Verizon Wireless announced that it will offer new pre-paid cell phone plans and options for current and new customers. 

According to an Executive at the company a new venture consisting of Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group Plc is planning a campaign to reach consumers who use their cell phones outside of normal ranges, either more or less than average consumer usage. Previously, pre-paid cell phone plans were mainly used by customers who either planned to use the cell phone a very limited amount or those who could not get a regular cell phone due to the large deposit required for new customers with insufficient credit.

Verizon Wireless is a new kid in town in the pre-paid cell phone market.  Most of its customers are on service contracts for 2 to 3-year terms and pay monthly bills under the service contracts.  But with the advent of better technology available on cell phones themselves, advertising and media services have been anxious to get their promotions and products onto consumer cell phones when they surf the Web and participate in text messaging.

In order to avoid bombarding customers with unwanted ads Verizon indicates that it would be sensitive to offering subject matter that customers had signed up for in advance, such as restaurant locations, consumer shopping sales and directions to certain locations. Verizon refers to this as relationship development with its customers.

This sounds great, but what about consumers who don’t want to be nagged and prodded by advertising promotions when they are using their cell phones?    Unfortunately, there is no TiVo device available to filter out these types of ads yet. We think the solution is to not sign up for any advertising in the first place.  There’s more than enough already on television, radio and even in video games.  But then, we probably don’t fit the profile of the customer that will be courted by the new Verizon marketing plan.