How To Get An Unlimited Data Plan From Verizon – Right Now – In 2012

There was a short period of time where I didn’t regard Verizon as a big, evil company.

I remember when I got the letter in the mail from Alltel saying that Verizon had purchased them and how I was going to be a Verizon customer that I was seriously bummed.

Let me be blunt: Verizon has a history of being giant douchebags to their customers.

The only problem is that their competition tends to be dicks too.

In 2009, I changed my tune after they released the Motorola Droid (the first Android powered smartphone that didn’t suck). They didn’t unnecessarily cripple or lock the phone down and it came with an unlimited data plan.

That was sweet.

But in 2011, Verizon went back to their roots – doing their best to nickle and dime their best customers (assholes!).

They finally started carrying the iPhone and decided they didn’t have to focus on doing right by the customer any longer and went back to their short sighted plan of doing their best to gouge the customer any place they could.

Last year, they canceled their unlimited data plans, announced they were going to throttle 4G speeds for heavy users, and just last week planned on implementing a $2 “convenience fee” for allowing you the privilege of paying your Verizon bill.

So today, I’m showing you how to fight back and get one of those unlimited data plans that aren’t supposed to exist any longer. I can’t promise this will work forever, but right now it seems to be working.

Here are the details from Slickdeals via CultofMac via Gizmodo:

1. Dial *611 from your Verizon phone, or 1-800-922-0204 from any phone.
2. Wait for computer CSR to go through the main menu. You will need your Verizon phone # and account PIN or last 4 of SSN.
3. Hit option 4.
4. When it asks you what you would like to do today say “Add a feature.”
5. If you have a 3G device (which includes all iPhones): Say you would like to add the $20 2GB 3G Mobile Hotspot FEATURE to your phone. If you have a 4G device: Say you would like to add the $30 Unlimited 4G Mobile Hotspot FEATURE to your phone. According to http://stopthecap.com/2011/07/12/…r-account/, they may be able to locate this feature via referencing feature code #76153.
6. Your data plan will now be the $29.99 unlimited data plan, and you’ll have either the 2GB or unlimited Mobile Hotspot feature on top of that.
7. {OPTIONAL – if you don’t want the Mobile Hotspot feature} Log into My Verizon and remove the Mobile Hotspot FEATURE from your account. Many people recommend waiting a few days (at a minimum) to remove the feature. The $29.99 unlimited data plan should remain on your account.
8. If they say they can’t add that feature to your plan, or that you must bundle your data + mobile hotspot service together as a single data plan, tell them thank you, hang up, and repeat the steps above.