This year, the major carriers in the US have been passing blows back and forth on who has the best pro-customer strategy in the business. However, after every good announcement, the veneer seems to quickly fade as the carriers reveal more nefarious anti-consumer policies. Verizon, however, is now stepping up with new customer benefits. But how does it compare to the competition?
T-Mobile announced increased benefits to their Carrier Freedom program earlier this year. Shortly after these benefits went into effect, they increased prices on tenured customers. Again. Ouch.
Meanwhile, over at AT&T, the company announced “AT&T Guarantee“, a boost in how they take care of their customers. They then announced “Switch and Save” which overall outpaces T-Mobile’s Carrier Freedom in value. But, they updated their autopay policy to decrease the amount of money customers save when using any card, debit or credit.
Now Verizon has announced new customer benefits in their “customer-first strategy“. They’ve taken a few major steps in offering more to their customers. And so far, there is no follow-up negative either.
Verizon’s new “Customer-First Strategy”
In the announcement, Verizon outlines three benefits for customers.
Price Lock Guarantee on all plans
Verizon has upped the ante with three years of price lock on all myPlan and myHome network plans. Customers do not need to do anything to obtain this – if you are on the plan, then you are good to go, and your three-year guarantee starts immediately. Plus, any time you change your myPlan, the three-year clock for price lock will start over.
This isn’t a one-and-done offer, either, as Verizon will let you lock it in over and over again. The price lock does not include taxes, fees, or perks on the plan, but that’s usually only a few bucks to worry about.
When compared to T-Mobile’s Price Lock, it’s both better and worse. On the surface, Verizon’s price lock doesn’t have a fine print where they can still raise rates anyway as long as they offer to pay your last month’s bill. That being said, T-Mobile’s prices lasted quite a lot longer than three years for customers before prices went up.
Free phone and home router guarantee
Whether you’re a new customer or an existing customer, on myPlan, you’ll get the same deals for trade-ins. Verizon also allows select phones to be traded in in any condition for full value. Routers for their myHome internet plan are also included at no additional cost or fee.
The most ways to save, only at Verizon
This benefit is a laundry list of things Verizon is already doing in addition to their base offerings.
Of note is free satellite text messaging on compatible devices on myPlan. That’s in stark contrast to T-Mobile’s Starlink satellite offering, which costs $15 per line for most customers (unless they’re on Go5G Next).
Plus, if you combine myPlan for wireless and myHome for internet, you’ll net a $15 per month discount. Add-on services like Netflix, Max, Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ get over 40% off on the myPlan and myHome services. That means getting all 5 services via Verizon is just $20 per month. That is a pretty great value.
Finally, paying your bill with Verizon’s credit card or a Verizon bank account can net you some bonus savings, too.
“Today marks the next strategic step of the consumer business transformation journey that began two years ago. We are redefining our relationship with consumers by building on our industry-leading network and innovative offerings. By giving unprecedented value and predictability across both mobile and home, we are establishing the new industry standard for a long-term customer relationship, supporting our path to improved retention, sustainable revenue growth, and long-term shareholder value.”
Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg
So, this leaves a big final question. Verizon has announced great benefits for their customers. To outpace their competition, all they have to do is not follow it up with a dig at their tenured customers. T-Mobile and AT&T couldn’t resist squeezing their base at the expense of flashy marketing with their programs. Time will tell if Verizon can hold firm. In the meantime, enjoy the peace of mind of a locked rate, a free phone, and other perks at Verizon, by clicking the button below.
