Verizon latest carrier to return to unlimited cell plans

Verizon is the latest mobile carrier to bring back unlimited plans, but its version is pricier than offerings from rivals T-Mobile and Sprint.

AT&T only lets customers sign up for unlimited plans when they also subscribe to DirecTV, which AT&T owns. But its prices are similar to Verizon's for a family; Verizon is cheaper for an individual.

Verizon has long been pushing customers off the company's old unlimited plans with rate hikes. But such plans, once common, have come back into vogue as competition between carriers heats up. Carriers have to snatch customers from each other to grow, as most U.S. adults already have a smartphone.

Verizon was mocked by rival T-Mobile in Super Bowl ads over its data rates.

T-Mobile's final ad of the night was a continuation of a satirically racy ad starring comedian Kristen Schaal in a spoof of "50 Shades of Grey."

An ad from earlier in the game had poked fun at Verizon, with Schaal suggestively telling a man she loves "getting hit with surprise fees." In the follow-up ad, Schaal calls Verizon's customer service, says she's exceeded her data limit and asks, "What are you going to do to me?" and "Am I going to get punished?"

She moans in delight when he mentions "taxes and fees."

Verizon countered the ad on social media by tweeting that it was indeed "into BDSM. Bigger coverage map, Devastating Speed, and Massive capacity." It followed up with, "Unfortunately no one will hear your safe word if you're on @Tmobile."

With the Associated Press