Here's my issue. I got an email today "Important information about your Verizon Mobile account."
"To continue improving our industry-leading mobile network and services, the price of select legacy unlimited phone plans is increasing by $3/month per line beginning August 29, 2023.* Please see the impacted mobile numbers for your account below.
(Three numbers listed..)
No action is required if you choose to stay on your plan, but we invite you to explore our new myPlan options that may provide more value and flexibility."
(So, $3 * 3 * 12 = $108 a year more to pay)
So, I decided to review myPlan. I fell like I've been overpaying for a while, so figured it was time to look into this.
Currently, I'm paying 3 phones * $45 for 5G Start and 1 phone * $55 for 5G Do More. $190 a month + fees/taxes.
1) First, looking back, I was quite surprised that the 5G Start plans have included a Mobile Hotspot all these years. Many years ago when I migrated my account to 5G, I clearly remember only one phone having a 5G hotspot availability. So, I've been paying $5 a month for 3 hot spots options that I thought that didn't exist. Great. This could have been very useful for them. (3*$5 * 12 = $180 a year.) Would have been nice if they'd explain this option to their existing customers better.
2) Discovered that the 'auto pay' and 'paperless' options I went to years ago were no longer saving me any money anymore. The only way to save money using 'auto pay' was setting it up directly with your bank info. Now, this could save me $40 a month. (12 * $40 = $480 a year) No idea when they switched this but looks like a year ago or two. Would have been nice if they'd explain this option to their existing customers better.
3) So, I look at myPlan, what they told me to look at today to try to look for other options. (I tried to paste a photo here but not working.)
"https://www.verizon.com/plans/unlimited/"
Taking off the "auto-pay" saving, here the options they seem to be offering.
Auto Pay & Paper-free billingAuto Pay & Paper-free billing
Mobile + Home discount w/ Fios Home Internet
Mobile + Home discount w/ Fios Home Internet**
The prices have been updated for the '4 lines' within the 'Choose your plan' table
Unlimited
Plus
Unlimited
Welcome
4 lines
3 lines
2 lines
1 line
$40/line*
|
$35/line*
|
|
$50/line*
|
$45/line*
|
|
$65/line*
|
$60/line*
|
|
$75/line*
|
$70/line*
|
So, I'm interested. I'm paying $45 for most my lines. I'd like to get this $35 offer for the four lines.
So, talk to one customer support representives. He kept me on the line for 40 minutes. Said for a while that he couldn't give me this offer. This is for new customers, not loyal customers that have been with Verizon for 20+ years. But, he'd see what he could do. Was gone a long time. We'll, what he could do is offer me only $40/line for 4 lines....and the $40 auto-pay discount #2 above and that's pretty much it. Was looking at the contract change and it was almost no money from what I had before. Finally realize he spent 40 minutes doing nothing to really help me that I could have done online. Who was he talking to?
Later today, I called again. Was more specific. Said I'd like to get this $35 offer for the four lines that's being offered on this web site marking page above. I was told sorry, but he can't do anything for me because I'm an existing customer. If I was a new customer, I could get this deal. That's a $5 * 4 * 12 = $240 a year saving I feel like I'm missing out on.
Both customer service representatives were very pleasant human beings. I feel for them.
I have no phones being paid off. I can leave at any time. Verizon knows this.
And, this is the best that Verizon MANAGEMENT and MARKETING can do for thier loyal customers. You also hurt your customer service employees by not giving them the ability to help your good customers.
I'm estimating I've paid Verizon $50K over the last 20+ years. Why do you poorly communicate features I was paying for, and then make offers like this that I don't get access to, and make your best customers feel awful in the process?
Great job Verizon management and marketing! (Please pass this message up your chain of command.) Looking seriously into alternative companies for the next 20+ years.
