Verizon to let SMBs buy smartphones on the installment plan
The new installment plans for businesses are interest-free, spread over 24 months and mimic what Verizon already offers to consumers, Verizon said in a statement.
Monthly payments for smartphones have been adopted by many carriers partly as a way to ease the cost of upgrades borne by buyers as carriers and smartphone makers see smartphone sales flatten.
Verizon also simplified three separate monthly wireless network service plans into two plans, called The Verizon Plan for Business (for accounts with up to 25 lines) and the Flexible Business Plan (for 26 or more lines). Both plans offer shareable data, unlimited talk and text, unlimited international messaging from the U.S. and access to three corporate email programs: Good for Enterprise, Exchange ActiveSync and Lotus Notes Traveler.
Verizon offered an example of the payments required for both monthly service and devices for a company wanting to activate 20 new Droid Turbo 2 smartphones on the Verizon Plan for Business. The device cost for all 20 phones in the first month would be $520, plus $15 per phone per month for line access and $26 per month for the device payment. In addition, the service charge for a two-year contract would be $4,000 for the first month for all 20 devices and there would be a $35 monthly line service access charge per device.
More details on Verizon business plans are available online.