Okay so I read the script from last years price hike on messaging rates, to get out of your contract scot-free. I thought I read some where else that they were going up again to 0.20. So I called Verizon and ran the script on them. No one in cancellations had heard about it. I called the general customer service line. Of course the csr didn’t know anything and wanted me to pay the ETF’s. So I went to her supervisor. His name was Aundra (pronounced Andre), employee # 7817 out of the Birmingham office.
contracts
Another Customer Escapes Verizon Contract For Free
By 1.25.08
Cell Service For The Commitment Phobic: AT&T Offers SIM Card Without 2 Year Contract
By 1.23.08
After reports started surfacing that AT&T was offering a SIM-card only option that was tied to a 2 year contract, we contacted AT&T for more information. As far as we knew, AT&T allowed new customers to bring their own compatible equipment and did not require a 2 year contract.
By 1.22.08
../../../..//2008/01/22/bob-sullivan-from-msnbc-speaks/
One thing you don’t do: You don’t act like a rational consumer in a normal, functioning market economy. You don’t go buy the new phone, or get the cheap new plan. You don’t reward the more efficient company with your business. You can’t. You’re in jail.
[MSNBC] (Thanks, Everyone !)
Cancel T-Mobile With No ETF By Complaining To The FCC
By 1.18.08
…just wanted you to know that I am one of the many people who can’t seem to get T-Mobile service even though I live in New York City, a major market. All my calls to the regular customer service line got me no where and they did the standard runaround: $5 credit, work with their tech team to isolate the problem, etc. I read a user comment on one of the many T-Mobile threads on the Consumerist which said to file a complaint with the FCC and, by doing so, T-Mobile will have to address the problem and report back to the FCC a resolution. So I did. (There’s an online form so it’s easy.)
Man Escapes Verizon Contract Based On Text Message Rate Raises
By 1.16.08
Wayne writes:
I read one of your post last week concerning Verizon Wireless changing the terms of agreement concerning text messaging and my wife and I immediately contacted them to drop a very unneeded contract. It took two days to cancel, but everything in your post was accurate and made our case a slam dunk. To be fair, Verizon may have dragged it out a bit, but they didn’t fight it and their rep, Becky, called us back three times ( as promised ) to finish the request. A big thanks to The Consumerist!
Update: Reader Escapes Tmobile Without ETF Because He Has No Service
By 1.11.08
Victory has found the reader reader who couldn’t get any calls on his Tmobile phone, and yet they wouldn’t let him leave service without paying the dreaded Early Termination Fee. First he called the Retentions department number we gave him. They said they would cut the fee in half, but still charge him. “Considering the amount of time I spent on the phone, they should be paying me,” wrote Evan. Then one of Tmobile’s PR people stepped in, waved a magic wand, and now Tmobile is doing what they legally should have done all along, let Evan go without charging an ETF.
Buyer Beware: The Condo Squeezeplay
By 1.11.08
CBC Marketplace did an undercover investigation into buying a condo, and found that it’s rife with risk for the buyer, while the sellers completely protect themselves. You get lured in by the model condo they set up, all spacious and with stunning views and stainless steel appliances and breakfast bar and all that jazz, but contractually, there’s no guarantee that you will get that space. The contract pretty much says everything is subject to change, the floorplan included doesn’t have any measurements or square footage, and there’s clauses that say that any sales material or verbal promises made don’t count at all. One contract lawyer says that any relationship between what you’re told you’re buying and what you end up with will be a “coincidence.” Watch the video to learn more about protecting yourself from the condo bait-and-switch squeezeplay.
Potential Solution To Rogers Wireless SMS Fee Hike
By 1.10.08
A reader tells us that on March 4, 2008, Rogers Wireless will increase the price of international text messaging to 25 cents per message, which he thinks might be another “get-out-of-contract-free” opportunity similar to what Verizon opened itself up to when it hiked its fees this month. However, according to the portion of the contract Andrew sent us, and based on what a commenter wrote on a previous post, we think what might happen instead is Rogers Wireless will simply let you continue under the terms of your old contract if you call up and insist. It’s worth a shot—post how it turns out if you try it.
Cancel Verizon Without Termination Fee Based On New Text Message Rate Increases
By 1.9.08
Verizon customers can escape their contract without paying an early termination fee, thanks to a recent text message rate increase. The cost for people without a bundled message plan went from 15 to 20 cents, and this constitutes what is known as a “materially adverse” change to contract. That means they’re giving you a new contract and you have a new opportunity to say yes or no to it as they want you to pay more than you agreed to in the first place. This post on SlickDeals gives you the play by play you need to cancel without paying termination fee. Print out their post and keep it in front of you when you call. The poster on the forum says that using his techniques, he’s already canceled five people’s accounts for them.
After Twitter Snafu, T-Mobile Reminds Customers Who's Boss
By 12.21.07
Last weekend, T-Mobile users who sent SMS updates to their Twitter feeds found that their messages were being blocked. Naturally, tempers flared. Many customers contacted T-Mobile to complain about the problem, but T-Mobile had no answer for the sudden blockage. (It turns out it was a technical glitch on Twitter’s end.) What’s interesting is that T-Mobile’s Executive Customer Relations rep responded to one user’s complaints with a hardcore reminder that when it comes to customer rights, his pretty much begin and end with being required to pay his bill on time. Nice PR work there, T-Mobile.
My name is Marianne Maestas and I am with the Executive Customer Relations department of T-Mobile. I am contacting you on behalf of Mr. Robert Dotson in regards to the email that you sent him yesterday evening.
Sprint Mails Customers A "Get Out Of Sprint Free" Card
By 12.12.07
Sprint has mailed postcards to its customers saying that, beginning January 1st, it will stop charging so-called “recovery” fees and create new fees to replace (or possibly exceed) them. Sprint customers are now asking themselves whether or not this is a change to the Terms & Conditions—if so, then they should be able to cancel their contracts without paying an ETF, or early termination fee.
AT&T To GoPhone User: "You Don't Have A Contract With Us And We Don't Have To Provide Service"
By 12.7.07
Reader Christian has an iPhone that is activated on a pre-paid GoPhone plan with AT&T. The EDGE service has stopped working properly for quite a few GoPhone-style iPhone users in California and Christian isn’t having much luck with AT&T’s customer service:
Cars And Binding Mandatory Arbitration
By 11.27.07
Is it possible these days to buy a car, even a used car, from a dealer without a binding mandatory arbitration clause? Nope, we guess not.
Verizon Changes TOS: Reserves The Right To Terminate Your DSL And Offer You FiOS
By 11.13.07
Reader William forwards us an email he got from Verizon. He’s concerned that they’re going to try to force FiOS on him.
Congratulations, You Won A House! Oh, Wait, Never Mind.
By 11.8.07
Veronica Baca thought she’d won a new home. She had been named a finalist in a contest. She pulled the lucky key that opened a prize door at halftime of a Broncos game. She toured the house. She agreed to let the company use her image in advertisements. She signed a form titled “Centex House Party Grand Prize Release.” She was even in the local newspaper.
AT&T Says It Will Begin Prorating Termination Fees
By 10.17.07
Maybe the T-Mobile lawsuit has scared AT&T a bit, because they’ve announced that they’re changing their early termination policy: they will now prorate termination fees instead of charging a flat fee. They’re also removing the policy that required existing customers to extend a current agreement or sign up for a new one when changing their level of service. No word on when these changes will go into effect, but there’s nothing on their website yet.
AT&T's New TOS "Respects Freedom Of Expression"
By 10.11.07
BoingBoing reports that AT&T has altered the language in its reviled TOS to say it thinks it’s okay for people to speak their mind. Really, they hard-wired that into the legalese:
Verizon Will Let Customers Change Plans Mid-Contract Without Extending Contract
By 10.5.07
Starting October 7th, Verizon Wireless users will be able to adjust their plan’s minutes and features without extending their service contract. Previously if you made any sort of change it meant you were locked into a contract with them for another 1-2 years. It’s just Verizon’s way of saying “Thanks!” to the community, by screwing it just a little bit less!
