Will Verizon's prepaid plans have a big impact?

Verizon Wireless‘s announcement of prepaid plans with data options seemed to be a big deal. The carrier is offering up most of its handset lineup for purchase and use on prepaid, for $5 more than its postpaid options. That means a customer willing to pay full price for a handset and a small premium for service can enjoy Verizon’s prepaid coverage. Just how many people will this attract? According to Forbes, not too many. They have an interesting article, complete with manipulatable forecast charts, that explain why this won’t be a big win for Verizon in prepaid. ]]>

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2 Comments

  1. Mike Freeman on September 15, 2010 at 1:26 am

    Verizon’s prepaid plans will not have any impact on sub growth. It is only a non contract way of getting the same things they have on postpaid (phone selection) without the subsidized (cheaper or free phones), no cost on roaming (free on postpaid vs 20 cents a minute on prepaid) and five dollars more for prepaid.
    Granted, Verizon prepaid offers some options that Verizon postpaid doesn’t, but overall…big yawn.
    Their 49.99 unlimited talk/text plan down South , extended through October 8 is way more exciting even though they don’t allow smartphones/touchscreens/html browsers. Oh well, did anyone actually think that Verizon was going to give up the whole ball of wax to the lowly prepaid unwashed masses?
    No way.



  2. Andrew on September 21, 2010 at 8:38 pm

    i got the best of both worlds.. i been using a blackberry on prepaid for 2 years now. i get unlimited nights and weekends and unlimited text and my data usage is free. no hacks or anything, the blackberry works as it should. only pay $20 a month. but then im a grandfathered alltel prepaid customer. either way im still on verizon and been using a blackberry.. lol