Verizon Triple Play

Triple play packages seem to be all the rage now, and it’s easy to see why. Consumers can get big discounts by bundling multiple services, and the service providers get more revenue per customer. Verizon is one of the largest providers of triple play bundles. They’re also the highest rated triple play provider according to a survey by Consumer Reports. Let’s break down the latest Verizon Triple Play offerings to see what we get.

The triple play bundles from Verizon can be confusing because there are two totally different sets of service offerings:

1. Verizon Triple Play (Phone + High Speed Internet/DSL + DirecTV)
2. Verizon FiOS Triple Play (Phone + FiOS Internet + FiOS TV)

In general the Verizon FiOS Triple Play is the bundle for areas where FiOS has been deployed, and the Verizon Triple Play is for areas where FiOS has not been deployed. There are some exceptions to this, for example, if you live in an area where FiOS is available, but it is not installed at your home, you can choose either. If you do have a choice, the only real reason to choose the Verizon bundle over the FiOS bundle is price. The Verizon FiOS bundle is better in every way, as you’ll discover below, except for price and NFL Sunday Ticket, which is only available through DirecTV.

Verizon Triple Play with DSL and DirecTV

The Verizon Triple Play (non-FiOS) includes satellite TV service from DirecTV. Verizon chose to team up with DirecTV, the leading satellite tv provider, so they can provide triple play services where Verizon’s own TV service (FiOS TV) is not currently available. The internet portion of this bundle is provided through Verizon’s High Speed Internet, which is a DSL service.

The three featured triple play packages offered by Verizon are as follows:

You can still mix and match the different packages to create your own triple play bundle, but only these featured bundles offer the maximum bundle discount for the three different price points.

Package Differences:

Phone: Verizon Freedom Value includes unlimited calling across the U.S., to Canada and Puerto Rico. Verizon Freedom Essentials adds Home Voice Mail, Caller ID, and Call Waiting.

Internet: Download and upload speed vary by plan. The Power Plan and Turbo Plan also get free access to Verizon Wi-Fi, which is a nationwide wireless hot spot service available at many hotels, airports, restaurants, coffee shops, etc.

TV: The DirecTV CHOICE™ package includes 150+ all-digital channels, local channels, and satellite music channels. The DirecTV CHOICE XTRA™ + DVR package adds 50 additional all-digital channels, and DVR service for recording/pausing/rewinding capabilities. The DirecTV CHOICE XTRA™ + HD DVR adds HD Access service which enables access to over 50 HD channels. Certain DirecTV packages may also qualify for 3 FREE Months of Starz and Showtime.

Additional charges to consider: There is a $19.99 charge for shipping and activation of the internet service. There is a one-year contract required for Verizon phone/internet service with a $120 early termination fee. New customers to DirecTV can get up to four standard receivers for free and one HD, DVR, or HD DVR receiver for free after rebate. Additional receivers will cost extra. There is a monthly lease fee of $5/mo for each receiver after the first. DirecTV requires a 24-month service commitment in order to get the receivers for free.

Verizon FiOS Triple Play

The FiOS Triple Play is Verizon’s flagship service. FiOS internet speeds are many times faster than most other services . FiOS TV is arguably the most advanced TV service available. It offers more HD channels and video on demand content than most other providers. The three featured FiOS Triple Play bundles are as follows:

Again, you may be able to mix and match services and still get a bundle discount. You can even choose a double play package, but only the these triple play bundles qualify for the maximum bundle discount. There have been reports that these bundle are priced lower and/or have faster internet speeds in some areas. The bundles shown here are the national advertised bundles.

Package Differences:

Phone: Verizon Freedom Essentials includes unlimited calling across the U.S., to Canada and Puerto Rico and also Home Voice Mail, Caller ID, and Call Waiting. All three bundles have the same phone service.

Internet: Download and upload speed vary by plan. The 25Mbps/15Mbps (and faster plans) get Verizon WiFi for free which means free wireless internet at thousand of hotspots across the country.

TV: FiOS TV Essentials provides 250+ channels including 14+ HD channels, commercial-free music channels, and local channels. It also includes access to over 15,000 titles on demand. FiOS TV Extreme HD provides over 320 channels with 65+ in high definition, and regional sports channels. Showtime includes 22 movie channels, many of which are also available in HD. With Showtime you also get access to Showtime on demand.

Additional charges to consider: Installation and activation is free with these bundles. That includes installation for one computer and up to three tv’s. Additional tv’s or tv’s without existing wiring are extra. Verizon requires a one-year service contract, which means a $179 fee for canceling service in the first 12 months. FiOS TV requires equipment to be leased for every TV. The basic digital adapter starts at $3.99/mo and the Home Media DVR is $19.99/mo.

All the featured triple play bundles from Verizon save you about 35% compared to the a la carte pricing. This does not take into consideration the additional promotions, some of which are quite significant. To order a Verizon bundle online, click here: Verizon Bundle Promotions.