Verizon may totally rebrand Total Wireless
In November 2021 Verizon acquired Tracfone and its brands, one of which is the prepaid carrier Total Wireless. Recently, information has surfaced regarding Verizon’s April 4 trademark filing for “Total by Verizon,” which could mean big changes on the horizon for the Total Wireless brand. Verizon also owns and provides the network for the MVNO Visible, and similar rebranding has already taken place. The logo in the top left of the Visible.com home page now reads “Visible by Verizon.”
The NPD Take:
- As seen in our Mobile Connectivity survey, Verizon has a reputation as one of the most reliable carriers in terms of service. However, we see Verizon rated lower when it comes to service pricing and value. This rebranding of Total Wireless poses an opportunity for Verizon to make consumers aware of its more affordable subsidiaries and, using Verizon’s halo, instill trust that the service they will receive with the prepaid options is high quality.
- The anticipated expansion of “by Verizon” branding to Total Wireless is also an opportunity to diversify Verizon’s prepaid purchase channel options. Customers who prefer in-person shopping and servicing can find Total Wireless presence in exclusive branded storefronts, as well as drug stores and authorized retailers, in contrast with Visible’s online-only model.
To infinity, with Boost
Dish Network acquired Boost in the summer of 2020 due to T-Mobile’s merger with Sprint. Currently, Boost Mobile is a prepaid carrier operating on AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s networks. Now Dish is expanding its offerings under the Boost umbrella to include a new Unlimited postpaid plan, called Boost Infinite. The service is open for preregistration now, although pricing is not yet publicized. Marketing around Boost Infinite on social media and the preregistration site emphasizes “One plan. One price. No strings.”
The NPD Take:
- Many carriers and MVNOs have been working lower priced options into their offerings, from Verizon’s Welcome Unlimited Plan to Xfinity’s new affordable Unlimited price structure. In a world where unlimited plans are the most comfortable option for consumers to never have to worry about overages or refilling data allotments, consumers are likely to seek out the best value for unlimited services.
- With competition heating up for affordable unlimited, Boost Infinite’s model of having one clear plan may set them apart and appeal to consumers looking for a straightforward choice rather than multiple tiers and decisions to make. Name recognition of Boost’s brand can also help Dish in this pursuit.