goenmo
I really can't add much except my agreement with CellTalker's reply to your sheepish comments. Although I am sure Verizon expected some fallout from this mandatory data decision I expect they are getting more than they planned for and most of the people whose comments I have seen are not going to " just suck it up, realize that the competition is no better (worse coverage, dropped calls, similar fees, etc), pay the fee and go away" as you suggest. I believe they are simply going to go away if Verizon doesn't listen to reason.
CellTalker
Just for clarification, the petition link is only for the Smartphone and PDA data plans, not the 3G Multimedia mandatory data unless I misread it. If I did, please correct me.
Don't get me wrong. I hate the extortion. I hate having to pay $2.50 for a gallon of gas, and watch my electricity, gas, and cable bills increase each month. I hate the fact that these people have such control on our lives.
Write your governor! Write Congress! Write the FCC! Do all that and more. I hope and pray and wish you great sucess.
Down with mandatory Internet connection fees!
But I am also a realist and know that there are far more poeple seriously upset about healthcare and insurance premiums than their cell phone bill, and you can see how far they have gotten with that thus far.
I am also another very unhappy customer about being forced to purchase a data plan in order to upgrade to the phone I would like... the data features on the phones are not the only things that are different on the multimedia phones, from the simple-feature phones... the cameras are not as good either... and the phones I already have on my account are better than the ones listed in the "simple-feature" section, so how is that an UPgrade? it isn't, it is a DOWNgrade....
This is just a scam to get customers to spend an extra $9.99 per month, PER phone... if it weren't, the choices of non-data phones would be just as good as the multimedia phones...
I have spoken with Verizon, sent them an email, and a letter to their corporate office... I plan on canceling my contract asap, if this is not changed... either doing away with the mandate on the data service, or providing better choices of phones for those who don't want it....
goenmo wrote:Don't get me wrong. I hate the extortion. I hate having to pay $2.50 for a gallon of gas, and watch my electricity, gas, and cable bills increase each month. I hate the fact that these people have such control on our lives.
But I am also a realist and know that there are far more poeple seriously upset about healthcare and insurance premiums than their cell phone bill, and you can see how far they have gotten with that thus far.
Yes I can, I watched them vote in a Republican in Massachusetts to replace the biggest promoter of socialized medicine in history which killed an effort to cram and ramrod the wrong healthcare reform bill down American throats.
I suppose you would also be okay if the gas station not only charged you $2.50 but also made you buy 20 gallons every fillup, whether you wanted it, needed it, could afford it, or even had room for it?
I supposed you'd be okay if your cable company sent you an "exciting" notice that starting next month you will be billed a mandatory $10 for HBO because you have a cable box capable of receiving it? Oh, and if you watch more than 3 movies you will be billed extra so you probably should just get the $30 all-you-can-eat plan. Your option is to return all of your cable boxes and quit receiving the HD signals you've been getting and keep basic SD channel cable because if you aren't subscribing to HBO then you certainly don't need any of the other features of a DVR or cable box. Your cable company tells you they are doing this because too many people were complaining about accidentially hitting the "movie" button and not cancelling out of it before 10 seconds and getting billed for a full movie. They will also tell you that too many people watched more pay per view movies than they could afford and called up complaining that their bill was too high and to pacifiy them, had to refund a lot of money that was coincidentally, all profit. For the good of everyone except you, they are implementing this mandatory HBO fee.
Why won't your cable company do this? They WON'T do it for the exact opposite reason that Verizon is doing it. You have one important choice that Verizon doesn't give us. You can walk away from your cable provider without a huge penalty, probably none at all. They know you would walk so they have to work to keep customers happy.
And, please, stop with all of the propaganda about superior service, reception, and all that other nonsense. That is not true for everyone and much of it is not true at all anymore except in the big red TV propaganda machine. I am smart enough to make the best decision for me and my family on my own and will live with the consequences of my CHOICE.
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Oldputter and CellTalker,
For the record, I made my displeasure known to customer service, and the management of my local store, when i bought my new phone in December. I continue to speak the truth to power when I can. This fee is WRONG!
But I, like most people, need/want my phone. I love my phone and all it can do. And despite my displeasure, and as you say the displeasure of many other people, I DID buy the phone. And most people, I am sorry to say, will not, or can not simply walk away from Verizon over this. All my friends who have a smartphone grumble about the fee, but how many will leave Verizon over it? So far 0, zero, zed. Like it or not Verizon is the best of many evils. My choices are limited:
I chose #2
The point is that option 1 is available to everyone, but most people will not take it. They want an all in one device, and despite the cost, despite the grumbling, they will pay.
Most people will NOT leave Verizon over this for the same reason they pay for 100 extra channels of TV and watch maybe 3 of them. We should be able to get Sy Fy without having to spend $30 extra a month for the rest of the digital tier too. But are they going to leave their cable provider over it? A few might, but most won't because the alternative is to pay the same extra $30 to DirectTV or ATT Uverse, each with their own issues, or do without altogether.
Capitalism 101: What most people will pay, business will charge.
I agree with those people that object to be forced to buy something we do not need. We have the right to use our phone in the way we want, not in the way the provider wants us to use it.
Also it is right to contact the CEO because many times dealing with people without any autority to make decisions it is a waste of time.
I preffer to deal with the chief or a decision maker rather than an order followers. Many times the CEO's doe not know what goiing on in the company.
I can't speak for all markets, but in my market Verizon DOES have the best coverage. I had Sprint thru work and could never get a signal if i left the highway. My friends who have T-Mobile could not get a signal frequently either outside of the city and on major highways. I had ATT for six years and constasntly had calling issues and bad experiences with customer service. If you like the other providers in your area GREAT! But for me they are a downgrade.
And the cable providers do do things like this all the time. They raise rates, or provide "intro offers" to lure you and jack it up after 6 months. They make you pay $12 for eight HBOs when you could pay $2 for the one you ever watch. They make you buy packages of channels. They make you pay $30 for the 100 channel digital tier to get the three channels you want. You can't just buy BBC America ala carte! They make you pay that same extra fee and rent a box for the digital tier to get the cool features. . If you want HD or DVR or PPV or IN Demand you HAVE to pay the fee. You can do without the cool features or extra channels you like, but it is pretty much all or nothing!
Same for the phone: dumb phone or pay the fee for cool multimedia features and the netowrk
I am not justifying it! But that is the way it is!
Sprint has the same plans verizon offers with unlimited data included
Most people now expect to have internet on your handheld devices Verizon SHOULD try to become a little more competitive
After being a Verizon customer for over 13 years. I am seriously concidering moving to sprint
I have 5 lines, and mostly use text and voice service. But would like to be able to use the data that Sprint offers as part of their regular plans without being charged an additional fee.
I sure hope someone that has some authority actualy reads this and takes it to someone in marketing
nebooboo wrote:Sprint has the same plans verizon offers with unlimited data included
Most people now expect to have internet on your handheld devices Verizon SHOULD try to become a little more competitive
After being a Verizon customer for over 13 years. I am seriously concidering moving to sprint
I have 5 lines, and mostly use text and voice service. But would like to be able to use the data that Sprint offers as part of their regular plans without being charged an additional fee.
I sure hope someone that has some authority actualy reads this and takes it to someone in marketing
I went to sprint today to check it out. Same price for talk and text but double the minutes with some really good FREE phones. I dont want to switch but I will if I have to
Sprint has great plans! If only they had a great map to go with them. When 40% of the country does not have phone or data coverage, I can't consider them a viable alternative.
I wish I could but if i had had Sprint during that van rollover outside of Alamagordo, several Boy Scouts would have probably not made it.
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