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Verizon has deal on FiOS

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By RICHARD MULLINS rmullins@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 22, 2009

Get ready for another tidal wave of Verizon marketing and goodie giveaways for customers who sign up for FiOS, starting today.

For some, this can mean free mini notebook computers, digital video cameras, much faster Internet speeds and HBO for a year - all aimed to bring in more customers and ding arch rival Bright House Networks in Tampa Bay.

This time, Verizon executives promise the company will do a better job giving away the goodies. The last time Verizon launched such a big giveaway, customers complained about too-elusive deals, and monthslong delays getting free HDTVs and gift cards.

So this time, Verizon will not rely on a third-party fulfillment company to handle the ordering, accounting and shipping of giveaway items. Hewlett-Packard Co. will handle the shipping of the free computers, for example. Verizon also overhauled internal operations and shifted some executives around.

"I think we learned a lot from that first go around," said Verizon spokesman Bob Elek. "This is going to be a much simpler thing to deal with."

For this promotion, Verizon is offering an escalating series of giveaways, derived from how many new products customers choose.

As with many corporate giveaways, caveats abound - for instance, shipping costs are extra on some giveaway items - but in basic terms, new Verizon customers opting for the "better" or "best" bundles of voice, Internet and TV service can receive a free Compaq Mini-Netbook normally worth about $300 (H-P owns the Compaq brand), or a Flip Ultra digital camcorder that normally sells for about $150.

Existing Verizon customers can get some goodies, too, such as discounts on the computer and video camera, or extra digital TV adapters that connect extra TVs in their house to digital TV service.

Also, just to tweak rival Bright House, Verizon will start offering a free year of HBO to customers who switch over to certain Verizon packages.

Reporter Richard Mullins can be reached at (813) 259-7919.

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