Bulgarian operator Vivacom has introduced five new ‘Unlimited’ plans, all with unlimited minutes, 5G data and SMS, but each offering different maximum speeds.

The Unlimited plans are available with maximum speeds of 2, 10, 100, or 300 Mbps, while the top plan, Max, has no speed cap. Prices range from BGN 18.99 (US $9.70) to BGN 59.99 (US $30.63) per month, with additional discounts for customers with fixed services.

Tarifica’s Take

Unlimited plans are becoming commonplace for mobile operators. However, while typical in fixed line services, unlimited data plans with speed tiers are rather less prevalent in the mobile marketplace.

A great deal of money, time and energy has been invested into 5G, both for developing the network infrastructure and for promoting the benefits of 5G to the public. Yet, many consumers are indifferent to the technology, and don’t feel a sense of urgency to upgrade, according to a recent study conducted by Deloitte. Given this attitude, consumers may simply not be prepared to pay a premium to upgrade to a network whose benefits they don’t see as required.

Vivacom’s unlimited speed tiers may help with this reluctance. Instead of paying a high price for high speeds that they aren’t sure they would use, consumers can choose to pay a more reasonable price for data at a speed they feel may be more appropriate for their needs. The lowest speed, at 2Mbps, is only BGN 18.99 (US $9.70), which is comparable to some of the lower-end 4G LTE plans from other providers, such as A1. And if a lower-speed plan feels too slow, consumers can always upgrade one level, paying a slightly higher price for a slightly higher speed.

Rather than being forced to jump into higher priced 5G speeds right away, Vivacom’s speed tiers will allow users to ease into the transition to 5G at a more measured pace. And that might be just the speed needed to help consumers overcome their reluctance.