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JetPack Service and Data Usage; Were We Told the Truth?

swimboywilly

I wanted faster speed than I was experiencing with the incredibly slow AT&T DSL service costing me about $28/mo. Ok, so it was going to cost me $40/mo. according to my Verizon salesman in Torrance, CA. I gave myself a gift for Thanksgiving and went JetPack. Though limited in distance from the router compared to before, the speed makes me happy.

I soon learn that maybe there is or was a 2 Gb plan for $20/mo (plus the monthly $20 access), but any less than 4 Gb is a joke, and $10 more (now $50/mo) gets you that 4 Gb. Frankly, I'm not sure if there ever was a 2 Gb plan at $40 total/month! There goes "Surprise No. 1". Ok, so I'm paying $20 more a month for better, more versatile service. Oh oh ... my daughter and grandson are here for Xmas. He's watching downloaded movies and cartoons. Oh Oh ... over the next two days and until I read my email notices, I've Jetpacked all the way to my "9th data overage". Oh yes .... that is 2 Gb each overage: $15 for each overage= $135. Gee, those overages that I didn't even think about (or anticipate) could have bought me 4 months of DSL. If our friends at Verizon don't help me out on these last set of overages ... I am out of here. Send me the cancellation bill if you really don't care about customer service and satisfaction.

Comments

Ann154

Mobile broadband Internet shouldn't be considered a replacement for landline based Internet service. A little bit of research before purchasing could have been enlightening.

Verizon_Support

Hi swimboywilly,

We would be happy to assist today. My sincere apologies for the issues that have developed with your device. When it comes to watching and downloading movies, clips, or music, this is definitely not something we recommend doing with the Jetpack. When it comes to the Jetpack, this is meant to be used when needed and unfortunately should not be used as you sole internet source to take place of your home internet function. A majority of the customers that utilize Jetpacks are using these devices on the go when their not home or inside WIFI coverage areas. My sincere apologies that we would be unable to remove the overage charges since the charges would be classified as valid. We always recommend visiting http://bit.ly/xB4iTc to monitor your usage patterns. If a higher allowance is needed please visit http://bit.ly/xdDajD to update your plan selection. Please keep us posted if you have any additional questions or concerns, thanks!

Matthew_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSUPPORT

slapstick

Your experience like so many others is an ongoing Verizon problem. I have been with Verizon with phone service for many many years. Four years ago bought and used my first jetpack and was very satisfied with our service and never used more than four gigs a month for years. In Nov of 2012 upgraded to the new jetpack. Service and usage was good until a few months ago. Our habits did not change at all, some email usage, same web browsing and sites, no movie streaming, or music downloads. We began to get overage messages so moved to 6 gigs, then 8 then 10, then 12. Could keep up with the changes. So called and inquired as to what going on and got the standard early morning update response and we must be streaming video. So on Monday of this week started turning off the jetpack, which we never did before at night. On Monday we were at 9,5 gigs and then Tuesday uped it to 12. On weds was at 12.2 so uped it to 16 to try and get through month. On thurs morning we were at 16.3 and uped again to 18. Now have just completely turned it off. Funny thing is that we just started using my mobile hotspot on my phone to connect, we did not change any habits and in 3 days of our normal usage through the phone hotspot have only used 690 megs of data. Verizon has a real problem that needs to be addressed. Whether intentional or not they are ripping people off. Love my phone service but this jetpack issue is ridiculous. And there explanation is the same. If you were driving a car and never changed your habits and gas bill went up and up and up, then something is wrong with your car or someone is stealing your gas. Verizon needs to find out if there equipment is faulty or are they stealing from the public. Happily moving to a different internet provider.

Verizon_Support

slapstick lets get ahold of the data usage! We never want you to feel as if you're getting ripped off and we'll make sure to see exactly what's going on for you. Your business is very important to us and we definitely don't want you to consider other internet providers. We have a great tool called the Data Calculator http://vz.to/M1wpU3 that helps estimate what activities use the most data. Also have you reviewed the usage details from My Verizon? http://bit.ly/xB4iTc

AshleyS_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

slapstick

I did try to resolve this issue. Was told that Microsoft updates were causing the overage. Then told to turn device off at night so that they couldn't update. In one day went from 12.2 gigs to over 16 from 4:15 pm till 9:30 pm with no video streaming or music downloads. I did get on at 4:15 but got off at 5:10 and went to work. Turned wifi of on my computer, but your tech says the connection stayed open till 9:30. Impossible since I took my computer with me to work. My wife went to work with me and we have no kids and no one within 1500 feet of our house who could piggy back the wifi. Tech told me that my smartphone was automatically connecting to wifi and using data. Impossible since I don't use my phone to surf at home when I have a computer in front of me. When I say that our habits have not changed, they have not changed. No streaming video, only web pages and e-mail. Your own data calculator say that I could view 250 pages a day and send 10 emails and my data usage would not be more than 6 gigs. We did much less than that for years until a few months ago when the data usage increased. Funny thing is that now that I connect with the phone hotspot an amazing thing has happened. I completely turned the myfi off. In four days of two devices using the hotspot on a regular basis plus what little I do on the phone away from my home, I have used 1.06 gigs of data. This same usage would be about 7 gigs a month, not the 20 that I am paying for this month. Your twenty gigs is costing me $150.00 this month With the service I am getting on Tuesday I will pay $65.00 a month for not 7, not 10 or 15 but 20 gigs of data that we will never use. If you google Verizon data overage you find that the complaints are not just a few, but many people experiencing this same issue. Some call it phantom charges or data and most have my same story. Something is wrong with your service and data charges. I repeat when your habits don't change and your bill gets out of control, something is wrong. I have been with Verizon since you bought out Alltell and will brag and brag on your phone service and coverage and until recently your myfi. But this experience with you is ridiculous. Stop sticking your head in the sand and fix this problem. Telling your techs to explain that it is Microsoft or your must be streaming video or sites have videos in the back ground running or you can limit your usage or check data calculator or watch usage on My Verizon is not solving the problem. I check my usage several times a day and check MY Verizon. I got data alerts to my phone and email. I couldn;t keep up with the charges. That is the reason for the change, i changed my plan 5 times this month when my habits did not change. As my previous post said something is wrong with the car or someone is stealing the gas. I hope it is not the latter, but you are losing an internet customer starting Tuesday. The mifi is turned off and it will be cheaper to just pay the $28.00 per month until the contract runes out. Do the math $65.00 for new service, $28.00 for non usable myfi equals $93.00. Much cheaper than $160.00 for your 20 gigs. :

unknown

If you have DSL or cable internet available always use that instead of mobile. At&t DSL has a 150 GB cap and you went with something that has a 4 GB cap?

slapstick

Just a quick note to any who read this. In previous post I mentioned my recent problems with the Verizon jetpack. Despite no changes my data usage has skyrocketed over the past several months. Having gotten unsatisfactory answers from Verizon over the sudden data changes, I bit the bullet and changed services. An amazing thing has happened, since my turning off the jetpack and using the new service. In just a few days of using the new satellite service that a Verizon tech said we would be unhappy with, we have increased our usage on purpose just to compare and wah lah our data use as been very low in the 6 days of service. Last month I paid for 20 gigs of data from Verizon and had to turn my jetpack off six days ahead of the end of cycle just to not have to up the plan again. In those six day of extensive use with the new service my wife and I have used only 1.3 gigs of data. At this rate we will nowhere come close to our 20 gigs of available data from the new service for $65.00. For me my point has been proven, something is wrong with the Verizon jetpack or the data charges. Hate to have had to make the change but even though my contract on the jetpack doesn't run out till November, it is MUCH cheaper to leave it turned off and use another service.

Verizon_Support

slapstick, we certainly want your device to work correctly. High data usage can have a variety of causes. Had you tried resetting the Jetpack to see if that would impact usage?

Thank you,

MichelleH_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

slapstick

I appreciate your concern, but after numerous conversations with Verizon personnel, no one ever mentioned that turning off the device and reseating it might help the issue. What I was constantly told was that the issue was on my end, that Microsoft updates were eating up the data, that video were running in the background, that our use must have changed, or someone was piggy backing our myfi. After being told that there was no way that it could be a jetpack issue or a problem with data charges, now someone acknowledges that the jetpack may actually be the problem. That being said the jetpack is permanently turned off in my desk and now just having to pay the $28.00 per month till November when the contract runs out. Last month I paid almost $200.00 dollars for internet usage and supposedly used more than 20 gigs of data. This month in almost 2 weeks with another service, have used just 3 gigs of data and at that rate may use up to eight for the month. No where near the 20 gigs my current plan with new service allows for the fee of $65.00 per month. Having been a longtime customer with Verizon, I am very disappointed with this issue and the efforts to resolve. I love my phone service and up until the last few months the internet as well. But common sense should be able to see that when a customer has a sudden issue and seeks to get help for that issue and explains that on there end nothing has changed that the response would be to assist them not blame them. I have proved two ways that something is wrong with the jetpack. 1. I turned it off and used my hotspot on my phone for almost a week and used very little data. 2. I am using a new service and our data use is back to normal. I hate that it came to this but my time in using Verizon internet has passed and I have moved on. I know one customer may not make a difference but I tend to be a longtime consumer to companies that seek to resolve issues. I have driven the same make of cars and trucks for over 35years, been with the same insurance company for 35 years, married to the same woman for over 30 years, Loyalty means something to me.

lookinforanswer

Follow me for a better solution.

slapstick

This replying and following has been going on for several days and I have no answers just lots of people replying and telling me to follow them. Maybe somebody could just pick up a phone and call or send an email that I can respond to. I don't have the time to sit and wait for somebody to reply to my follows. We area getting nowhere.

>>Personal information removed to comply with the <<

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

unknown

There is only so much spinning your wheels you should put up with.

You did the right thing.

A jetpack is fine for short term, portable, internet service. It is NOT a solution for home internet service. It should be turned off immediately after use.

While password protected, once a jetpack connects to a device, they do not disconnect or re-connect automatically when within range and data is constantly streaming back and forth.

You wrote: "Tech told me that my smartphone was automatically connecting to wifi and using data. Impossible since I don't use my phone to surf at home when I have a computer in front of me."

Unless you purposely turn wifi off on the cell, it is syncing data back and forth, updating mail, etc. The Tech was correct.

slapstick

This is actually getting pretty funny. Again I get a response from someone telling me that there is no problem with jetpack, defending Verizon jetpack service, and putting it on my use. Let me explain this one more time. The jetpack was used for my home internet service for more than four years and we were VERY SATISFIED with what WE DO on the internet. For me and my wife it WAS A VERY GOOD SOLUTION. So please don't tell me that it wasn't meant for what we used it for when we were getting very good service for WHAT WE DO. We don't watch movies stream videos or music, we only use email and do some light surfing. For more than 4 years we NEVER turned the jetpacks that we have used off when not in use and never experienced high usage. As to what the tech said about the phone syncing with the wifi, I told him and I will tell you that I do not EVER turn my wifi on my phone. I do not want to constantly have to answer if I want to connect to available wifi's. When I use my smartphone it connects to Verizon service so I don't need wifi. I HAVE NEVER USED WIFI TO CONNECT MY PHONE FOR INTERNET SERVICE. MY problem was simple, in one month we went from 10 gigs of usage to 20 gigs and had to turn the thing off after 3 weeks. For the remaining 6 days of the cycle we used my phones hotspot for both of our devices and used a whopping 1.3 gigs in 6 days of our normal use. Proof that something was wrong with jetpack or your charges.. In addition after getting the runaround from Verizon and no satisfactory answers we switched to satellite service that the tech said we would be dissatisfied with, Funny thing in almost 3 weeks of DOING WHAT WE DO our usage is a whopping 4 gigs of usage not 20. And yes the service is very good. For 20 gigs we pay $65.00. Last month I paid almost $200.00 for 3 weeks of service with Verizon internet for the same 20 gigs and couldn't use it the last week. And the runaround continues as various people offer to help and I get emails in my box but no matter how many people I choose to FOLLOW on this site, no one from Verizon has contacted me personally. I have a phone and email. If someone really wanted to resolve this issue I know Verizon reps could get in touch with me personally and not through this medium. I used this medium because talking directly to Verizon got no answers that make sence. Other people were having the same problem and Verizon needs to fix it before they lose more than just me as a customer. So please don't ask my to follow anyone else, use your resources to contact me in a way I can respond personally and not in a forum.

tcgty

Well, it is understood by the majority that things like satellite internet and similar signal delivery like the Jetpack are only the consumers' last resort. That is, if there are no cable/dsl/fiber optic internet service available in the area of concern.

grywolf58

Wow. I wish I could find the phone number everyone else here is using to get up to the corporate level. I've been on hold 30 minutes each time three times now without getting anywhere. We're having exactly the same issues although I look at our data usage and find there are times, mostly in the early morning, when somehow I'm suppose to be using over 200 mb of data when I'm not even out of bed or the computer isn't even turned on. One time it was 1 am in the morning. I'm asleep at that hour. There are way too many and too numerous complaints about the Jetpack. Why is Verizon being so stubborn about it?

Like I said, I wish I could actually talk with someone about this. The local Verizon stores are a joke. They've been given the company line about it's the customers fault. Yeah, right.......

BrendanFella

I do not believe there is a phone number for corporate. They do not want you calling them.

Here is a link to the leadership where you can send an email to the person in your area.

However, do not expect any satisfaction.

The only way you will get a phone number is if one of the "leaders" responds and gives it to you.....GOOD LUCK

Leadership | Verizon Wireless

Theanswertofraud

Yes, I have been having the same problem. After having my Jetpack for maybe 3 years or so we experienced usage of 2Gig+ one day and 1.5Gig the next. Not to mention another time it said we had used 2Gig in 7min! We have since gone over our 10Gig limit.

We had used the laptop for that Candy game. But it had been off during the time frame of the infraction. I called Verizon customer service and was sure I would be consoled and refunded the obvious ridiculous usage.

Boy was I wrong. She proceeded to inform me that the game used huge amounts of data and even if we turn off our computer the Jetpack would still continue to use data if we didn't close out the game.... Really....

I am here to inform you that I am positive Verizon's competition has infiltrated their customer service to make them seem to be a company that regards their customers as idiots!

I think we should all band together and send our Jetpacks to the nearest Attorney Generals office and let Verizon explain to him how our Jetpacks rack up data without being used.

John_Getzke

psst... start a new thread rather than kicking up dust on a thread that was started 2 years ago and last updated 5 months ago.

Also if you have complaints about data usage be prepared to defend yourself with some actual evidence. If you don't have anything showing that there is a problem, such as a network usage or monitoring log, then there isn't much anyone can do to help you. The whole "I didn't do it, VZW must be a bunch of frauds" argument doesn't hold up very well in court at any level.

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