Early Termination Fee with No Service Available After Move

FIOSfan07

I have been a proponent and a loyal customer of Verizon FIOS for 7 years. Our contract was set to expire earlier this year and we were faced with a significant monthly increase. Knowing that we may (or may not) be moving within the next 12 months, I proactively asked two separate sales agents about the Early Termination Fee if we were to sign another contract. We knew the area to which we are moving lacks Verizon FIOS coverage, and because of that BOTH agents said the fee would be waived.

Now 7 months have passed and we are moving. I called Verizon to cancel our service, and the retention specialist so kindly asked for the $170 ETF. She told me that the fee would not be waived, regardless if Verizon could not provide continued service at my new residence. She was also kind enough to apologize that I was misinformed at the time I signed the new contract.

Whether I was misinformed, misled, or the sales agents intentionally misrepresented the terms to secure the contract, I expect a company to have better standards and practices. After my conversation, a simple search revealed numerous examples of Verizon customers in the exact situation as me. As the old adage goes, ‘Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.’ And clearly the practice of misinforming customers is present, abundant, and even possibly accepted.

I doubt that by the time I move that my ETF will be waived, and I will be extorted into paying it in full. My hope is that a potential customer reads this and other forum posts, and becomes a more informed consumer of the Verizon packages and contracts. Before signing a contract, not only do due diligence of reading the forums, ask the sales agents to point out where features are located in the contract. If they can’t or if they won’t put in writing what they say, then walk away.

The only solace I have is that I will be renting my house. When the tenant moves in, I have the opportunity to inform – or perhaps misinform – them of who has superior Internet and Television performance in our area.

Good luck and happy shopping!

[Deleted User]

Hi FIOSfan07,

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