Forced Upgrades for WiFi Calling -- Bad Customer Service

[TimFritzley]

I have never been more disappointed in a carrier than recently with Verizon.  My LG3 4G was recently purchased from Verizon only to find out it cannot support WiFi calling.  The phone technology is more than capable of supporting WiFi calling but Verizon and LG must have colluded to force the upgrade.  Then when I looked at upgrading I found a device payment charge of 16 cents still on my account.  I had to call Verizon support and they made me pay the 16 cents.  Unbelievable.  Why there was a 16 cent charge on my account I could not fathom, but the fact that they took my credit card to pay the 16 cents is even more unbelievable.

They offered me a $60 credit for my LG3 to upgrade to a phone that supports WiFi calling.

I can get a much better deal going back to ATT, get a new phone for a much better credit and get WiFi calling.

Customer service is now dead.

[sprmankalel]

You do know that enabling Advanced Calling (which the G3 is capable of) will give you the ability to use Verizon Messages+ to call over WiFi with no need to purchase a new device, right?

[TimFritzley]

sprmankael;  after much discussion with Verizon the Messaging + only forwards an audio file.  It is not wifi calling.  In addition when you turn on advanced calling you have to have full 4G service.  If you live in an area that has sporadic 4G service you must turn on and off the advanced calling otherwise you do not get service if you need to connect to 3G or even lower cell tower service.  Unfortunately I live in area that has sporadic 4G service, and in some cases major dead spots in coverage.  That is why true WiFi calling was important to me.  Again, Messaging + is fine for forwarding an audio file -- but also the recipient must also have audio messaging.  In WiFi calling I can actually call any phone number as if it was a normal mobile voice call.  Cheers,  Tim

[sprmankalel]

Then your options are to get a phone capable of wifi calling or get a landline. They still work.

[TimFritzley]

That was my entire point. Verizon sells me a phone that is technically capable of supporting full WiFi, then when they finally launch full WiFi calling they drop it from the supported devices; and then want to charge me 16cents. The whole point was Verizon has deteriorated dramatically with poor customer service and forced upgrades – they have become another Apple. Expensive and boring.

[pherson]

WWell at this point TimFritzley you have a few choices to make. Get a new phone or get a landline. Cell phones no matter what your opinion of them are, are radio devices. Not gonna be 100% everywhere. There have been strides made; but they were never meant to completely replace true hard wired service. So those are your options.

BEst wishes

[TimFritzley]

pherson;  I think you missed my response to sprmankalel.  My whole point was Verizon's policy of forced upgrades similar to Apple's by withholding features that a phone is capable of supporting in order to force customers into new and much more expensive devices and service fees.  I built much of the Verizon network (GTE) so I understand the technology and choices quite well.  The LG3 is fully capable of supporting WiFi calling.  Verizon withheld it from that device.  Cheers,  Tim

[pherson]

WWell, that's your opinion; however it's not supported.

CHeers to you.

[TimFritzley]

Why else would Verizon withhold a feature from a technically capable device?

[Tidbits]

Manufacturers charge to add features and at that present time it isn't worth it to do. AT&T did the same. T-Mobile did the same. Sprint did the same. It may have happened if the FCC approved the use of Wifi calling almost 2 years ago... but they took forever to approve.