Am I Grandfathered, or not?
Kelevra
Newbie

Dear Verizon Wireless,

Let me start off by saying that I’ve been a Verizon Wireless customer for several years now, since I was in high school. I’m now 25 years old and until a couple of weeks ago, I was on a family share plan with my Dad, I recently AOL’ed (Assumed of Liability) our plan to take over my own line.  I’ve had my current iPhone 4S for about 3 years now; I got it for my college graduation in 2011, when you were heavily promoting your unlimited data plan.

Now, I was able to keep my Unlimited Data, but of course as I found out later that came with a catch. I walk into the Verizon Store (2530 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403) to upgrade my phone at around 11am-12pm Saturday (03-01-2014), sign-in, wait 30-45 minutes just to be told by David, that I would either have to scrap my unlimited data plan and switch to an 2GB data plan to upgrade or pay FULL retail price for a new iPhone 5S, which came to $600+.

My question to Verizon:

Where’s the LOYALTY?

Do you want to RETAIN me as a PAYING CUSTOMER?

Look, I get you guys are trying to make money hand over fist, that’s why your still in business.  As I stated before, I've been with you guys for several years, paid bills on time, and now you guys want to screw me over with this new policy.  How do you expect to retain me as customer with an obsolete phone?  If I was truly grandfathered in, why don’t you treat my unlimited data plan as a 2GB plan, which in result allows me, loyal paying customer,access to regularly scheduled upgrades. Why take that away?

Do you want me walking around representing your brand with a [removal required by the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service] , obsolete phone?

Here’s a parallel:

It’s like if you lived in an apartment complex that no longer accepted pets, but it grandfathered in you and your dog, but the only catch is that you and your dog are no longer welcomed/allowed to use the public facility amenities (park, sidewalk, etc.). The reason for you being here no longer exists. I guess, we’re grandfathered to an extent.

Sincerely,

Loyal Paying Customer

Labels (2)
0 Likes
1 Solution

Correct answers
Re: Am I Grandfathered, or not?
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Kelevra, We understand the need for you to retain your unlimited data plan. We do continue to offer our customers nothing but the best service and network and now more than ever customers are taking advantage of all the great features of a smartphone. We do offer our customers to retain there unlimited data plan by purchasing a device at full retail, or taking advantage of our payment plan option http://vz.to/ZILXBT   Our new more everything plans and EDGE programs are intended to assist with our wide variety of customers, whether they use a small amount of data or not, take a look http://vz.to/W24dla We do value you Kelevra and appreciate your loyalty. Our priority is to continue to provide the best service around.

-PeterV_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

View solution in original post

0 Likes
Re: Am I Grandfathered, or not?
Not applicable

To find out for sure look at your phone and account information at the My Verizon portal. It will tell you if you have unlimited data.

Another way of telling is did you since 2012 get a phone at a subsidized price? If you did many customers were grandfathered in to unlimited data.

If you buy a device other than full price or on the verizon device payment plan you will lose unlimited data.

If you join the edge program you lose unlimited data.

Good Luck

Re: Am I Grandfathered, or not?
jroeder
Specialist - Level 2

Topic has been discussed many times over.

Verizon has no loyalty to customers because customers ultimately do not have loyalty to Verizon.

Cell phones are no longer a want, but a need. Just like car insurance.

Verizon knows this and the policy they have still generates many more customers than they lose.

They are doing everything they can to get customers off unlimited data, that's just the way they are doing business.

If you don't like that, don't stick around because they aren't changing that anytime soon.

Good Luck Smiley Happy

0 Likes
Re: Am I Grandfathered, or not?
jroeder
Specialist - Level 2

Darn ninja........

0 Likes
Re: Am I Grandfathered, or not?
Not applicable

Ha ha remember I did that twice to you yesterday you just type faster than me many times.

Re: Am I Grandfathered, or not?
ttipgem
Master - Level 1

The bottom line is that there is no permanent grandfathering of plans.

Verizon will allow you to retain your unlimited data plan no problem.  You just can't do it if you also want a new phone at a subsidized price.

It's your choice.  No one is forcing you to do anything.

And at your worldly age of 25, you don't yet realize that Verizon is not concerned about you walking around "representing their brand".

0 Likes
Re: Am I Grandfathered, or not?
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Kelevra, We understand the need for you to retain your unlimited data plan. We do continue to offer our customers nothing but the best service and network and now more than ever customers are taking advantage of all the great features of a smartphone. We do offer our customers to retain there unlimited data plan by purchasing a device at full retail, or taking advantage of our payment plan option http://vz.to/ZILXBT   Our new more everything plans and EDGE programs are intended to assist with our wide variety of customers, whether they use a small amount of data or not, take a look http://vz.to/W24dla We do value you Kelevra and appreciate your loyalty. Our priority is to continue to provide the best service around.

-PeterV_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

0 Likes
Re: Am I Grandfathered, or not?
Kelevra
Newbie

How do you say,"We understand the need for you to retain your unlimited data plan", and then turn around and pitch a 2GB plan.  Then you say, "We do offer our customers to retain there unlimited data plan by purchasing a device at full retail", you "offer" everybody this option, ANYBODY can go into a Verizon Wireless Store and buy a phone at full retail price. You say "offer" like there's some kind of exclusivity attached. 

Look, the only way you can assist me is by letting me retain my plan and upgrade my phone at the 2-year agreement cost.

K

0 Likes
Re: Am I Grandfathered, or not?
Not applicable

Kelevra wrote:

Look, the only way you can assist me is by letting me retain my plan and upgrade my phone at the 2-year agreement cost.

K

This part is not going to happen. It is either pay full price and keep unlimited or you take the greatly reduced price and lose unlimited. That is the way it is. You have the choice.

If either choice does not appeal to you, go to sprint and get unlimited everything for $80 plus tax and surcharges per month.

You can get a subsidized price on the device and they even offer two models right now for free. But it is a two year contract with iffy service.

Choose T-Mobile again unlimited everything is around $70 with an additional 2.5 GB of tethering of data per month. Plus taxes and surcharges. They don't have contracts or any great coverage to speak of. You pay full price under the 24 month payment plan if qualified. For the device.

AT&T have some great plans right now and coverage is all most as good as Verizon. However you have a choice you can get a phone at a reduced subsidized price but no unlimited data. And you would be locked in to avtwo year contract.

Eventually all carriers will be non contract but also no reduced price phones. So choose carefully.

If you are worried about losing the unlimited use Verizon's device payment program where you pay full price over 12 months but taxes and first payment are required at time of purchase. Then 11 more equal payments per month plus $2 verizon charge but no contracts and you don't lose unlimited.

Good Luck