We were happy to hear that Verizon Wireless decided to let customers who were able to upgrade their phones at a subsidized price while keeping their unlimited data plans keep those data plans. What happened, though, if someone thought that they were able to exploit that glitch and Verizon downgraded their data plan anyway?

That’s what happened to reader M., who wrote to us asking for help in getting the unlimited data back. We didn’t hold out much hope, but suggested a polite note to the local Region President.

M. wrote originally:

I am a 10+ year Verizon Wireless customer. Over the weekend, I upgraded my cell phone with the intention of being able to keep my “unlimited data plan”. I received the phone yesterday with the data plan being reduced to the basic 2GB plan.

As it turns out there was a software hiccup over the weekend that allowed everyone to upgrade and “keep” their data plan. With that being said, I have now spoken on the phone with 4 CSR’s and none of them could or would not help me. Three of them told me their was a software glitch and nothing could be done.

I told them all about the press release saying that Verizon was going to allow all customer orders to keep their unlimited plans. Two of them blatantly told me I was
lying, even when I told them specific websites which wrote articles about the issue. If I knew I was going to lose my unlimited data I would have purchased the phone outright as I was going to anyway.

Well M. wasn’t lying, but was being disingenuous. You can’t really blame a company when something that wasn’t supposed to happen in the first place doesn’t happen for you. As a ten-year Verizon customer, though, M. tried one last shot after writing to us: contacting Executive Services.

“I actually e-mailed the executive response team with my order number,” M. updated us, “and they e-mailed me back within the hour changing it from 2GB back to Unlimited! Finally, the little guy wins one!”

We’re happy when the little guy wins one, but remind you again: don’t declare war on a company when something works the way it was supposed to. It’s okay to ask nicely.

PREVIOUSLY:
Verizon Wireless To Honor Unintentional Upgrades For Unlimited Data Customers

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.