Locked in, without a phone
laurieannd
Newbie

This week, the charging port on my Motorola Droid Maxx HD died. It had been dying for some time, and finally gave up the ghost.

Evidently Verizon does not provide repair services for this phone.  At the time I purchased it, I did not buy insurance for it. I still have until the end January before I'm "eligible for upgrade". Six months until my contract ends.

I tried asking for help via the website. The sales rep on the main page said I had to call Customer Care to see if Verizon would waive the period for a new phone. I tried explaining that I had no phone, and no landline. Sorry, she said, I'm limited in what I can do. Did I really have to set up a Skype account to be able to get some help.

From there, I drove ten miles to the nearest Verizon store, where I was told again, that I was not eligible for a new phone purchase. They suggested that I find a family member or a friend from whom I could buy a second hand phone. Failing that, search eBay or Craigslist.

As a self-employed business consultant, I wasted a whole day on this. Never mind the fact that my clients could not reach me, nor could I conduct any other business. As it is now, I am held hostage by a six-month contract, and Verizon is unwilling to sell me a phone. Ludicrous.

Thank you very much Verizon, for your support of a small business owner. Thank you for continuing to take my money but not allowing me to use your business. I wish I could operate my business in such a manner.

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Re: Locked in, without a phone
rcschnoor
Legend

laurieannd wrote:

Verizon is unwilling to sell me a phone. Ludicrous.

Verizon is perfectly willing to sell you a phone. I am guessing you simply don't want to pay full retail for it.

laurieannd wrote:

Thank you for continuing to take my money but not allowing me to use your business.

Verizon is not preventing you from using their service. It is your lack of a working phone. Either purchase one at full retail, purchase a used one from a site such as swappa.com, find a repair shop to have your current phone fixed or borrow a phone from a friend/relative. Just because you do not like the options does not mean there are none.

Re: Locked in, without a phone
pherson
Champion - Level 1

So....... Let's see here. You signed a 2 year contract. Declined insurance on a phone with a 1 year warranty. Now youre in a bind..... Whose fault exactly is it? That's akin to blaming an electronics store that you didn't get the extended warranty on your tv now your in a able contract and your tv broke. Next time get the insurance.

blank stare.

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Re: Locked in, without a phone
pherson
Champion - Level 1

*cable

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Re: Locked in, without a phone
laurieannd
Newbie

RCschnoor, no, they're not. I'm not "eligible".

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Re: Locked in, without a phone
Spiral
Master - Level 1

You wasted your day because you were not prepared for a failure of your communication device.  That is a grave mistake, especially considering as you indicate, the device had been 'dying for some time'.

Verizon will sell you a new phone (despite your rant that they won't), they will just require you to pay full retail price.  Did you ask about that?

Please do not give us this BS about supporting a small business,  I have a small business myself (1 employee) and I make sure that I have a backup mobile phone available in case my primary phone fails or gets damaged (not an uncommon occurrence).  It is called planning ahead and that is good business practice.

Re: Locked in, without a phone
laurieannd
Newbie

yes, I did ask about that, both the web site and in the store.

I was prepared to pay full price... and I indicated this in both situation. Verizon simply said I wasn't eligible.

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Re: Locked in, without a phone
rcschnoor
Legend

Verizon will sell you a new phone at full retail value even if you are not "upgrade eligible". Unfortunately the term "upgrade eligible" is very misleading. This simply means you are "discount eligible" on the purchase price of a phone. For example, a new 16 GB iPhone 6 is $649.99 at full retail cost. If you are "discount eligible" or as Verizon puts it, "upgrade eligible", the price is $199.99.

So yes, you can purchase that new 16 GB iPhone 6 for $649.99 even if you are not "upgrade eligible". If you wait until you are "upgrade eligible" you can get it for $199.99.

Verizon Wireless upgrade eligibility faq, check out #5.

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Re: Locked in, without a phone
Not applicable

I have never heard of any Verizon store turning down a customer wiling to pay full price for a phone. If there is that manager needs to be fired for stupidity.