access, VZ Navigator, and e-mail. Broadband data plans are extra: $60/month for 5GB of data, $40/month for 50MB.

For AT&T, you'll be able to get the $99/month unlimited calling plan and then pick and choose between various messaging and data options: for example, $20 a month extra gets you unlimited text and video messaging, while an additional $60/month includes 5GB of data for PDAs and/or PC tethering.

So, are the unlimited plans worth the cash? Of course, that depends on what kind of chatter you are. For example, T-Mobile gives you 1,500 minutes—plus unlimited weekends—for $60 a month. That clocks out to 25 hours of non-stop talking a month, not counting the weekends—an unimaginable amount of chatting for an introvert like me. Then again, if you're a big talker or, say, a business user who's on the phone for hours at a time, $100 a month just might be a bargain considering all the minutes you're using.

OK, show of hands: who's interested in unlimited talking plans? And who out there has a fix on a better deal?

Related:
Press release [AT&T]
Press release [Verizon Wireless]

Comments on AT&T, Verizon Wireless Roll Out $99 Unlimited Plans

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  • 1 Posted by bobbydwest on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    i get to talk unlimited 24/7 with unlimited internet, text & picture messaging for $45 a month with Cricket. ATT, T-Mobile, Verizon....What a rip-off :-P

  • 2 Posted by jonhu206 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:40PM EDT Report Abuse

    TMobile will have one on Thursday + Messaging. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080219/ap_on_hi_te/verizon_wireless_unlimited;_ylt=AgbBsnfRUzfcc2dcU.zZBs6s0NUE

  • 3 Posted by collarncuffsboy on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:28PM EDT Report Abuse

    The Verizon plan doesnt sound too good, unless you regularly go over your minutes, especially if you have a Family plan. I have a 4 line family plan with my roommates and it costs us less than $150/month including 2 of the lines having separate text plans. Under this new plan, each individual line would be $99, plus whatever text plan each line would sign up for.

  • 5 Posted by matt_archbold2002 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:11PM EDT Report Abuse

    Cricket is an inexpensive (for the basics) Month to month service. No contract. But not available everywhere (most places dont have it). You have to watch out though with them because they charge extra for every little service (call waiting and caller ID was extra, and roaming was either not there or was VERY expensive. The phones offered are more expensive than the other service providers too. If you have the credit, dont bother with Cricket.

  • 7 Posted by magpagbst on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    my helio plan is $99 a month . . . this includes unlimited talk, unlimited txt and picture messaging, and unlimited data/internet access . . . i believe this is a promotional rate that is no longer available . . . the regular rate is $149 a month . . . still not too bad . . . and i do like my helio ocean phone . . .

  • 8 Posted by bobbydwest on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have good credt and I still chose Cricket (MetroPCS and Revol are good too)... I get VM, caller id, call waiting, unilited internet, unlimited long distance, talk, picture, and text messages all for $45. My phone was $85. If you're all about getting a free phone and you roam a lot then go with the big exspensive Three.

  • 9 Posted by skyview85 on Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:00PM EST Report Abuse

    I'm leavin cricket for verizon in 2 days, and im happy. i get all the same stuff i had for 45 a month now, and if you are a day late on cricket they tack on 15 dollars. thank god im leaving. now i have money for gas and beer lol.

  • 10 Posted by hotrock11 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    I guess Helio and Cellular South aren't major companies.... Cellular South (79.99) * Primary Area: Unlimited Calling * Nationwide Area: Unlimited Calling * Unlimited Nationwide Text Messaging * Unlimited BREW® Access * Unlimited Picture Messaging Helio (99.99) Same set of features So umm....what's the hoopla? Matter of fact, with Helio, I can acccess the 3G network in Hattiesburg (an area in southern MS that is COMMONLY OVERLOOKED when it comes to wireless service. Verizon doesn't even have complete service in the area! And to hurt a few feelings...Helio's Ocean is a touchscreen away from killing the iPhone, and it's been out longer! If I was willing to pay the fee to get out my contract I would switch from ATT to Helio in a heartbeat

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