Verizon said back in May that it's planning to launch family data "mega-plans" that would allow family plan users to share data much in the same way the current plans allow them to share minutes. It looks like those mega-plans may soon be upon us, as the folks at Smartphone Boss have heard from an "extremely solid source" that Verizon is planning to introduce the family data plans in the middle of August. The tipster claims that employee training on the plans is currently underway and that Verizon wants all of its workers to be familiar with the new offerings as soon as possible.

So what kinds of family data options does Verizon have up its sleeve, you ask? According to Smartphone Boss's source, customers with smartphones will be able to choose between 5GB and 10GB plans. Meanwhile, smartphone users that also want mobile hotspot or USB data card access will be able to step up to 7GB or 12GB plans. There's no mention of what options tablet owners have, but Verizon's current individual data plans for hotspots and slates are fairly similar, so I wouldn't be surprised to see tablets grouped in with the 7GB and 12GB plans.

There's no word yet on pricing for these family data plans, but it's said that they'll work much like minutes are shared on a family plan. That means that the primary line on the account will be charged the full price for the data add-on and each additional line can gain access to the data bucket for $9.99 per month.

We'll have to wait until pricing for Verizon's family data packs comes to light before making any final judgments, but these new plans could be a good choice for accounts that have three, four, or even five lines with data-hungry devices. If Verizon is indeed planning to roll family data mega-packs out in the middle of next month, we should be hearing more about them soon. Anyone thinking of jumping on board with these new plans?

Via Smartphone Boss