US Cellular Unlimited Plan Has Limits, Just Like The Rest

This week the folks at US Cellular have launched enthusiastically back into the Unlimited Data plan market with all the bigger brands. For them, this means branding Unlimited Data with "Total Plans with No Hidden Fees." For the user, this means data plans for as low as $40 per line just so long as the user has four phone lines purchased with the company.

For a single phone line looking for Unlimited Data with US Cellular, the monthly cost is going to be $60 USD. Two phone lines goes down to $55 each, three to $45, then four or more at $40. Tablets and "connected devices" do not have unlimited data plans with US Cellular, topping out instead at $40 for 10GB a month.

All of these prices require that the user pick Auto Pay or Paperless Billing options for payment. And of course there are limits to how truly "unlimited" the data really is. According to the US Cellular release on the new plans, "Unlimited data plans will stream at standard definition speeds* and will automatically shift to 2G when each line reaches 22GB."

*Remind you of anything? While this isn't exactly the same as T-Mobile's unlimited streaming video nonsense, there are indeed limits. Standard Definition video – that's 480p, AKA far less sharp than the display on your smartphone.

It's actually less terrible here on US Cellular when users purchase limited data plans! According to US Cellular's release, "2GB and 6GB data plans will stream at high definition speeds and will automatically shift to 2G when each line reaches the plans high-speed allotment." Imagine that.

In other words, when you buy a limited data plan, US Cellular gives you as high definition a streaming video as you want – because why not? They want you to get to the end of your data allotment as fast as you can! Unlimited Data Plans with US Cellular give you standard-def video because you getting to the 22GB-per-month point is not what they're excited about.