I opened my bill today - normally around $100 for 1500 plan minutes. Today the bill was over $300, which has happened in the past with Verizon. Since over 85% of my calls are made in-network, I wondered how this was possible. I used over 2000 minutes in the latest billing cycle.
I called customer service who told me that when I changed my plan last year, 8/03, I was moved from the nationwide in-network calling plan to the family in-network calling plan.
Do the math with me here:
Before, I could call any of the hundreds of thounsands of other Verizon Wireless customers for FREE, no minutes used, whatsoever. My wife's plan was Verizon, so she was included as one of the VZW customers I could call.
When I changed plans, the customer service rep tells me, I agreed to be moved to a family in-network plan, which allows free calls to any family member also on Verizon Wireless. This essentially means that I can now call my wife for free. But wait - I could do that before, right?!?
Now, I am being charged for all the minutes used between me and other Verizon Wireless customers. The rep tells me that becuase it was changed in 8/03, there is NOTHING she can do. Sorry.
Here's my beef: Why would any sane person EVER decide to change from being able to call the entire nation of VZW customers to a plan where we can only call one or two familiy members for free? Especially when those same one or two family members were part of the nation of VZW customers in the first place?
Was VZW not getting enough money from all of us already? What is with the commericals talking about "IN" all the time, if that is not what is available to us?
I was told that they would reinable the in-network feature, but would not credit any amounts in the past.
Please do not support Verizon Wireless in their unethical sales practices designed solely on increasing revenue at the expense of their customers. Business practice like these are what bring large companies down quickly.
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