- Verizon rolls out Simplicity, a new $45 plan that includes premium 5G with no network tiers
- The carrier is also bundling mobile and home internet under Verizon One to push its convergence strategy
- It’s also got a new loyalty program – one that Verizon says is better than T-Mobile Tuesdays
As part of Verizon’s customer-centric reboot, the carrier is launching “Verizon Simplicity,” which it dubs as “the industry’s most simple and cost-effective plan.”
Considering how horribly confusing the industry’s price plans are, it remains to be seen how close Verizon can come to delivering on that promise.
For now, here are the basics. Verizon says there are no network tiers with Simplicity; everyone gets the same 5G quality of service. In tandem with Simplicity, Verizon is launching Verizon One, a streamlined plan that combines mobile and home internet on one bill, with taxes and fees included. You know, convergence.
Part of Verizon’s bigger plan
Earlier this year, Verizon CEO Dan Schulman said Verizon would be coming out with a new “value proposition” this year based on a lot of in-depth market analysis. Is this that?
Not exactly, but it’s part of the overall value proposition that he talks about, according to Nancy Clark, chief product and revenue officer at Verizon.
“As Dan has said, we are on a journey to become truly a customer-first organization, and we do have a series of things that we will be launching that really look to break the industry mold and put customers first,” she told Fierce.
OK, onto the details.
The Simplicity Plan is $45, with an initial promotional offer of $30 per line for mobile customers who switch to Verizon. Every Simplicity customer gets access to Verizon’s 5G network, including the premium Ultra Wideband version, with no upcharge. There’s also an option to add home internet starting at $35 a month.
Verizon is also launching a new loyalty program, aptly called Verizon Loyalty. The loyalty program is available for all customers on any plan; customers access it via the Verizon app.
As part of Verizon Loyalty, activation and upgrade fees are eliminated. It introduces Verizon Dollars, which the company describes as a first-of-its-kind program that rewards mobile and Verizon home internet customers with 3% back in Verizon Dollars every month, just for being a customer.
Starting in July, Verizon Dollars can be applied toward devices, accessories or merchandise and offers from brands like Sephora, Roblox, Hilton, Marriott, Starbucks and more.
Verizon Shine, which sounds like “rise and shine,” gives customers a new offer every Monday, with chances to win once-in-a-lifetime experiences along with daily drops – seven days a week – that include tickets to concerts and sporting events, dining vouchers, gift cards and more.
Are they trying to emulate T-Mobile Tuesdays?
“I think what we are bringing to market is first of its kind and very differentiated from T-Mobile Tuesdays. If you look at the cash back and the rewards, that is something that nobody in telecom is doing right now. We think that's a differentiated offer and something unique that rewards our customers,” Clark said.
“We also think that our Verizon Shine program is better than T-Mobile Tuesdays because it's daily drops. It’s got these unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences,” she added.
Among the Verizon Shine sweepstakes lineup is a chance to have breakfast with Verizon ambassador David Beckham before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final on July 19.
On the convergence front, Verizon One is for customers new to Verizon who want both mobile and broadband service, starting at $70 a month.
“It’s all built on the simplicity construct, but it is our first offering of one bill, one place to get customer service, one way to buy your household services,” she said. “We see more and more customers want to buy all of their communications from one provider at one time.”
Verizon CEO's plan in motion
Roger Entner, founder of Recon Analytics, said Verizon’s new price and loyalty plans have CEO Dan Schulman written all over them. Before he was CEO of PayPal, Schulman was CEO of Virgin Mobile USA, an MVNO that grew to about 5 million customers before it was sold to Sprint in 2009.
A lot of Virgin Mobile’s success was taking the best ideas from other players and putting them in a better package, “and that’s what he’s doing here,” Entner told Fierce.
“The new thing here is they pulled all these elements together. What isn’t new are the elements,” he said.
Verizon One follows AT&T’s OneConnect, but it’s “$20 cheaper and 11 weeks later,” he quipped. “Simplicity is very similar to [AT&T’s] Build A Plan. Verizon Shine is like T-Mobile Tuesdays a decade later.”
One thing about Simplicity is it doesn’t have the multi-line discounts that the Verizon myPlan offers, which is why Verizon will continue to make myPlan available, he said.
All told, “now you have six price plans,” he said, and that doesn’t sound simple. “That is the challenge.”
But he gives Schulman and team a lot of credit for coming up with a more straightforward pricing strategy. “It’s a step in the right direction,” he said.
Morale at Verizon
As for talk that morale is low among Verizon employees right now, Entner quoted former Verizon CEO Denny Strigl, saying “happy people don’t make numbers. Numbers make happy people.”
Back in the Strigl days, “this was a carrier that was kicking ass and taking names. It was winning,” he said. Over the past several years under former CEO Hans Vestberg, “they got kicked around, and morale in a company that is losing accounts and market share is not a happy place.”
Soon into his tenure, Schulman announced a massive lay-off of more than 13,000 workers and he’s been candid about how AI is going to replace workers.
Naturally, morale is low, Entner said.
“When Verizon turns around, gains subscribers, gains accounts and wins, morale will soar,” he said.
Circling back to Clark, she said the latest price and loyalty plans are just the beginning. Since Schulman took over as CEO in October, they’ve been centered on putting the customer first.
“We’ve been doing a lot of work overall on our transformation strategy,” she said. “This will continue to evolve. The journey begins from here, and it’s a really good foundation for us to build forward from.”