Everything old is new again, and unlimited data plans are back en vogue.
With Verizon returning to fray this week, all four of the major mobile carriers in the US now advertise their own unlimited offerings.
But, per usual, each of those plans come with a significant slate of caveats.
So, to help you sort through the fine print, here’s a quick rundown of how this revived set of unlimited plans match up.
SEE ALSO: T-Mobile is fixing the two biggest flaws in its 'unlimited' plan, one day after Verizon launched its own
The big caveat: No “unlimited” plan is really unlimited
None of these plans allow you to use an endless amount of LTE data across the board with no penalties. Instead, each carrier warns that your speeds may be slowed if you go over a certain amount of data per month and live in an area of congestion. How this “prioritization” is determined isn’t totally clear. Each plan also limits what you can do with that data when it comes to things like mobile hotspots, international usage, and the like.
Being prioritized isn’t exactly the same as being throttled: The amounts of data you can use without risk are usually generous, and you do get unlimited talk and text in each case. But wireless carriers continue to use the word “unlimited” in a misleading way. This only gets worse when you look at the restrictions imposed on unlimited plans from MVNOs like Boost Mobile and Cricket Wireless, which is why we haven’t included them in this comparison.
Also worth clarifying: None of the advertised rates below include device subsidies. Remember that if you buy a phone from carrier and pay for it in monthly installments, that fee will be added to the cost of the plans below.
The other caveat: Not all networks are created equal
The value of any "unlimited" plan becomes less worth it if you're only getting shoddy internet. Unfortunately, a big chunk of the country still suffers from mediocre mobile coverage.
It’s hard to give exact metrics on how carriers' current networks compare, but a recent study from mobile analytics firm OpenSignal gives a relevant picture: Verizon and T-Mobile are neck and neck in terms of fastest speeds, but Verizon's LTE network is slightly more available. In general, Verizon is consistently near the top, T-Mobile is seen as improving, AT&T is either in second or third, and Sprint typically brings up the rear.
If you opt for a prepaid carrier, however, you usually have to deal with slower speeds. Cricket Wireless has an unlimited plan for $65 a month, for instance, but its parent AT&T caps Cricket download speeds at a lower-than-average 8Mbps. Again, we’ve omitted them as a result.
Verizon
How much does it cost? $80 a month for one smartphone line. Beyond that, $140 a month for two lines, $162 a month for three lines, and $180 a month for four lines. For plans with multiple lines, you can use data on both smartphones and tablets.
These rates do not include taxes and regulatory fees, which vary by region, so your bill will be a few bucks higher than what’s advertised. You also need to enroll in auto-pay billing to get these prices — otherwise, a single line is $5 more expensive, while lines two through four are $10 more expensive.
It’s important to note that Verizon has described this as an “introductory” plan, so it’s not clear if the advertised rates will always stay in place going forward.
How much LTE data do you actually get? Verizon warns that each line may be slowed in areas of congestion once it uses more than 22GB of LTE data in a given month.
Can you stream HD video? Yes. It doesn’t appear to be capped at 720p, either — Verizon says that it doesn’t “manipulate the data” it sends in any way.
How about LTE mobile hotspot data? You get 10GB of LTE mobile hotspot data a month. Verizon says mobile hotspot speeds will be reduced to 3G levels after that.
Any other details worth knowing? Verizon still offers other, less expensive plans on its website, which range from $35 a month for 2GB of LTE data to $70 a month for 8GB of LTE data. There are higher-bucket tiers beyond that, but you have to call the carrier or visit a store to activate them.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider