Poor iPhone. Or, smartphone-like device that resembles an iPhone. According to Verizon, its 3G coverage means that it has no place in this world except the island of misfit toys.

Other commercials declare that AT&T users will experience a blue Christmas, and that only the naughty will receive AT&T phones as holiday gifts. Ha ha! Sigh.

Verizon Wireless Launches Three More Anti-AT&T 3G Network Commercials [Gizmodo]

William writes:

I have actually been pretty happy Verizon Wireless until very recently.

I have one regular cell phone line with Verizon, and one of those nice little usb broadband modems. I have had both since about 2004. The great thing was that I had the unlimited broadband plan on my modem. They do not offer it anymore so I was proud of being able to keep my unlimited broadband plan.

Earlier this year, my wife and I got divorced. Among the thousands of matters to attend to, was to split our Verizon account into his and hers. I called up Verizon and explained that I needed to remove her from the account and have the account only in my name.

The rep said this was no problem, and it was quick to do. I asked him specifically to ensure there was no changes to account, and if the broadband account would remain the same. He ensured me that this would be the case, and even commented on how cool it was that I had the Unlimited plan. He told me I needed to make sure I kept it. Wise words.

I kept getting bills in the expected amount so I did not verify further at that point. This month I did read my bill, and I notice that my broadband plan has changed from Unlimited as expected to their new 5GB plan. This was clearly an error so I call up VZW to have them correct the error. I spoke at that time to rep number. 322590. She assured me that she would put in a request to have my account updated back to the grandfathered plan and I would get a call back the next day.

3 days passed and I received no notification so I called VZW back. This time I spoke to rep 319729, who was a supervisor she said.

She looked at my account, and said that VZW had refused to put the unlimited plan back on my account, and there was nothing they could do. I requested that because they had failed to provide me with what I was contractually entitled to, that they should release me from the termination charges on the account and allow me to close the account.

Rep 319729 said that it was impossible for VZW to give me the plan and I wanted, and it was impossible for Verizon to release me from my early termination. Now they are charging me $59.99 per/month for a service I did not sign up for, and do not want.

Rep 319729 said that there was a website that listed the terms and conditions that apply when VZW makes a change to the account, and it was my duty to read this mythical piece to understand what they were allowed to do, when they make changes to the account. Rep 319729 did not say what the Url for this document was.

What can I do? They took advantage of me, in a very trying time in my life, and they refuse to fix it, and they even rub my face in it, with this mythical website I am supposed to have read before calling to change my account.

Not cool, Verizon.

(Photo: daysofthundr46)

Aaron J. Fischman
Northeast Area Executive Relations
Laurel, MD
240-568-2459 - Phone
240-568-2726 - Fax
240-568-1771 - Secondary Fax

(Photo: Mat Honan)

You may remember a few weeks back you posted my blog about being stuck on I-25 in Wyoming and the dismal failure that was Verizon Roadside Assistance. I thought I'd drop you a line and give you an update.

I just got off the phone with a Latrina Jackson, she called to apologize for the troubles I had that day. Apparently someone high up at Verizon Wireless reads The Consumerist. Based on that blog, they have reviewed the call tapes and according to Ms. Jackson, "That call did not go the way it was supposed to." She claims the operator I spoke to that day is no longer taking calls and is being put through their training program again.

In an attempt to make me feel better about the whole ordeal, they took my mailing address and are issuing a check to cover the cost of the fuel delivery. This was way more than I was expecting. I don't know if you guys post updates on these stories, but perhaps your readers would like to know that while I still consider the words, "Can I connect you to Verizon Wireless Roadside Assistance?" a death threat, but at least they can admit when they made a mistake.

Congrats, Jason! We're glad that Verizon Wireless stepped in to make things right, and that they're retraining the CSR who failed to grasp the meaning of "roadside assistance."

Here are the morals of this story:

1. Never EVER travel without extra fuel.

2. If someone ever says to you, "Can I connect you to Verizon Wireless Roadside Assistance?" They are making a direct threat on your life.

So yesterday I drove from my home in Casper, Wyoming down to Loveland Colorado. Its about a 250 mile drive South down I-25. I was driving a 2003 GMC Yukon XL. I passed Chugwater Wyoming at about 11:00, checked the fuel gauge and decided that half a tank should get me into Cheyenne, 45 miles away.

23 miles later the needle of the fuel gauge finally unstuck and dropped to E in about a second and a half. Then the car sputtered and died. I was out of fuel with no sign of civilization for 23 miles to the North and 22 miles to the South. I raised my hood, hoping that some kind soul would stop and perhaps offer a ride.

I had been in and out of cellular service for the last two hours. In that time my phone was trying desperately to find a signal, which drains the battery at a horrendous rate of speed. I had one bar left on the battery so I went looking for my car charger. I didn't bring it. I don't know anyone in Cheyenne, so I dialed 411. The operator answered and I asked her for a tow truck in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She said to me, "Can I connect you with Verizon Wireless Roadside Assistance?" I said, "Why yes you can, I didn't know Verizon offered Roadside Assistance."

So she connects me. I spent the next 15 minutes punching in my credit card number, my phone number, the last four digits of my SSN etc. etc. etc. Then I finally get a live person on the phone to help me. Goes like this:

Her: Thank you for calling Verizon Wireless Roadside Assistance, how can I help you?
Me: Hi, I'm out of fuel on I-25 23 miles North of Cheyenne, Wyoming next to mile marker 30. Can you send some fuel out?
Her: I can help you with that, are you in a safe place?
Me: I'm on the shoulder of I-25, I'm pretty safe.
Her: Ok, where exactly are you?
Me: .... Interstate 25 southbound, mile marker 30, 23 miles north of Cheyenne Wyoming.
(No shit, this was her next question.)
Her: Are you at home?
Me: What? No, I'm next to I-25 in the middle of nowhere.
Her: Could you meet someone at your home?
Me: Are you serious? Lady, I'm broken down in the middle of the prarie here!
Her: I understand sir, is there a mile marker or an exit near you?
Me: Yeah, like I said, I'm at mile marker 30.
Her: Ok, is there a town nearby?
Me: Yeah, Cheyenne is 23 miles away.
Her: Ok, what is the zip code there?
Me: How the hell would I know the zip code of Cheyenne Wyoming?
Her: Sir, I can't do anything without a zip code.
Me: Can't you look it up somehow?
Her: Please hold.

Fifteen minutes go by, my phone is beeping its battery death rattle in my ear.

Her: Sir? Are you still there?
Me: Yes I am, but my phone is about to die, is someone on the way?
Her: I can't find a zip code for Cheyenne. Oh, wait, let me try this one....

I'm on hold again. Three minutes pass.

Her: Sir, what sort of service do you need?
Me: I don't care, send a tow truck, or a locksmith or a taxi or anyone that will bring me fuel!
Her: ok....

My phone dies.

So I figure she's got someone on the way and I wait. Its 12:30pm at this point in time. I took some pictures to pass the time.

I also picked up some of the bottles and cans from the roadside, carried them a few hundred yards off the road into an empty field and had a little target practice.

Four hours pass. No help has arrived. Finally, someone stops, this is the first time since I've been there. He let me use his phone, I called my voicemail. I had a message from the Roadside Assistance bitch that went like this;

"Sir, I was unable to find any services in Cheyenne. Thank you for calling Verizon Wireless Roadside Assistance, have a good day."

She left me to twist. A 12 hour walk in any direction, she knew full well that I couldn't call anyone else, she just left me out there.

I then called 411 again and asked for a tow truck. The operator said, "Can I connect you to Verizon Wireless Roadside Assistance?" I told her to go have sex with herself in a tirade of swearing that can only be described as Yosemite Sam uncensored.

One hour later Doug's Towing from Cheyenne was there, he collected $150 and I was back on the road.

"Verizon Wireless left me to die. With pics!" [AR15.com]

"Verizon Wireless Going Contract-Free?" [Boy Genius Report via IntoMobile]

(Photo: Karpfish)

Reader Sean writes:

After being disconnected from Verizon Wireless’ regular support line about three times in a row, I did some digging and got a phone number for their tier 3 voice support, and tier 2 data support. They both use the same number. These people actually know what they are doing and get things fixed. Also, they can authorize overnight RMA’s without having to go ask their boss. No long phone tree either!

(Photo: northernplateguy)

Rick Fields

910-794-6244

Lisa Jackson

910-794-6242

Korlene Baker

910-794-6233

Lisa Bennett

910-794-6232

Verizon Wireless executive customer service desk: 845-365-7700, 908-306-6750, 910-794-6200

Dan Malutith (Supervisor of Exec Relations)

910-794-7372

(Photo: Getty)

(Photo: Getty)

Such was the metaphysical mind bender that confronted reader Kevin S. who recently purchased a Motorola KRZR from Verizon in Seattle. But upon contacting Motorola, he was shocked to discover that his phone was impossible. The KRZR does not exist in the States. It isn't released. As Graham Chapman might say, It's an un-phone.

So Kevin calls Verizon. They want to charge him $29.99 for the driver along with a "music pack" that he doesn't need. If he just wants the driver, he needs to convince Motorola that their own phone exists.

Kevin's email, after the jump.

Just a quick little mail, don't even think this needs any further pursuing, just to let people know.

I picked up a KRZR from my local Verizon store in Seattle, great customer service there, as I was NOT eligble for an upgrade, but they gave me the upgrade price anyhow. This morning, I decided to plug my phone in to my computer, as it's got a USB port. Windows XP correctly identifies my phone make and model, but can't find a driver. Cool, the phone is new, I can understand that MS doesn't have a driver yet for it. So, I check out motorola.com for a driver, only to be told that the phone is not released yet, and the web site will be updated when it is.

So, I took the next logical step, I called Moto directly, in the hopes that they would have some more information for me. After going through the usual routine of what model phone I had, and what I was calling for, I got to a live person in under two mintues. I asked the rep if there was any software available for my phone, to which he told me that the phone was not yet released, and therefore there would be nothing available for it. I told him that I had the phone in my hand, and he explained to me that sometimes phones get released to Asia before America, and had I gotten one of those phones, that the software would be available when the phone was released to this country. I then told him that I had picked up the phone directly from a Verizon store in Seattle, to which he told me that I need to talk to them to get the software I need. I've been around the cell phone block several times, I was a Verizon rep for many years during my tenure at (ack!) Radio Shack. I know that the big V will help me with software and apps that relate directly to the phone, not how the phone talks to the computer.

While I've been writing this email, I've been on the phone with Verizon customer service. I told the rep that I was looking for just the driver to the phone. He placed me on hold for a couple of minutes, telling me that he was talking to a 'wireless advisor.' When he came back on the line, he reiterated what I already know: If I want just the driver, then I need to talk to Moto directly. He did tell me that they have a music pack for $29.99 that includes everything I need, however, including headphones, a USB cable, and, oh gosh, the driver. So, this tells me that the driver for the phone is already available from Moto.

So, like I said up front, I don't think this is a huge deal, more just the incompetance of big companies. I just thought that this might be an interesting read for a Sunday. Having that driver sure would be nice though!

Thanks for having a great blog!

Only problem? We've written about it before.

As a recap, Verizon sells Unlimited Wireless Broadband, but cancels you if you exceed an arbitrary limit, the theory being you could only download more than a few gigs a month if you were torrenting the complete works of Jenna Jameson. They accused Consumer Affairs of being pornography enthusiasts. That's doubtlessly true, but their math was all muddled: they accused CA of downloading over ten gigs worth of porn in thirty days, when they'd actually downloaded less than 2 gigs over the period of an entire year.

But now they've canceled another public figure's Internet, accusing him of downloading porn for breaching a 5 gig a month "unlimited" quota. This time, though, it was Robert X. Cringely, a highly visible Ziff-Davis and PBS blogger. And not only did they cancel him for daring to think that their unlimited service actually was unlimited, but they nailed him with a $175 fine.

Verizon's position is that using more than 5 gigs a month is impossible without being a pirate, a pornographer, or both. The unlimited service is only for email and web-surfing, but not for downloading music or videos, no matter how legal. Of course, Verizon "Less Than 5GBs Per Month of Text" Broadband Wireless just sounds a heck of a lot less impressive than "Unlimited", doesn't it?

When "unlimited" wireless broadband means "you download porn"... [Newswireless.net]

When Katy accepts the fact that, at some point, the phone must have become completely submerged in liquid without her knowledge, she asks if she can get her numbers transferred off the old phone onto a new one. Verizon won't do it, though: they now only support backing up from an online Verizon database of phone numbers. Charge? $1.99 a month.

Although Katy is amenable to paying this service so as not to lead an isolated and solipsistic cellular life, Verizon explains they won't sell it to her, because there's no way to transfer numbers from a broken phone. Katy suggests they use another RAZR as reference: the Verizon CSR boggles, insisting that each RAZR's interface is as special and unreproducible as a snow flake.

Finish it all up by billing Katy for tax in a state she doesn't live in and a service she canceled months ago, which she never asked for to begin with. Another excellent Verizon Wireless customer service resolution!

Katy's email, after the jump.

Not that it's revolutionary information at this point, but they have lost me as a customer as of today with their ridiculous attempts to charge for EVERYTHING. First, my crappy RAZR phone's screen broke for no apparent reason. They told me I somehow got the phone wet and that they couldn't do anything to fix it. There is no way in the hell of their creation that I got the phone wet. ever. Their little indicator sticker lies, just like their customer "service" operatives. They inform me that there is no way for them to pull the numbers off my phone and print them for me because Verizon has changed its policy and now offers storage of phone books on the Verizon database for $1.99/ month. They tell me that I can't have this service, though, because it requires going through menu options on the screen and my screen is broken. They looked aghast when I explained they could always use another identical phone model to get the visuals for what they needed to do on my phone. The suggestion of an alternative boggled their minds. They claimed they could not do that, either. Today I got my farce of a bill, which charged me usage taxes for a state I don't even live in- although they have corrected the problem, they acted like it would take a miracle to refund the difference in taxes. Despite the fact that I have repeatedly tried to cancel the VCAST service I never asked for, I am still being charged for that. I finally bitched four people out in customer service to get these two things resolved. As soon as I have a free moment, I'm going to a different company. This will doubtless result in a myriad of unforseen issues, but I can't take Verizon Wireless' apparent death grip on shitty customer service.

The registrants email address reveals he owns 916Networks, a "Technical Support company focused on providing support to Public Relations and Marketing companies."

Celebrities they worked with include Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Meg Ryan and Marisa Tomei.

None of whom are sporting Consumerist comments accounts on the red carpet this season.

We talked to five different people before we finally got the straight answer. A high up CSR confirmed the offer is valid. However, it's only for "merit" customers. That's why it won't work for most of you. Because Verizon considers you without merit.

1:32 version (Is it just us, or does he sound a lot like Kevin, our friend we spoke with when we moved to Cambodia?)

9:23 version, along with full transcript, inside.

ANGELA: Thank you for calling Verizon Wireless mumble mumble Verizon Wireless. This is Angela, may I have your name please?

CONSUMERIST: Hi yes, this is...

SFX: Annoying tones.

ANGELA: Ok and can I get your mobile telephone number, area code first.

CONSUMERIST: Sure, uh

SFX: Tones.

(Long pause)

CONSUMERIST: Hello?

ANGELA: Yes...okay...is the account holder available?

CONSUMERIST: I'm sorry, I can't hear you.

ANGELA: I'm sorry, is the account holder available?

(Pause)

CONSUMERIST: (inhales) Well look, I don't have a question about the account anyway-

ANGELA: (chipper) Oh, okay!

CONSUMERIST: I have a question about an offer, um, that I'm seeing on the internet I just want to confirm whether it's valid...it's this um 100 free anytime minutes? Thing? And, uh, you get there by going to the website verizonwireless.com/thankyou and that redirects to solutions dot uh vzwshop dot com slash offers slash 100 free
minutes, so that's a real offer?

ANGELA: Okay, let me get you over to our online support, please hold.

CONSUMERIST: Okay.

SFX: Verizon pitching while we hold.

KENDRICK: Verizon Wireless, may I get your name please?

CONSUMERIST: Hi, uh Kendrick um, this is

SFX: Tones.

CONSUMERIST: How you're doing?

KENDRICK: Doing fine, how 'bout you sir?

CONSUMERIST: Pretty good.

KENDRICK: Okay!

CONSUMERIST: I have a question about an offer I'm seeing online and I just want to check it out and make sure it's a valid Verizon Wirless offer...It's this 100 Free Anytime minutes thing? Uh is that something you guys are doing?

KENDRICK: One hundred free anytime minutes?

CONSUMERIST: Yeah, it ask you to punch in your first and last name, phone number, zip code and last four of your social, and then it gives you 100—

SFX: Truck honks outside.

CONSUMERIST: Excuse me. 100 free anytime minutes?

KENDRICK: I'm unaware of that sir. Now, are you at the Verizon Wireless website?

CONSUMERIST: Well here, I got there by going uhhh verizonwireless dot com slash thank you and then that redirects to solutions dot vzwshop dot com slash offers slash 100minutes. Is that a valid Verizon site?

KENDRICK: I'm not sure sir, I never heard of that before.

CONSUMERIST: Ok, uh, could you look into it?

KENDRICK: Uh, yes, sir, hold on one second.

(Long pause)

KENDRICK: Ok sir, what I'm gonna do for you is get you over to customer care and they'll be able to answer that question for you, is that okay?

CONSUMERIST: Um, is that, are those the people that you get by calling-

KENDRICK: -Yes sir they deal with plans and stuff, yes sir.

CONSUMERIST: Uh, I called 1-800-922-0204 uh

KENDRICK: Uh-huh.

CONSUMERIST: Are those the same people because I was just over there and they sent me to you guys.

KENDRICK: Okay, hold on one second sir.

CONSUMERIST: Okay.

SFX: Your call is important to us.

CONSUMERIST: (sighs)

KENDRICK: Okay sir, what is your mobile telephone number, with the area code first?

CONSUMERIST: Uh...

SFX: Tones

KENDRICK: Okay, hold on second.

SFX: Jazzy muzak.

CONSUMERIST: Doo doo dee doo doo doo.

SFX: Jazzy muzak.

CONSUMERIST: Doo doo doo, doo dee doo.

SFX: Jazzy muzak.

CONSUMERIST: (Whistles)

SFX: Your call is important to us, you will be assisted as soon as possible. Please continue to hold.

CONSUMERIST: I bet.

SFX: Jazzy muzak.

CONSUMERIST: Durrr. Durr durr. Doo dee doo.

SFX: Jazzy muzak.

CONSUMERIST: So far, seven minutes and forty five seconds.

SFX: We appreciate your patience.

CONSUMERIST: Because no one knows anything.

SFX: Your call will receive the time and attention it deserves, when we return to the line.

CONSUMERIST: From snorting heroin in the bathroom.

SFX: Jazzy muzak.

CONSUMERIST: I don't know what all this whispering is.

SFX: Please continue to hold.

CONSUMERIST: Sounds like there's whispering on the Verizon line. Sounds like fucking ghosts trying to attack me. They're trying to spook me off the call with ghosts.

VERIZON: Hello sir?

CONSUMERIST: Hello?

VERIZON: I do apologize for the wait, uhm.......I do apologize for the wait.

CONSUMERIST: Okay, okay.

VERIZON: Sir? What I'm going to do for you, I'm gonna need to get some information about what website you're currently at?

CONSUMERIST: Yeah! Okay. So I went to verizonwireless dot com slash thankyou, and then

VERIZON: Uh huh.

CONSUMERIST: That redirected to solutions dot vzwshop dot com slash offers slash 100minutes? And, it's 100 free anytime minutes thing it says, it says all I have to do is insert my info and I get a hundred free minutes? I just want to know if it's like, you know, legit.

VERIZON: Sooo but the website is not like the Verizon Wireless main website at all?

CONSUMERIST: No, it's something different. Which is why, you know-

VERIZON: Okay.

CONSUMERIST: I was like, what is this?

VERIZON: Well sir, the customer care representative said he's not aware of any plan, like any plan, where you can get 100 free anytime minutes.

CONSUMERIST: Okay.

VERIZON: He never heard of that. So it's probably, uh, not...true.

CONSUMERIST: Okay, well, um, then you guys have like a problem, because if this is not a valid site, it's getting redirected from your main page, you know, if it's not valid, someone could be...taking advantage of your website.... to redirect it elsewhere to gather people's info for whatever reason.

(Pause)

CONSUMERIST: Is there anyway you guys could like, verify it more deeply? And then get back to me if it, you know, if it checks out?

VERIZON: Okay, hold on one second sir.

CONSUMERIST: Sure.

SFX: Jazzy muzak.

SFX: We appreciate your patience. Please be assured your call will receive the time and attention it deserves, when we return to the line.

SFX: Jazzy muzak.

CONSUMERIST: Doo doo doo dee doo.

SFX: Jazzy muzak.

VERIZON: Hello sir? I have a customer care representative on the line who's gonna be more than happy to assist you...

CONSUMERIST: Okay.

VERIZON: Is there anything else I could possibly do for you?

CONSUMERIST: Uh no, this is the only thing I'm concerned about.

VERIZON: Alright, thank you for calling Verizon Wireless. You both have a great day.

VERIZON2: Thank you, mam, you too. Hello sir?

CONSUMERIST: Hi.

VERIZON2: Hello sir, how are you doing?

CONSUMERIST: Pretty good, how're you?

VERIZON2: I'm doing fine sir, uh what particular website are you at right now?

CONSUMERIST: Okay, um, first I went to verizonwireless dot com slash thank you, and that redirected me to solutions dot vzwshop dot com slash offers slash 100minutes... I guess they've filled you in on my question and what the whole deal is about?

VERIZON2: Rightt...let's take a look at it then, cause I see it here.

(Pause)

VERIZON2: You must be a "merit" customer.

CONSUMERIST: Yeah.

VERIZON2: Okay...so you would be able to get this. Okay. Yes sir, that is an actual advertisement.

CONSUMERIST: So it's valid, it's not a phising site, I'm not going to have identity theft-

VERIZON2: No.

CONSUMERIST: Identity thieves like sneak through my house because I go here.

VERIZON2: No. No sir, you won't.

CONSUMERIST: So, it's a valid Verizon site.

VERIZON2: Yes sir.

CONSUMERIST: Okay, all right well, thank you for your help!

VERIZON2: It's my pleasure sir. Thank you for calling Verizon Wireless, wedoappreciateyourbusiness, have a nice day, okay?

CONSUMERIST: Okie dokie, you too.

VERIZON2: Thank you, sir, byebye.

CONSUMERIST: Bye-bye.

END.

Verizon's not all about ripping the skin off babies and using it to wipe their ass. Sometimes, a brief spark of compassion glimmers in their soul. Think a single speck of star dust, somehow spontaneously coming into being in the black vacuum of space, then just as quickly being snuffed like it was never been. If you blink, you might miss it!

So try not to miss this before Verizon's compassion blinks out of being, as if it had never been. Verizon Wireless is giving all existing customers 100 Free Anytime Minutes. All you need to do is go over to the handy form, enter your name, telephone number, zip code and last four digits of your social security number. That's a security procedure, apparently — god forbid, someone should apply some free minutes to your account without your permission!

Verizon Wirless - 100 Free Minutes (Thanks, Clarence!)

But what does it mean? Some Diggers posited that it was a secret code word for pedophilia; this was a gag. What dark haunts of humanity's black heart does it so perfectly encapsulate?

Unfortunately, the reality is so much more pedestrian: it was, of course, a copy-and-paste error from Verizon's PDF of 43 (or, apparently, 42) words you can't say on their network. The list spread two pages, between page 5 and 6. Page five's denominator was caught in the Ctrl+C.

Truth is duller than fiction.

Verizon's Content Policy PDF (Thanks, Ben O.)
Previously: Words You Can't Say on Verizon Wireless: '5'

You might remember The Thirty Five Words You Can't Use In Your Ringtone article we posted a while back, in which we childishly tittered and then listed ringtones Verizon didn't want you to have. So imagine our delight when an expanded list of prohibited terms circled Gawker on Friday, this time in regards to what words couldn't be redistributed as content updates over Verizon Wireless.

The list has gotten a lot more colorful since we last covered it. Terms like 'hairpie', 'whiteswallow', 'fleshpopsicle' and 'gobtheknob' make an appearance. Oh, and '5'. Any blog posts that contain the number 5 will not be republished over Verizon Wireless. According to various Digg commenters, this is because '5' has become an underground code number for pedophilia. But that pretty much puts the kibosh on all blog posts from Lifehacker's "5 Ways to Manage Your Money" to Fleshbot's "5 Ways To Fist The Homo Hairpie".

Head on over to our brother site Valleywag for the full list.

83 words you can't say on Verizon Wireless [Valleywag]

I thought I'd pass along another story of purchasing a new phone for my Verizon service. During the transaction, the sales guy tried to sell me on the $6/month phone insurance plan which he said would guarantee a free new phone if anything happened to the one I was purchasing. I declined the warranty coverage, and then as a last reminder about why I really needed that plan salesman gently informed me that there wasn't a single phone in the Verizon store that would last 2 years. Reminded me of Old Gil trying to sell Coleco computers on the Simpsons. These Coleco's will rust right up on ya.

Of course, we suspect this is just a salesman trying to push the warranty, similar to those Circuit City red shirts who get bonuses per extraneous warranty they foist upon naive customers. Still, what salesman in his right mind thinks making a plea to his product's shoddiness is the way to guarantee a sale?

Sleazy salesman or shoddy phones... hell, take your pick. Both are pretty good reasons to choose any company besides Verizon Wireless.