Verizon Wireless did away with unlimited data plans last year, forcing monthly limits onto all customers signing new contracts. Customers with unlimited plans before the switchover could keep them indefinitely, unless they decided to sign a new contract in order to get a cheaper (subsidized) phone.

That was true until a tiny miracle occurred this past weekend. Customers who went to Verizon's website to purchase a new, subsidized phone found that they were able to keep their unlimited plans, Droid Life reported Saturday.

Verizon admitted its mistake and won't force the customers onto limited plans. Some customers apparently had trouble completing their orders for unlimited data plans, but those who did not run into trouble can keep the unlimited data. A statement Verizon sent to Droid Life today reads as follows:

Over the past weekend, there was a software issue involving some orders for customers seeking to upgrade their devices. A number of customers who were upgrading devices were able to maintain an unlimited monthly data feature while paying a subsidized price. Verizon Wireless will honor those orders that were approved this past weekend, allowing those customers to retain their unlimited plans for the duration of their contract and receive their new device. Verizon Wireless corrected this software issue today (9/30). The company no longer offers unlimited data plans, and customers who want to retain existing unlimited data plans must pay full retail price for a replacement phone.

We've asked Verizon to confirm that statement and also how many people were able to upgrade while the glitch was active. We'll provide an update if we receive one.

Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam last week claimed that "physics" prevents unlimited data plans from being sustainable. Somehow, though, Sprint and T-Mobile have been able to circumvent the laws of physics in order to offer unlimited data to cellular subscribers.