Petition for Verizon to go contract-less gains steam

The petition has more than 94,000 signatures at this point, and needs another 56,000 to hit the mark required to bring it to Verizon's doorstep.

by Don Reisinger

 April 19, 2013 7:58 AM PDT

Verizon Wireless customers and, in some cases, critics have been signing a petition at a torrid pace, asking the company to go contract-less.

The petition on Change.org now has approximately 94,000 signatures, roughly 56,000 supporters shy of its goal of 150,000. The petition, created by "longtime Verizon customer" Mike Beauchamp of Wichita, Kan., has called the petition, simply, "Verizon: Get rid of contracts for wireless service."

"Getting rid of carrier contracts is a win for customers. Verizon's CEO, Lowell McAdam, has already expressed his willingness to do away with them if consumers speak loud enough about it," Beauchamp writes. "So here's your chance: Sign this petition to tell Verizon to end carrier contracts and create an affordable way for consumers to purchase their devices."

The petition really gained steam yesterday after Verizon announced its earnings. In a matter of hours, thousands of people signed the petition, and hundreds more have done the same in the few hours I've been watching it.

The petition, which was created earlier this month, comes as T-Mobile says that it will do away with contracts and subsidized pricing in what it calls a better deal for customers. Customers in the wireless industry are increasingly turning to no-contract options, so they have the wiggle room they desire to get a new phone or carrier whenever they want.

Verizon hasn't said that it wouldn't change its contract terms. In fact, Verizon's McAdam has already said that T-Mobile's move could be "a great thing" for the industry, adding that it wouldn't take much for his company to follow T-Mobile's lead.

Don Reisinger

Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems.