Unsupported Charges By Phone companies
In some cases the customer is giving the telephone companies a blank check with no bounds. We had a Verizon Jet Pack with a 10GB limit and then additional charges were at a much higher rate. The first few months we had it we exceeded the 10 GB and the additional charges were noticeable. About six months into the plan the charges went wild. We had turned off all our devices including the Jet Pack. That month they charged us almost $400 for the Jet Pack, $80 base charge and the balance additional usage fees. I checked and we had paid over $4,000 for the Verizon phone service most of which was for the Jet Pack. We completely quit using the Jet Pack and the high charges continued. I called Verizon customer service and they said if it shows you used the amount that supports those charges you used them. I requested to know the days and times that the charges were incurred, the representative said we do not have that information available. I said in that case I will not pay for the excess charges on the Jet Pack since it was turned off. We were obligated by contract to pay the monthly fee whether we used the Jet Pack or not for two years.
Finally, I wrote directly to the President of Verizon. He assigned his special assistant to correspond with me. Again his special assistant said we do not have the detailed information that could tell you the dates and times of usage. I explained the Jet Pack had been turned off for two months and still the charges mounted. She again repeated if it says you incurred those charges you owe them.
We cancelled the Jet Pack service and were told we had to pay a $350 penalty for early cancellation. We objected and the President’s assistant said we will turn you over to a collection agency if you do not pay the penalty.
Another Verizon problem was our phone service in the summer. We live at 10,000 ft south of Breckenridge, Colorado. Our place is located very close to a Verizon tower. The Verizon service is terrible. We have to search for areas where we can get service and they change daily. Verizon’s excuse is that we live too close to the tower and are under the umbrella where there is a limited signal. We have a phone booster with a Bluetooth which helps sometimes. We would have liked to cancel our service since Verizon cannot service our area, but my wife signed a new two year contract when she got a new Samsung smart phone from them and there is a large penalty fee to cancel. Verizon explained they do not have 4G service in our area only 3G, again a problem, our bill showed being billed for 4G. How can they bill a customer for service they cannot provide?
I sent a description of our problems with Verizon to to the FCC investigative division and never received a reply. Verizon customer service is not helpful by any measure.
Phones For Family Members Including Your Children
Before you sign a contract for phones for the whole family make sure you understand the data limits and the term of the contract you are signing in order to get a reduced price phone or a free phone. Make sure your children and family members understand a telephone is not a toy and mishandling has consequences for the whole family.
Shop Around For Phone Companies
I know in our case A T & T has better service to our area but we would have to pay a large cancellation fee for the less than satisfactory Verizon service. There are quite a few wireless phone providers. Shop around and I am sure you will find the best deal for your needs.