Many analysts had expected otherwise and said the carrier would use ThunderBolt as a way to end unlimited data plans, although that step could still occur in a future Verizon announcement.

Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney on Tuesday repeated earlier Verizon statements that Verizon "will move to some type of usage-based pricing this year...The unlimited smartphone plan in the [ThunderBolt] announcement this morning is all we are announcing right now."

In an interview, Raney said usage-based pricing doesn't automatically mean there will be an upper-end cap with overage charges, as its competitor AT&T has implemented. AT&T has two smartphone data plans: 200 MB for $15 a month (and $15 more for 200 MB in overages), and 2GB for $25 a month (with $10 more for an additional 1GB for overage).

Asked if usage-based pricing means there will be an upper cap, Raney said, "Not necessarily, but I have no idea of the pricing model."

Verizon CFO Fran Shammo told investors on March 1 that would be coming from Verizon probably by mid-summer, adding: "We will be launching the HTC ThunderBolt very shortly here and then that will give you a flavor of our tiered-pricing structure going forward."