Verizon is set to establish a $30/month minimum for mobile web access for all smartphones. The new rates discontinue current pay-as-you-go and 10 MB/month mobile web plans. The move applies to all smartphones, including BlackBerry’s, and hopes to capitalize on their growing popularity. Verizon’s competitors all have similar plans, with Sprint having the most generous. Sprint’s plan includes unlimited mobile web, email, messaging, mobileTV, and GPS. Verizon’s $30 plan only includes unlimited mobile web and email. According to this post’s source, BGR, the new rates take effect Nov. 14th and will be expanded in 2009 to include phones with “web 2.0” capability.
The move is not surprising. Mobile data services are driving revenue growth for the wireless industry and Verizon obviously believes enough demand is present in the marketplace to justify the increase. I guess this means the BlackBerry Storm won’t be available until after Nov 14th, since each sale would just about guarantees a minimum $30/month in data revenue. AT&T practices a similar strategy with the iPhone.
