Verizon ending unlimited data

MacRumors:

U.S. cellular carrier Verizon is planning to move its customers who still have unlimited data plans for their smartphones to its new family data-share plans as customers switch to LTE data plans.

The iPhone was initially offered with unlimited data plans when it launched on Verizon early last year, but the carrier soon dropped the unlimited option in favor of data plans with allocations of data.

Seems about right. In fact, I actually think Verizon’s new approach is fairer than letting people keep old unlimited plans. If network data really is a limited resource, people who use a lot should have to pay for the privilege. In the end, it’ll probably result in better network quality for everyone. Users also have the option to keep their unlimited data plan by paying full price (instead of the subsidized upgrade price) for a new 4G phone. I wouldn’t be surprised to see AT&T do something similar before the next iPhone is released.