Missing included airtime

[feelyat]

I recently activated a prepaid phone, which stated on the box "$10 airtime included".  I don't see that airtime on my account -- it has a zero balance.  Because of that zero balance, I can't make any calls, including any calls to customer service.  Do I really need to make a payment just to use my phone to call customer service?

[budone]

Did you read the stipulations form the additional $10 of minutes. I suspect you need to load x amount to get the additional 10 dollars

[feelyat]

No, I didn't see any stipulations.  In fact, I didn't see anything at all about it, other than the big banner printed on the box saying "$10 airtime included".  I'm really just trying this service out, so I'm looking to spend as little as possible until I know if it's right for me.  Where can I find these stipulations?

[budone]

I don't know if there are stipulations. Best to call prepaid CS. Have you tried *611 to see if you can get to CS?

[feelyat]

No, as I said in my original message, I can't even get to CS (*611) without it asking me for payment.  Even if I call CS from another phone, as soon as I enter my mobile number, it won't let me talk to a rep unless I pay something.

Maybe this is just how it is, but it seems wrong.

I have now added time with a credit card, and the phone works.  Still no $10 credit, though.

[budone]

Just looked at BB, I do not see a VZW phone with a $10 credit. Maybe the deal has expired. I know there was that same deal very early this year

[vzw_customer_support]

Let's get to the bottom of this feelyat! Where did you begin prepaid service? Did you purchase the Credit Card Reader and open a new GoPayment Merchant Account? Are you converting a Plateau Wireless prepaid account? If so, please keep in mind the $10 of included credit does not apply with a smartphone and if porting and transferring a balance less than $15 a minimum payment of $15 must be made ($10 credit does not count towards the $15 minimum payment). Please share more details so I may further assist. Thank you.

TominqueBo_VZW
Please follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

[feelyat]

No, I purchased one of these at WalMart:

Note, that's not my photo -- I googled it -- but it is identical to the package I purchased.  Not a smartphone, and the ONLY mention of the $10 included airtime is what's written on the packaging. 

I didn't understand the rest of what you said about merchant accounts and plateaus (this is ordinary, consumer-grade prepaid), but I did port a number in, which took two days.  Are you saying that there was some unwritten (and unstated) stipulation that I purchase airtime before the $10 was added to the account? I was hoping to try out the service using the $10 airtime to allow me to get a sense of what it was like without any additional costs.  I guess that hope was misplaced.

As it turns out, after paying $15 and emailing customer service, someone added the $10 to my account.

[ccsearlesii]

I ALSO BEGAN WITH VERIZON THIS WAY.  HAD TO CALL TO ACTIVATE PHONE AND THEYLL ADD THE $10 AT THAT TIME. I WAS ALSO CONCERNED UNTIL I CALLED TO ACTIVATE. CUSTOMER REP ON PHONE WAS VERY HELPFULL.