Yesterday, Verizon announced new prepaid phone plans with decrease costs — however due to some intelligent shuffling of plan reductions, they’re not really getting any cheaper. While the published prices on its limitless and 15GB pay as you go plans are certainly $5 decrease, the corporate will not allow you to apply autopay and loyalty reductions — which means the bottom worth on every plan stays precisely the identical.

Here’s the way it provides up: the “standard” worth on Verizon’s top-tier pay as you go plan, Unlimited Plus, is now $70 per thirty days, diminished from $75. After the primary month, you’ll be able to apply a $10 / month autopay low cost to carry that price right down to $60.

Previously, the autopay low cost kicked in after two months, and it was simply $5. But on prime of that, you might add a loyalty low cost — as much as an additional $10 per thirty days after 10 months. That meant you might take an additional $15 off your $75 invoice, bringing the worth right down to… yep, $60, similar as in the present day.

Verizon nonetheless presents a $10 loyalty low cost for its pay as you go plans — it’s $5 after three months and an additional $5 after 9 months — however you’ll be able to not mix it with the autopay low cost. Verizon will get to have its cake and eat it, too: the corporate can say it lowered costs, however the lowest potential worth on every plan stays the identical. Oh, wi-fi carriers. Never change.

On the intense facet, the entire new plans now embrace calls, textual content, and information to and from Mexico and Canada. Previously, solely the limitless plans included use of these companies in Mexico and Canada — inexpensive plans solely included calls and texts despatched from the US to these nations. In any case, this serves as a fantastic reminder to learn the high quality print each time an organization says one thing is getting cheaper — chances are high, there’s some intelligent shuffling occurring.