Verizon’s Play More Unlimited plan is my most common recommendation for those considering Verizon’s unlimited plans. Customers on the Play More Unlimited plan will get to experience Verizon’s best-in-the-nation coverage along with a substantial allotment of high-priority data.
Key features
- Unlimited minutes, texts, and data
- 50GB of high-priority data (for faster speeds when the network is congested)
- 15GB of full-speed hotspot data
- Video streaming allowed at up to HD quality (720p)
- Free access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+
- 6 months of free access to Apple Music
Coverage
Play More Unlimited subscribers will be able to take advantage of Verizon’s extensive coverage profile. An interactive coverage map can be found on Verizon’s website.
Speeds
Speeds on the Play More Unlimited plan will depend on a number of factors (location in particular), but they’re generally great. Tests I ran in the Boulder, CO area regularly found download speeds over 50Mbps.
While visiting Chicago, I briefly found coverage from Verizon’s millimeter wave 5G. The download speeds were amazing.
Note that the coverage profile for Verizon’s millimeter wave technology is extremely limited at the moment, and a compatible device is required.
Priority & Premium Data
The Play More Unlimited plan comes with a 50GB allotment of what Verizon calls “Premium Data.” For the first 50GB of data use each month, Play More Unlimited subscribers will have high priority during periods of network congestion. As a result, their speeds will be less impacted during periods of congestion than the speeds experienced by low-priority subscribers on Verizon’s network.
While I had Premium Data available on my Play More Unlimited plan, I ran a test that found a QCI value of 8 during regular data use. Given my understanding of prioritization on Verizon’s network, the QCI value I found is consistent with what I’d expect for a high-priority plan.
Mobile hotspot access
Regular hotspot
The Play More Unlimited plan comes with a 15GB per month allotment of full-speed, 4G mobile hotspot data. Subscribers that burn through the allotment can continue to use more hotpot data, but speeds will be throttled to 600Kbps. At 600Kbps, hotspot performance is likely to be lousy.
As expected, I found my hotspot speeds to be solid when I tested them out and had full-speed data available.
5G hotspot
I discovered that the Play More Unlimited plan, as of June 2020, had separate, not-widely-advertised policies for 5G hotspot data. The 5G hotspot access is only going to be useful within Verizon’s very limited 5G coverage area and will require a 5G-compatible phone.
By the looks of it, the Play More Unlimited plan includes a 50GB per month allotment of full-speed, 5G hotspot data followed by additional data throttled to a maximum of 3Mbps. Here’s a screenshot from my Verizon account interface:
Other perks
The Play More Unlimited plan includes access to Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu. A six month free trial of Apple Music (a Spotify-like service) is also included.
Pricing
Verizon’s Play More Unlimited plan falls in the middle of the cost range of Verizon’s postpaid, unlimited plans. While the plan is relatively expensive for a single line, prices drop as more lines are added to an account. Within a single family plan, subscribers can mix-and-match lines between Verizon’s Play More Unlimited plan and Verizon’s other postpaid, unlimited plans.
| Lines | Start | Play More | Do More | Get More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $70 | $80 | $80 | $90 |
| 2 | $60 | $70 | $70 | $80 |
| 3 | $45 | $55 | $55 | $65 |
| 4 | $35 | $45 | $45 | $55 |
| 5+ | $30 | $40 | $40 | $50 |
The prices listed in the table above include a discount for automatic payments and paperless billing. Taxes and fees are not included.
Conclusion
Verizon’s Play More Unlimited plan offers phenomenal coverage and excellent speeds. It’s a great option for most people who are looking for a high-performance phone plan.
Review background
I have about a decade of experience with various Verizon plans. I trialed the Play More Unlimited plan for about a month from early June 2020 to early July 2020. During my trial, I primarily used a Samsung Galaxy S20 5G UW. I updated this review for the second generation of the Play More Unlimited plan (released on August 20, 2020).
