I signed up for a FIOS bundle (TV, Internet, 2 telephone lines) in late September. Before signing up I tried to get an estimate of how much the whole thing would cost me on a monthly basis. I spent many calls, and stopped at least two times at a Verizon shop and gathered partial information not always very consistent. At the time of install I found out I was OBLIGED to use Verizon as my long distance carrier to benefit the "bundle" they offered. NOBODY, at any time mentioned anything about international calls, or the rates they would charge.
I tried during the first month to go in the internet to find out if the billing would be in line with what I had signed up for. I could get the first information about billing only on November 20th (nearly a month and a half after the install). I then discovered they had charged my international calls at a rate of $3.43 a minute. This was $301.84 of international calls (excluding taxes) just for the first month!
When called (November 20) a very nice lady told me it was the normal rate as I had not subscribed to the international calling plan ($4.99 a month) which provides the international calls at a rate of $. 10 a minute. She also told me many customers are caught like me by surprise by that rate and accepted to cut the price in two (I got $168.08 credit with the mention "Incorrect Call (s) Rate"). But this was only for calls showing up on the first bill. Because of their very slow billing cycle, I had the pleasure to discover a month later more calls were charged at this outrageous rate (in early November) and they refused to adjust any rate for them when I called back.
I was told the information packet sent after activation contains some indication about the possibility of subscribing to an international plan but unless you are a lawyer, the line buried in this big disclosure packet in hard to find and does not mention the outrageous differences in rates.
I assume this is a way for Verizon to cover for all their installation costs but I feel I have been ripped off by deceptive advertising and bad information disclosure. I am pretty sure they did it "in a legal way" but it is very deceptive and sneaky from their part.
So, in conclusion, if you decide to go with Verizon and you plan to use your phone internationally, make sure to ask for the international calling plan or you will end up ripped off like I did. As soon as I can (their contract locks you for a year) I will dump them, at least for long distance, in a heart beat.
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