New Verizon FiOS Customers Offered Month-to-Month Pricing With No Term Contract or Early-Termination Fees Required; Consumers Gain Peace of Mind With 'Worry-Free Guarantee'

NEW YORK, June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Customers ready to drop their cable provider can now make the switch to Verizon FiOS with added confidence, convenience and choice.  Effective immediately, all new Verizon FiOS customers can opt to pay for a bundle on a month-to-month basis – at the same prices charged to customers purchasing a term contract – and receive price protection for one year without an early-termination fee.

For customers who want two-year price protection, Verizon has expanded its 30-day FiOS Worry-Free Guarantee.

New FiOS consumers who order a Verizon bundle as part of a two-year contract can take advantage of the Worry-Free Guarantee, allowing them to cancel their service within 30 days of the date of activation, with no termination fee.

The month-to-month option and Worry-Free Guarantee expand upon offers introduced earlier this year in Florida and Pennsylvania and that have met with very favorable customer response.

The Worry-Free Guarantee now covers new bundled customers in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and the District of Columbia markets where FiOS is offered.  The month-to-month option is available in those states, plus the FiOS markets of Indiana, Oregon, South Carolina and Washington, which are in the process of being transitioned to Frontier Communications.

"We've listened closely to the market and heard potential customers say that FiOS offers faster, more reliable broadband service and crystal-clear TV pictures in any conditions, but that they want time to consider their switch from cable," said Mike Ritter, Verizon chief marketing officer for consumer wireline and business services. "We want customers to know that the shift to FiOS is the best move they can make; that a two-year commitment provides them with price protection for their home-entertainment needs; and that our month-to-month pricing option and Worry-Free Guarantee help reduce anxiety from their decision."

Contrary to competitors' claims, Verizon has always offered month-to-month bundles, at prices that were just $20 higher per month than the contract term bundles.  Now new FiOS customers can get the base FiOS bundle month-to-month, with no term contract or early-termination fee, for $99.99 per month before taxes, fees and customer-selected service additions, such as set-top boxes and premium channel choices, or the new La Conexion bundle, which includes the best in English and Spanish programming, for $89.99.  New customers can save an additional $5 per month on FiOS bundles when ordering online at www.verizon.com.

New customers will also receive EPIX or the FiOS TV Movie Package, which features more than 40 channels including SHOWTIME®, STARZ®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL®, ENCORE® and FLIX® – all free for a year with a triple-play bundle and free for three months with a double-play bundle.  This matches the current FiOS TV Movie Package offer for new term-contract customers.  

The month-to-month option, which comes with price protection for one year, also applies to other bundle offerings featuring higher broadband speeds and more HD programming.

The month-to-month and two-year term versions of the Worry-Free Guarantee in states not being transitioned to Frontier Communications also include:

• Flexible dates and times for installation appointments.
• Round-the-clock order status tracking at www.verizon.com/whatsnext.
• Premium installation by Verizon technicians including home network setup and in-home demonstration.
• Follow-up satisfaction call.
• 24 x 7 technical support by phone, at www.myverizon.com and through Verizon's exclusive In-Home Agent tool via the PC or TV.

Matt Davis, director of Consumer and Small Business Telecom Research for the global technology research firm IDC, believes that this strategy will resonate with consumers.

"IDC believes that this new strategy of increasing consumer flexibility – coupled with multiple year pricing certainty – will serve as a catalyst to attract new customers to Verizon's bundled service offerings," said Davis. "At the same time, because IDC's primary consumer research on the major TV, Internet and voice service providers indicates that existing Verizon bundle subscribers are highly likely to keep their Verizon bundle beyond their initial service agreement, we believe that Verizon will retain many of the new customers it acquires."

Added Verizon's Ritter: "We operate an unrivaled 100 percent fiber-optic network that allows us to offer the best TV and Internet technology, and we're committed to delivering a vastly improved customer service experience as well.  The customer is now more in control, and FiOS becomes an even safer choice because, if Verizon and FiOS do not deliver as advertised, customers have nothing to lose."

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving nearly 93 million customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world.  A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of more than 217,000 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $107 billion.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon