Verizon...Makes Me Crazy

[WAYNO]

A while back, Verizon forced a re-program on my wifes smart phone. When it was done, the phone no longer worked. Went to the Verizon place and they admitted the re-program made many of the phones features unusable. They offered us a new phone at their expense. Okay, we did that, but they changed their mind about being at their expense. We were required to pay for the new phone, take-it-or-leave-it! We had no choice and paid for it. At the same time, having a new phone created a new contract. The pricing we had with the old contract was pretty decent. They cancelled the old contract, which included a teachers discount, and we had to sign a new contract. They've done away with the teachers discount, so the monthly cost went up substantially. It's all money under the bridge now. Oregon is a huge state, and the Verizon service works almost everywhere, where the other cellular providers may not. So we ate it.

Now, this week, almost the same thing has happened with my cell phone. All of a sudden, when I tried logging in to my e-mail, I received a security certificate error message, and the phone would not log in. Went to Verizon, and they had the audacity to tell me I've never had internet service on my phone! Then, I asked...Explain to me why I pay for a data package on my phone, and why have I used a percentage of my allotted bytes each month for years? They could not explain that, but they'd sure be happy to sell me a new phone and sign me up for two more years. :evil:

How do they get away with this?

WAYNO.

 

[Tom W]

The screwed our phones over, rendering them useless. We went to Best Buy and got a better deal, and they set us up with a new contract with Verizon. I won't set foot into another Verizon store again....

 

[Rick Courtright]

How do they get away with this?

Hi,

Not many of us can afford to keep a contract lawyer on retainer? While Verizon can, does, and realizes they hold the good cards in their hand.

Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer. My experience in that department is limited to reading the first page or two of a college friend's "Torts and Contracts" book when he started law school. If memory serves, it said something about a unilateral "cancellation" of a contract being a "breach" (actionable) while inability to perform (as specified by the contract, not the blue pill problem!) rendered the contract void (not actionable, but releases both parties there and then.) Methinks somewhere on those pages, in the hands of the right person, lies the basis of what to do next... which probably relates to the line "Bring lawyers, guns and money!"

Rick C

 

[Bull Barrel]

How do they get away with it? People put up with it.

 

[Ruger Packer]

I've had my cell phone service with Alltel before they were bought out Verizon. Verizon honored the Alltel deal. But I never had a contract. I hate contracts. Solution? I bought my own phone and signed up for month-to-month prepaid plan. For the last 5-6 years I've paid $50 a month unlimited talk and text, anytime 24/7/365. Works great for me. Just a month ago, I decided that since I don't spend alot of time on the cell phone that I'd switch to another plan also a prepaid plan with Verizon.... $35 a month for 500 minutes a month talk and unlimited texting.

To my way of thinking, I figured that's a extra $15 a month I can put in my gun/ammo fund. :wink:

If I ever reach a point that I am dissatisfied with Verizon's service I won't hestitate to switch plans. But as it is right now, Verizon's service works every where that I go. And, in all the years I've had Alltel/Verizon I've had maybe 3-4 dropped calls.

 

[Huhwhat?]

I bought a Verizon pre-paid phone at Wally World for 9 dollars. I add minutes as I use them and use it to make calls. I have a laptop for the internet.

 

[Cholo]

I like to bring my daughter when it comes to Verizon, but it's not always possible. I felt something wasn't quite right in upgrading my phone so I called her and she agreed. She got corporate on the line and they said it wasn't right and that I was to receive a full refund. After the top dogs in the store adamantly stated I wasn't going to get a refund, they sure changed their tune when corporate got involved! "Yes sir, Mr. Cholo. We'd be more than happy to give you a full refund and I'm sorry for your troubles." :roll:

My daughter got the upgrade free off Amazon and I had the phone on my doorstep the next day ready to go.

I believe Verizon purposely rattles off a bunch of garbage that regular people can't decipher. That is, until they deal with my daughter :twisted:

 

[CLAYPOOL]

That's what I do also, My oldest baby handles all the phone contracts and stuff. Her, my son in law, and my son are the main users an way. She all so keeps Amazon and all the rest of modern society stuff flowing..

 

[m657]

I had an issue on what appeared to be double billing monthly over about a year despite multiple long hard talks with Verizon billing dept.

Finally fed up I contacted both our State agency and a state legislator known for their willingness to confront hostile utilities.

Amazingly within a couple days all the complex issues became resolved.

And yes, someone in the Verizon store had added services I didn't know I had, never used and had no idea how they worked, all on a phone that couldn't support most of them.

I got 2 phones/lines & $59/month. No text or fancy stuff. It's a phone.

 

[RugerHound]

I struggled with Verizon on a billing issue. They swore up & down that I owed 'em money. Finally had to go get copies of the cancelled check - Sent that to 'em and the billing issue went away.

As for the service - I don't have any whizbang fancy smart phone stuff to worry about. My phone has buttons. I use it exclusively as a telephone. It rings, I answer it. (Sometimes) ;)

 

[mohavesam]

Who even DOES a 2-yr contract anymore? Really?

Tell them to stuff the phone blackmail, write a paper letter complaint to your state Atty. General (Office of Consumer Protection etc.), and go buy a burner phone at WM and use prepaid cards. Dont give them your name, address, SSN, or any card attached to your names.

Don't even get me started on landlines...

 

[Colonialgirl]

A while back, Verizon forced a re-program on my wifes smart phone. When it was done, the phone no longer worked. Went to the Verizon place and they admitted the re-program made many of the phones features unusable. They offered us a new phone at their expense. Okay, we did that, but they changed their mind about being at their expense. We were required to pay for the new phone, take-it-or-leave-it! We had no choice and paid for it. At the same time, having a new phone created a new contract. The pricing we had with the old contract was pretty decent. They cancelled the old contract, which included a teachers discount, and we had to sign a new contract. They've done away with the teachers discount, so the monthly cost went up substantially. It's all money under the bridge now. Oregon is a huge state, and the Verizon service works almost everywhere, where the other cellular providers may not. So we ate it.

Now, this week, almost the same thing has happened with my cell phone. All of a sudden, when I tried logging in to my e-mail, I received a security certificate error message, and the phone would not log in. Went to Verizon, and they had the audacity to tell me I've never had internet service on my phone! Then, I asked...Explain to me why I pay for a data package on my phone, and why have I used a percentage of my allotted bytes each month for years? They could not explain that, but they'd sure be happy to sell me a new phone and sign me up for two more years. :evil:

How do they get away with this?

WAYNO.

Cause Nobody has found a lawyer to SUE them yet !!

 

[Pat-inCO]

How do they get away with this?

People neglect to "get it in writing".

I just switched over to Verizon pre-pay for a "smart phone". Unlimited text
and talk, but with 500Meg of Data per month for $45+tax (about $48).
They also have a deal where if you set it up to pay by credit card, they
double the data to 1Gig/month, same price.

I've been paying that for the Wally World Straight Talk, and while ST is
reasonable, the coverage is not as good. In addition the ST phones are not
as good. I was looking at a new phone anyway, in fact one for $500, and
I ended up with a new Motorola for $100, the same text and talk, plus
1Gig of data/mo for what I was paying before.

They did try to slide out from one or two items, but I had what they said
IN WRITING. When they said, "Oh, that's actually . . . . " I said Oh? What
about what you wrote here? Amazing how everything went very well after
that.

In fact, I also got my home phone converted to wireless and now have
unlimited long distance (within the US, which I didn't have before), and
all for the same price as from Matel Bell.

The "deals" are there, you just have to be (Elmer Fudd voice) VEEwwwwy
CA-fuuu. :wink:

 

[longspurr]

ou don't have to go to a county fair to see Hucksters, the cell phone offices are on every corner.

I think a simple answer is using a camera or cell phone camera to video the sale of the phone. If you have the sales person ON Camera saying this is the contract, it takes away a lot of corporate shenanigans. However, I think they like the phrase “ we are not bound by a sales agents words”. If they are not bound by the agreement – why should we be “bound” by it?

Of course there is the multi page agreement you are suppose to sign.

I ask the salesperson to read it to me “my eyes aren't so good at small print!!” and then explain what was just read. They of course don't have any idea, just as we are not lawyers either, so we both agree that I can sign without understanding what the H??ll the multi page form says.

As long as the corporate lawyers can get away with multi page contracts – they WILL. As I see it the push back is to sue them – using the video taping above. I suspect they will easily roll over to get rid of nuisance customers.

I think they will be happy to oblige us, and let the next sucker step forward.

 

[chuck]

Many many many years ago I had verizon internet from India, CANCELED THEM and I do not do any business with version EVER.