As some others have noted, I too just got notice that my equipment charges will be going up even though I'm under a 2 year contract. This is unacceptable and I will be complaining to the public service commission.
https://www.verizon.com/about/terms-conditions/verizon-online
Section 9 (1) is what you should read.
you could turn in the router and get your own and you will save $144 a year in rental fees.
turn in your set top boxes if you have tv and purchase cablecards and save even more.
you could contact your states Attorney Generals Office as to if it is a material change to your terms and conditions of your service.
I already have my own router. After looking at my new bill, I see that they jacked up the set top box rental from $6 to $12/mo. Very shady of them. Every time I call them I have to waste 30-60 minutes of my time on hold. Regardless of how this gets resolved, I will be filing complaints with the proper agencies.
If you read your terms of service, the contract pricing is for content only.
Equipment prices are subject to change.
Many times a material change to the terms and conditions of your service is reason to cancel. You see a contract is not a contract unless both parties benefit. It would be like if i was in construction and ordered 50,000 bricks at 10ยข each and then get a bill for 25ยข each when the contract stated otherwise.
contact your states Public Utilities Commission or Public Service Commission via google search, also contact you states Attorney Generals Office in reference to the contract issue. They maybe able to assist.
Wrong.
When you agree to contract, it is stated as only for services. Equipment is not included.
So to use your analogy, you agree to buy bricks at a fixed price on a routine basis.
And rent the concrete mixer. But no fixed price.
Over the course of the term, the rental company raises the price of the mixer.
You have no recourse as the rental price was not fixed.
That's the contract you signed and agreed to.
You may not like it, and chose a different supplier in the future, but it is a legal contract.
That being said, you are also allowed to change the equipment over the course of time.
You can return the stbs and buy your own cable card capable equipment instead.
If equipment prices were fixed, you would also be required to keep it to term just like the fixed rate services.
Actually you are incorrect. Years ago the wireless side added on a fee to each customers invoices. It was a small 99ยข charge but the customers complained to their respective state agencies. Verizon was at that time told that anything above a set contract price is a material change to said contract.
in fact customers who called where given the .99ยข back as a credit. Over 12 months so a little over $11+ dollars. But the regulators did not say part A of a contract is not being affected but part B is. That is just a line that is given to confuse the consumer.
i use in example when cable companies price hike, it does not afftect those customers on a contract. Same thing would apply to verizon. Existing contracts should be exempt. In hindsight the whole contract thing should be abolished like with cable to give customers choice.
Apples and oranges.
The contract you sign only covers content.
It does not cover equipment.
So the equipment is subject to fee changes as if you weren't under contract.
For example, you can't drop TV service without an ETF.
But you can drop equipment at any time.
There is nothing apples and oranges in regards to a contract and the terms and conditions.
I make a contract that states i will give you internet service at for example $50 not including taxes and those made up surcharges. Say $60 and that agreement is for two years. Could be one year. In that time frame only up charge should be if state taxes change on your services. Internet is not taxed. So that is what i the customer agree to. In fact in verizons case they make a contract that will lock you in or pay $350 on down prorated to the end of that contract. That is the agreement. If i as verizon want to jack up the prices on set top boxes or even router rentals they can wait until the contract term expires. This is what cable does on all their services. They dont raise your rates during that term of service. However after the initial term of service its look out for price increases almost every 6 months. Like I said this is not apples to oranges. Service terms must be adhered to. Raising the rates during this contract term outside of state taxes, is a material change to that initial contract. Google it, call your states attorney generals office and let them tell you.
its because customers of fios donโt realize verizon is in default that they just ignore it and then keep paying and paying. However the small numbers of customers that catch it can and do leave or get the credits off their invoices. Consumers must pay attention to their monthly invoices. And if an increase during a contract (not off contract which doesnโt have any recourse other than cancellation of service) call up have it removed, contact the state regulators and donโt let them get away with it.
I agree with @CRobGauth. According to the terms of service, the contract pricing is for content only and the equipment pricing is subject to change.
Read contracts carefully. States have laws in place to protect consumers.
a contract must benefit both parties.
If that were not the case a customer could make those crazy changes and what do you think verizon would do? Thats right they would either terminate the agreement or try and ding the customer for the ETF.
in fact like i said check with the states attorney general to see if that is the way they see it.
I just filed a complaint against Verizon to my State Attorney Office. The increase must not impact its contract customers, that's why you called it a Contract. Users have no rights but to accept this increase which (in my state) is a 34% of increase; if choose to cancel (because of refusing accept the increase), there is penalty for your early termination. This is outrageous and I am making a complaint and hope to seek justice.
Contracts have terms.
Typicallly, the only thing that is a fixed rate is content.
Things like equipment and other services and not fixed rate.
Plus a lot of times, you have a one year rate that rises for the second year.
@Cityscan wrote:I just filed a complaint against Verizon to my State Attorney Office. The increase must not impact its contract customers, that's why you called it a Contract. Users have no rights but to accept this increase which (in my state) is a 34% of increase; if choose to cancel (because of refusing accept the increase), there is penalty for your early termination. This is outrageous and I am making a complaint and hope to seek justice.
I have read here and on other sites the old โcontent only is the contractโ and not equipment. This is bunk.
When i for example lease a car for three years, its on the total price of the car minus what they consider consumables (gas and oil and tires) the price does not go up and down every year to use a cigarette lighter.
now cable charges a set price to start a contract. I think many times they donโt actually have contracts. They will not raise customers while in a contract. So longer customers get the increase for equipment and other bogus fees but not contract or in contract customers. However it does not mean increase due to official taxes. Not those so called surchages verizon and others sneak in. If they do so its a material change to terms and conditions of your contract and you can get out of it AFTER you contact your provider to rescind it.
you did the right thing. Best of luck
What if they decide to rais the cost of equipment by say $100 a month, would that be acceptable? Would that be fair?
@Ocmod wrote:What if they decide to rais the cost of equipment by say $100 a month, would that be acceptable? Would that be fair?
Questions like this are totally subjective. Would it be fair? My opinion no. Could they actually raise it to that level and not get state regulators after them? Again no.
those hidden charges and fees are also tacked on in cable internet. It comes down to just how much the consumer will bear?
In these types of cases the state regulators or federal government should make it not to their gain via hitting them with enormous fines. So in example they raise you $100 the state or feds fine them $1,000.00 for each instance. Do they gain? No.
turn in your set top boxes if you have tv and purchase cablecards and save even more
In my experience, few TVs being sold today support CableCards. One can get a TiVo, which does support CableCards. Verizon, however, will charge you a monthly fee for a CableCard. Apparently, this is true even if you own your own CableCard, rather than renting one from Verizon.
In my experience, the monthly charge for a CableCard is much less than the monthly charge for a set top box, though, but I suppose that Verizon can change their pricing on these things at any time.
I personally switched to Internet TV providers rather than putting up with this sort of thing. Though I'm still at the mercy of Verizon for my Internet service, of course.
Streaming is the way to go i agree.
you save all those taxes and fees and no contracts and there are more to choose from.
the other aspect I constantly tell folks is NEVER EVER DO ANY CONTRACTS. Nor
EVER GO AUTO PAYMENT ANYTHING. It only works in the companyโs favor and can be a total nightmare if you want to leave or donโt want to be double hit on your payment.
What Verizon is saying is that they could have raised the price of the equipment by $100 and the customers are on the hook to pay or get out of the contract by paying an ealy termination fee. That is one sided contract with their long term loyal customers with fine prints which hooks you in paying the increase in charges.
Verizon- You are buying very bad publicity by scamming your loyal customers with fixed price contract. The money you collect from the equipment charge increase is far less than the "Bad Publicity and Loss of Loyaty" you are getting in return. Your completion loves this kind of moves. You will loose me as your customer at the end of this contract. I have other choices. This is a bad relationship (with a partner I cannot trust or not have full faith in) so it will end. I encourage others with high moral standing to do so.
Verizon is trying to make you think that they can raise prices at will. They cannot.
read the terms of service. Any material change to the terms or conditions of that agreement is grounds to terminate your service. If you call them and state the issue as such, verizon will correct the situation.
contact your states Attorney Generals Office and get their opinion on the matter.
you may be surprised at what they tell you. Call or write them or go online and file your complaint. No early termination fees on any agreement changes.
Equipment is not part of the ETF.
You can add or remove equipment at any time and it does not impact your contract terms.
One option would be to pruchase a device like a TiVO and use a cable card.
Or try contactng Verizon to see if there are any deals (maybe upgrades to newer STB if possible) to help reduce costs.
Another would be to reduce TV content to the lowest possible package and then switch to a streaming service.
Finally, if you have another provider available, see if they will pay your ETF as part of switching.
Unfortunately, this is common amongst service providers. We basically have a take it or leave it when it comes to cable. You can either stick with them or find another provider.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
