Press Releases June 16, 2026 07:00 AM

Verizon Breaks Industry Mold to Put Customers First

Verizon launches industry-first loyalty program and simpler pricing plans to enhance customer experience and reduce friction.

By Nina Shah
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Verizon Communications announced a major customer-focused transformation including an industry-first loyalty program rewarding all customers with Verizon Dollars, the elimination of device activation and upgrade fees, a new simple and affordable Simplicity plan offering premium 5G access for all customers, and the Verizon One converged plan combining mobility and home internet for one bill. These initiatives aim to simplify plans, reward loyalty, and drive revenue and EBITDA growth with no change to 2026 financial guidance.

Verizon Breaks Industry Mold to Put Customers First
VZ
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Key Points

  • Verizon introduces a loyalty program for all customers, offering 3% back in Verizon Dollars redeemable on devices and top brand partners.
  • Elimination of device activation and upgrade fees, saving customers up to $40 per device.
  • Launch of Simplicity plan at $45/month with best 5G network access and customizable bundles, plus Verizon One plan combining mobility and home internet for $70/month inclusive of taxes and fees.
  • Marketing campaigns featuring well-known personalities to highlight simplicity and customer benefits.

Introduces Industry-First Loyalty Program for All Customers with Cash Back in Verizon Dollars, Daily Surprises, and the End of Device Upgrade and Activation Fees

Launches Breakthrough “Simplicity Plan” and Converged “Verizon One Plan”

NEW YORK, June 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verizon (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) today announced the next step in its ongoing transformation, replacing complexity and friction with simplicity and true customer choice. The company is putting its customers first – existing and new – by redefining loyalty and eliminating activation and upgrade fees. As part of the customer-centered reboot, Verizon is also launching “Verizon Simplicity,” the industry’s most simple and cost-effective plan. With Simplicity, there are no network tiers; everyone gets Verizon’s best 5G network. Also available starting today, the company launched Verizon One, a streamlined plan that combines Mobility and Home on one bill with taxes and fees included.

"We’re fundamentally reshaping Verizon inside and out to put the customer at the center of everything we do. We’re listening, designing for them, and moving faster than we ever have before,” said Dan Schulman, Verizon CEO. “For too long, this industry has burdened people with complex plans, forced upgrades they don’t need, and so-called ‘rewards’ with tons of caveats. We are working to ensure everything that we do is simple, clear and delightful.”

Today’s announcement is part of Verizon’s multi-year transformation, redefining its relationship with customers now and for the long-term.

“With today’s news, we’re doubling down on what customers actually want: simpler experiences, less friction and more rewards for being a customer. We’re putting meaningful value back in their pockets, and making it feel easy and intuitive,” said Alfonso Villanueva, Interim CEO, Verizon Consumer Group and Verizon Chief Transformation Officer.

Customer-First and Industry-First

Verizon Loyalty: The only loyalty program for ALL customers on any plan.

The end of Device Upgrade and Activation fees. The beginning of Verizon Dollars & Verizon Shine. Rollout starts today.

  • Goodbye Activation and Upgrade Fees: In an industry first, all postpaid customers on all phone and connected device plans can opt-in to Verizon’s Loyalty program and say goodbye to activation and upgrade fees – that’s up to $40 in fees per device. Verizon is removing these common industry charges for all postpaid customers. Opt-in in one simple step through the My Verizon app.
  • Hello Verizon Dollars: A first-of-its-kind program that rewards customers with 3% back in Verizon Dollars every single month, just for being a customer. Starting in July, Verizon Dollars can be redeemed for devices, accessories or up to 5x for each Verizon Dollar from top brands including Sephora, Hilton, Marriott, Starbucks and more. “Customers reward us with their loyalty every month. Verizon Dollars lets us reward them back, on their terms,” said Villanueva. “Not just some customers, on some plans, but for all. Customers earn Dollars every single month just for being with us, and we let them choose how to spend it.”
  • Wake up to Verizon Shine! Every Monday, Every Day, All Year-Round: The loyalty program that gives customers a reason to look forward to Monday, all year-round. All Verizon customers on any plan can enter weekly for a chance to win once-in-a-lifetime experiences, alongside daily drops including tickets to concerts and sporting events, exclusive merchandise, dining vouchers, gift cards and more.

Once-in-a-lifetime Verizon Shine sweepstakes will drop every Monday, providing customers with a chance to enter to win a diverse lineup of all-expense paid experiences across music, food, culture and sports:

  • June 22: FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final: Trip to New York for a VIP Event with David Beckham & tickets to the Final FIFA World Cup 2026™ match
  • June 29: VIP experience at Outside Lands festival, including a meet & greet with artist Sienna Spiro
  • July 6: Exclusive New York City food tour with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern
  • July 13: Flyaway trip to experience the first-ever NFL game in Australia
  • July 20: Flyaway & VIP Access to Netflix House Dallas
  • July 27: VIP experience with surprise musical artist to be revealed on June 23!
  • August 3: Flyaway experience to France for 2026 NFL Paris game
  • August 10: Young Miko tickets and meet & greet at Climate Pledge Arena

Additional once-in-a-lifetime experiences dropping on Mondays will be coming soon, including:

  • A WILD dance tutorial with KATSEYE in Paris, France
  • Flyaway experience to NHL Global Series in Finland
  • An all-expenses paid holiday weekend in NYC including dance lessons with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall
  • Verizon pays your wireless bill for a year!**

And the Verizon Shine fun isn’t just Mondays. Every day of the week, customers can visit the My Verizon app to score daily drops. The first month alone will include:

  • Free coffee from Starbucks
  • Free Dunkin’ Donuts treats
  • Free special sandwich from Arby’s
  • Exclusive FIFA World Cup 2026 merchandise
  • Free hour at TopGolf
  • Free gift cards to Ulta
  • Free Amazon gift cards
  • Last-chance tickets to FIFA World Cup 2026 matches dropping on June 22 for customers in host cities

Enroll in loyalty today via the My Verizon app and check out verizon.com/loyalty for more information.

Verizon Simplicity: The industry’s most simple and cost-effective plan.

The Simplicity Plan: A breakthrough offering at $45, with an initial promotional offer of $30 per line for mobile customers that switch to Verizon.

Every Simplicity customer gets Verizon’s best 5G network*. This includes premium performance with 5G Ultra Wideband, Verizon’s fastest network, making the nation’s most reliable 5G network the standard for every Simplicity customer, with no upcharge. “With Simplicity, we’re democratizing our network at a thoughtful price point that meets our customers’ needs and drives responsible growth,” says Villanueva. “One more thing to give customers peace of mind.”

Simplicity moves beyond tiered network confusion and complicated phone subsidies and provides a simple choice for mobile service. With the best networks for everyone at an affordable price, including unlimited 5G Ultra Wideband data, 10GB of premium mobile hotspot, roaming in Canada and Mexico and satellite texting all standard. And the option to add home internet starting at $35 a month.

With Simplicity, customers pay only for connectivity, and everything from there is a choice.

“Simplicity” offers total device freedom, letting customers keep their own phone, buy a new one, or save by getting a certified pre-owned device. Or, customers can upgrade to the latest phone every year with Simplicity Plus or Simplicity Pro.

There’s also the option to add customized bundles specific to your unique needs – like the “For Movie and Show Lovers bundle” that has everything you need to watch your favorite movies, series, live sports and more with Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ (With Ads) and Netflix & HBO Max (With Ads). Or the Travel bundle with Global Calling Plus and 3 Travel Pass Days, allowing customers to build a plan that fits their specific lifestyle rather than paying for things they don't need. That’s the plan. Simplicity is the new standard.

To announce these new offerings, Verizon launched a robust 360 marketing campaign featuring members of the original Austin Powers cast, including Mike Myers in his iconic role as antagonist Dr. Evil. In addition, a Spanish-language campaign brings back the original cast of Yo soy Betty, la fea to satirize industry complexity.

Verizon One: Mobility and Home One Plan, One Bill

Also available starting today, the company launched Verizon One, a streamlined plan that combines Mobility and Home designed specifically for customers new to Verizon. Built for affordability and ease, and powered by *Verizon’s best and fastest 5G network and its award-winning 100% fiber network, the plan is the easiest way to connect services. With one truly combined plan for mobile and home, one price and one bill, it’s the most affordable and connected experience for customers.

With a single, transparent monthly bill for just $70 (taxes and fees included) and managed entirely through the My Verizon app, this unified plan delivers a frictionless experience from setup to payment.

This is a continuation of a series of transformational steps Verizon has been taking to bring simple, customer-centered offerings to market.

Simplicity and Verizon One build on the success of myPlan which customers can continue to enjoy, along with the new Verizon Loyalty program. Sign up for The Simplicity or Verizon One plan today and start taking advantage of Verizon Loyalty by opting in through the My Verizon app.

Today’s announcement is anticipated to be accretive to revenue and EBITDA growth and drive continued churn reduction. There is no change to the company’s 2026 financial guidance.

This announcement was originally published by Verizon. Read the original press release.

*Based on RootMetrics® United States RootScore® Report: 2H 2025. Tested with best commercially available smartphones on three national mobile networks across all available network types. Your Experiences may vary. RootMetrics rankings are not an endorsement of Verizon. All rights reserved.

**Taxes not included

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) powers and empowers how its millions of customers live, work and play, delivering on their demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity and security. Headquartered in New York City, serving countries worldwide and nearly all of the Fortune 500, Verizon generated revenues of $138.2 billion in 2025. Verizon’s world-class team never stops innovating to meet customers where they are today and equip them for the needs of tomorrow. For more, visit verizon.com or find a retail location at verizon.com/stores.

VERIZON’S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at verizon.com/about/news. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit verizon.com/about/news/feed/rss-feeds.

Media contacts: 
Marnie Baddock
[email protected]

Elizabeth Angley
[email protected]


Risks

  • Potential pressure on profit margins due to elimination of device fees and enhanced rewards.
  • Customer adoption risk for new pricing plans and loyalty program may affect expected churn reduction or revenue growth.
  • Competitive response from other telecom providers could challenge Verizon's market share or pricing strategies.

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