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VERIZON WIRELESS TO DISCONTINUE AGREEMENT WITH SEI COMMUNICATIONS

mlhendrix

I received a message from my local (landline) phone company that reads as follows:

NOTICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS

VERIZON WIRELESS TO DISCONTINUE AGREEMENT WITH SEI COMMUNICATIONS

Beginning March 21, 2014, Long Distance Charges will be Assessed

for Landline Calling to Verizon Wireless Customers

After several months of negotiations, SEI Communications continuously placed pressure on Verizon Wireless to maintain a "no charge" calling arrangement for our customers. Unfortunately, an agreement could not be reached. Therefore, beginning March 21, 2014, making a call from your local exchange (landline): 265, 273, 574, 667, 744, 839, or 873 to a Verizon Wireless (mobile number) beginning with: 216, 525, 528, 530, 569, 571, 592, 599, 718, 861, or 907, will be charged long distance.

(You will be required to dial, 1 + area code + mobile number).

We sincerely apologize for this (out of our control) regrettable situation as we are truly committed to delivering the best quality telecommunications' services to you at an affordable price.

Let your voice be heard... We encourage you to contact Verizon Wireless with your concerns.

Call 1-800-922-0204, then press #.

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I live in a rural area where my reception is low at its best. In the main living area of my house, cell calls are often dropped. To maintain a call, I must stand close to the window, or go upstairs. I rely on the landline to make reliable calls to my family's cell phones. As I have added cell lines (5 of them) to my Verizon Wireless account, I have ensured that they had local numbers from my landline.

I called the Verizon Wireless contact number provided by my landline company and spoke with a Verizon Wireless customer service rep. She could not find anything regarding these negotiations, but placed a note on my account. She said that I could go to the website to further voice my concerns. So, here I am.

This will be a major inconvenience or a higher cost due to long distance charges being assessed by my landline as I dial my cell phones.

Obviously, it would be easier to have one carrier for landlines, internet and cell phones; but Verizon does not provide landline service to my area. To consolidate, I would have to look to my landline carrier. I have used Verizon Wireless for over 15 years and I am happy with their service, so I really do not wish to switch carriers.

Who do I need to communicate with to let them know that this is very important to me?

Comments

Ann154

Honestly I don't see the problem. There are certain phone exchanges that are considered local and others not local numbers. I know for example, my parents won't call my cell phone, my family's cell phones or their own cellular numbers from their landline because it is considered long distance and is charged as such. I'm actually surprised that a landline phone company had such an agreement in place.

Perhaps you could change the cell phone numbers to the exchanges that are considered local numbers with the landline.

stoproundingoffminute

Sorry to say but do you think posting here will fix anything?... I think she gave you the brush off

mlhendrix

When I got the cell phones, I purposely chose 3-digit prefixes that were local calls from my landline. This is the way it has been since I have had cell phones. I have had cell phones for over 15 years.

mlhendrix

She may have given me the brushoff, but I just received a message in my local phone bill that states:

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UPDATE NOTICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS

Verizon Wireless has reopened negotiations with SEI Communications to maintain a "no charge" long distance calling arrangement for our customers. A favorable outcome is expected, therefore, the March 21, 2014 date is no longer valid.

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Maybe my post had some impact, maybe the note that was placed on my account had some impact, but mostly, I suspect that many SEI customers voiced their concerns and Verizon listened.

unknown

No your post has ZERO impact. This is customer to customer forum and no one from Verizon upper management reads these posts and if they did they wouldn't do anything just because you made a post.

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