A week ago Verizon announced that it tweaked its prepaid wireless plans, adding more data to some cell phone plans while lowering the cost of another. The $40 plan got a data bump to 3 GB up from 2 GB, the $50 plan got a bump to 7 GB up from 5 GB. The $70 plan that included 10 GB of data got reduced in price to $60. Those plan changes left me particularly unimpressed. One look at this Verizon MVNO list and you can see that there are generally better deals to be had elsewhere as long as you don't mind your internet speeds being capped at 5 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload.
Prepaid Phone News just posted a story that those who signup with Verizon Prepaid through Walmart will continue to get 2 GB of free monthly bonus data on select plans. Prepaid Phone News got the story from a reader tip as well as through an online forum. I was able to independently verify the claim through a somewhat secret link on Walmart's website.
There are only two Verizon Prepaid cell phone plans that get the bonus data through Walmart and they are the $50 and $60 prepaid plans.
With the bonus data, the $50 plan comes with 9 GB of data (instead of 7GB) and the $60 plan gets 12 GB of data (instead of 10GB). Both plans include unlimited international texting to over 200 countries while the $60 plan also includes unlimited calling to Mexico and Canada. Hotspot is also included with both plans although video streaming is limited to 480p. The plans also come with data rollover, however unused Walmart bonus data does not rollover.
With the addition of the bonus data, the Verizon prepaid plans become much more enticing. Straight Talk Wireless just announced a revamped plan lineup, where subscribers can now get 8 GB of data on Verizon's network for $45/month or 12 GB for $55. Verizon's $50 and $60 prepaid plans looks much more competitive now at those price points when we compare them to Straight Talk's new plans.