On Monday, Verizon Wireless introduced data-sharing plans that will give users a monthly allotment of data to be used across all of their devices. This means that if you have a phone and an iPad, for example, you can share one data plan. Or if you have a family, each member can share the plan, too.

With this new shared-data model, unlimited data is still not an option (Verizon eliminated that earlier this year), but customers will be forced into unlimited voice and text plans. And all of this is set to kick in at the end of this month.

"Just when people have started using fewer voice minutes and text messages, Verizon's response is to make them buy unlimited voice and texts,” said Matt Wood, Free Press policy director. “You may want or need less, but they’re making you buy more.”

So what does that mean for you?

"It's possible that some families already on shared voice and text plans will see lower prices, while most individuals will definitely pay more,” Wood said. “But make no mistake: This pricing change is not about saving you money; it's about preserving Verizon's industry-leading profit margins."

The new option to share data will push customers to pay more for a limited amount of data, and it comes with a fee just to connect a device to the network. Even before using any shared data, a family of four would have to pay $160 each and every month just to connect four smartphones to Verizon's network.

“Imagine the power company offering you a shared electricity plan but charging you more for every device you plug into an outlet,” Wood said. “It makes no sense for consumers — and it’s all about dollars and cents for Verizon. The main goal of these new plans is to get consumers sharing more of their money with Verizon. These tactics show just how uncompetitive the market for wireless services has become, as Verizon and AT&T gobble up spectrum, tie more products together and lock customers into bad deals.”

If you care about preserving competition and choice in the wireless market, please consider a donation to the Free Press Action Fund.