Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
For the past year or so, I have treated it as a matter of fact that I am in the process of leaving Verizon. That may sound like a long time to be perpetually “in the process,” but, like many others, I was originally drawn in by free phone promotions. I knew they would cost me more in the long run, but at the time, I had few other affordable options.
By late last year, I had fully paid off all but one device on our account. I was seriously considering paying the remaining balance in one lump sum and switching to prepaid. I was confident that I would be out from under Verizon ahead of 2026. Then things changed, and now I am no longer certain I will leave Verizon anytime soon.
Is it worth keeping Verizon right now, or are you better off leaving right away? 5 votes Yes, right now there's less reason to leave. 20 % No, it's still better to jump ship sooner than later. 80 % Not sure / Other 0 %
Why Verizon is making it difficult to leave
How did I go from being adamant about leaving to suddenly being unsure? It started in November, when I was offered a $20 discount on each of two lines and a $10 discount on a third. Because I was already on a slightly cheaper legacy plan, these discounts reduced my bill by a meaningful amount. Even so, the numbers still leaned slightly in favor of prepaid.
While I appreciated the savings, I remained fairly confident I would leave Verizon by the New Year. That’s when Verizon decided to offer a free line promotion for the second time.
Verizon is trying hard to keep existing customers, and for some it might actually be worth holding out a bit longer.
When Verizon first introduced a free line offer back in June, I gave it serious consideration. I calculated that it would likely be cheaper than keeping my younger son on prepaid, even after accounting for the taxes and fees that would still apply. Ultimately, I passed, largely because I did not want to add another line when I already had one foot out the door.
This time, however, things felt different. Immediately after the price discounts, I decided to take the offer, despite lingering hesitation about adding a new line. While the free line promotion is limited to 36 months, it made sense as a short-term win. More importantly, it did not materially change my long-term plan. I could continue paying down the final device on our account while saving a bit on my son’s line. Once that phone is paid off, I retain the flexibility to leave if a better deal presents itself elsewhere.
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