Verizon wireless

[Cathy]

I had several problems with this cell phone company. First off, the dates on the bills overlaped from the bills before which made them very hard to understand. Also, somehow, I racked up a $318 phone bill in October of 2000. The second time I had actually used on-line bill paying, I decided to use it again to pay this bill. Verizon wireless claimed they never received my bill. In order to protect my credit, I used my bank card to pay over the phone after the failure of online billing. I asked the customer service rep if she received payment from online, not to cash in on it. I figured the bill was lost in cyberspace. Four months later I receive a mysterious charge on my bank statement. I called the bank stating that they had charged someone elses bill to my account. Turns out it was the cyber space bill that they deducted from my small checking balance. Bills were being cleared and one more bill cleared and I would be in the hole. Called Vorizon to get the matter straightened out and they informed me that this was all my fault because I did not stop payment on my online bill. They said that they can't keep track of all of their accounts. It's my banks fault because their online billing is screwed up. The question I want to ask is how on earth did a lost online payment show up four months later. They take two days to process. They had no explanation and told me all they do for me was credit my cell phone account for that amount of money. My contract had just ended with Vorizon and I wasn't planning on staying with them. Needless, I called back to talk to a manager. He is going to issue me a check that could take up to 2 weeks to receive. This does not solve my insufficient funds problem now. Ohwell. Atleast I can get the word out on their lousy customer service and lack of understanding how to fulfill and keep current customers.

[salivagrl]

ok heres my deal ...i got 2 phones that together share a total of 4500 minutes a month for only 39.99 a month .....to good to be true? of course it was, when my first bill was $115 a call to verizon educated me to the facts:

1) although never stated by the representative, or anywhere in the contract, there is a $20 a month charge for the second line

2) the plan that i thought i was getting is not even available in my area the 4500 minutes turned out to be 2050 minutes when applied to my area

3) also not available in my region the .20 cent a minute when you go over your minute charge in my area its .40 cents a minute

4) the one time $175 fee to break the 2 year contract applies to both phones now i have to pay this bill plus $300 to get out of this mess

TOTAL: $415
I used 117 minutes of airtime and its costing me 415 bucks so i propose this ad


WELCOME TO VERIZON WIRELESS where you can get mobile service for the awesome low price of only $3.54 a minute...we dare you to find a crappier deal anywhere

[Woody08]

USUALLY IF YOU CALL THE REP AND ASK FOR A SUPERVISOR, THEY WOULD CREDIT YOUR ACCOUNT. WHENEVER I HAVE A ROAMING DISPUTE, THEY ALWAYS CREDIT ME MORE THAN WHAT IT ACTUALLY WAS. THE LAST ONE WAS $12 AND THEY CREDITED ME $20. I THINK THEY ARE GREAT BUT PEOPLE ALWAYS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH EVERY COMPANY.

[doomed]

Yeh, wonderful company. Beyond...
Get this - mail in rebate. They require to send old working cell phone to get $100 mail in rebate. So I do. In couple weeks I get the same phone halved with a "love note" you need to submit a working cell phone... So much for rebate.

3 months before expiration of 2 year contract my cell phone broke. So I got to buy a new one. Salesman (at the Verizon wireless service center) wraps the phone and asks me to sign a "receipt" pointing out that I am signing for the phone. Little I know, thatsomewhere in that "receipt" there is a checked box that I signed for the new 2 year contract...

I am having violent thoughts now - courtesy of verizon wireles

[Suburbanites]

Don't ever be be a Wireless/DSL/Residential subscriber and take advantage of their "One Bill" that they advertise heavily on the East Coast (Pennsylvania). I did. Come to find out...

1. The 300 minute peak LD, free-night-and-weekend home plan that they offered me didn't happen because a representative "forgot" to make me buy another service so I could actually get that deal. Can you say "slamming"? I did, since they confirmed the plan with me in writing.
2. Insurance for your phone. I bought it, except that they screwed up the billing. So I agreed to pay for the back coverage that wasn't charged versus buying a new Kyocera 6035 at $270 at the time. What did they do? Bill me for both the phone AND the coverage. What haven't they done? Reconcile the bills.
3. So they bill me for a whole mess of stuff I never had, so I call and make my case. Over about 3 different times, they indicate they'd issue credits. Have they? Not one.
4. I get One Bill. Amidst all of this, I get not one detail on this consolidated bill as to what I'm getting and paying for, and I swear it's more expensive, especially after they charge me for the phone. So I kill "One Bill", since every time you ask them about a charge, you hear "Oh, that's a separate company, yada yada yada". So if they're all separate companies, how accurate do you think "One Bill" will ever be? They don't bother to tell you that.

Lesson Learned: Don't trust Darth Vader in those commercials.

5. So finally, after all this, I move. What greets me at the new address? My final residential bill from Pennsylvania. Guess what they decided to screw yours truly with? All those charges that they shell-gamed off the Wireless Bill and on to the Residential Bill after I discontinued One Bill billing. After between 10-12 calls to Verizon to get this squared away, I said "Screw it" and filed a Formal Complaint with the PUC back in PA.

Verizon? They decided to try to place the account with a collection bureau. To this day, do you think they can accurately break-down an intemization of my charges? Nope. But they can sure violate several sections of FTC regulations in doing it.

Moral of this Story: Verizon can't hear you now, so get them to put everything in writing and send it to you. And get names -- that's the only thing that's saving my sanity right now.

[rock]

I think I can say slamming.Each of the last seven months verizon has overcharged me. one month $178. I dont use the phone a great deal and $178 really shows a difference in my bill.I have had no problems getting them to credit my bill but I would suggest you waich them closely after seven months it is hard to think it was just a mistake. The mistake was mine in not leaving them at month 1

[rocky820]

I never have a problem with Verizon Wireless ever. Billing, Reception, Service, etc everything is great to me. I always have great signal strenght around Montana Home Calling Areas. I guess Western State where Rocky Mountain regions are best for Verizon Wireless. Except Cellular One ewwww NO SIGNAL around here AT ALL! I'm sooo surprised Verizon Wireless just now came into our home area as Digital Network area! Its so nice to have it!

One thing Security Deposit I was forced to pay down 400.00 but I was able to get it back in year later if bill pays ontime which I did for year and got 400.00 check with no problem.

I'm so sorry whoever got great time problem using Verizon Wireless, wish you best bye

Mike

[Spike]

I recently changed to Verizon and have been fairly well pleased. I had Centennial for many years and had no real problems with them either.

Verizon's western coverage sucks, most of Oregon and Nevada have no Verizon system (read roaming charge, sucker).

My experience with both carriers has shown that the staff you deal with has little authority to correct mistakes and conflicts, but they seem to be authorized to issue credits at will.
(just as good, actually)

Personally, I never request anything be done (To correct billing, etc.) with which I'm not truly confident I'm in the 'right', and am making an absolutely legitimate'request. I also never take "no" for an answer, and attempt to make any final discourse on troublesome issues face to face at their office. It's considerably easier to tell someone "no, it ain't going to happen"if you're separated by means of the telephone. In spite of the advertising, you can't "reach out and touch someone" by 'phone. But if you're toe to toe....uhhh.... that's different!

[molld]

I hate verizon. I have had so much trouble with them. I've had the same cell phone number since back in 1999 when they were GTE Wireless. But, last year, they suddenly stopped being able to cash my checks and credit them to my account. They've cashed my checks and then turned off my phone service. I had a huge runaround with them where they gave me the wrong fax number (so I could fax them copies of the cancelled checks.)

I hate them.

I can't wait for my contract to be up, in february. Because they are jerks.

I filed a complaint with the better business bureau, and of course they were like, totally pleading innocent but YET they gave me extra minutes on my account. Because they messed up.

I'm not sure that any other company is any better but come february I'm switching to somewhere else. Even if I have to change my phone number. (Which i don't want to do, because my son has memorized it.)

[XVZWEMP]

Well I hope I can address all points.

When you sign up for a cellular service know that your first bill will ALWAYS be more with EVERY carrier.
You have to think about how cell service is billed. From the day you sign up to your bill date is a prorated charge and then you pay 1 month in advance, then you add on tax's (about 10-15 bucks a line) plus federal regulated charges (another 5-8 bucks a line) and it adds up.

And tell me WHY you wouldn't read something before signing it. And everything they hold you to is in those TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Bottom line READ READ READ.

Now I have no love for Verizon. Hell they just fired me today because of some petty crap you would laugh at but know that as far as payments, mistakes happen and nobody there wants to screw you over stuff just happens. The billing system is NEVER wrong. But maybe some clerk forgot to add unlimited nights and weekends, that will make you over charged. but no one tried to do it. but then again I know all you folks never forget anything.

Quit whining Verizon is just one of the best evils in a all evil industry. Hello there are carriers out there who charge $3 to talk to a real rep on the phone. And verizon it the only Carrier to have so many stores .hell in my area there are 1 of each sprint, att, t-mobile, cingular real stores (not resellers). BUT verizon has 4 Real stores Not resellers so you can come in and talk face 2 face.

[molld]

I'm sure none of that was directed to me. There is no whining from me. I did not fail to read anything. They messed up... they are wrong. Sure, I get to talk to a live person. But. They still make tons of mistakes and it is very irritating.

[XVZWEMP]

Not directed at anyone

but this is where the line is drawn Verizon has one awards for having the BEST customer service and coverage. Realize that even the people who gave out these awards said that the suck at it but they just suck the least.

Just letting you know any time you get a service like cellular you'll hate the provider at one point or another

[VZWEMP]

To everyone who has something negative to say about Verizon Wireless. I've been a Verizon Customer for over 4 years. I stay w/ in my minutes, I don't travel outside my calling area and If I did before I leave I'll call to change my plan. NO their not perfect what big company is?! With 34 million customers I would think a payment or two would be mis-applied or someones bill wouldn't be coded right and it'll be a lot bigger than you were expecting. I'll tell you this, before you call and start yelling at someone go over your bill through and through see exactly what you were charged for. If your bill was mis-coded they'll fix it TRUST me! Communicate with them professionally and they'll work with you every step of the way. I'd buy stock in the company if it was publicly traded!

[dutchman128]

Verizon Wireless has one word on page five of their contract that they hope you won't catch. That one word is (per) number or phone. This is costing thousand of their customers extra $175.00 ( PER ) number or phone in early termination fees.
The best thing anyone can do for himself or herself, which has been bitten by Verizon Wireless. Is to file a complaint with your State Attorney General.
The more complaints that are filed with the Attorney Generals the quicker something will be done. United we can become a mighty powerful force against big business who uses trickery in order to get your business.

Also, insist that the Attorney Generals force the FCC to reopen their 1998 Verizon Vapor Ware Audit of more that $153 billion dollars of unauditable commercial property! See: (www.newnetwork.com, www.forbes.com
FCC allows Verizon and other cellular phone companies to raise their rates based on their property cost.
Good Luck

[jrepk0]

I've had verizon wireless for 6 months. Every *single* month I have had to call for overcharging on my bill. First, I was charged $35 for service activation for a 2 yr plan. Wrong. Next month, I upped the plan to the next level. My 17% access discount credit was removed and I was charged 17% on the prorated month. Next month, I was charged "delayed airtime" which means that the rep forgot to tell me that I was over my pro-rated minutes when I changed my plan the previous month. (this of course is partially my fault, but only because I didn't unstand that they count minutes by the day, not the month) The next month, I upped my account. 17% credit removed again. The next month I was charged 17% instead of discounted when the "credit" was fixed. Then I added a line to my account. 17% remained because specifically mentioned it to the rep. But I was charged $35 act fee for another 2yr contract and delayed airtime. This time the rep should have told me that I was already over my minutes at that point. The previous time my usage that day pushed me over. I'm glad that they are willing to fix it each time, but I'm sick of the hour plus amount of time I spend each month doing their job. One mistake, or even two, but six billing errors, always in their favor... Something should be possible to recoup this "expense" to me....