Ongoing issues with call filter and coerced spending for a service that didn't help

[Joshrh]

Hello Verizon Community,

I am reaching out in hopes of finding a resolution to ongoing issues with my Galaxy S22 Ultra that I brought with me when I switched to Verizon at the beginning of the year. Despite multiple attempts to resolve the problems, including a factory reset of my phone, I continue to experience issues with not being able to activate Call Filter (both free and paid) directly on my primary line.

I've worked with several support representatives, with the first time being via chat. The representative wanted to reset my service on my line, assuring me that we would be reconnected. However, the service dropped, and I had to find and drive to the nearest store to get them to fix it.

The only resolution that has been provided was to add protection to my entire account at a cost of $60 since call filter+ is included, which is higher than the free Call Filter I was hoping to use. If it stopped the spam calls I've been receiving since switching to Verizon, I was willing to try it. However, this did not resolve the issues on my primary line in catching spam calls, and we didn't notice any difference from the free plan on our other three lines. I feel coerced into spending money I didn't have to when I saw that my wife's Call Filter on her Note 20 Ultra had blocked an auto dialer as spam, while my phone, the S22 Ultra, allowed that same number through.

This is when I decided to do a factory reset on my phone, which did not resolve the issues and caused additional problems for my connected smartwatch that took hours to fix. I've tried to be extremely patient and understanding, as I know issues like this can be complicated. However, I don't feel like anyone in support has taken the time to understand the root cause of my problem as to why the free version can't even be activated on my line. At this point, I would like to switch providers due to the ongoing problems, but I have two daughters with phones on my account, and I am currently in lease agreements for their lines since they needed new phones as their T-Mobile devices weren't compatible with Verizon.

I'm not sure if I just have bad luck with Verizon. I would appreciate any assistance from others that have seen/resolved these issues. Additionally, I would like guidance on if/how I can terminate the lease agreements without incurring any financial penalties, as the inability to access the free service on my primary line feels like a breach of agreement.

Thanks

Josh

 

[vzw_customer_support]

Hey there, Joshrh, we know it's important to be able to manage spam callers! You mentioned you were able to bring your device to Verizon from another carrier. The reason why the app is not working is that the Call Filter app is only compatible with Verizon-purchased devices. However, you can activate and manage the Call Filter service via My Verizon. Please click here: https://www.verizon.com/support/call-filter-faqs/#not-compatible for details. Provided you have the service added to your number, you will be able to manage your settings by navigating to My Devices>Device Overview>Manage (under your number)>Manage Call Filter (under Settings & Preferences).

-Lauren

[Joshrh]

Hi Lauren,

I respectfully disagree with your assessment that owned devices are incompatible with the Call Filter service. My wife's Galaxy Note 20 ultra was also brought from our previous carrier, and it functions properly with Verizon's services and call filter. Additionally, I have also added Call Filter to my account through the My Verizon page at the request of previous support encounters, including my store visit where the gentleman I was working with said that adding protection plus at a cost of $60 a month would resolve my issue, but it has not helped as I continue to get multiple spam calls per day and I'm unable to block any numbers from calling my phone.

I am now concerned that I was not informed about this BYOD incompatibility before joining Verizon. If I had known, I would not have switched to Verizon as spam call protection was one of the primary questions I had when joining. The associate I worked with at the store assured me your call filter was just as good if not better than what I was receiving with T-Mobile but that hasn't been the case. I would like to reiterate that the only solution provided so far was to add Verizon Protection Plus to my account for an additional cost, which I had for several months without any improvement on my primary line while the free service always worked great for my other three phones including my wife's Note 20 that we also brought with us at the same time. I'm also curious about your policy when sales associates are working with potential customers if they are required to disclose that bringing your own device would limit accessibility to some applications and services. If you are able, please provide this policy for additional review on my side.

I would also like to understand why my unlocked device is treated differently from a Verizon-purchased device and why my wife's device, which is also unlocked, can block the same auto-dialing number that my phone allows through. I am willing to switch to a Verizon device, but I should not be penalized and lose my BYOD discount or be forced to pay for a new phone to access services like Call Filter that other Verizon customers have as I've already spent more money than I wanted for protection plus that didn't help my concerns, so I don't want to be locked into another lease only to find out that it didn't work either.

I have worked in technology for most of my adult life and have a good understanding of mobile applications. I have even consulted with several of our mobile app developers at my company who are willing to help me investigate the difference between my device and a Verizon-purchased device, but we need to know why an unlocked device is treated different when the hardware is the same and the only difference is software/firmware which can be easily updated.

Given the ongoing issues and the lack of a satisfactory resolution, I would like to revisit my request to return my daughters' devices and cancel my account. I have already made preparations to port the numbers of the four devices I brought with me, and the only reason I haven't left is due to the two devices we received as a free promotion for my daughters. 

I appreciate your attention to this matter and hope that we can find a resolution that is satisfactory as this encounter seems to be going down the same path as my previous support request where i have spent hours on the phone, chat, and in the store to try to resolve something that a customer shouldn't have to deal with since it's basic functionality on an account. 

[SynthpopAddict]

Hi, I'm not a serious techie, but one of the downsides of BYOD is that carrier-specific features may or may not work.  Carriers have their carrier version phones optimized to run their apps with the carrier-specific software that's permanently installed, which an unlocked phone won't be.  Samsung has also been scaling back on some things with newer model phones, leaving functionality up to the carriers or 3rd party apps with newer phones.  The Note series has been discontinued by Samsung.

I don't know if your S22 is a T-Mobile version which they unlocked for you, or if it's factory unlocked.  But I noticed with my phone, which is also a former carrier's model now unlocked - it was designed to work on Verizon's network because the budget carrier I used to have was using Verizon.  Anyway, my phone works on Verizon, but when I tried your old carrier briefly, barely worked at all.  So it could also be some conflict with how the other place sets up their phones as their network is GSM-based and Verizon is CDMA-based.

P.S. - Is there a setting in your phone app to block spam?  I have a toggle which I leave turned on.  There's no way to surefire block all spam, as once some con artist gets hold of your number it probably gets sold to all other con artists wanting to spam you.  But you can ask any business you deal with to limit 3rd party marketing, which will cut down on the amount of spam you receive.

[SynthpopAddict]

Addendum: If the $60/month package isn't helping, I'd cancel it by logging into your account and under the section where you manage your perks, to unsubscribe from that package.  Don't ask me why, but it appears Verizon agents cannot unsubscribe you from a perk; only you can.

[Joshrh]

My biggest concern and frustration with this situation is that I was not informed about the limitations of bringing my own device when I joined Verizon. If I had known that my device would not be compatible with certain services, such as Call Filter, I would have never chosen Verizon as my service provider.

I came to Verizon for financial reasons, as I received a discount for bringing four of my own devices, making my service $100 cheaper per month compared to my previous provider. However, when I added the Verizon Protection Plus service for an additional $60, which did not resolve the issues, I was only saving $40 per month. I have since canceled the Protection Plus to lower my bill, but I continue to have issues.

Now, I am being told that I may need to upgrade my phone to use basic services that should be included with all lines and accounts. This would result in an even higher bill, as I would have to pay for a new phone and potentially lose my BYOD discount on this line.

As far as the setting on my phone to block spam, it should be there, but from what I'm gathering, the Verizon bloatware does not allow that setting to be available as you are forced to use their spam protection.

I would like to know Verizon's sales policies regarding the limitations of bringing one's own device, as this information should have been called out to me prior to making my decision to switch. I have already spent a significant amount of time and money trying to address an issue that would have never occurred if I had been informed of these limitations beforehand.

I hope that Verizon can provide me with the necessary information and a satisfactory resolution to this matter.

[SynthpopAddict]

If someone at Verizon doesn't respond, here's my thoughts on your questions.

1) Unlocked phones will have this issue with carrier features not all working no matter what carrier you choose (unless said phone is a carrier model which was unlocked, and you go back to that carrier).  It is hit or miss what works and what doesn't.  Internet search engines will readily return information on the pros and cons of unlocked vs. carrier phones.

2) and 3) That's marketing.  I'm not defending Verizon, but on the other hand it's a business trying to make money...

4) My Samsung, while not the same model as yours, isn't a Verizon model either.  Have you checked Phone app > tap the 3 dots > Settings > Caller ID and spam protection is toggled on (green)?

5) BYOD program information is available here:

https://www.verizon.com/onesearch/search?q=BYOD&lid=sayt&sayt=byod*

[Joshrh]

Thank you for your insights and thoughts on my questions.

Regarding point 1, I understand that unlocked phones may have issues with carrier features not working as expected. However, I've been informed that performing a factory reset with the Verizon SIM card inserted will overwrite all T-Mobile-specific software or configurations and install the Verizon version of Android. I've also verified that the firmware on my device is Samsung's, not T-Mobile's, after performing this reset. I would be willing to try flashing Verizon firmware that's included on their phones if that option is presented by support.

For points 2 and 3, I understand that it's a business trying to make money, but sales should not have assured me that something would work when there is a known limitation. They should have provided me with information on these limitations during the initial sign-up process or during my many support encounters.

As for point 4, my phone did have the Caller ID and spam protection setting available prior to inserting the Verizon SIM card. If Verizon is able to remove their software to make this setting available again, I'm more than happy to try it. However, I don't believe that would happen.

I would also consider a warranty replacement of the same model, as I have insurance on all of my lines, if that could potentially help resolve the issue. But again, nobody has offered that as a potential solution. 

[SynthpopAddict]

Considering your phone is a T-Mobile version which is unlocked, I'd be very hesitant to factory reset it, because that may cause the phone to become permanently locked to T-Mobile, bricking it for you.  I don't know how they did the unlock, but if it's a separate file downloaded to your phone, a factory reset would erase that.  Highly doubt anyone with Verizon will be able to re-flash the ROM on the phone, because such a thing can be used for nefarious purposes, so is therefore not something many can do.

I'm surprised the Caller ID/spam protection toggle went away on your phone after the Verizon SIM was inserted.  This must be something Samsung removed on at least some of their phones.  My A14 still has the feature.