Oh-boy, will Verizon put a hurting on PP?

[CA]

Verizon's looking to put some pressure on the prepaid carriers of the world — the company just announced a new $80 prepaid plan that offers unlimited calling, texting, and 1GB of data. There are a few catches, of course: you'll need to purchase the Samsung Illusion for $169.99 to use along with this plan, and thus you'll be stuck on 3G data speeds. Still, that's a good bit cheaper than Verizon's current prepaid smartphone offering, which costs a rather insane $94.99 for unlimited talk and text, plus another $30 for unlimited data. The Illusion is also significantly cheaper than Verizon's current prepaid smartphone offerings, and while it's not going to turn many heads, it should be capable enough for its target market.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/30/29...repaid-hotspot

[Bobby J]

That wont hurt pp as they have a unlimited talk and text and 1 gb data for $55.00 that is the plan i have now.

[Caturday]

Completely different target markets. Page Plus is for people who want a smartphone without much data, intending to use WiFi for data. And it's a great option for people who want access to a good network for really cheap. Nothing can beat Page Plus for a basic cheap calling and texting plan.

[fonezfonz]

Verizon puts hurtings on Page Plus (and other mvnos) in other ways, like banning prepaid Verizon phones, not allowing 4g devices (which even Verizon prepaid doesn't have on their phones, they do have LTE broadband prepaid/tablet plans though), and officially not allowing the iphone cdma types (though they do slip through...).

Verizon has no prepaid dealer program to speak of (along with Att), so Page Plus is an alternative to access the Verizon network via mvno status for them. Verizon prepaid does business through their own retail stores (which push postpaid anyway) and big box stores. Page Plus goes for all the business that slips in between the cracks (which are getting bigger).

There is no Page Plus presence at my local Target, Walmart, Radio Shack, etc , whereas Verizon prepaid (as overpriced as it is) is everywhere just about.

On value, Page Plus wins, on availability via BM stores, Verizon prepaid does.

In practice, it's a tossup. Page Plus doesn't have the overhead Verizon does and has operated on a shoestring for years (which is why they're still around and Espn, Disney, Ampd, et al aren't). For Verizon, prepaid is a drop in the bucket, though it's becoming an ever increasingly larger drop.

There are markets for both. Some overlap for sure, but basically different markets.

Verizon hurting Page Plus? With the rate breaks Page Plus has been giving out (price drops, portion increases, expiration increases) and Verizon being behind them, hurting them? Hardly. At least , not in that way...

[26.2]

http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/30/29...repaid-hotspot

Let me think about this real hard for one second....NO.

Why would I pay Verizon 80 dollars, when I can pay Page Plus 55 dollars (same exact network, same exact 3g, same amount of voice, same amount of text, and most importantly same amount of 3g data - 1GB).

Oh I almost forgot the Verizon plan for 80 dollars only offers one phone at this time ( I would assume one or two other lower end 3g phones will be added in future). The Page Plus plan is BYOB, any 3g Verizon phone (no prepaid or IPhone).

I may be dumb but I sure am not stupid.

[CA]

Yet, I wonder who will have more customers next year. Don't get me wrong, but who will Verizon reps recommend with credit challenged people. That alone, imo, is what will give PP heartburn.

And I do have PP for when ATT farts out on me!

[Caturday]

Yet, I wonder who will have more customers next year. Don't get me wrong, but who will Verizon reps recommend with credit challenged people. That alone, imo, is what will give PP heartburn.

And I do have PP for when ATT farts out on me!

Seems to me like anyone even considering Verizon prepaid must have never heard of Page Plus, or at the very least they know nothing about it or just want things to be "easy." I know that among my friends and family, I am the only one who has ever heard of Page Plus.

It is AMAZING how much extra people will pay to avoid perceived hassles. Hence the huge numbers of people signing up for two year contracts, paying $130+ for two phone lines, and so on.

That applies to all sorts of areas too. Car enthusiasts probably feel the same way about people who bring their cars to dealerships and pay huge amounts of money for simple repairs and maintenance that they could easily do themselves. Computer geeks laugh at people who don't build their own PCs. If you're into homemade crafts, a whole lot of things in Target are going to look overpriced.

[Morphling27]

Seems to me like anyone even considering Verizon prepaid must have never heard of Page Plus, or at the very least they know nothing about it or just want things to be "easy." I know that among my friends and family, I am the only one who has ever heard of Page Plus.

It is AMAZING how much extra people will pay to avoid perceived hassles. Hence the huge numbers of people signing up for two year contracts, paying $130+ for two phone lines, and so on.

That applies to all sorts of areas too. Car enthusiasts probably feel the same way about people who bring their cars to dealerships and pay huge amounts of money for simple repairs and maintenance that they could easily do themselves. Computer geeks laugh at people who don't build their own PCs. If you're into homemade crafts, a whole lot of things in Target are going to look overpriced.

What does it make me? I use prepaid to save gobs of money, do most of my own car work and love it, and I build all my computers and troubleshoot myself...? Am I car geek computer enthusiast who is cheap?

[Caturday]

What does it make me? I use prepaid to save gobs of money, do most of my own car work and love it, and I build all my computers and troubleshoot myself...? Am I car geek computer enthusiast who is cheap?

Sounds like me!

[Boz1]

What does it make me? I use prepaid to save gobs of money, do most of my own car work and love it, and I build all my computers and troubleshoot myself...? Am I car geek computer enthusiast who is cheap?

WAIT! Don't shoot yourself! Oh...you said "troubleshoot myself"...nevermind...

[fonezfonz]

Verizon and Page Plus are integrated. Page Plus would not exist without Verizon and Verizon would lose a big chunk of their wholesale business without Page Plus. Of course Verizon reps will let the credit challenged know about Verizon prepaid. However, Verizon prepaid, as RELATIVELY expensive as it is is still a bargain compared to anything on anyone out there just FOUR short years ago when $100 unlimited talk alone was a big deal and everyone was just going to join the $100 club. Prices have dropped overall RADICALLY in those four years. Even Virgin Mobile was $80 for unlimited talk ONLY at that time.
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/S...ing-Plan-92233 And did they even have Androids, Hspa+, Wimax or any of that available on prepaid at the time? Heck no.

Verizon prepaid IS expensive. But again, that's RELATIVE to say Boost Mobile, Metro PCS, Cricket, et al.

Page Plus is cheap relative to Verizon and about par with the rest. If Verizon prepaid is the MOST expensive, wireless carrier out there in prepaid today, things aren't really all that bad.

And again, Verizon and Page Plus have some overlap but are after pretty different demographics in general. And they are both doing very well. Verizon with its 4G LTE tablet/prepaid broadband offerings (to be launched May 1) and Page Plus with its traditional combo of unlimited (just about ) cdma byod, great prices/plans and the Verizon backboned network...

Verizon hurting Page Plus would be like a parent hurting its child. What's the point?

[Pabster]

Verizon and Page Plus are integrated. Page Plus would not exist without Verizon and Verizon would lose a big chunk of their wholesale business without Page Plus.

Yes, but Big Red doesn't "need" Page Plus. The opposite is most definitely NOT true. Page would not exist if they announced they were moving to Sprint coverage, for example. We both know that...

Verizon hurting Page Plus would be like a parent hurting its child. What's the point?

Do we have any figures, even ballpark, on how much revenue we're talking relative to Page Plus, or, hell, all the Verizon MVNO business? Something tells me it is but a blip on the balance sheet. I still think Verizon will put down "the hurt" by offering LTE access on Verizon Prepaid but not allowing the MVNOs to use LTE. That would justify the higher price points for native Verizon Prepaid service. Just my opinion, I may be wrong, hope I am...

[fonezfonz]

Yes, but Big Red doesn't "need" Page Plus. The opposite is most definitely NOT true. Page would not exist if they announced they were moving to Sprint coverage, for example. We both know that...



Do we have any figures, even ballpark, on how much revenue we're talking relative to Page Plus, or, hell, all the Verizon MVNO business? Something tells me it is but a blip on the balance sheet. I still think Verizon will put down "the hurt" by offering LTE access on Verizon Prepaid but not allowing the MVNOs to use LTE. That would justify the higher price points for native Verizon Prepaid service. Just my opinion, I may be wrong, hope I am...

Prepaid is a small but growing section of Verizon. They have about 5 million prepaid vs over 100 million contract users . But considering Page Plus has probably between 1-2 million users (very rough estimate) and growing, they are an important part of one of Verizon's few growth segments, prepaid/mvno/wholesale.

Did I say Verizon needed Page Plus more then the other way around? Of course not. But Page Plus is a good chunk of a growing section that Verizon is pulling increasingly more revenue from. And look at even Verizon prepaid vs just 2-3 years ago. LTE mifi plans, iPad/Tablet LTE data plans, Usb broadband, smartphone plans, $50 unlimited everything feature phone plans. Are they competitive with the lowend of prepaid? Hell no. Do they want to be? Well, that's what mvnos are for, eh?

Att has a numerically superior roster of mvnos but I don't think any one of them has the numbers of Page Plus singlehandedly (even H20 has probably only 500,000 to 750,000).

All mvnos are like the children, stepchildren or otherwise offspring of their parent carriers and each parent carrier has a vested interest for the most part to see them do well against their competitors. If Verizon prepaid is the first born son, then Page Plus is the adopted son. Maybe lesser in stature in some people's eyes but still a part of the family.

Verizon doesn't need any mvno but it does make it a little easier for them to make money in the prepaid battlefront. Just ask Sprint and Att. Their mvno divisions are going off overtime.

Verizon? They are and will continue to be a postpaid player but increasingly prepaid and Mvnos like Page plus are more valuable to them then ever before.

Page Plus is a small player but relatively speaking they are doing very well in both numbers and growth.

[Jairzinho]

Att has a numerically superior roster of mvnos but I don't think any one of them has the numbers of Page Plus singlehandedly (even H20 has probably only 500,000 to 750,000)

You forgot about Tracfone. I'm sure there are many more millions of users using Tracfone/at&t network (SIMC4) than PagePlus subscribers. I even suspect there may be more Tracfone users under at&t than under GoPhone itself.

[tracnet]

You forgot about Tracfone. I'm sure there are many more millions of users using Tracfone/at&t network (SIMC4) than PagePlus subscribers. I even suspect there may be more Tracfone users under at&t than under GoPhone itself.

I agree. But then again any subscriber stat's/numbers seem to be speculation and WAG's anyway.