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Verizon is raising prices yet again, this time on its Mobile Protect Multi-Device plans with four to 20 lines. Starting March 27, the monthly charge goes from $60 to $68.
That's an extra $96 per year for those customers, many of whom are families with a mix of phones, tablets, and other devices on the plan. There is no change for plans with two or three lines.
(Credit: Verizon)In an email to customers, Verizon gave the usual line when companies announce price hikes; it's "to continue to provide the best experience and support."
Verizon has steadily increased prices throughout the past year. It quietly raised an administrative fee in December that affects all phone plans. It went from $3.30 to $3.50 per month for each voice line and from $1.40 to $1.60 for each data line. The same fee saw a $1.35 hike in 2022.
Unlimited and 5G plans got a $4-per-month per-line increase in January 2024, though Verizon added extra hotspot data to soften the blow. (It followed a $0.99-per-line increase from AT&T the week before as the cost for mobile plans steadily crept up throughout the industry.)
This comes as Verizon announced Total Wireless Protect, a $5-per-month device-protection plan through the Total Wireless prepaid brand, which operates on Verizon's 5G network. That will get you $29 front screen and back glass repairs, up to two device replacements per year, and post-warranty coverage.
"One of the biggest barriers for purchasing device protection is cost," Verizon tells PCMag via email. "When devices are protected and repaired, they last longer. When they last longer, consumers are getting their money’s worth. None of that is made possible if repairs and device protection are unaffordable."