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Verizon Wireless Charges $5 a Month for Tool To Prevent Paying Even More

Phillip Dampier June 28, 2012 Consumer News, Data Caps, Verizon, Wireless Broadband No Comments

As Verizon Wireless implements its new “Share Everything” plan today, customers who discard their unlimited data plan in favor of Verizon’s new usage-limited plan can give the company even more money to make sure they are not bill shocked if someone on a family plan goes hog wild.

Verizon’s “Usage Controls” feature runs $4.99 a month and gives customers a tool to customize allowances for each plan participant:

Usage Controls

Usage Controls gives account owners, such as parents, the tools they need to help protect against overage charges and monitor their childrens’ or other controlled lines’ phone use. For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com/usagecontrols. Usage Controls has the following features:

  • Data Allowances: Set MB limits to receive notifications or to control data usage. Notifications will be sent when the controlled line is nearing and has reached the allowance.
  • Purchase Allowances: Set dollar spending limits to control purchases of VZW branded content downloads. Notifications will be sent when the controlled line is nearing and has reached the allowance.
  • Voice Allowances: Set allowances to control usage for calls and receive free text alerts when controlled line nears or reaches the allowance. Stop additional usage once allowances are met.
  • Messaging Allowances: Set allowances to control usage for messpages and receive free text alerts when controlled line nears or reaches the allowance.
  • Time of Day Restrictions: Choose specific times of day, or days of the week, when a controlled line is restricted from voice calls, messaging, and data usage.
  • Blocked Contacts: Block communications with up to 20 contacts, including ten-digit phone numbers, international numbers, email addresses, instant messaging screen names, 411 and private/restricted numbers.
  • Trusted Contacts: Maintain up to 20 contacts that can always be reached, regardless of other Usage Control restrictions. These contacts can include ten-digit phone numbers, international numbers, email addresses, and instant messaging screen names.
  • Receive an alert when a controlled line with Usage Controls dials 911.

Note: Customers can also choose age-appropriate Content Filters as part of Usage Controls, or separately (free).

Even with the new usage controls, some customers are upset Verizon will extract more from customers’ wallets if they switch plans.

“My plan for my wife’s phone will be going from $33 for minutes, $10 for text, and $25 for data, all per month, to a plan that is $40 for minutes and text and $60 for data, all per month,” writes one Chicago Tribune reader. “So my monthly bill is going from $68 to $100, plus taxes and fees. If I add one more Smartphone, the total goes to $150 per month. How exactly am I saving anything?”

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