Warning beware of Verizon's hidden fees

[w6pea]

I went into an Authorized Verizon wireless Dealer in Ridgecrest, Ca. on the 30th of December. I had been a Verizon customer and had switched to another carrier,(taking my Phone Numbers with me.)
I decided to go back to Verizon because even in the middle of Ridgecrest Ca. and about a block away from a cell tower I tried to call home to So. Cal. to check my phone messages I kept getting service not available.(another horror story for another time)

Any way when I went into the dealer I was told that there would be no contract and no reactivation fee's because I was a returning customer and they had a come back special going on. Okay sounded a little too good to be true, but who knows.

Well I get my first bill.....I look on line at it and it says that I am not in a contract with them(because I was a returning customer) I was already past my contract with them since 2006.

I read farther down the bill and it say's there is an activation fee of $35.00 for both phones. So I call cuss-some-more service and get another song and dance.
Bottom line they will not refund the activation fee's. So instead of a bill a little over $100 bucks it's just shy of $200 bucks. (by only a few pennies)

Also here is another thing the city that I live in no charges a new tax of some kind for use of a cell phone of $3.05 more than the state and all of the federal taxes and fee's took effect Jan.1

[Fred1609]

Yup, the activation fee is their version of a rewards program, "thanks for comin back, now pay up". Its a bit of a catch 22, if you leave to go to another provider you may get hit with other undetected fees or bad cell reception. I guess better the devil you know then the devil you dont'

[PyrateSilly]

Thats better than AT&T for us.
We got forced to transfer to AT&T from Verizon. Had them for all of 2 hrs before the transfer to go back to Verizon went thru. AT&T is still wanting almost $200 for that 2 hrs and they would not allow us to take our numbers back to Verizon so we had to get new numbers on top of that.

[Tha_Rooster]

I believe the stores get the activation fee so they are the one that could have not charged you. I didn't know you could start a verizon or AT&T account without a contract .

[Graniteman]

We signed a contract with Verizon a few years back for the business with about 20 phones. We were supposed to get $ 2,000.00 back on a rebate as per the sales rep who came to the office. After 6 months of runaround from Verizon I finally sent a picture of me and the Attorney General at a fund raiser. He was just about to become Governor of PA. I threatened to contact him (I may have stretched the truth a little about how well I knew him). But let me say problem solved. I am surprised they didn't hand deliver the refund ck. The best part is I never had to get nasty.

[PNWGirl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PyrateSilly Thats better than AT&T for us. We got forced to transfer to AT&T from Verizon. Had them for all of 2 hrs before the transfer to go back to Verizon went thru. AT&T is still wanting almost $200 for that 2 hrs and they would not allow us to take our numbers back to Verizon so we had to get new numbers on top of that.

Thom,

I do not know if you have this information but they can not do this. Cell phones are overseen by the FCC and you have rights. If you have not done so, you should file a complaint. The regs clearly state that they CAN NOT refuse to port a number, even if money is owed.

Below is the page, regarding this, from the FCC. I had the same thing happen, told the carrier that I was filing with the FCC and low-and-behold, my number was ported. Knowing your rights is a powerful weapon against companies who try to pull stunts like this.

I have attached AT&T's letter, to the FCC, when the FCC requested all carriers to state their Early Termination (ETF) policy and grace periods. Please see the two area's that I have highlighted for you, on page three.

ATT_ETF_Response.pdf

Sheila


==================================

Portability: Keeping Your Phone Number When Changing Service Providers


Background

Under the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) “local number portability” (LNP) rules, so long as you remain in the same geographic area, you can switch telephone service providers, including interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers, and keep your existing phone number. If you are moving from one geographic area to another, however, you may not be able to take your number with you. Therefore, subscribers remaining in the same geographic area can switch from a wireless, wireline, or VoIP provider to any other wireless, wireline or VoIP provider and still keep their existing phone numbers.
Initiating the Process


If you want to change companies:

• Do not terminate your service with your existing company before initiating service with the prospective new company.
• Contact the new company, which will start the process of porting your number by contacting your current company. Be prepared to provide the new company with your 10-digit phone number, customer account number, and five-digit zip code. If you had created a passcode to protect your account, you may also need to provide that passcode.
• Be aware that when terminating service with a wireless company, you may be obligated to pay any early termination fees under your existing contract. Also, when terminating service with any company, you are usually required to pay any outstanding balance owed. Review your bill or contract to determine what fees or charges apply. Once you request service from the new company, however, your old company may not refuse to port your number, even if you owe money for an outstanding balance or termination fee.
• You may request service from a new company at any time.

Fees and Charges

• Companies may charge their customers fees to recover the costs that they incur in providing number portability. Fees may vary between companies, and some companies may not charge any fees.
• Companies may not refuse to port a number because a consumer has not paid for porting.
• When considering a switch, consumers should ask the new company whether it charges any number portability fees and whether those fees can be waived.

The Porting Period

The FCC has changed its number porting rules to shorten the porting period for “simple” ports from the current four days to one business day. The new deadline applies to all simple ports, including “intermodal” ports such as wireline to wireless, wireless to wireline, wireline or wireless to VoIP or any other combination. Simple ports generally do not involve more than one line or more complex adjustments to telephone switching equipment. Wireline, wireless and interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers are required to meet this new, simple port deadline, which will take effect in late summer 2010 for most carriers. Small, rural carriers have a longer period, until the beginning of 2011, to meet the new porting deadline.
During Porting

If you port from a wireline phone to a wireless phone, there may be a period of “mixed service” – when you essentially have two telephones with the same number. Ask your new wireless company whether you will be able to continue using your current wireline number during the one day transfer process. Also, if you port from a wireline phone to a wireless phone, your wireline long distance company will not move with you. Your long distance service will generally be provided by your new wireless company, but you should verify this with the new wireless company before changing service providers.
Emergency Services

In some areas, 911 operators automatically receive the phone number or location of a wireless call, but in many areas, that is not the case. Technology that will provide that information – Enhanced 911 or “E911” – is currently being implemented, but is not yet available for some wireless phones and in some parts of the country.
As noted above, during the one day porting process from the old company to the new company, there may be a period of “mixed service” - when you may have two telephones with the same number. During this time period, your E911 service may be affected. The call should go through, but the 911 operator may not be able to call you back if the call gets disconnected. For this reason, before porting either a wireless or a wireline number, ask the new company if the one day porting process will affect a 911 call.
Handsets and Special Services

In some instances, wireless handsets of different wireless telephone companies are incompatible. If you switch wireless companies, you may need to purchase a new handset, even if you retain the same phone number. If you have concerns about purchasing a new handset, ask your new wireless company whether or not your current handset will work with that company’s network.
Also, be aware that in a few areas, as consumers with ported numbers roam outside their normal wireless service areas, they may only be able to send and receive calls. Other services, such as caller ID, may not function properly.
Filing a Complaint with the FCC

If you have a problem porting your phone number from one service provider to another, first try to resolve it with the responsible provider. If you cannot resolve the problem directly, you can file a complaint with the FCC. There is no charge for filing a complaint. You can file your complaint using an FCC online complaint form. You can also file your complaint with the FCC’s Consumer Center by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:

Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554.

What to Include in Your Complaint


The best way to provide all the information the FCC needs to process your complaint is to complete fully the online complaint form. When you open the online complaint form, you will be asked a series of questions that will take you to the particular section of the form you need to complete. If you do not use the online complaint form, your complaint, at a minimum, should indicate:

• your name, address, email address and phone number where you can be reached;
• the telephone and account numbers that are the subject of your complaint;
• the names and phone numbers of any companies involved with your complaint;
• the amount of any disputed charges, whether you paid them, whether you received a refund or adjustment to your bill, the amount of any adjustment or refund you have received, an explanation if the disputed charges are related to services in addition to residence or business telephone services; and
• the details of your complaint and any additional relevant information.

For More Information

Visit the FCC’s website for more information on number portability. For information about other telecommunications issues, visit the FCC’s Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau website, or contact the FCC’s Consumer Center using the information provided for filing a complaint.
Print Out

Portability: Keeping Your Phone Number When Changing Service Providers Guide (pdf)

Bureaus & Offices: Consumer & Governmental Affairs

[PyrateSilly]

They can and did.
Verizon bought a company a few years back. The FCC determined that parts of the areas that they now held would be considered monoploy and had them sell them off, customers and all. AT&T bought up most of them. We happened to be one of them. Trust me I contacted the FCC, AT&T and Verizon. There was nothing to do except let us be transferred and then transfer back. To even go back with Verizon we had to use a different mailing address to put the number with. We could not use the house's. For service we could use the house to get the area code thou. Stupid and wrong but that's they way it worked for me and LOTS of people. Trust me I emailed, was on the phone and contacted everyone I could for 1 1/2 yrs before it got switched.

[ernieh]

The problem of ATT porting numbers to other carriers is as old as porting itself. Some things never change.

[mr300ce]

We, as modern Americans, have grown into the technology world along with it. We can no longer hold out or seperate ourselves from it.

In that inclusion with technology, some of us will suffer the stupidity, audacity, arrogance, and down right corrupt policies of those corporations that supply us with the technology.

We try to go on with our lives, families, work, play, on a daily basis. We have "hired" other people to take care of the other things so we can do this.

Politicians, police, court system, lawyers, etc. They work for us to help our lives run more smoothly, and to knock down the bumps along the way.

The BIGGEST problem we have now in America is........................

Corporations !

and the US Supreme Court has ruled that they are people too, and have many of the same rights as people. (ridiculus, I know).

I have been told more than once by a corporation: "If you don't like what we provide you, then go somewhere else". But sometimes there is nowhere else to go.

Plus, if you decide to protest by NOT paying what they say you owe, it will go on your credit report, and that will really hurt you along your journey thru life. (personal experiences here)

Lets just get this perfectly clear.....they are right, and you are wrong.

Its their business, and you want in, so you have to play by their rules, no matter how screwy or unfair they are. You can walk away (but pay your bills), but they may notify the next company that you are not trustworthy.

Then you are even more screwed.

[jmckinley]

Two words -- "Consumer Cellular". Good rates, no contracts, good coverage, outstanding customer service. The quicker you can get away from Verizon the better.

[kjburns]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmckinley Two words -- "Consumer Cellular". Good rates, no contracts, good coverage, outstanding customer service. The quicker you can get away from Verizon the better.

They must use AT&T because the coverage maps are identical. Their coverage in many of the places we travel is inadequate. YMMV

[VanDiemen23]

Weird stuff goes on cellular-wise out in the boonies around Ridgecrest. Verizon has a tower in Trona - but blocks all ATT calls (maybe others too) except for 911. I had ATT for years until I got fed up with lousy service and their insistence that my daughter carry a data plan just because she had a smart phone. Switched to Verizon and now once I get out on the 14 or 395 I have no service until almost all the way to Lancaster or Victorville - probably because ATT blocks Verizon.

[PyrateSilly]

Funny we have Verizon and don't have a problem in that area with service. hmmmmmm
And it's not that calls are blocked from a carrier, it's the fact that the carrier does not have anything on the towers around there. Used to work for a tower company and the cell companies rent and put the stuff on the towers. No stuff on the tower no service from them. Of course the cell companies can and do build their own towers too so it maybe just that that's the case here.

[ernieh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanDiemen23 Weird stuff goes on cellular-wise out in the boonies around Ridgecrest. Verizon has a tower in Trona - but blocks all ATT calls (maybe others too) except for 911. I had ATT for years until I got fed up with lousy service and their insistence that my daughter carry a data plan just because she had a smart phone. Switched to Verizon and now once I get out on the 14 or 395 I have no service until almost all the way to Lancaster or Victorville - probably because ATT blocks Verizon.

I'm not quite sure how ATT or Verizon could block each other or not allow roaming on the other network. The two carriers used different formats. ATT uses GSM and Verizon used CDMA. They are definitely not compatable with one another.