for unlimited voice and $ 89.99 a month to cover data, GPS etc as Sprint does for $ 99.99 - was my advice to AT&T and Verizon on their unlimited wireless prices.
Two stories in the NY Times add ammunition to my price points. The first says Verizon had only 4% of its customers paying in excess of $ 99 a month before it introduced its unlimited plan - now it is up to 13%. The article says "Americans consistently choose a fixed monthly bill for many services over pay-as-you-go plans, even when it costs them more."
So why should the AT&T and Verizon move unlimited pricing down from $ 99.99? Because many consumers consider cell service a mature one - this survey shows price is a growing factor for consumers in carrier switching. The average cell phone bill will come under growing pressure and it would be smart to lock up a larger percent of the customer base at the likely point of equilibrium. Not to mention benefit from lower waste at the fixed prices - fewer customer billing queries, shorter sales cycles, simpler invoices to print etc etc.
