"Think back to just a few years ago. All we wanted was a cell phone to use when travelling. Then along came smart phones, then iPads, then more tablets, then shared data plans. It's all getting somewhat complex, it seems," Jim Hamm grins. He goes on to inform us, "Verizon's new shared data plan goes into effect June 28. So far, AT&T hasn't announced when they'll make their shared data plan effective — at least as far as I know. Here's an article that gives more details and a pricing comparison. Looking at the numbers, it might be a bit tricky to pick the right plan for your family."