I have been a Verizon customer for years and out of contract since December 1. After finding no reasonable Verizon data plan available, I switched to on June 28. On July 1 I was notified by email of a credit on my Verizon Bill. On August 1, I received an email notice that I would be billed $376.98 (no explanation included).
The Verizon Customer Service person, Lakisha, informed me that when I ported out to another company in the middle of my month, Verizon cancelled my contract and changed my billing for minutes already used to the full no-contract price. She claimed the ability to do this is spelled out in my contract.
Besides the stain this leaves on my Verizon experience, I believe it is an incorrect (perhaps actionable) and unilateral interpretation of the Verizon contract. I have looked up and read the portion of my Customer Agreement titled, "Your Rights to Change or End Your Service; Termination Fees; Phone Number Portability" wherein it states,
"If you terminate your service as of the end of your minimum term, you won't be responsible for any remaining part of your monthly billing cycle. Otherwise, all terminations by you during a monthly billing cycle become effective on the last day of that billing cycle. You'll remain responsible for all fees and charges incurred until then and won't be entitled to any partial month credits or refunds. You may be able to take your current wireless phone number to another service provider. This is called "porting" and will also terminate our service to you for that number. If you request your new service provider to port a number from us, and we receive your request from that new service provider, we'll treat the request as notice from you to terminate our service for that number upon successful completion of porting. After the porting is completed, you won't be able to use our service for that number You'll remain responsible for any early termination fee, and for all fees and charges through the end of that billing cycle, just like any other termination."
There is NOTHING in that verbiage that mentions Verizon has the ability to cancel the fee plan and retroactively charge me a higher fee for minutes used under that plan. Verizon's own verbiage clearly states that "terminations by you (me) during a monthly billing cycle become effective on the last day of that billing cycle". The Customer Agreement I have in my hands does not allow Verizon to cancel my billing plan retroactively.
I have since had three rounds of letters with Verizon customer service representatives. Each time they reduced the bill but they continued to insist they have the right to impose partial-month billing. I have given up hope that Verizon will do the right thing. They obviously care more about retaining the ability to unilaterally misinterpret the contract than doing the right thing.
I have posted this complaint, posted another at lawcash.com, sent a letter to the FCC supporting the rights of states to regulate cell company billing practices, and finally sent a complaint to the Minnesota Attorney General's office. I get the feeling (from reading the ripoff letters of others) that Verizon's response will be a collection letter. Customer service??? I think not!
Chris
Minneapolis, Minnesota
U.S.A.
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