I don’t really want to sit here writing painfully obvious sentences, but here’s the thing. A penny isn’t very much money. It is, however, more than zero, so an item that costs one cent is not free. In practical terms, it might as well be free, but it still isn’t. Which is why Mark found this bit of math confusion on a Verizon T-Mobile phone purchase page through Costco so amusing. “Even though the difference between .01 and .00 is quite small,” he writes, “it’s still not infinitesimal enough to be considered ‘free,’ right?” No, not yet. [More]
verizon wireless
Verizon Math At T-Mobile: 1¢ Is The Same As Free
By 3.23.12
Worst Company In America Round One: AT&T Vs. Verizon
By 3.19.12
Two telecom titans will step into the Worst Company gladiator pit this afternoon. One will walk out victorious while the other will end up stuck with a huge early termination fee. [More]
Verizon Upgrades My Smartphone, Downgrades My Data Plan
By 3.9.12
At the end of last year, Christopher and his girlfriend upgraded their Verizon phones to a pair of lovely matching Samsung Galaxy Nexuses. They’ve both had Verizon data plans long enough that they’re grandfathered in to unlimited data, and Christopher has unlimited international data as well. Or…. he did. After the upgrade, his unlimited plan is gone, the employee who turned it off has (apparently) fled the country, and no one at corporate or the local Verizon store knows how to get it back. [More]
Verizon Wireless Customer Service Is So Terrible, I Actually Miss AT&T
By 3.2.12
Peter thought he was doing something pretty sweet thing for Verizon Wireless. After fours years with AT&T, not only was he switching over, but he was bringing a total of four phones with her. So forgive him for assuming that maybe Verizon wouldn’t make the entire experience a completely miserable one. [More]
T-Mobile Asks FCC To Stop Verizon Wireless Spectrum Purchase
By 2.22.12
Still stinging from being left alone at the altar by AT&T, T-Mobile USA apparently doesn’t want to see any of its fellow wireless carriers making multi-billion dollar deals if it can’t. [More]
Report: Next iPads Will Run On 4G LTE Networks
By 2.14.12
The Apple iPad currently dominates the tablet market, even though none of the currently available versions give users access to 4G wireless networks. But according to a new report, that could all change when the latest iPads are unveiled next month. [More]
4G Phones Are Fast But Spotty Service Is A Real Drain On Your Battery
By 2.6.12
With Verizon’s 4G network covering a good chunk of the country and AT&T gaining ground, more smartphone users have access to the fastest wireless service available. But because 4G coverage isn’t truly continuous in many locations, users’ batteries are taking a big hit. [More]
Verizon Deal To Buy Spectrum From Comcast & Time Warner Cable May Not Be A Cakewalk
By 1.23.12
While AT&T was failing horribly at attempting to amp up its 4G network by buying T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless was busy making deals with cable companies to snap up unused and underused spectrum. And though insiders initially believed VZW’s purchases would glide across regulators’ desks since cable companies are not competitors in the wireless world, a new report claims the spectrum sale may get a more thorough looking-into than had been expected. [More]
OnStar Working With Verizon To Bring 4G LTE To Your Car
By 1.9.12
Last year, OnStar used its platform at the Consumer Electronics Show to announce that it was finally going to make its service available for installation in vehicles that were not made by General Motors. This year, the company showed it wants to branch out from its established position in the crash-response/locked-out-of-my-car industry by announcing a partnership with Verizon Wireless that could be bringing all sorts of other content to your car via 4G LTE. [More]
Verizon Catches On To Unlimited Data Loophole, Returns Account To Tiered Pricing
By 1.3.12
Apparently, there had been a way that you could talk the Verizon Wireless automated CSR into changing your current tiered data plan into an unlimited one. But now that this work-around has been published and oodles of people have tried it, VZW appears to have caught on and has begun auditing changes to customers’ accounts to make sure people aren’t working the system. [More]
Verizon Caves, Pulls Plug On $2 Convenience Fee
By 12.30.11
Well that was fast. Only hours after publicly stating it wouldn’t back off from charging a $2/month fee to customers who paid online or by phone with a debit/credit card, Verizon Wireless has pulled a complete 180 and decided to nix the fee completely. [More]
FCC Voices Concern Over Verizon Wireless Fee
By 12.30.11
Someone at the FCC must be a Verizon Wireless customer. The agency has just announced that it will look into the nation’s largest cell phone service provider’s plan to charge a $2/month fee to customers who don’t enroll in auto-pay or pay directly from their bank accounts. [More]
Verizon Refuses To Admit To Me That The Nationally Reported 4G LTE Outage Happened
By 12.30.11
Brian is one of the many customers nationwide who was affected by the data outages Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network has suffered recently, including an incident this week. He complained to customer service about the frequent outages, and asked for a $20 credit on his account. Their response? No outages happened whatsoever! [More]
Verizon Wireless Sends Me 4 Replacement Phones, I Still Can't Get A 4G LTE Connection
By 12.29.11
Kyle is a big fan of Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network. Or he would be, if he could actually get his phone to connect to it successfully, which is basically never. He says Verizon has sent him four phones in the hopes that maybe one of them would hold a data connection. [More]
Verizon Wireless Adds $2 'Convenience' Fee To Make Your Life More Inconvenient
By 12.29.11
If you found that using your credit/debit card to pay your Verizon Wireless bill online or by phone every month was just too darned inconvenient, the folks at VZW have some really, really wonderful news. They will now be charging a $2 convenience fee for the privilege of giving them your money! Oh wait… that sucks. [More]
If You Want A Cell Phone Without A New Contract, Don't Go To The Verizon Store
By 12.19.11
If you’re already a Verizon customer and all you want is a new phone — no change of plan, no contract extension, just the phone — it would make sense that you should just be able to go to the Verizon store and pay full price for a new one. But as Consumerist reader Greg learned, things rarely go as easily as you’d expect when you’re dealing with the wireless world. [More]
Verizon Rolls Out Phone Trade-In Program In 11 States
By 12.19.11
In what seems like a pilot program meant to gauge public interest and cost effectiveness, Verizon Wireless recently started handing out as much as $300 in credit for used cell phones from prospective customers in some middle-America and southern states. [More]
