Absolutely fed up with Verizon
snaps27
Enthusiast - Level 2

I don't usually complain but this time I am.  I am on a family plan with 3 phones.  I am the only one with a smartphone.  We have 700 minutes (never go over because we all text), unlimited $30.00 text plan.  We pay 143ish per month.  I am currently using a Droid 2.  So, when they said they were going to add the 30.00 upgrade charge I was due one last new every two on July 2nd.  So I foolishly decided to wait until July 2nd to upgrade to a 4G.  Now I hear these retarded and over the top expensive tiered family share data plans would go into effect on June 28th.  I feel so cheated since if I would have known before the 30.00 upgrade fee was going to go in effect I would have upgraded then. 

So, I call Verizon and this chick has the guts to tell me this will be an awesome plan since I will get unlimited minutes (whoopie) and unlimited text (which I already have) and only 2GB of data (which now I have unlimited).  She says I will be saving soooo much so I ask her the cost of said plan - $160.00.  Now you tell me how this will save me sooo much money?  She said because I can share data and now have unlimited minutes and texts.  I don't want to share data nor do I want unlimited minutes and I already have unlimited texts.

I really hate Verizon, I used to talk them up and have gotten many people to sign with them.  Who cares if they best network if nobody is going to be left to enjoy it.  I will start steering my friends, family and work collegues away from Verizon.  AND........I get a lot of people asking my opinion in the postion I am in.....my company has about a thousand employees plus any of their friends and family I help.  We also have corporate accounts which I also have some say in what they use. 

So I will now go and pay the 30.00 upgrade fee because unfortunately I will have a problem getting out of using Verizon, all my family and friends have Verizon.  Unless I can find a way to get my mother's last voicemails to me off of my voicemail before I have to upgrade before the new fees go into place - I will be stuck.  I will start looking for new options for a new provider if I can figure out how to get those voicemails and if a new provider can offer me a good deal. 

Stupid Verizon........sorry for the long rant.

Labels (1)
Re: Absolutely fed up with Verizon
icerabbitje
Enthusiast - Level 3

I completely understand your sentiment regarding the fast one VZW is pulling on their customers.

Just wanted to comment regarding:

" Unless I can find a way to get my mother's last voicemails to me off of my voicemail before I have to upgrade before the new fees go into place - I will be stuck. "

Do you have speakerphone on your handset? Or headphone out jack that could be used as a line out (using cable with 2 headphone jacks)? 

Then play the messages back and record them onto another device? voice recorder? phone with recording app? computer/laptop with microphone? computer with line-in? photo camera in video mode? videocamera?  ...

Then you can edit & save the file into mp3 or whichever format you prefer, using some free software.

I've made a couple crude recordings in various ways to preserve some audio, with satisfactory results. Take a couple recordings to get a good balance between volume, distance, no background noise, ...  

PS: There might be some official ways to preserve / save / download a particular voice mail through verizon, but 'm only aware of the mc gyver ideas

Re: Absolutely fed up with Verizon
Not applicable

How many things do you purchase that don't go up in price or change terms from time to time?  And who cares about a $30 upgrade fee?  That's about 1/2 a tank of gas.  You signed a 2-year contract and were protected for 2 years.  Verizon lived up to their contract.  Now, you can keep your existing phones and prices simply by not signing a new contract.  You can pay full retail price for phones or buy from Ebay or somewhere else.  Or, if you want Verizon to subsidize another new phone for another 2 years, you will need to sign a new contract and choose one of the new plans.  That's how contracts work.  If you don't like any of those options, go to another provider.  Good luck.

Re: Absolutely fed up with Verizon
Baseballdude
Enthusiast - Level 2

Yea, this whole deal kind of sucks for a lot of people but you just have to deal with it.  I just pre-ordered my last phone to get under the wire for unlimited data. 

@ Jim:  I think most people get the contract idea as I do but when you look at it from a cost standpoint Verizon has just put in a fairly significant price increase.  In the past Verizon would subsidize the phone and make up that cost over the course of the 2 year contract.  Now they are saving themselves the cost of subsidizing phones for many but not passing along any savings to consumers, thus margins are up for them.  Everyone on here and other sites come from various economic circumstances and when I hear people say things like "if you don't like it go to another provider"  it doesn't show much empathy for people and makes people sound as if they are shills for the company.  With that said you are absolutely right and people will need to figure out what's best for their situation, including possibly moving on to another carrier.

Oh, by the way $30 won't come close to putting a half a tank of gas in my vehicles.  I wish......LOL

Re: Absolutely fed up with Verizon
Tidbits
Legend

Baseballdude wrote:

Yea, this whole deal kind of ***** for a lot of people but you just have to deal with it.  I just pre-ordered my last phone to get under the wire for unlimited data. 

@ Jim:  I think most people get the contract idea as I do but when you look at it from a cost standpoint Verizon has just put in a fairly significant price increase.  In the past Verizon would subsidize the phone and make up that cost over the course of the 2 year contract.  Now they are saving themselves the cost of subsidizing phones for many but not passing along any savings to consumers, thus margins are up for them.  Everyone on here and other sites come from various economic circumstances and when I hear people say things like "if you don't like it go to another provider"  it doesn't show much empathy for people and makes people sound as if they are shills for the company.  With that said you are absolutely right and people will need to figure out what's best for their situation, including possibly moving on to another carrier.

Oh, by the way $30 won't come close to putting a half a tank of gas in my vehicles.  I wish......LOL

And the prices of subsidizations hasn't gone up?  The prices for devices hasn't gone up either?  5 years ago devices being sold were around $350 ish and now selling for $500+.  Carriers subsidizations was 100-150 and now in the 300+ range.  Also all the people who cancel their contracts and not paying the termination fee just to get a device cheap and go to a different carrier.  Margins are up are because they have more customers than they had before not because they are subsidizing less and raking in more...

If people CAN'T afford and DON'T agree with their pricing... Move to another carrier or don't get service.  It's that simple.  The "emergency" excuse doesn't fly at all.  If it was an emergency you'd call 911.  911 works on ALL phones whether activated or not(FEDERAL LAW).  So you could buy a prepaid phone and it will work for those emergencies.  Even a landline works this way.  I have always had a phone plug in even though I do not have landline service for emergencies.

You call what I am saying "shilling" but it's the simple truth and there doesn't need any empathy whatsoever.  That's the best solution and it affects everyone.  It's asinine to complain about something then further fitting the bill.  If I don't agree with something I'd simple move on, and if no carrier provides me with what I want I will no longer have service.  Billions of people AROUND the world do not have cell phones...  They do just fine...

0 Likes
Re: Absolutely fed up with Verizon
Not applicable

People posting here seem to think Verizon owes them something.  That is absolutely wrong.  Verizon owes you NOTHING except to honor your 2 year contract.  At the end of 2 years, it's a totally new ballgame.  People need to evaluate their options and make the best decision for themselves.  Verizon, on the other hand, is free to structure their company anyway they choose to maximize their profits for their shareholders.  Their product is bandwidth.  They need to drive away the data hogs and sell their bandwidth to more users at a higher revenue per GB.  Their target market does not include the data hogs nor does it include people on low income or in financial difficulty.  There are better options for those people than Verizon.

0 Likes
Re: Absolutely fed up with Verizon
Baseballdude
Enthusiast - Level 2

You're right about many of the people that post thinking that companies owe them something other than what was contractually promised.  But a great many of them are complaining because of the reasoning given by Verizon and the pricing structure.  The fact that they're complaining really should't bother anyone.  You are also right about how they structure their business and bandwidth being product.  I will be interested to see over the next few years to see if government starts meddling in their business since it really wouldn't exist without use of the "public airwaves". 

@ tidbits:  You are confusing gross margins with gross revenues and I don't know why you brought up the whole people breaking contracts without an etf issue and I don't feel like getting into an economics lesson tonight.  Lighten up and have a discussion.

0 Likes
Re: Absolutely fed up with Verizon
GinoSylum
Enthusiast - Level 2

The outrage is coming from people being fed up with loyalty only going one way... I have been a very good customer for years and this is just enough.  Been paying for Verizon service since i had a flip phone.  I'm now on my 4th high end smart phone. I have added people to my family plan. I convinced people to leave sprint and AT&T to join Verizon. When VW raised their prices, I not only kept my plan, I added to it. When i moved to a new home, I found i had NO Verizon service... did i move to AT&T that works fine here?  NOPE... i paid $150 out of pocket for a cell booster for my livingroom so i could still make calls from home.. there was a time that Verizon gave them away to people like me, without service in there home, but that policy ended.. did i bash them? nope, i just paid.. My contract is up in November.. was planning to upgrade my second line to the Galaxy S3, a high end phone... Can't now, not at retail price.. makes no sense when i can get the same phone from AT&T for less then $200... I can get it for $200 from Verizon too IF i choose to end my unlimited data plan, but i would rather give my money to another company at this point.. I'm not the only one... this policy is going to drive away your old customers faster then Verizon expected..

The only people who still have unlimited plans are old customers who have been around for years.. You don't see how forcing us out of our contracts with this new policy is off putting?

0 Likes
Re: Absolutely fed up with Verizon
Not applicable

I don't believe the "loyalty" argument.  The only reason people stay with Verizon year after year is they believe Verizon sells a product that meets their needs at a price they believe is reasonable.  In addition, there is some effort required to switch to another provider, so there has to be a valid reason to switch.  I have also been a relatively long-term Verizon customer and have found no reason to change providers.  I like the excellent coverage provided by Verizon.  I can go almost anywhere are receive good service.  I have unlimited data and would hate to lose it although I have never used more than 5GB and normally only use 2 or 3GB.  I will keep my unlimited data plan as long as I can, but if I lose it, I will evaluate all available providers and choose the one that best meets my needs for a price I am willing to pay.  For now. I plan to keep my Razr Maxx as long as possible.  When and if I ever need to upgrade, I will be forced to consider all my options.

0 Likes
Re: Absolutely fed up with Verizon
joey12volt
Newbie

I think it's pretty funny that people complain so much about how much they hate Verizon due to no unlim data when they don't even use a gig of data / month.. why complain?  Most people have wifi in their house, workplace, cafe's.. why not just connect to the wifi?  Sprint will go away from it when they get enough people on their towers and network I am sure!

0 Likes