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Verizon Wants You to Pay $10/mo Extra for Mobile 5G Service

Phillip Dampier March 13, 2019 Broadband Speed, Consumer News, Verizon, Wireless Broadband 2 Comments

Verizon has decided to treat its emerging mobile 5G network as a premium service that customers should pay more to access.

The company is debuting its mobile 5G network next month at select locations in Chicago and Minneapolis, but customers wishing to use it will need a new phone and a new, costlier plan.

Verizon confirmed its new Mobile 5G service will require a new premium unlimited plan, starting at $85. That is $10 more than Verizon’s current GoUnlimited plan. Customers will also need a Motorola Moto Z3 phone — currently the only model compatible with Verizon’s 5G network, and a special 5G Moto Mod attachment, sold separately.

You will need to switch to one of three 5G-capable unlimited plans from Verizon (pricing does not reflect $10 5G surcharge and legacy unlimited plans do not qualify for 5G service):

5G Moto Mod (back and front)

Some other points to consider:

  • The $10 charge will not apply to your first three billing cycles.
  • Verizon normally sells the Motorola Moto Z3 phone for $480.
  • Verizon normally charges $350 for the 5G Moto Mod add-on, but if you preorder, it sells for as little as $50. Required for 5G service. It snaps on the back of your Z3 phone.
  • Samsung will be ready with its first 5G phones later this year, but they will not support all the frequency bands expected to be used for 5G.

Verizon is planning a special sale on March 14 only:

  • Add a new line of service to a Verizon device payment plan on March 14 only, and get a Moto Z3 for free.
  • Existing customers can upgrade their phone to a Moto Z3 for $10 a month for 24 months, half the usual $480 retail price.
  • Preorder the 5G Moto Mod add-on and pay $50 (usual retail price is: $349.99)
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Josh
Josh
5 years ago

That is beyond ridiculous. Wow.

Luckily it doesn’t matter in the slightest since so-called 5g is pointless and currently near unusable.

Paul Houle
Paul Houle
5 years ago

It is strange. Even before 4G hit the streets the people who made 3G were already thinking about 5G. Phone makers, carriers, and customers sure weren’t, but that’s OK because it takes a while for the equipment vendors to figure out the protocols and how to turn them into silicon and software. Carriers were slow to warm up to 5G because there isn’t a clear business plan to make much better mobile data available. The crux of it is this: 4G is expensive enough that people are forced by pricing to limit their use. If 5G were faster than 4G… Read more »

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