Mobile Pipeline | Verizon Cuts EV-DO Prices, Expands Coverage

Verizon Wireless Monday cut the price of its 3G 1xEV-DO cellular data service by 25 percent and announced it is now available in more markets. The move comes just before Sprint Nextel's planned widespread deployment of its 3G network.
Verizon wireless previously charged $80 a month for unlimited access to the service but has cut the price to $59.99, the company said in a statement. In addition, it said it has launched the service in seven more U.S. markets, including Denver, Louisville, Kentucky and San Francisco. The company's service is now available in 62 U.S. markets.

The price is only available for Verizon Wireless voice customers and requires a two-year contract, the company said in a statement.

A market research analyst, Albert Lin of the American Technology Research, said in a Reuters news report that the price cut is a competitive move by Verizon Wireless to give it an advantage against Sprint Nextel, which has already said it would charge $80 a month.

"I think (Verizon is) trying to maximize the time they have as a monopoly in order to build a customer base before there's competition," Lin was quoted by Reuters as saying.

Verizon wireless has been mum about how many EV-DO subscribers they have. However, an executive recently said that the company had about 500,000 wireless data subscribers, including those who subscribe to the older, slower 1xRTT cellular data service.

In a statement, Verizon Wireless said it is ahead of its previously-planned rollout schedule.

"It should come as no surprise that we are ahead of schedule - after all, this is what we do, we build networks," Dick Lynch, executive vice president and CTO of Verizon Wireless said in a statement.