I feel for you and any others that have experienced unexplained data overage charges with Verizon. I am packing my bag of wireless accounts and saying goodbye to Verizon and their business tactics. I have been fighting these guys for years without any successful answers or solutions.
I am trying to bring attention to a serious problem that seems to arise without a true explanation by Verizon regarding data usage and overage charges. Let me please ask all of you listening customers a simple question. Did your data usage spike come immediately before or after some sort of transition with your service plan or device? The reason I ask this is because Verizon has failed to give me any explanation that makes sense of the sudden overage charges.
I was persuaded to upgrade to a 4G Plan before my area even had 4G. Verizon claimed it would save me money on my monthly service plan and everything would work fine. Of course they wanted me to purchase a 4G USB modem with the upgrade (even though I would only get 3G service in my area). This led to problems midway thru my 2yr. service agreement contract.
First, my 4G data usage skyrocketed during the first couple of months after my area went on the 4G grid. Faster is better, better means more data, so better is going to cost you. Who knows how data is actually calculated, I don't think most of people associated with Verizon even know. One constant I do know is that the only time I have overage charges is when I had device change, upgrade or a soon to expire service contract.
For example, my data usage tripled when I was finally able to use my 4G USB modem in a 4G grid area. Verizon suggested upgrading my plan that allowed for high data usage. The following month my data usage returned to the stable usage I had previous to the spiked months. In case you are wondering, I was averaging around 3.7G data with a 5G plan and a $10.00 per 1G overage charge.
The second half of this problem started when my 4G modem failed to work two weeks after the warranty expired. I was in the middle of my contract and explained to Verizon that I didn't want to be stuck paying the full price to purchase a new 4G modem. I expressed to Verizon that I should have stayed with my 3G modem and plan. I experienced fewer headaches with 3G. The Verizon representative remarked that she could reactivate my old 3G USB modem with my existing 4G plan. I also requested that I be reinstated back the 5G data plan because I had been using less than 5G of data during the past six months.
So I used my 3G modem and stayed under my allowed data usage up to the remaining two months of my existing 2yr. contract. It was then when I noticed this outrageous data overage charge on my statement bill. I called Verizon and they could not explain the overage or why I was being charge a different fee that was agreed on my 5G plan ($10.00 per 1G overage charge). I was informed that my overage fees change when I had my 3G device reactivated. So instead of paying $10.00 for 1G of overage charges, I would be paying $51.20 for the same data overage. First of all, I would never agree to such a change to my contract. This would be especially true given Verizon’s past history of data overage charges.
This is when I went ballistic on Verizon. I wasn’t informed by the live Verizon representative of any change to my existing plan overage charge rate. I never experienced different rates when 3G service was only available to me when upgraded to a 4G plan. Was the data overage rate change because I would not be racking up the data usage with a slower device? Or was it a way of pitching me to upgrade back to a 4G modem with a new 2yr. contract since my existing contract was ending?
Whatever Verizon’s reason for the hidden cost and overage charges have left me questioning doing business in the future. I’ve wasted many hours on the phone trying to resolve complaints. All I can say is that I will be leaving Verizon and taking my multiple wireless accounts elsewhere.
Socalif4niadude,
I'm extremely concerned after reading your post about what is going on, and I do want to help. I noticed that earlier you were asked to send a Direct Message to Wilton so he could look into this for you. Were you able to do that? If not, you can send me one instead. I've already asked to follow you, so you can use these steps http://vz.to/1cOOY6O to complete the process and send me a message. Then we can look into things together.
SarahO_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport
I just signed up with Verizon three days ago and I'm all ready at my halfway point in data usage. The biggest thing sucking up my data is the built in apps that keep updating. I've noticed even when my phone isn't being used my data is still being used even though nothing is being used on it its just sitting there. I switched from boost to Verizon because Verizon has better service, but I never used my data up that fast. The max I used is a little over 300mb. At this point, I'm still in my 14 day trial and I think I'm going to change to a different provider.
Simply disable the built in apps which you don't use. Set Google Play to upgrade apps to newer versions via wifi only.
Apps updating should not be eating up the majority of your data unless you are on the smallest data allowance available. All the apps I use are set to continuously update and I only use ~2 GB/month combined for 4 smartphones.
I am on the smallest plan cause i don't use that much data. And I did stop the automatic updates thing but still on boost i used 200-300mb to do the same stuff that i do on Verizon and I've some how used more data...
caitycatt,
I understand your concern about usage, no one likes a surprise when it comes to data usage. This may vary depending on the phone you had with a different carrier. What device model do you have? In addition, keep in mind background data and email.
AdaS_VZW
Follow us on Twitter at @VZWSupport
Hilarious how many threads there are here about this same problem and hilarious how the customer service (removed) stalls, deflects and ultimately does nothing each time - all while Verizon rakes in the extra cash. I think complaints to the Attorneys General of the states involved, to the FCC and to the Consumer Protection Agency are in order. A class action suit is a definite possibility.
Message was edited by: Admin Moderator
The Verizon response to this problem is the same everytime. They do nothing to help you. It is obvious there is a real issue as you can find many threads in recent months about the same issue. I have tried to resolve this with customer support several times to no avail. I will be filing a complaint against them I bet they are making a fortune off of these data overages.
Duplicate post, please see: https://community.verizonwireless.com/message/1123415#1123415
Message was edited by: Admin Moderator
You'll be pleased to know that as of this morning a VZW tech support manager told me that they are unaware of any widespread or unresolved problems with their data overage charges. Apparently tech support has no access to these customer forums where hundreds of people are experiencing the same problem. Reader's Digest version: Been to the Verizon store and on the line with tech support too many times. Initially, the overages were small (4GB used on a 2GB plan) - now 4 months into the problem, we're being billed 15GB in error on a phone running only an e-mail app for data. Like so many others, no changes in plan or usage. VZW is not responsive and has no fix for the problem; of course they do not acknowledge their system problem. Along with several other customers, I'll be switching wireless providers.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
