Quick Answer
On May 7, 2026, Verizon raised the Unlimited Ultimate plan by $5 a month per line, taking the single line price from $80 to $85. The Netflix and HBO Max bundle also jumped from $10 to $13 a month on May 6, 2026.
To soften the hit, Verizon bundled Identity Secure and Verizon Family Plus (a combined $15 retail value) into Unlimited Ultimate at no extra cost, waived the $40 activation fee for online orders on Unlimited plans, and added a $100 e-gift card for new lines that purchase a new smartphone online.
The 2026 Verizon Price Hikes
To understand the promotions, you have to start with the price moves they are designed to offset. Verizon executed two distinct increases in the first half of 2026.
The Unlimited Ultimate Surcharge
On May 7, 2026, Verizon raised the Unlimited Ultimate plan by $5 a month per line. A single line moved from $80 to $85 a month. The increase applies regardless of how many lines are on the account, so a four line family on Unlimited Ultimate now pays $20 a month more.
Verizon markets Unlimited Ultimate with a three year price lock guarantee. The fine print, though, is that the lock is fixed to the rate at the time of enrollment. Customers who signed up before May 7 keep their previous price. New customers after that date are locked in at the higher $85 base.
Streaming Bundle Increase
Effective May 6, 2026, Verizon’s Netflix and HBO Max bundle rose from $10 a month to $13 a month, a 30 percent jump. It is still cheaper than buying both services separately at retail, but a real increase for households already feeling subscription fatigue.
The Strategic Rationale
On the Q1 2026 earnings call, CEO Dan Schulman was direct. With the U.S. wireless market saturated, Verizon is pivoting from raw subscriber growth to higher average revenue per user. “We are very focused on driving higher revenue with every line. We are no longer giving away lines for free.” Behind that line is a multi year story in which Verizon shed roughly 2.25 million net postpaid phone customers, so the new promotions have to do two jobs at once: defend the base and justify the higher prices.
What New Promotions Did Verizon Launch After the 2026 Price Increase
Knowing that the $5 hike and the $3 streaming jump could trigger churn, Verizon rolled out a coordinated set of perks across myPlan and myHome.
1. Identity Secure and Verizon Family Plus on Unlimited Ultimate
To justify the $5 base increase, Verizon bundled two premium features into Unlimited Ultimate at no extra line cost.
- Identity Secure. Dark web password monitoring, premium VPN, and identity theft remediation.
- Verizon Family Plus. Advanced parental controls, content filtering, real time GPS location for family members, and data usage limits.
Verizon pegs the combined retail value at $15 a month. The pitch: pay $5 more, get $15 of bundled software back.
2. Waived Activation Fees
Verizon’s $40 per device activation fee has been one of the most resented line items on its bills. For online orders on Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, and Unlimited Ultimate, Verizon is now waiving that fee on new lines or bring your own device activations. The $40 still appears at checkout and is then credited back within one to two billing cycles.
3. The $100 e-Gift Card
Customers who add a new line online on any of the three Unlimited tiers and buy a new smartphone qualify for a $100 Verizon e-Gift card. Customers must file the redemption claim within 60 days of the order. The card is delivered digitally within about eight weeks.
4. Expanded myPlan Perks
Verizon also expanded the catalog of $10 myPlan perks. Pick and choose options now include Apple Music, Walmart+, Disney bundle tiers, and additional cloud storage. The more perks a household stacks, the more painful it becomes to switch carriers, which is exactly the point.
How the Math Actually Lands
Whether the new promotions outweigh the higher prices depends on what you actually use.
| Customer Type | Net Impact |
|---|---|
| Heavy family with parental controls and identity protection | Better. Bundled value exceeds the $5 increase. |
| Single line budget user on Unlimited Ultimate | Worse. Pays more for features they will not use. |
| Existing pre May 7 customer | Unchanged. Original locked price still applies. |
| New line shoppers buying a phone online | Better short term. $40 activation waiver plus the $100 e-gift card materially offset year one. |
Will It Stop the Churn
For power users who actually want Identity Secure or family tracking, Unlimited Ultimate is still a strong package. For value first customers who only need reliable 5G, the perks can feel like a distraction from a higher bill, and low cost MVNOs that ride on Verizon’s network are still tempting. The next two quarters will tell whether Schulman’s premium value bet halts the subscriber bleed or accelerates it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Verizon Unlimited Ultimate go up?
$5 per line per month as of May 7, 2026. A single line moved from $80 to $85.
Are existing customers grandfathered?
Customers who enrolled in Unlimited Ultimate before May 7, 2026 keep their original locked rate.
How do I get the $100 e-gift card?
Add a new line online on Unlimited Welcome, Plus, or Ultimate and buy a new smartphone, then file the redemption claim within 60 days.
Is the activation fee really waived?
Yes, on qualifying online orders, but it appears at checkout and is credited back within one to two billing cycles.
