Verizon isn't very fond of unlimited data plans. The company hasn't offered one since 2011, has made efforts to kick users off grandfathered plans, and its CFO Fram Shammo notably declared that you "cannot make money on an unlimited video world" --- Verizon saw $8.0 billion in profit on $21.7 billion in second-quarter revenues, but I digress.

Well now the company is opening up to the idea of unlimited high-speed data, but with its own twist to keep usage under control: you can get either 30 minutes for $2 or 1 hour for $3. The timed limit under the new PopData program is meant so that you can enjoy an occasional spike in data usage without having to worry about your data cap --- for example, to download several music playlists, or enjoying a video stream when Wi-Fi is not an option.

PopData can be purchased from the My Verizon app on Android, iPhone and iPad devices, under Data Meter > Get More Data. It'll only be available if you are able to get a 4G signal in your location and if there's no network congestion, otherwise it will be grayed out.

When your session begins, a timer will start counting down to show how much time you've got left, and you'll also get a five-minute warning before the session concludes.

It's not a bad deal if you only occasionally need to use lots of data --- at least it'll be cheaper next to overage charges. For comparison, T-Mobile is now offering an unlimited high speed data plan for $70 per month, but has a number of strings attached, most notably when it comes to streaming video it's either SD quality or $3 a day for high quality.

The PopData program is in a beta phase right now. "The beta launch of PopData gives us an opportunity to learn more about how time-based data options resonate with our customers and how they engage with a digital-only experience through the My Verizon app," a Verizon spokeswoman said in a statement.