Verizon would offer service without a contract starting this week. Yesterday, the news became official. While it’s no INpulse, there are a number of advantages to Verizon’s new plans. Of course, since they’re not really prepaid, there are also a number of disadvantages which might turn off a typical prepaid user. No contract means no phone subsidy. So if you’re a new customer and either don’t have a phone, or only have a handset not compatible with the Verizon network, this might not be the best idea for you. Those retail prices can get pretty high. It does, however, present the option to go on eBay (or find some other third party vendor) and pick up a used phone on the cheap. As long as it’s Verizon-compatible, you can use it with the month to month plans. The downside is that yes, it will require you to pass a credit check. It’s not quite prepaid, really, although you don’t have to sign a contract. You pay after the fact, and no one’s going to let you get away with that without a credit check. Perhaps if this is successful, it will lead to a prepaid option in the same vein. It would be a nice replacement for the forgotten EasyPay plans. Click on the image for a larger version
