Loss of Unlimited data

Good morning,

Last year I was deployed and had my phone service temporarily suspended. When I returned it cost an arm and a leg to get my unlimited data turned back on. After one month, it was turned back off. I was contacted and told that I couldn't have it back and would be limited to the 10gb per month. No big deal, I guess, as they said I only used and average of 2gb per month. Now, however, I went from being able to stream music and movies all day while I work to only being able to do this for one day, before I reach my limit. So my question is, how is this possible? Was I not given a true estimate of my data usage? Was my data manipulated so it looked like I used less than I actually did? and finally, is there any way to get the unlimited back, as I honestly feel as though I was bamboozled and strong armed out of my unlimited data. Thank you for any assistance you can provide, and please have a wonderful day.

Accepted answers

rcschnoor

Verizon has not offered unlimited data for several years now. They have not forced anyone off of their unlimited data, but once you lose it, you cannot get it back. Once you give it up for whatever reason, you lose it. It appears as if this also applies to account suspensions, too.

IF you were only using 2 GB/month of data AND you were streaming music/movies ALL DAY then you were doing so via wifi and not using cellular data. Has something changed where you are no longer using wifi???? Are you doing this at work or at home? Has your work cracked down on employees using wifi to steam media? I can't imagine they want to provide for the entertainment of their employees when they should be working. There is a cost to the employer for doing so, after all.

All comments

rcschnoor

danielbo

I notice that the employee of Verizon state they do not force anyone off of the unlimited plan. That is not true at all. I had the unlimited plan, I have never ever been late, never had a phone shut off for non pay, never changed my plan. But, I decide a year after my contract was up and my phone was starting to act up, i would get a new one. When I went to get a new phone, the first thing that was told to me, before I even asked any thing, the sells man said "you know any thing you do with this account you are going to loose you unlimited free time" I thought that was rude the way he said that and went to another Verizon store. It was true, that just because I was going to get a new phone I had to choose a new plan. It was the same type of a phone, so to say Verizon does not force you off of the unlimited plan is completely untrue. I thought I had been with this company since it was wireless one, which is about 15 or more years ago. Back when they only had a bag phone, never being shut off of non pay and never late. I pay as soon as I get the bill. So to say they do not force you off is a lie, then to do it to a service man is even worse. A person that served our country and just suspend service is ridiculous. I thought my issue was bad, but this is awful to do to a service man.

Dm333

TThe person replying to you question is an employee, although not identifying themselves as such; their job is to "do whatever is necessary to stop your complaint without causing any "loss" to the company. Their tone is unacceptably rude and dismissive. They have done absolutely nothing to investigate you account history, they're simply dismissing it. I do not know what the facts are, you may be correct, or you may be misunderstanding something; but in either case, you deserve to have you complaint honestly and fairly investigated. I suggest that you stop wasting your time here and contact the public relations department: go online and research who the current VP of Public Relations is, and then email them directly, as well as the main PR "contact us" email box. Additionally, contact your Congressperson for the district you live in (if you lived in a different district before you were deployed - make sure that you also address you letter to the Representative for that district, as well). Also, spend half an hour online to research at least 3 Veterans Rights Advocacy groups, and contact them with your story, as well. If one of the television news stations in your local community has either a reporter who has done a number of stories about returning veterans and their challenges and struggles returning, you may also want to contact them. To help to document your complaint, you should collect every possible bill from before you were deployed (when you had unlimited data) and all of you bills since you returned (especially the one that showed you were given unlimited date again upon your return. ***You also should educate yourself about data usage by using the online data calculator - streaming music does use a large amount of data, figure out exactly how much.*** When you seek assistance and advocacy from the parties you write to, ask them to ask Verizon to provide the recorded calls from when you sought to have your service restored, and then when you were later told about the reduction to 10 GB, as well the calls that you made to have your service placed "On Hold" - if possible. Finally, you should also copy or print out the unsatisfactory and condescending replies that you received on this board, and make certain that those get into the hands of the higher-ups at Verizon who ecentually actually will fairly and politely address your complaint - the writer on this board (as well as their Manager) WILL BE schooled in proper "customer service". Best of luck to you

Weth

Other than:

Dm333 wrote:

The person replying to you question is an employee, although not identifying themselves as such; their job is to "do whatever is necessary to stop your complaint without causing any "loss" to the company.

your advice is excellent and right on. The people replying here that are not identified as VZW are just customers and not employees. Somethings absolutely need more than can be fixed on the forum, and this case certainly fits that. Others, such as what options are best will very commonly be answered better by the customer forum members than VZW employees can. It is a very steep uphill climb to get unlimited back once you lose it. A few do, most do not. Your advice to increase the chances are great ones.

pherson

That persons thinking is flawed because there is no such thing as a reduction from unlimited to 10gb. They aren't even the same price.

Dm333

Keep insulting the customers and you will get the rest of your department fired along with you as you build this bigger. Your job is to assist customers (try it - you'll be much happier in life if you make someone's day better by helping them), not to be rude to customers and not to make untrue statements - if any one of your Managers have ever told you anything otherwise, encouraging you to be rude to the customer, then you should report them to the highest level of management in your division all the way up to the board room (if you need some assistance in how to do that without risking your own job - I'm happy to help)

rcschnoor

danielbo wrote:

I notice that the employee of Verizon state they do not force anyone off of the unlimited plan.

As of right now, there has not been a VZW employee chime in on this thread. Possibly at some point, one will do so.:smileyhappy:

rcschnoor

danielbo wrote:

It was true, that just because I was going to get a new phone I had to choose a new plan.

As of right now, Verizon DOES NOT force you off of unlimited data. If you choose to purchase a subsidized device, you will lose unlimited data but you ALSO have the choice to purchase a phone at full retail value and you will be allowed to keep unlimited data. That is a choice each customer must make for themselves. For some, it is beneficial to keep unlimited data, for other it is not.

As I said, that is now, not sure how long that will last or if it will change.

danielbo

Ok, lets back this story up. I went into the store, that ask if they could help me, I said I was interested in getting a new phone, they asked for my phone number and I told them, as soon as I did he said you are aware that if you get a new phone you are going to loose you plan that you have now. I asked what do I get in place of it, and it was hardly nothing, but acted real rude about it, just a negative attitude towards me. I went to another store, that I did not have that issue. I went in and said I was looking for a new phone, they spent time showing me the phones. When we found the phone, they then mentioned about the plan I currently have has been discontinued and we will get you a real good plan to replace it. I ended up with triple what the guy at the first store said I would have to go to. So tell me why that is not being forced into a new plan? My phone was not working, it had a service plan on it, they did not carry the same phone I had, so I upgraded my phone with a discount.

The main concern was that they should not had done this to a service man that was protecting our country.Was why I made the post. But yes they do force you to switch, you tell me what its called when you do not have a choice. That is call forced. Dang, some hateful people on here.

Weth

That is the policy and has nothing to do with your status. IT has been in place for years. To avoid this, buy a phone for full price and you can keep unlimited. Everybody is treated the same in regards to this.

dad_of_2

danielbo They are not forcing you to get a new plan. The first guy told you right away. The second guy gave you the run around let you pick phones and then told you. If they forced you out of it then you would not have options to keep it (i.e buying a phone at full retail, buy a device from someone else, or ebay etc).

Whenever you sign a contract for anything, then you are subject to those terms. In all the new contracts with Verizon there is no unlimited data, so you must agree to it. If you do not like it then you can always go to another carrier that fit your terms better.

bigmac558

Wow, a good discussion. I feel like I should clear some things up. First, I only mentioned my deployment so that it was known that my phone was suspended. Second, when I got back I did have unlimited for a month or so. Third, my plan cost less now than it did before. and Finally, I am just curious about what happened and why. I'm not bitter or sour, just confused. I will call customer service, but just wanted to see if anyone in the community knew the answer. Thanks for all the responses!

Tidbits

The only way you'd lose unlimited is if you changed your plan, upgraded your phone by contract or Edge, or took some loyalty plan which doesn't support the unlimited data plan.

dad_of_2

Could you have been moved to the more everything 10GB? are you out of contract? How many lines do you have?

deb2too

Thank your for the choice you made to serve this country . Hope you can get some logical answers and find an acceptable solution.

After reading some of the responses you received I'm wanting a THUMBS DOWN BUTTON.

Momma23dogs

OP, I am not sure why your phone is using so much data, which is really the problem, not the loss of the data plan.

That at isn't normal use if the phone is on wifi.

i Can stream on cellular all day and not make a dent. Video runs up more data.

have you made any other changes?

New phone?

Which phone do you have?

An iPhone? Updated to ios 8 maybe?

danielbo

I have found out bigmac588, do no post on this community page, for some reason I think everyone on here want to argue with what you say. I have learned to ignore them. ... I still appreciate all of you that has gone over to protect this country, now matter how the others feel.

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