Jason - Here is the deal I was able to work with Verizon...
My contract was up in February. I was ready to bail. Ready to pull my corporate account as well as my family account. What VZW set up was a refurbished Trophy on a month to month plan, with February still being my end of contract date. This would allow me to use a Windows Phone, keep my grandfathered usage, and upgrade to a future Windows Phone while using the Trophy.
As no good deed goes unpunished: VZW goofed up the Trophy, tried to charge me for a new phone, lost my corporate phone before my company gave me credit for it, blah, blah, blah. Took me 2 months to correct - but now I have a Trophy, a contract ready to flip, my old unlimited plans, and the same for my family.
Now to only get some new Windows Phones in inventory.
I, too, went to the VZW Facebook page this weekend. Not a lot of love out there for VZW.
I asked about getting a refurbished Trophy at a discount before, and I was denied that option.
I think carriers are currently trying to play an extremely delicate game. Force customers to pay max dollar while providing as little customer service as possible. Most people I know have been with the same carrier for years and just deal with whatever phones they have out. Realistically, all four carriers provide an option for the major OS choices in the US... granted at Verizon and maybe Sprint you might have to through the online store to actually get a Windows Phone.
Truth be told, most people probably don't even know about Windows Phone and aren't tech savvy enough to research all their options...included the sales associates. Had friend that works for Sprint try to sell me an Android after a facebook post I made about how Verizon had no Windows Phones... You might have the one customer service rep at Verizon that knows much about the Trophy and then their supervisor doesn't know what it is so they turn it down.
Unless you have a compelling reason to stay with Verizon outside of having been with them long term, leave them! Some exceptions would be you NEED unlimited data and are grandfathered in at Verizon, are literally zero other carriers that get service in your area, receive a discount for having been with them so long (this doesn't sound like Verizon), or are locked in, it probably isn't worth the hassle of staying at Verizon.
Not to bring economics/politics into this... we are a free market. If you stick with bad service for the sake of "been with them forever", Verizon will always be willing to do just enough to get you to hang around. The average 2 year contract for talk/text/data costs over $2,000. Prepaid is roughly half of that number. It might be worth it to pay more upfront. You could realistically get a new ~$500 phone off contract every year on a $50/mo prepaid plan and probably come in under or break even relative to a contract.
The secret is to "Get out of Atlanta". VZW Support is done out of Atlanta. These clowns are programmed to say 2 things... "no" and "you can talk to my manager". After that, the Atlanta Managers are trained to say NOTHING but "no". They are useless in terms of business negoations.
I was able to work out a deal through the folks who manage the VZW business accounts. We have some 3500 employees at work and VZW didn't want me to bad-mout them to corporate. Seems if you can get to someone at VZW who has just a few red customer service blood cells in their body, you can get something done.
And as for your local Verizon or Verizon "authorized" store - they might as well shut those places down and put in a Starbucks. Not only do the retail stores hate VZW Corporate, but they are even more unwilling to hear your story or work with you.
$250 is way too much to pay for an unlocked Trophy. If AT&T has 4G in WV, you may want to consider going with them. Both AT&T and VZW have worthless customer support. If you have AT&T 4G, why not pay a penny and get the phone you want?
I agree. I do have a family plan, and my wifes line will just have to stay on Verizon for a while longer cause the ETF for her line right now is still really high. ATT does have 4G here, and Verizon won't have LTE in my area until Summer 2013 according to meetings my CTO at work had with them. ATT will give me the same 15% off a month that Verizon gives me, so my bill really won't be any more. Only thing good about staying with Verizon would be the added value of having my wifes line including and pay a single bill, instead of two.
I feel your pain my friend. My family has 3 cell phones with Verizon and we have been a customer for over 20 yrs. I hate that Verizon Wireless Does Not Give their customers free data. If Verizon is the worlds Nationwide Leader and Largest Wireless company , then why in the HELL do they charge for Data? You got these companies like SPRINT and Carolina West Wireless who don't charge a thing for Unlimited Data, Talk, Text, Pix and Viedo Messaging for $50.00. So if these smaller companies can make it happen why is it not possible for Verizon to do the same!
I have watched over 200 people in my office switch from Verizon to Sprint and Carolina West Wireless. I have looked at my brother's monthly bill and he has not been charged for All the data, texting, Picture messaging and sending veido's and NOTHING has been charged other than the monthly fee of $50.00 and the Coverage is Excellent.
My Cell phones have been up for Renewal for over 1 yr and I will not update until verizon stops charging for DATA or i will go with SPRINT or Carolina West Wireless.
We have to let Verizon Know what their customer's want... Let's just see if they are listening.,!!!
At least in Michigan, T-Mobile charges $50 for unlimited everything, although only the first 100 mb are at 4G (HSPA+) speed. Truthfully, for most people, they are either on WiFi or literally only use about that or only slightly more. Virgin Mobile, Boost Mobile, Cricket, etc. all offer better deals. I just read an article within the last week about how the phone carriers, minus Verizon and AT&T, are in talks about merging their coverage maps and share frequencies.
If you want to let Verizon know what their customer's want, stop supporting them. Support a company you agree with and Verizon will notice what company all its customers are going. I'll even tell Verizon when I can actually cease my plan despite my having T-Mobile and my mom going to AT&T where and why we went where we did... half the monthly price AND Windows Phone for me and the Lumia 900 for my mom.
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