One of the first things Verizon’s new CEO, Dan Schulman, did when taking over last fall was to reduce the prices of the carrier’s unlimited plans. Now, the Verizon-owned Total Wireless brand has introduced new unlimited data phone plans with cheaper entry levels and higher tiers that include more features than before.
Unlike the main Verizon plans, Total Wireless plans are prepaid and do not require a long-term commitment with the carrier.
Even the plan names sound a bit more sensible. The Total Starter plan begins at $35 a month for a single line, a $5 savings over the previous Total Base 5G Unlimited plan. For that, you get unlimited 5G data, but not at the fastest 5G Ultra Wideband speeds, even if your phone supports it. The plan includes 10GB of hotspot data (up from 5GB), roaming in Canada and Mexico, unlimited calling to more than 85 countries, and unlimited texting to more than 200 countries.
The Total Max 5G plan has the same $ 50-a-month price for a single line or $105 a month for four lines. That’s slightly cheaper for multiple lines than its predecessor, the Total 5G Unlimited plan. It includes unlimited high-speed 5G Ultra Wideband data (where available), unlimited hotspot data at a maximum speed of 5 Mbps, roaming in more than 140 countries, unlimited calling and texting to 200-plus countries, 100GB of cloud storage and Disney Plus Premium for 6 consecutive months.
At the top end, the Total All Access plan costs $60 a month for a single line or $115 a month for four lines — again, a small savings with multiple lines compared to the previous Total 5G Plus Unlimited plan. You get unlimited 5G Ultra Wideband data, unlimited hotspot data at faster 10 Mbps speeds, roaming in more than 140 countries, unlimited calling and texting to 200-plus countries, 1TB of cloud storage, and Disney Plus Premium included (not just six months).
Total also threw in a fourth option. The Total Max 5G BYO (bring your own) plan has the same features as the Total Max 5G plan but costs $25 a month for one line when you bring your current phone and port its number to Total Wireless. You can bring multiple phones and numbers for the BYO plan, but you must call the company or visit a store to do so.
All of the new plans also include a five-year price guarantee and spam protection.
If you’re looking for alternatives to your current wireless setup, be sure to check out our best phone plan recommendations, including prepaid and postpaid plans from several providers.
