Verizon Blames System Glitch Let Unlimited Data Users Grandfather Their Plan With Device Upgrades

Some people get all the luck. As you're probably aware, Verizon Wireless nixed its unlimited data plan over a year ago in favor of a tiered data packages that can be shared among family members on the same account. If you were an existing unlimited data subscriber at the time of the change, you could keep your plan, but you wouldn't be eligible to upgrade to a new phone at a subsidized price.

This past weekend, however, some unlimited data subscribers were allowed to upgrade their phones at a discount without giving up their precious data plan. Verizon acknowledged that this happened, blaming the oversight on a "software issue," though it didn't say how many lucky customers were affected.


"Verizon Wireless will honor those orders that were approved this past weekend, allowing those customers to retain their unlimited plans for the duration of their contract and receive their new device," a Verizon spokesperson told Droid-Life.

If you also have a grandfathered plan and are in need of an upgrade, think twice before you roll the dice with a subsidized phone. Verizon went on to say that it corrected the software issue, reiterating that the only way to retain an unlimited data plan is by paying full retail price for a phone.