Tuesday dropped two big announcements from Verizon. One is the Shine loyalty program. We’ll save that for later. The other is two new plans designed specifically for people ready to jump ship.
If you bring your number to Verizon, the Simplicity Plan costs $30 a month. $45 if you stick with your old provider, but let’s focus on the discount.
Unlimited data. Roaming in Canada and Mexico. 10GB of high-speed hotspot data. Satellite texting.
For that price, you beat the entry-level Unlimited Welcome plan by $5. More importantly, you win on speed. That cheaper Welcome tier caps your 5G speeds. You want the ultra-fast stuff? You’re out of luck. The Simplicity Plan actually unlocks those 5G Ultra Wideband speeds where the infrastructure exists.
It’s pitched as simple. Barebones connectivity. Add-ons optional. Want Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus? They’ve got bundles for “Movie and Show Lovers” (ads included, naturally). It’s a la carte in a world of rigid tiers. You pick your data. Then you cherry-pick perks.
Phones aren’t the bottleneck anymore. Device payment plans stretch across 12 to 48 months.
But the naming gets… sticky.
Want to upgrade your phone yearly? You don’t pick a different plan. You pick a label. Simplicity Plus. Simplicity Pro. These aren’t plan tiers. They’re price brackets based on the device. An iPhone 17 Pro falls under Simplicity Pro. A budget burner? Just Simplicity. And there is no yearly upgrade option for the latter. Simple isn’t always synonymous with intuitive.
Then there is the bundle. Verizon One.
$70 a month. Taxes and fees included. No hidden math.
In Seattle, my current setup runs about $90 plus taxes when you add home internet to a single line mobile plan. The mobile specs on Verizon One mirror the Simplicity plan exactly. Home internet speed depends on where you live. FiOS? You start at 500Mbps. Other areas might be slower. Upgrades cost more, obviously.
The deal looks good on paper. The names are confusing. The savings are real if you move.
Whether the simplicity lasts beyond the first billing cycle is another story. 📉
