Verizon announced on Thursday morning that it would be “disrupting the cable industry” by finally eliminating internet and TV bundles and by allowing consumers to choose the plans that best suit them with the new Mix & Match pricing scheme. Rather than offer a bunch of confusing bundles, Verizon has split its internet and TV packages into distinct options that have preset monthly rates and can be switched between at will every month.
This is clearly a step in the right direction for Verizon, and it’s also worth noting that the prices you see are the prices you get. Verizon promises that there are no hidden fees or surcharges or annual contracts, and that if you choose the cheapest Fios Internet plan for $39.99/month, that’s exactly what you’ll pay (plus taxes).
If you sign up for one of Verizon’s new Mix & Match plans, the first step will be to choose your internet speed:
- 100 Mbps: $39.99/month + home router for $15/month.
- 300 Mbps: $59.99/month + home router for $15/month.
- Gigabit connection: for $79.99/month + home router included.
Next, there are a variety of TV options to choose from, which go from $49.99 all the way up to $90/month:
- Fios TV Test Drive: Get access to over 425 channels for 60 days for $50/month, and at the end of the test drive, Verizon will recommend a TV plan that is best for you based on what you watched.
- Your Fios TV: 125+ channels for $50/month + set-top box for $12/month.
- More Fios TV: 300+ channels for $70/month + set-top box included.
- Most Fios TV: 425+ channels for $90/month + set-top box included + $12 DVR service credit.
- YouTube TV: 70+ channels for $49.99/month.
Finally, if you want home phone service as well, you can add that on for an additional $20/month.
“Customers have been loud and clear about their frustrations with cable, and we’ve listened,” Frank Boulben, Senior VP of Consumer Marketing and Products, explains. “As a result, we’re transforming our approach to Internet and TV offers by giving customers more choices and more transparency. Customers are tired of having to buy a bundle with services they don’t want to get the best rates, and then discover that those rates didn’t include extra fees and surcharges. We’re putting an end to the traditional bundle contract and putting customers in control.”
All told, the new plans could be more streamlined, but considering that I know half a dozen people in my own life that are currently locked into bundles they don’t even understand, this seems like a positive change. All new and existing customers can take advantage of these new contract-free Mix & Match plans.
