Free at Last, Free at Last... I Finally Left Verizon - Much Cheaper and BETTER Service!!

[ronineditor]

I've been with Verizon over six years and I listened to their marketing of how they're the best and how the fees are higher but "we have better service".  Now that I left?  Noooooo greater feeling.  I know, I know... the fanboys will be all over me on this one... they certainly were when I brought up the topic of the price comparisons.  Now that I'm on Sprint, let me talk about the differences;

First of all, Sprint's plan is legit, but it's $79/month (but they'll give you at least 20% off of that!!).  It's UNLIMITED data (AT&T has a 2gb cap on all of my friends' plans and Verizon is going to cap it as well) and unlimited texting.  AND!!!!  The 450 minutes?  No minutes are counted when you call ANY cell phone.  Yes, you can call ANYONE for free... any company.  The only minutes that count against you are calls to landlines.  Verizon tried to "warn" me about their "roaming" charges.  Total lie.  If you are in the middle of nowhere, where they don't have towers, you then 'roam' which only means they borrow another tower and, in that case, the minutes go against your 450, but not "extra" charge.  Big whoop.  Verizon goes against your minutes no matter who you call (if it's out of 'network'), so it would be like 'roaming' charges with them.

Now, the price... Verizon's same plan for 3G is $59 unlimited data and texting, and $39 for 450 minutes... that's $98.  With my 22% discount, I'm paying roughly $64 a month now.  Even straight up, $79 vs. $98?  Really?  That's basically $20 a month... or in my case, $35 of savings a month; $420 a year.

Customer service.  Sprint wants to overtake Verizon (good luck with that) so they're desperate to make you happy.  Sprint's people in the store were AMAZING.  No [removal required by the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service] , no putting down Verizon.  They just explained the different options and pricing.  NO FEES for "activation".  No fees for porting the number over.  No fees for bringing all of your contacts in.  And... my company discount expired but they hooked me up with another one anyway... they're willing to work with you.  I begged and begged and begged Verizon for almost six months to do SOMETHING to keep me because there was no way I was gonna pay almost $100 for one cell phone (if I got 3G).

Service.  I know Verizon busts its [removed] to have good service and all of that... but I dunno what it was, but I got ONE BAR at home... and nothing at work.  Now?  Four bars at home, three bars at work.  So... yeah.  Verizon's still great but when their customer service people were putting down Sprint, saying, "You'll be back, their coverage is terrible," that was not the case.

Freedom.  I got tired of the [removed] fees and overages.  Even now, Verizon's customer service person emailed and said, "If you come back within 90 days, we'll wave the port fees."  Oh yeah?  Woooooowwwww, gee, thanks Verizon.  That email literally made me 100% comfortable with my choice to leave.  Now I can text and not have to call DAT to see if I'm close to going over.  I can call people and not have to call MIN to see if I'm about to get overages... I can have super fast internet at 10x the speed that Verizon has available to its phone.

Overall... when I joined Verizon, I left AT&T because they were terrible and couldn't give a [removed] less about their customers... couldn't have been happier with Verizon at thte time.  Verizon was the 'good guy' back then, a growing company with great deals, wanting to please their would-be customers.  Now?  They're "Big Red"; arrogant, wanting to gouge you for even nickle and dime they can.  Heck, although my service was shut off after five days into the month, they informed me that they were billing me for the whole month... sucking every last penny out of me even though I have been without a contract for almost a year.  Maybe Sprint will become the same thing, who knows, but right now, they've been nothing but amazing.  

I'm telling you guys... if you were as [removed] as I was and hoping for some change, just go to a Sprint store and get the Evo... it's faaaaaar better than the iPhone 4 on so many levels... knowing that and knowing I'm paying about 2/3 of what Verizon was going to charge me leaves a smile on my face and money in my pocket - for BETTER service (in my case at least).  Verizon is an abusive relationship where you keep getting punched in the face with fees... but, for some reason, you still love them.  Marketing maybe?  They couldn't tell us when 4G was coming... they won't tell us about the phones... they won't tell us about the fees... but that sense of freedom and using my phone for its full potential is amazing.  

Telling you guys... I thought Sprint was going to be terrible but the service is great and the price is ridiculous.  It's a no-brainer.

[#2]

What has this got to do with Verizon's 4G computer data plan.

[ronineditor]

Everything... since that is the problem.  They say they have "4G" yet no phones that work on it... no information about billing... no release dates or phone specs until CES... they won't talk officially about the capped 4G.  They treat their customers like [removal required by the Verizon Wireless Terms of Service]  , knowing most of us sit there and take it thinking nobody can compare to Verizon.  

Personally, I got sick and tired of waiting.  I was asking them these questions since the summer, when Sprint launched... and all the way until I switched, I got no answers... I begged and begged for SOMETHING... If I was going to wait, I wanted to know what I was waiting for.  I'd had enough of waiting... and when I realized I'd have to pay almost $100 for 3G service, I jumped ship.  Just imagine what their 4G is gonna be priced at.

I only wished I'd done it sooner... I'm just trying to tell people that there are other options than Verizon, I'm not some Sprint plant.  I was happy enough with Verizon, but not estatic at the end... the service, at least in LA, is better in my experience... no joke.  I have nothing to gain by lying, like I said, I was very loyal to them until this summer.  If they still have the best service and all of that... then Sprint is right on their heels... AT&T and T-Mobile are way behind.

[Axiom1]

I completely agree w/you. I used to be w/Sprint back in 2004 but left them cause their customer service was terrible. I went to Verizon & now have a family plan w/them but their fees have increased & are no longer a competitor compared to Sprint. I would love to go back to Sprint but can't right now cause I don't want to pay the termination fees for me & my lady's line. Im just gonna wait until my contract is up & say bye-bye to Verizon & definitely go w/Sprint. Ive already inquired what I would be eligible for w/them & it's a hell of alot better then Verizon; & like you said, the Evo is a heck of alot better than any phone Verizon has & the Iphone. The Droid is nothing but a pain in the{word filter avoidance} as ive seen from a few people who have it. I can't wait to leave Verizon & i'm glad Sprint has stepped up their game. Their plans & service are much better than Verizon.

[briankeith513]

@ronineditor,

This is the thing.  Sprint is a "value" carrier, like Tmobile.  They are going to be less expensive, but they have no choice.  They were losing 1 million customers per quarter because of customer service issues, and network issues.  With people always leaving, you have to make your prices less.  VZW, and NO other carrier is going to be the best in EVERY location.  So, in areas where Sprint has better coverage/reception, or at least as good, and you like their customer service, sure its a great choice to be with Sprint.

However, lets be logical.  VZW has many, many more customers than Sprint, and they've had much lower churn than Sprint for a very long time now.  And this is with VZW being known as the most expensive of all of the carriers.  Why do you think that so many more people continue to chose VZW over Sprint and Tmoble, althought they are both well known to be less expensive than VZW?  It's because, overall, VZW has a better network tha either of these 2, and better customer service than Sprint.  Can this change? It most certainly can, as I've heard great things about Sprint's network improvements and customer service improvements.  Overall, VZW still seems the best though.

[steveanderson13]

Didn't I just see you make another good post on a different thread, LOL?  Gee, you'll have to run these forums.

[Grothka]

I think your pricing for the VZW plans is off by a bit... it's $59.99 for 450 min and unlim text + $29.99 for unlim data = $89.98 not $98. You quoted Sprint's pricing at $79 so that is a $10 difference. You also mentioned you have the evo which requires the 4g service charge of $10, I don't know if that was added into the cost you listed (or if they removed from last time I looked) but if it wasn't (which I don't think it was if I remember the pricing correctly) that would make sprint and VZW the same cost, although sprint has the slight advantage of the unlim to any mobile while within it's footprint. Then there was the comment of VZW capping their data usage... where did that come from? I would like to see some solid info about that so I can make an informed decision on what kind of phones and service to get in the future. The completion of your current month is something that you agreed to when you originally signed up for service so i don't even think we need to talk about that. As for being unable to talk about what kind of 4G phones and service VZW will have, it's a somewhat valid point, VZW is very closed mouth on new tech and plans and has been for a long time. But you were asking last summer expecting solid answers about plans and devices that won't be out for another month or two at best, that seems to be pushing. I disagree with the abusive relationship part, but it is going to be different for everybody so that's not really a point to argue either. In the end, no company can make everybody happy, and I'm glad you found a service that works for you. Just in the future please use the correct figures when quoting prices, they are less expensive in most cases but that doesn't make it worth it for everyone.

[gina2739]

She is saying for unlimited data ana text its 29.99 then 30 for text then 39 for min 450. Unlimited min is 60 plus 30 for text then 30 for data this price is for Verizon.

[JPGJAS]

I left verizon for sprint too! Much cheaper. Thought sprint coverage would be spotty out here in the country but as it turns out there service is great not one dropped call. I didn't have to give up anything but a larger bill!

[lisa4labz]

I have mixed feelings about Verizon...sometimes I love them, sometimes I hate them.  I'm thinking more like a hater right now because I feel like I'm being held hostage!

I'm due for an early upgrade so that means I still have 4 months left on my plan.  I just think the price keeps climbing instead of luring people with good deals, they seem to be nickel and diming us to death, is it really worth it I ask myself.  Our cell phone bill for 5 lines averages $400/month...only two of the lines have internet.  Our first mortgage was barely this! 

I tried to upgrade to a Droid and take advantage of the waived $9.99 "smartphones talk for free' promo they had going on but being I had a almost two year old Palm Centro (that never has or had the internet), I can't because I already had a smartphone (according to Verizon).  OH THANKS VERIZON, a customer for 10 years paying the price we do and you can't even satisfy a customer willing to pay your $29.99 data plan? 

If I renew with Verizon I will NEVER do a 2-year upgrade or buy their lousy insurance.  Square Trade is the way to go and pay a little more for the phone but don't get locked into a 2-year.   I know this has nothing to do with the 4g topic but I'm just ranting too.  I'm glad Sprint has stepped up and are attempting to give Verizon some competition.