Verizon Pushes Six-Months-Free Internet Promo

Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) is in the final weeks of a region-wide promotion whereby it offers six months free of its 768 kbps or 3 mbps Internet service to current customers of its landline telephone service.

The service provider has been aggressive in promoting the deal, going beyond a flood of direct mail pieces to the use of outbound call centers, with reps ringing customers at home to inform them of the deal, its additional features and inviting them to call back.

Verizon says the deal includes a CD-ROM for self installation of a smallish cpe unit, which it rents for $5 a month for those who prefer not to buy it in retail chains. The carrier is also offering free use of a site that lets customers with rivals’ Internet accounts switch to Verizon.

Initially, and almost entirely, news of the promo from Verizon focused on its 768 kbps Internet service which is substantially slower than many cablecos’ base offerings. The call center staffers claim the six-months-free deal also applies to its 3 mbps service, which costs around $30 a month.

Verizon stressed it is marketing the deal throughout its territory, though its voice customers must have already had landline voice for a set, unspecified period of time. The company has been marketing the six-months-free deal for 768 kbps service for months, but has just been taking the pitch from the mailbox to the outbound call centers in recent weeks.

By contrast, in the greater Boston area, Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) charges $42.95 a month for its 6 mbps Internet, but currently offers a six-month promo price of $19.99 for the offering, according to its Web site.

However, for non-Comcast cable customers, the price for its 6 mbps Internet access is $57.95 monthly.

And after getting caught throttling P2P traffic as part of its network bandwidth management, Comcast slapped a 250 gbyte a month cap on Internet use effective Oct. 1. If a user breaks the limit twice, they lose the service for a year.

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