On Wednesday, we shared Mike’s Verizon billing horror story. Instead of putting all of his Verizon and Verizon Wireless services on one bill as they were supposed to, the company pummeled Mike with a half-dozen different bills that added up to $1,100 for about a month and a half of service. He spent hours on the phone trying to fix this mess before writing to Consumerist. Then a higher power interceded: Verizon’s Executive Support and Media Relations departments, who we had passed Mike’s story on to in addition to publishing it. [More]
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Verizon To Start Selling iPads Later This Month
By 10.14.10
In a move that might give credence to the latest rumors about a Verizon iPhone, Verizon announced today that it will begin selling Apple’s iPad tablet device on Oct. 28. [More]
Verizon To Charge You $3.50 To Pay Your Bill
By 10.13.10
Starting October 16, all Verizon Communications landline, FiOS, and DSL customers will have to pay a $3.50 fee if they pay their bills by credit or debit card. (Currently there are no plans to apply to same to wireless customers). The only way to get around it is to sign up for auto-billing. Verizon says the new fee is because they have a new vendor for processing credit and debit transactions, and they’re passing on the lack of savings to you. [More]
FCC Doesn't Want You Spending Too Much On Your Mobile Plan
By 10.13.10
Last week, we asked you what annoyed you most about your mobile phone plan, and most of you picked “cost.” Now comes news that the Federal Communications Commission is going to review new proposals intended to keep you from spending more on your phone bill than you’d planned. [More]
The Current State Of The Verizon iPhone Rumor
By 10.9.10
We generally try to ignore this sort of thing, but quite a few media outlets have jumped on the Verizon iPhone bandwagon. [More]
Man Wants Verizon FiOS, Keeps Getting Credit Score Dinged Instead
By 9.15.10
Todd’s subject line to us was, “Verizon FiOS hates me,” and maybe he’s right. Each time he tries to sign up for their package deal, they check his credit score, proceed with the sign-up process, then cancel everything at the last minute due to a “technical glitch.” They say he can try a third time if he wants. [More]
Verizon Wireless Wants You Back, Turns Into Creepy Stalker With No Concept Of Time Zones
By 9.15.10
Verizon Wireless really, really loved Mike. That’s the only conclusion we can draw from the carrier’s attempts to woo him back. Unfortunately, the company with a nationwide customer base doesn’t seem to understand this whole “time zones” thing we have going on, and called Mike a little too early for his taste. [More]
FiOS Demands $500 Deposit For Transferring Service, $500 To Cancel Transfer
By 8.24.10
Consumerist reader Beth is a telecommuter who needs something more than the standard residential internet connection. So she decided to spring for the business-grade line for the apartment she shares with her boyfriend. However, since their TV has nothing to do with her business, they opted to keep the cable service on their residential account. I probably don’t need to tell you that trouble ensued. [More]
Reader Gets $40 Per Month Knocked Off FiOS Bill
By 8.19.10
Reader Shelve says he was able to get Verizon to give him $40 per month off his FiOS bill. How? [More]
Don't Buy A Droid If You Plan To Actually Use The GPS
By 8.12.10
GPS functionality is an important selling point of smartphones. Brandon writes that he wanted to do more with his Droid’s GPS than check in to Foursquare: he wanted the device to shout turn-by-turn directions at him. When his phone’s GPS stopped working well enough for navigation, he went to Verizon for a replacement. That phone’s GPS didn’t work very well, either, so he sought another replacement. Then, another. Finally, a Verizon employee wondered: why doesn’t Brandon just go buy a standalone GPS if this is so important? Why, indeed? [More]
This Cellphone Ad Needs More Anxiety!
By 8.3.10
As any Mad Men fan can tell you, ads are all about creating the itch and then selling the cream to soothe it. You stoke the desire and then offer the solution. Sales ensue. But what the modern dreamweavers on Madison Ave have figured out is that the two don’t even have to be related. You could show a bunch of elephants trampling a village – an anxious event, indeed – and then “Pencils! Get 20 for $2” and you have yourself a great ad. Very Eisenstein, and for some reason, this tactic seems especially popular in cellphone ads. I remember a Verizon one where a girl had to have a llama and it was socially awkward. Inspired, I wrote up a short sketch to demonstrate: [More]
Apple Says Droid X Also Has "Death Grip" Problem
By 7.26.10
Apple has added the Droid X to its list of phones that it claims also has the “death grip” antenna issue. Apple’s website depicts a hand holding the phone in a fairly normal one-handed grip, with the signal bars depleted. Below the image, Apple says: ” In weak signal areas, this grip may negatively affect signal strength.” PCMag, however, takes issue with Apple’s methodology… [More]
Verizon May Introduce Tiered Data Plans As Early As Next Week
By 7.21.10
One month ago, Verizon Wireless’s CFO hinted in an interview that the company might follow AT&T’s lead and replace unlimited data plans with tiered ones. Now Engadget is reporting that the switch might come on July 29th. Because this is just a rumor so far, there’s no word yet on whether Verizon will offer the same 200 MB / 2 GB split as AT&T or whether it will grandfather in existing unlimited customers. [More]
Watch Out, iPhone 4: Droid X Sells Out Online After First Day
By 7.18.10
Apparently, these are the droids consumers have been looking for: Early numbers indicate that the new Motorola Droid X, carried by Verizon Wireless, has been a big hit, selling out online and in many stores since its debut on Thursday. Time to get scared, iPhone 4. [More]
Verizon Still Stealing Customers From AT&T
By 7.15.10
Despite having an exclusive on a much-hyped phone, AT&T is still losing customers to Verizon, says the NYT. [More]
Alltel Merger Forces Verizon Customer To Have AT&T… What?
By 7.9.10
If you’re an Alltel or Verizon customer you may have read that the companies are merging. In order for Verizon to acquire Alltel it had to agree to sell some of its assets to AT&T. That means that reader Scott now has a contract with AT&T. He hates AT&T. [More]
Verizon Retreats From Charging Marine Widow $350 Early Termination Fee
By 6.30.10
After achieving “clarity,” Verizon has decided to not charge the widow of a Marine who died in Afghanistan a $350 early termination fee. The woman had moved back home following her husband’s death so as to be closer to family, and in the new area she had no cellphone reception. In announcing the situation’s resolution, Verizon Wireless also took the opportunity to take a jab at the media for sensationalizing their incompetence. [More]
