Financial Hardship and Reconnect Fees

[SHOOPER0221]

So I know we are to blame for the situation that we are currently in, but it is beyond our control. We have a 12 year old son that is currently in kidney failure. We have been making regular trips every week to the children's hospital for the last 6 months for 3-4 days at a time. We have had Verizon service for many many years. Of course with the time that my husband and I have to take off work we are struggling financially at this point. We have had over $700 in reconnect fees within the last 3 months due to the fact that I can only get a paper check from my work and some weeks I could not pick it up in time for my payment arrangement and deposit it into our account because we are over 2 hours away from home. We are paying as much as we can each month because we have to have our phones for doctor's calls, etc, but we keep getting bills that are well over $1000 each month due to all the fees. I just need to know if anyone else has had any experience with an enormous amount of reconnect fees and how was it handled? At this point I may just have to get phones somewhere else and I do not want to do that.

[glitchedpixel]

That math doesn't check out...

An agent with a kind heart can sometimes go above and beyond to get you caught up, but not $700. That's several months worth of service for the majority of users. A reconnect fee is $20 per line. Three lines puts you at $60 - 3 months is $120.

If we divided 700 by 60, this gets us 11.66 - there is absolutely no way you have nearly a years worth of reconnect fees and still have service.

[SHOOPER0221]

Actually we have 5 lines and we had 6 at one point. We got rid of one line as soon as we had the chance. Our kids have cheap phones but they’re in high school and have to have phones because we are out of town so much. We had 3 reconnects in October, 2 in November, and 2 in December. I have the bills to prove all this. I would never make something like this up. I just needed advice not criticism. Like I said, I know we got ourselves in this situation.

[SHOOPER0221]

I’m sorry we have 7 lines and did have 8. I forgot to include my phone and my husband’s. We have 6 kids combined. He had 3 when we got married and I had 3. We have custody of all of them.

[vzw_customer_support]

SHOOPER0221,

We know it's important to be able to stay connected when you have a family member who isn't doing well. It's our hope for things to improve really soon for your son. We certainly understand that circumstances change and can have an impact on your ability to make payments towards your account. Reconnection fees can add up quickly, so we get that having multiple lines and being interrupted more than once within a month makes a difference. The good thing is that we provide the option to make payment arrangements with our Financial Services Team to help prevent unexpected service interruption and unwanted fees. In most cases arrangements can be made right from your My Verizon account using the steps shown on this link https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/set-up-payment-arrangements/. You may also make arrangements by phone at 866-266-1445, but keep in mind that arrangements made with the assistance of a representative are subject to a $7 agent assist fee.

ShawnteJ_VZW
Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport
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[Tootz1982]

Im going through the same exact thing with Verizon right now.  I just received our new bill for the month,  and it's almost 7 hundred dollars. Im so disgusted with Verizon at this point, pre-paid service is looking pretty good right about now. They charged me 3 reconnect fees in one month on every one of my lines and I have 5 phones and 2 watches. I made a payment arrangement and I paid the second payment early and since I paid the second payment early and not on the day I set it up for, they disconnected all of my devices. When I called in to see why I was cut off again, they said I have to pay on the days I set it up for or the system will disconnect me, they have no control over it. You have got to be kidding me with that garbage they even charged me a 40 dollar unlimited charge on both my watches and it should only be 10 bucks.  It's ridiculous!!!!!

[boringusername]

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@Tootz1982 wrote:

Im going through the same exact thing with Verizon right now.  I just received our new bill for the month,  and it's almost 7 hundred dollars. Im so disgusted with Verizon at this point, pre-paid service is looking pretty good right about now. They charged me 3 reconnect fees in one month on every one of my lines and I have 5 phones and 2 watches. I made a payment arrangement and I paid the second payment early and since I paid the second payment early and not on the day I set it up for, they disconnected all of my devices. When I called in to see why I was cut off again, they said I have to pay on the days I set it up for or the system will disconnect me, they have no control over it. You have got to be kidding me with that garbage they even charged me a 40 dollar unlimited charge on both my watches and it should only be 10 bucks.  It's ridiculous!!!!!

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if you lines were disconnect then yes you will have reconnect fees. You're lines got disconnected because you did not pay. Yet VERIZON is the bad guy? If you think any other carrier will not charge reconnect fees then you're very naive. Also you got 5 lines and 2 watches. And I assume you are making payments of the top of the lines phones adnd you wonder why you have a $700 bill? Snartwatches are usless. Not worth the money,

[Looneyman]

"Yet VERIZON is the bad guy?" - When extra fees, such as per-line reconnect fees, make Verizon the "bad guy" is when the fees in question become excessive or unconscionable, which is exactly what a $20/line reconnection fee is. For the Verizon computer system to process a payment, and then reactive service, costs most likely pennies per line, (if that). A single per-account fee would not be so bad, (and is to be expected), but per-line is nothing more than a money grab on customers that are already sturggeling. 

[NewOldcustomer]

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@Looneyman wrote:

"Yet VERIZON is the bad guy?" - When extra fees, such as per-line reconnect fees, make Verizon the "bad guy" is when the fees in question become excessive or unconscionable, which is exactly what a $20/line reconnection fee is. For the Verizon computer system to process a payment, and then reactive service, costs most likely pennies per line, (if that). A single per-account fee would not be so bad, (and is to be expected), but per-line is nothing more than a money grab on customers that are already sturggeling. 

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Now hold the phone there @Looneyman    Each time you request a promise to pay, and can't pay, then get suspended and reconnected, WHOSE fault is that?  
  Do you know each time you make that promise that you won't make it?   Or just shooting the moon?   
   Irresponsible.

[Piscestg]

"Now hold the phone there @Looneyman    Each time you request a promise to pay, and can't pay, then get suspended and reconnected, WHOSE fault is that?  
  Do you know each time you make that promise that you won't make it?   Or just shooting the moon?   
   Irresponsible."

Exactly. I'm amazed at the people who expect someone else to pay their way due to their poor life decisions and bad luck. It's always somebody else's fault and it's the responsible people who should bale them out.

[NewOldcustomer]

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@Piscestg wrote:

"Now hold the phone there @Looneyman    Each time you request a promise to pay, and can't pay, then get suspended and reconnected, WHOSE fault is that?  
  Do you know each time you make that promise that you won't make it?   Or just shooting the moon?   
   Irresponsible."

Exactly. I'm amazed at the people who expect someone else to pay their way due to their poor life decisions and bad luck. It's always somebody else's fault and it's the responsible people who should bale them out.

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When I got divorced, I had no skills, and little money, and 2 kids.  I have always been very careful.  We don't use installments, we buy phones we can afford.  I have planned ahead with the idea that if it ever hits the fan, I owe only for my monthly service.  Because I planned ahead, instead of running up debt, I'll land on my feet instead of begging some big carrier to bail out my mistakes

[Goodman4prez]

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@Piscestg wrote:

"Now hold the phone there @Looneyman    Each time you request a promise to pay, and can't pay, then get suspended and reconnected, WHOSE fault is that?  
  Do you know each time you make that promise that you won't make it?   Or just shooting the moon?   
   Irresponsible."

Exactly. I'm amazed at the people who expect someone else to pay their way due to their poor life decisions and bad luck. It's always somebody else's fault and it's the responsible people who should bale them out.

How exactly does being gouged with multiple inflated fees for reconnections that are only necessary because of Verizon's predatory disconnection activities, register in your mind as some kind of billable service that in any way benefitted the thread creator?

How does recognizing unethical, anti-consumer business practices that do the most harm to the people in society who are the least capable of dealing with it, and politely requesting if the corporation taking advantage of all the poor people could possibly NOT exploit and extort someone in her situation just this once... get twisted around into her begging Verizon to bail her out for her "mistakes"??

And lastly, how can you possibly call a corporation that does this to people "responsible"???

You are a hateful person. Wrongfully putting people down the way you have in this thread is a pathetic way to feel good about yourself, which I'm guessing is otherwise pretty difficult for someone like you to do.

[NewOldcustomer]

@Goodman4prez    Customers don't have to get reconnected multiple times.  They make a conscious choice to reconnect when they know they can't meet the bill.  That's not Verizon's problem, that's the customer's problem.   
People on At&t forum are whining because they don't allow reconnections until the bill is zero.  
   It's irresponsible not to live within ones means.  And if living paycheck to paycheck, prepaid or dozens of MVNOs offer a great alternative.   
    As for the fees.  They are meant to be punitive, with the idea that customers won't repeatedly have their service suspended and will pay their bill. If the experience is unpleasant, that is because it's meant to be. Just like the late fee if I don't pay my credit card bill off on time or the one and a half percent that is charged if I don't pay my property taxes on time
    

[BHENDERSON28nash]

The assumption that they will only disconnect once per month is incorrect. We have $180 of reconnect fees since 1/12/19. To break it down, we have 3 lines and were disconnected 3 times. To date we have paid more than $1070 to Verizon since 1/1/19 to try to get current (thank goodness for tax refunds!!). We are $133 away from being current (for the bill due 3/1 which technically shouldn’t be a foundation for disconnect in my opinion since it’s currently only 11 days late) but they disconnected us 3 times from 1/11/19 and 2/18/19. We are trying to get current but the suspense/reconnect fees are completely at the whim of the company. If you can find where they are limited to one reconnect fee per month, I’d like to see it!!

[BHENDERSON28nash]

Additional side note: the last $133 is scheduled to be paid this Friday. I realize beyond any doubt that we have been behind, due to an unexpected job change beyond our control. But this feels more like bill padding. Cut offs every week or every other week just to add $20/line per bill for each cut off? That could amount to $240 per month (for us) but I’m guessing they cap the reconnect fees at the amount of your bill...

[mama23dogs]

BTW, I have 5 lines and with a 22% discount, 20 gigs, $15 line fees, my bill is $168.   We do not use installments, but purchase new phones once a year at full price and sell the older ones.  

[Rby_cntrrs]

I’m on the same boat, I have been in the hospital and my boss terminated meaning I couldn’t pay my arrange payment and the card I had schedule was being used for fraudulent transactions. So they disconnect me and they did it 3 times in a month now my next bill is 700 dls. That is 240 dls in reconnecting fees. I’m not paying them and I’m reporting Verizon to the BBA and the news and I’m going to reach out to all political parties in congress and make sure they are aware of the insensitivity at this times with COVID-19 and millions of people unemployed and having to worry about there cellular bills being ridiculous high. It’s not right last month I paid 600 dls the month prior I paid 509 the previous to that 494. I have 3 lines and a tablet for my granddaughter that lives out of state. My unemployment check is not enough to pay high bills. There is other bills that also need to be paid. If enough people complain and make this an awareness that we are being taken advantage of since we depend on our cells for everyday duties. 

[mama23dogs]

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@BHENDERSON28nash wrote:

The assumption that they will only disconnect once per month is incorrect. We have $180 of reconnect fees since 1/12/19. To break it down, we have 3 lines and were disconnected 3 times. To date we have paid more than $1070 to Verizon since 1/1/19 to try to get current (thank goodness for tax refunds!!). We are $133 away from being current (for the bill due 3/1 which technically shouldn’t be a foundation for disconnect in my opinion since it’s currently only 11 days late) but they disconnected us 3 times from 1/11/19 and 2/18/19. We are trying to get current but the suspense/reconnect fees are completely at the whim of the company. If you can find where they are limited to one reconnect fee per month, I’d like to see it!!

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The question is, why on earth you are reconnecting, only to again be disconnected, if you cannot pay the amounts due?  (All amounts due).  That’s your answer to not getting multiple reconnect fees.  

  AT&T and prepaid are looking better right now.  Prepaid is simple, you pay, it works for a month.  And you’re only paying for service, not expensive phones as you have to buy them up front.  AT&T requires a $0 balance once suspended in order to reconnect, so you don’t have multiple reconnect fees (just one).  

Somewhere in here is a lesson in financial responsibility.

[nkkaylor]

Verizon is absolutely disgusting and greedy with reconnect fees. They should only carge 1 per family and their customers service is god awful

[vzw_customer_support]

We value all of our customers and want to make sure your concerns are addressed. With regard to your concerns when service is disconnected there is a fee associated to the re-connection of services. We understand that everyone is going through a hardship at this time and have options with our financial services team to help with your payment options. You can reach them directly at  866-266-1445 for assistance with payment if needed. Just to further assist is there anything that we can do to help?  

[LawrenceC]

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