This past spring, Steve bought a shiny new iPhone 4S. It seemed like a good choice because his son was about to be born, and the 4S has a pretty nice camera for photographing adorable babies. When he got home, he discovered that Verizon’s coverage wasn’t so great there, so he brought the phone back within the initial 14-day return period. They took it back, charged him a restocking fee, no problem. Then, more than six months later, the collection calls began. Wha? [More]
verizon wireless
Verizon Sells Me An International Phone That Calls Everyone Except My Friend In Italy
By 10.31.12
Jerrod was making a grand gesture: taking a surprise trip to Italy to propose to his girlfriend, who is serving in the Navy and stationed there. He acquired a phone from Verizon Wireless that he could use in that country in emergencies, but that plan had a flaw: he couldn’t test whether the phone worked in Italy. After all, before traveling to Italy, he wasn’t in Italy. Despite assurances from employees and good online reviews, you can’t be sure that a phone works at your destination before you get there. Jerrod’s phone worked just fine…except to call the one phone number that he needed it to. [More]
How Can My iPhone Have Liquid Damage If The Sensor Wasn’t Tripped?
By 10.29.12
Last week, we posted the story of Justin, who was able to make his case to Verizon that he had not dunked his phone in water, and was entitled to a warranty replacement. Jeff found this story intriguing, beacuse he was facing a similar problem. When he sent his iPhone to Verizon, he was told that he wasn’t receiving text message alerts because of liquid damage to the phone. Which is odd, since the employees of his local Verizon store didn’t notice any liquid damage, the liquid contact sensors weren’t flipped, and he didn’t remember getting his phone wet. [More]
Verizon Uses Warranty-Voiding Photo To Sell Protection Plan
By 10.25.12
The Verizon/Asurion Total Equipment Coverage Plan looks neat sitting there on the shelf, with its pretty photo of a smartphone making a splash in a cool bin of water. As tipster and photo-taker Eric points out, though, why are they showing the phone plunging into a bin of water when the protection plan doesn’t cover water damage? We’ve heard from some people who know the plan well and who have pointed out that the plan has separate components: the Verizon part doesn’t cover liquid damage, but the insurance component from Asurion does. . However, intentionally throwing your phone in water in order to take a picture is still a bad idea. [More]
I Think Verizon Wants Us To Stop Getting Usage Alerts
By 10.24.12
Kelly has a conspiracy theory. She thinks that maybe–just maybe–Verizon is sending out alerts for text message and data overages at odd hours when customers might be sleeping. According to her theory, this prompts annoyed customers to opt out of overage alerts, potentially leading them to run up huge bills. [More]
Does Verizon’s Monitoring Of Customer Behavior Violate Wiretap Laws?
By 10.16.12
Earlier this month, Verizon Wireless began selling reports that contain data about its customers’ phone usage and browsing activity. Not surprisingly, some people are worried that this might cross the line from being simply bad business to possibly violating federal laws. [More]
Verizon Tells Us ‘Upgrade Fee’ Is To Pay For iPhone Instruction Classes, Store Kiosks
By 10.11.12
Yes, mobile phone companies charge fees that seem kind of arbitrary, but Dan and his wife were under the impression that customer service representatives weren’t left to just make up the reasons why. Then they dealt with Verizon, which claimed that the $30 upgrade fee they were going to charge his wife to upgrade to an iPhone 5 not only couldn’t be waived as usual, but that the fee was to cover a sort of “how to use your new phone” class for iPhone users and in-store kiosk repair. Perhaps, in a global sense, this is why the company needs the $30, but the explanation sounded wacky to Dan and Mrs. Dan. They tried to find someone reasonable higher up the corporate food chain, but there was no such reasonable person. [More]
We Switched To Verizon For Better Coverage, Just Got Dropped Calls And Terribleness
By 10.8.12
Jonathan and his roommate both ditched AT&T at the same time in favor of Verizon. They’ve experienced years of spotty coverage and dropped calls nearly everywhere they went, and wanted Verizon’s famed ubiquitous rock-solid coverage. They brought home their new iPhones and discovered that instead of vastly superior coverage, they had incredibly craptastic coverage and even more dropped calls. Verizon representatives told them that was weird… their area is supposed to have great coverage. When Jonathan tried to wrangle a free femtocell out of Verizon for their trouble, Verizon wouldn’t budge. His roommate fled back to the less terrible coverage of AT&T, but Jonathan hasn’t made that leap. [More]
Woman Racks Up $1,558 In International Roaming Charges; Claims Phone Was Off The Entire Time
By 10.3.12
A Verizon Wireless customer says that when she returned from her recent 12-day cruise of the Mediterranean, she turned on her phone and suddenly saw text messages warning her that she was incurring all sorts of roaming charges. In fact, as she was soon to find out, she’d somehow tallied up $1,558.95 in roaming charges, all while she claims her phone was turned off. [More]
Wi-Fi Bug In iPhone 5 Surprises Verizon Customers With Massive Cellular Data Overages
By 10.1.12
Whenever a new Apple product comes out, there seems to be at least a few weeks where ripples of discontent flow through the community of technology devotees. One problem firing up support forums since the iPhone 5 came out centers around phones on the Verizon Wireless network gobbling up cellular data even when users are connected to a Wi-Fi network. That’s totally destroying monthly data caps. [More]
Will You Be Able To Take Your Unlimited Data Plan With You If You Upgrade To iPhone 5?
By 9.13.12
Yesterday, Apple went through its occasional ritual of taking an hour to go over every minute detail of its new phone. But what wasn’t mentioned in that overlong introduction to the iPhone 5 was what it means for the folks who still have unlimited data plans from back in the day. [More]
Wireless Carriers Banking On New iPhone To Turn Everyone Into Data Hogs
By 9.11.12
For years, wireless providers have been moaning about their highest volume data users and shaking their fists at the sky for ever having tried unlimited data plans in the first place. But now, with the impending release of a reportedly 4G LTE-compatible iPhone on the horizon, these same carriers are popping champagne corks, hoping that the faster data speeds will nudge consumers into the next level of data hogging. [More]
How I Finally Escaped Verizon's Droid R2D2 Smartphone Replacement Purgatory
By 8.28.12
Like many of our readers, Elizabeth is sort of a nerd. When a special edition of Motorola’s Droid smartphone came out that’s dressed up to look like actual fictional ‘droid R2D2 from “Star Wars,” she took the opportunity to upgrade. Critics say that the phone is just a painted-up Droid 2, but Elizabeth liked it. Well, she liked it until a week or so later when it stopped working properly. That’s when Verizon encased her in carbonite and cast her into Smartphone Replacement Purgatory. [More]
The Worst Cities In The U.S. For Mobile Phone Reception Might Make You Want To Move
By 8.20.12
How many times have you been visiting a city away from home and had this conversation with a local?: “I have the worst reception here!” “Oh, what do you have?” “[Here’s where you say which mobile carrier you use] and it’s getting a crap signal.” “I have [one that works awesome in this particular town], so that sucks for you.” It’s one of those things where some lucky locals find out their calls won’t be dropped and their mobile networks will actually connect, but once you leave your hometown, all bets are off. So which cities have the worst cell phone reception? [More]
DOJ Tweaks Verizon Deal To Buy Spectrum From Cable Companies So Consumers Still Have A Few Choices
By 8.16.12
As we wrote earlier this month, Verizon Wireless’ proposed purchase of billions of dollars worth of wireless spectrum from Comcast, Time Warner Cable and other cable companies that aren’t using it anyway, could result in fewer cable and Internet provider options for American consumers. Well, it looks like the Dept. of Justice was listening to at least some of the concerned voices, as it has given its approval to the deal — but not without some significant changes. [More]
Verizon’s Deal To Buy Spectrum From Cable Companies Could Mean Fewer Cable Options For Consumers
By 8.2.12 — Updated: 2.15.13
It seems like it’s been oh, about eight months since Verizon Wireless announced its proposal to buy billions of dollars worth of wireless spectrum from cable companies who aren’t using it anyway. At first glance, it seems like a not-horrible idea, as Verizon Wireless doesn’t compete directly with the likes of Comcast and Time Warner Cable. But with regulators nearing a decision on the deal, several high-profile folks have come forward to voice their concerns about how Verizon might be sacrificing the growth of its FiOS business in favor of its wireless network. [More]
Verizon Must Pay FCC $1.25 Million Fine, Let Android Users Tether For Free
By 8.1.12
Good news for people who enjoy tethering their smartphones, but dislike having to pay their phone company extra for the privilege. Well, as long as those people are customers of Verizon. Who have Android devices. And aren’t grandfathered onto an unlimited data plan. Yesterday, the Federal Communication Commission announced that Verizon Wireless has to allow customers access to third-party tethering applications. Verizon insists that they totally never told Google to withhold tethering apps from their customers in the Android Market/Google Play. But they’re “voluntarily” paying a $1.25 million fine as a result of the investigation, and have agreed to train all employees on why they can’t block users from downloading any (legal) apps. [More]
How I Got Verizon To Swap My Reboot-Looping Droid Incredible For A New iPhone
By 7.23.12
Owners of the Droid Incredible, a Verizon-exclusive phone made by HTC, are in a predicament. Sure, their phones are a little old, but many are still in circulation and working fine. A recent software upgrade sends the phones into a perpetual reboot loop in the wee hours of the morning, which is annoying and drains the battery. These customers could upgrade if they really wanted to, but Incredible owners most likely have unlimited data from Verizon Wireless, which they will lose if they upgrade their phones and accept a carrier subsidy. Verizon isn’t about to replace the looping phones, either…unless it’s with another defective Droid Incredible. Dana found a way around this, and talked Verizon into letting her swap her Droid for a shiny new iPhone. [More]
