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Verizon Offers 'For Life' DSL Pricing
What's 768kbps worth in the year 2048?

Taking their cue from a similar Qwest plan, Verizon has started offering DSL customers a fixed price for life if they sign a two-year contract. The deal, which only lasts until October 31, lets new 768kbps ($14.99) and 3Mbps ($27.99) customers retain current pricing for life if they sign up for a two-year contract. Of course, this does not include the cost of local phone service.

With fewer dial-up migrations, broadband operators are now placing more attention on locking customers in with contracts. Human contact is also increasingly costing you extra; according to the press release, Verizon charges more for the same speed if you call a service rep instead of ordering online:
quote:
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The plan is also available by calling a Verizon customer service representative at 1-800-742-5375, with pricing ranging from $17.99 to $19.99 a month for a connection speed of up to 768 kbps and $27.99 to $29.99 a month for a connection speed up to 3 Mbps.
Note that a one-year contract nets customers that same price, so unless you really think 768kbps DSL is going to increase in price drastically during your life span, the deal doesn't make any sense. In fact, 768kbps may not even officially qualify as broadband in a few years.
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dslwanter
20 years on this site
Premium Member
join:2002-12-16
Mineral Ridge, OH

dslwanter

Premium Member

Sounds like...

SBC (AT&T) 3 years ago, get with the times Verizon. You should be offering those prices without a commitment, 768kbps won't be worth a jack 2 years from now.

koolman2
Premium Member
join:2002-10-01
Anchorage, AK

koolman2

Premium Member

Re: Sounds like...

We said exactly that about 256 kbps two years ago, and guess what! We were right!

Jodokast96
Stupid people piss me off.
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
NJ

Jodokast96

Premium Member

Re: Sounds like...

Not worth it at all for $25 a year.

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds

Premium Member

Re: Sounds like...

said by Jodokast96:

Not worth it at all for $25 a year.
Especially not worth it when AT&T has 768/128 DSL Lite? at only $10.00/month for the next 18 or more months.

Even if people complain they can't find it.

»Getting $10 AT&T DSL Still a Pain? [33] comments

»Getting $10 AT&T DSL No Easy Task [58] comments

»AT&T $10 DSL Today [58] comments

Jodokast96
Stupid people piss me off.
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
NJ

Jodokast96

Premium Member

Re: Sounds like...

Who cares about AT&T? Since you can't choose between the two it doesn't matter what the other offers.

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium Member
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30

Doctor Olds

Premium Member

Re: Sounds like...

said by Jodokast96:

Who cares about AT&T? Since you can't choose between the two it doesn't matter what the other offers.
There are some areas that are served by both. It is not many, but they do exist.

dslwanter
20 years on this site
Premium Member
join:2002-12-16
Mineral Ridge, OH
·Armstrong
Ubiquiti UniFi AP-LR
Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X SFP

dslwanter to Jodokast96

Premium Member

to Jodokast96
said by Jodokast96:

Who cares about AT&T? Since you can't choose between the two it doesn't matter what the other offers.
The fact of the matter is they are telco companies and offer the same type of service. With the exception of course their nexgen plans being different, but that's irrelevant here.

I do see what you're saying though. They can easily have the "who cares" attitude because they are technically the phone utility for any given area, never competing with the exception of a few areas mentioned above, though very few who live on the border of system boundaries. Same applies for cable systems when you think about it.
LiquidSean
join:2007-08-05
Purcellville, VA

LiquidSean

Member

The real way to get new customers...

If they want Mucho new customers, the only thing to do is to provide HSI to the boonies. But, I guess that's what WiMax'll be for...

Dezbend
MVM
join:2001-04-20

Dezbend

MVM

Existing cusotmers and new promotions...

or give it to me with no term

Verizon and Qwest require a 2-year term to get the price for life, but Embarq has been doing it with no term.

It is important to know if Verizon allows existing customers to take advantage of new promotions... if not it seems silly locking yourself into a price for life with a product that has seen price decreases over the past few years.
caco
Premium Member
join:2005-03-10
Whittier, AK

caco

Premium Member

No Fios for you!

Sounds to me if you have this offered in your area, you will not be getting FIOS anytime soon. Maybe even in your lifetime.

swintec
Premium Member
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME

swintec

Premium Member

What Happens..

What happens to us Mainers when they sell us to Fairpoint? Do we get to keep the price for life?
whiteyonenh
join:2004-08-09
Keene, NH

whiteyonenh

Member

Re: What Happens..

said by swintec:

What happens to us Mainers when they sell us to Fairpoint? Do we get to keep the price for life?
That might be an interesting question, considering the pending sale. I know a few people that definitely won't be happy with the prices that are currently priced out for other Fairpoint areas, and knowing that they will most likely not move over to Comcast, as there is no reason for them to pay more for the increase in speed. These are former dial-up users that truthfully don't need more than the 768/128 DSL.
jebba2005
join:2005-01-13
Portland, ME

jebba2005

Member

Re: What Happens..

Oh Unfairpoint.

kenn10
join:2003-09-10
Highlands, NC

kenn10

Member

Unusually High Call Volume

Well, for existing customers wishing to extend their service with the one year plan, the web site does not work (IE6, IE7 or Firefox.)

If you call, you get "Due to unusually high call volume, all our lines are full. Please call back later."
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

1 edit

jc10098

Member

HELL NO

What happen to the old days where you kept customers by offering a good service? Who in their right mind would lock themselves into a contract, especially with an internet provider? If something better or faster comes along, you are stuck for the duration (2 yrs). Not to mention, if the service starts having lots of problems, you are also out of luck. You can try to fight them on a non performance clause, but your headache level might skyrocket before you get out of it. Hence, anyone who buys into this offer is a complete and utter fool. Then again, those type of people are born every minute.

hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium Member
join:2005-06-29
Florence, SC

hayabusa3303

Premium Member

2048

Thats about the year that everyone will have dsl.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

gimmick

It's just another marketing gimmick. "For life" should be defined. The mergers of at least 1/2 dozen local phone companies now make-up Verizon. Have any former "for life" programs actually held up? Hmm, I doubt it. When a telco has an incentive to offer it's customers a contract... that's when you should start RUNNING the OTHER way.. as in cable, or another alternative.

Signing up for a long-term contract with Verizon gives them carte blanch to abuse the relationship. Same thing goes with a cable company. Besides, if you don't already live in an area with FIOS or comparable product, I recommend moving. Even the "BIGGEST" dsl offering (cough,cough AT&T isn't worth signing a contract.. not that you have to, AT&T signed one for $10 768kbit dsl as a concession to acquire bELL sOUTH. Try to sign up for at&t's $10 plan and all they'll give you is "B/S".. no it doesn't stand for bell south..


Dolgan
Premium Member
join:2005-10-01
Madison, WI

Dolgan

Premium Member

Re: gimmick

It is only about customer retention. Verizon has learned that locking customers into long term contracts is the one of the few ways that they can keep their dwindling copper line service base in areas that have competition. The Execs keep thinking line loss is due to the emergence of Cellphones and Cable Co Phone service. The reality is that Verizon has all but abandoned their copper lines by performing no maintainence, not staffing enough field techs to keep up with the workload, and ignoring the needs/wants of their copperline customers.

The deployment of 7/1 DSL, more RTs, and equipping more COs with DSL should have been going hand in hand with the FIOS Rollout in the areas that will not be seeing FIOS for 10+ years{if they ever will see it}. The BS about having to "Lineshare" with the CLECs as a reason to not deploy/upgrade/maintain the lines is moot in a majority of the ex-GTE Areas as there are no CLECs. The biggest competition in the ex-GTE areas are Cable Cos and Cellphones. Verizon is losing the race against the competition in most of these areas, and this is just another lackluster attempt of fixing a problem by putting a band-aid on it.


T1 Rocky
join:2002-11-15
Dallas, TX

T1 Rocky

Member

Lock in technology?

In 1999, a T1 from Verizon cost $3000 per month. Today it costs $400 per month. I bought a $3000 lap top in 2004 that disentigrated in 2 years. Why would anyone invest in todays technology long term? What a great deal!!

brooklynman4
join:2004-09-07
Brewster, NY

brooklynman4

Member

Re: Lock in technology?

Thats not life time it has a end year on it so they should change that.

batterup
I Can Not Tell A Lie.
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ

batterup to T1 Rocky

Premium Member

to T1 Rocky
said by T1 Rocky:

In 1999, a T1 from Verizon cost $3000 per month. Today it costs $400 per month. I bought a $3000 lap top in 2004 that disentigrated in 2 years. Why would anyone invest in todays technology long term? What a great deal!!
Why would anyone sign up for a two year cell phone contract?

sivran
Vive Vivaldi
Premium Member
join:2003-09-15
Irving, TX

sivran

Premium Member

Re: Lock in technology?

Why sign up for a contract at all unless you use a massive amount of minutes? Pre-paid all the way!.

Ream0
@rr.com

Ream0

Anon

Bring It On!

....Oh wait,DSL isn't available in my area. Verizon promised to deploy it back in 1998 but didn't deliver.

This looks like a cheesy attempt to trick a few prospective customers.


Rob A
Adjusting
Premium Member
join:2005-01-17
Pompton Plains, NJ

Rob A

Premium Member

$27

Nice price for 3Mbps. I actually only pay $24.99/month for my verizon dsl 3Mbps/768Kbps (I bundle all 3 services) with no commitment. But if it evers goes up I'll sign the 2 yr agreement.
alanisrox69
join:2005-03-29

alanisrox69

Member

...

Yeah they should be spending time and money deploying faster DSL. 3mbps just doesn't cut it anymore.

Who cares about lifetime pricing. 3mbps will be $15 from other companies in 5 years or less.....

halfband
Premium Member
join:2002-06-01
Huntsville, AL

1 edit

halfband

Premium Member

Re: ...

said by alanisrox69:

Yeah they should be spending time and money deploying faster DSL. 3mbps just doesn't cut it anymore.
Verizon is spending all their time and money deploying FIOS. They are not going to be doing any kind of extensive DSL upgrades. Now AT&T is a different animal.
ncbill
Premium Member
join:2007-01-23
Winston Salem, NC

ncbill

Premium Member

No deal, service just keeps getting cheaper

Started with the cable company for $45/month in 2003.

Switched to Earthlink cable for $42/month in 2004.

Switched to AT&T DSL for $10 month this July, price good through the end of 2009.

Offered $30/month by Earthlink when I called to cancel.

If I ever go back to cable broadband it's clear I won't have to pay more than $30/month.

Can't imagine what price wars there will be when WiMax and other wireless gets deployed locally.

batterup
I Can Not Tell A Lie.
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ

batterup

Premium Member

Two years is too long.

I will have FIOS before two years is up.
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