just HOW shady is Verizon now? And to 20 yr customers? no deals for us. no benefits

[Losername]

Yes, this is a lengthy rant. As my disdain for Verizon is rather strong right now. However my particular dealings with Verizon as of late are uniquely ridiculous and slimy...                                      After reading up and down these message boards... so many posts from people who all have the same general problems with this company... it's hard to just focus on my main, personal grievences, and I can't help but address the multitude of garbage policies- the responses by the Verizon zealots who pollute these boards (and are more likely shills than real people)--and The actual Verion Reps on here as well, who, like the zealots, seem to offer no real advice other than to tell you you are wrong. and that their deals are actually great - after which they ask to private message you- so that everything looks nice in the message thread, while they proceed to just dissapoint you in private instead.

Anyway... I should sum up my particular problems for y'all before they are lost in the lengthy flood of additional general criticisms I surely will be typing a well- so here they are

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<> my brother dropped his phone in the ocean. He, I, and my mother all are on a plan together. My mom graciously pays our phone bills still even though we are adults now, but we do have account access as it was needed over the years going into the stores and such to get (much more pleasing, cheaper overall, contract) phones and such.                                                                                                    Now my brother, he isn't the most tech savy. And when it comes to something like our bill, unlike me who wants to know the ins and outs even if Im not paying, he doesnt. He also trusts that a company weve been using for so long, isnt going to try and manipulate and flat out lie to him when he goes into the store to handle his Verizon needs.                   So back to the story- his phone went down to the bottom of the sea. So he went in to get a new one. He wouldnt know exactly how much is left to pay off on the ocean phone, but regardless, he like most people would tell the Rep " i need a knew phone, I destroyed mine, are there any deals available or upgrades?"

so here is the first lie. The rep says no. there is nothing. even though he is looking at our account and can clearly see that not only do I need a phone, so a 2 for 1 BOGO deal would be a good option. but also the other various deals on the Verizon website, he does not mention (which we all know, he knows they exist).

This rep also can see my brother has 85$ left pay on the old phone, 4 months. You cant get a new phone on a line with a phone that is on a payment plan, he tell my brother. Makes sense. So........        Ofcourse here is where he will say "so if you just pay 85$ and clear that out, we will set you up with a new phone in store" - a Scumbag answer since he isnt going to show my brother any deals, and only full priced phones... but fine, i guess.                                                                                                        Surprisingly though, the rep had something else to say. instead of telling my brother that it was 85$, and he could just pay it off. He says that since 'you cant have two open payment plans on one line- we will just OPEN UP A NEW LINE FOR YOU, AND THEN PUT THE NEW PHONE UNDER THE NEW LINE. THAT WAY YOU DONT HAVE TO WAIT 4 MONTHS FOR YOUR OTHER PHONE TO BE PAID OFF! '(durrrrrrr) Then he will just switch the phones so that the new one is on on my brothers number number, and the lost one is on the new line and bam! You got your new phone. Sooo Easy!                                                                                     

now ofcourse, when I finally see the bill 2 months later since it autopays, and talk to my brother and figure out what happened, and my mouth is on the floor, thinking of how PSYCHOTIC of an option that Rep swindled and lied him in to. Because NOT ONLY would the opening up of a new line be the EXACT THING you have to do to get one of the awesome deals on a new phone...But it is also MORE COSTLY THAN JUST PAYING OFF THE 85$ ON THE LOST PHONE IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!                             I am at a loss even thinking about it. I mean if we really had to open a new line, then heck why not mention the plethora of deals requiring one! Bogo, 5$ iphones, etc... But thats besides the point I guess, since a new line being needed is. a. blatant. lie.     

 If I wouldnt have caught it, and payed of the dang phone and shut down the dang line... If everything went just as the Rep set it up and wanted it to go- We would have paid 4 months x20$ for line access fees on a non existent line attached to a phone at the bottome of the ocean!!!! PLUS the one time fees for opening up the new line! The one time fees alone were almost enough to cover paying off the remainder of the old phone!!! It's ludicrous.                                                          WHY would anyone with half a brain ever do it like that? sit around for 4 months and pay 80 extra dollars in line acces fees.... plus the one time fees, making it 120-140$ more expensive?                      I guess maybe you would do that if its how you were TOLD you have to do it....                                what kind of disgusting misrepresentation and lies is that for a company to do to any customer, let alone a  family of 20yr customers!!!!????? 

and as for my seperate story-                                                      

<>I need a new phone. Firist I bought a brand new 600 dollar galaxy 3 years ago from Verizon, which i stupidly left on a clothing display at Walmart 3 days after getting it. I had follishly yet to set up password protection, or any accounts as well ofcourse, so whoever decided to pick it up and not return it, obviously didnt have the normal problems a password protection would cause.                    But hey, it should be fine I thought, since I have the receipt, the serial number, the IME number, and all the other various information and #s which allow Verizon to CLEARLY see who is using the phone, where it is, what network it is connected to etc.                                     To make the story short- No. I pleaded for weeks. Samsung told me Verizon could do it if they wished to. there were no laws, nothing. but nope. Im sure they wanted me to have to buy a new phone anyway, knowing Verizon 

so here I am now, after using a iphone 5 with a cracked screen for three years. deciding I want a new phone finally (plus you are wanting to stop old iphones from being usable on the network- although apple is as much the problem there as Verion). Anyway- ofcourse I see, there are no deals. besides garbage, nonsense, and 150$ off and already grossly overpriced selection of phones. 

now I could technically I suppose, try the crazy garbage you have people having to do- like porting out to google voice, or porting over to ATT for 2 months of prepaid service, only to port back to verizon after, so it looks like I am a new customer.                                                                                                        Or wait no, I got it! I COULD JUST OPEN A NEW LINE, CLOSE MY CURRENT ONE, AND EVERYTHING WORKS OUT FINE!! So its simple!      Oh but, I cant keep my number you say? SureI cant ust switch it over, instead of using the new lines number?? Because really, its no difference... I mean, the only difference is what phone number the phone would be using. If customers are willing to accept a new number, you can just close your old line, and in terms of doing this with 1 line on a family plan. The bill would stay the exact same- just the new line and activation fees, and then whatever monthly amount for the phone deal I choose ( i think the 5/mo i7plus looks great ;] )

But for whatever psychotic reasoning. no. I cant keep my number. which for those of us who have had the same one for 15 years... it kind of really matters.

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So. Here's what I want from Verizon. I want all those insane, scheemed, connived extra fees we payed refunded. I want my brothers phone that is  7 weeks old RETURNED. And both of us will get either one of the new-line-cheap-deal phones. like the iphone 7. Or we will BOGO phones for both of us.                     

Not only did we have that ridiculous disgusting trick tried to be pulled on us. But my brother shouldnt have some garbage full price phone anyway. He asked left and right about what kind of deals can I get. heck he even had an upgrade and he still didnt get anything. They didnt even give him 100$ in store credit for accesories- which even I got a rep to offer me the other day atleast.

Its either that. Or we get our refund for that craziness (that part is non negotiable), and we will all go over to a different phone company.

that and I spend the rest of my days denouncing Verizon to as large an audience as possible.

That's where I am at right now.

[mama23dogs]

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@Losername wrote:

nice in the message thread, while they proceed to just dissapoint you in private instead.  

     Yes, they ‘sanitize’ anything that doesn’t make them look good.  When in doubt, screen shot, or it’s gone. 

so here is the first lie. The rep says no. there is nothing. even though he is looking at our account and can clearly see that not only do I need a phone, so a 2 for 1 BOGO deal would be a good option. but also the other various deals on the Verizon website, he does not mention (which we all know, he knows they exist).   Not a lie.  BOGO deals require adding a new line (that you don’t need) to mom’s plan to get a second phone free or reduced price.  It’s not canned peaches, there’s a big catch.  

This rep also can see my brother has 85$ left pay on the old phone, 4 months. You cant get a new phone on a line with a phone that is on a payment plan, he tell my brother. Makes sense. So........        Ofcourse here is where he will say "so if you just pay 85$ and clear that out, we will set you up with a new phone in store" - a Scumbag answer since he isnt going to show my brother any deals, and only full priced phones...

     Exactly what he SHOULD had done because your brother is not eligible for any deals to upgrade.  Not a scumbag move.  A correct move.   BUT . . . ,

                                   Surprisingly though, the rep had something else to say. instead of telling my brother that it was 85$, and he could just pay it off. He says that since 'you cant have two open payment plans on one line- we will just OPEN UP A NEW LINE FOR YOU, AND THEN PUT THE NEW PHONE UNDER THE NEW LINE. THAT WAY YOU DONT HAVE TO WAIT 4 MONTHS FOR YOUR OTHER PHONE TO BE PAID OFF! '(durrrrrrr) Then he will just switch the phones so that the new one is on on my brothers number number, and the lost one is on the new line and bam! You got your new phone. Sooo Easy!       

     🤦‍♀️   Now that is wrong.  If your bro isn’t tech savvy don’t give him account access.  SMH.                                                                                

now ofcourse, when I finally see the bill 2 months later since it autopays, and talk to my brother and figure out what happened, and my mouth is on the floor, thinking of how PSYCHOTIC of an option that Rep swindled and lied him in to. Because NOT ONLY would the opening up of a new line be the EXACT THING you have to do to get one of the awesome deals on a new phone..  

      Only if he bought into a deal that offered credits.  Not all phones offer a deal, some deals are BOGO, buy one get one, which means add a line and upgrade a line to get a deal.  Some phones just require a new line.   The computer gives credits if the purchase qualified.  So it didn’t   

.But it is also MORE COSTLY THAN JUST PAYING OFF THE 85$ ON THE LOST PHONE IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!           

     Yeah, I don’t get why.  Oh, yah, because they are just shy of used car salespeople.  

                 I am at a loss even thinking about it. I mean if we really had to open a new line, then heck why not mention the plethora of deals requiring one! Bogo, 5$ iphones, etc... But thats besides the point I guess, since a new line being needed is. a. blatant. lie.     

⤴️⤴️

 If I wouldnt have caught it, and payed of the dang phone and shut down the dang line... If everything went just as the Rep set it up and wanted it to go- We would have paid 4 months x20$ for line access fees on a non existent line attached to a phone at the bottome of the ocean!!!! PLUS the one time fees for opening up the new line! The one time fees alone were almost enough to cover paying off the remainder of the old phone!!! It's ludicrous.                                                          WHY would anyone with half a brain ever do it like that?   ⤴️⤴️

sit around for 4 months and pay 80 extra dollars in line acces fees.... plus the one time fees, making it 120-140$ more expensive?                      I guess maybe you would do that if its how you were TOLD you have to do it....                                what kind of disgusting misrepresentation and lies is that for a company to do to any customer, let alone a  family of 20yr customers!!!!????? 

and as for my seperate story-                                                      

<>I need a new phone. Firist I bought a brand new 600 dollar galaxy 3 years ago from Verizon, which i stupidly left on a clothing display at Walmart 3 days after getting it. I had follishly yet to set up password protection, or any accounts as well ofcourse, so whoever decided to pick it up and not return it, obviously didnt have the normal problems a password protection would cause.                    But hey, it should be fine I thought, since I have the receipt, the serial number, the IME number, and all the other various information and #s which allow Verizon to CLEARLY see who is using the phone, where it is, what network it is connected to etc.                                     To make the story short- No. I pleaded for weeks. Samsung told me Verizon could do it if they wished to. there were no laws, nothing. but nope. Im sure they wanted me to have to buy a new phone anyway, knowing Verizon 

     To what end?   No, carriers cannot track your phone.  They can blacklist it.  But so what?  You were never going to get it back.  

so here I am now, after using a iphone 5 with a cracked screen for three years. deciding I want a new phone finally (plus you are wanting to stop old iphones from being usable on the network- although apple is as much the problem there as Verion). Anyway- ofcourse I see, there are no deals. besides garbage, nonsense, and 150$ off and already grossly overpriced selection of phones. 

    Okay, WHY?   Why are you spending so much?  You obviously arent super picky about phones.  So shop Best Buy unlocked phones for one that is Verizon compatible.  You might get one for under $200 that’s better than the S3 you lost.  

now I could technically I suppose, try the crazy garbage you have people having to do- like porting out to google voice, or porting over to ATT for 2 months of prepaid service, only to port back to verizon after, so it looks like I am a new customer.                                                                                                        Or wait no, I got it! I COULD JUST OPEN A NEW LINE, CLOSE MY CURRENT ONE, AND EVERYTHING WORKS OUT FINE!!

If you port to google voice you don’t need to port your number back.   You end up with a real number, a new number that Verizon gives you, and a virtual number which is your old number which is now assigned a Google voice. Two numbers one phone   

So. Here's what I want from Verizon. I want all those insane, scheemed, connived extra fees we payed refunded. I want my brothers phone that is  7 weeks old RETURNED. And both of us will get either one of the new-line-cheap-deal phones. like the iphone 7. Or we will BOGO phones for both of us.                   

Lol.  Yeah, good luck with that.   

Not only did we have that ridiculous disgusting trick tried to be pulled on us. But my brother shouldnt have some garbage full price phone anyway. He asked left and right about what kind of deals can I get. heck he even had an upgrade and he still didnt get anything. They didnt even give him 100$ in store credit for accesories- which even I got a rep to offer me the other day atleast.

Oh, please    Do not fall for the assessory garbage.  You get $30 worth of garbage  and it shows up on your bill for $100.  Buy a case and screen cover in amazon.  

Its either that. Or we get our refund for that craziness (that part is non negotiable), and we will all go over to a different phone company.

   Not gonna happen.  But if you want to you can wait till after 60 days, because then your brother’s new phone is unlocked. Then you can cancel everything and take your numbers to AT&T. You’ll have to pay off everything your brothers phone will work just fine on AT&T. You and mom can use a Bogo to get new phones.  

---

While we’re at it we’re going to discuss the difference between a corporate store and an authorized retailer because I would be very surprised if your brother dealt with a corporate store. And if you think Verizon was bad way to go deal with AT&T. I just left them after 5 1/2 years they don’t know poop from shine Ola

[mama23dogs]

Now my turn to rant back at ya.  Carriers can’t afford to give free or cheap phones to everyone.  Not 157 million connections.  They can afford a million or so, if there is something in it for them.   Phone deals are not to make you happy, or to save you money. They are to add new business steal customers from other carriers and make a profit off of you. 

     T-Mobile has wisely plugged the ’add a line, cancel a line’ Work around. They have a 90 day requirement. If you cancel a line within 90 days of adding a line To get a deal,  the deal is void, and credit stop.  

     Sure, go to At&t.  You’ll be a newbie and in 30 months you’ll be looking for a new carrier to get a deal again.   Because At&t will not give you one. You won’t be a 15 year long time customer over there.  

[glitchedpixel]

Being tech illiterate isn't an excuse to not read. If you can't read what you are signing up for, you shouldn't have administrative access on an account. Not defending shady reps, but you have take personal responsibility into this as well.

Same goes for common sense. If someone told me adding a new line to the account would be an idea, you'd question how that would impact the bill. You don't have to even look at the bill to use common sense and ask "This sounds expensive, maybe I shouldn't."

[Losername]

Wow it is incredibly hard to tell if you are just ignorant of reality here, or what is going on. I would use more colorful language but I can imagine Verizon May be quick to delete such posts, so I will refrain. 

you very much seem to be bouncing back and forth between randomly supporting, and then bashing, Verizon in general and their specific moves in my situation. 

If you believe Verizon employees are crooked and slimy--  then why would you be condoning any of their actions that they took? Customers aren't supposed view all companies as some slithy cheating entities... although sure it may be good street smarts. 

I really don't care to take the time right now to deal with whatever you are, a proponent or dissenter, because either way you seem to provide no help at all, and have your main interests set on just being snarky and weird. But then again. It's a free community, and if this is how you like to spend your free time- so be it. 

Small things I will address that came to mind while quickly glossing over your post ( breakdown of text and bolding very appreciated) are

- it was a 600$ s7 that I had.  Not that I really care about that as much as the other problems. It is more just icing on the cake after realizing it is standar employee expected behavior to inform me I can blacklist the ImEI when I ask my options.

sure now it is not that interesting... although at the time when I dealt with it. And the person who had my phone, and was keeping it despite a solid reward and knowing it wasn't theirs (aka stealing)- well at that time I would have LOVED to blacklist it. Because mess them, obviously. Also, without needing to know any information about the person currently using the phone.  It is proof enough they stole it if it has been registered to the account currently using it since when it was stolen. Also police in my small town do like doing things like, asking the person who may have validly bought it, if they can provide info who they purchased it from. 
while I'm sure you could disagree with everything I just said, I'd say why waste the time. As I'm done with this part of things. 

regarding my brother situation.  You said it was "exactly what he should have done" ???? Idk what you mean exactly.  My brother should have paid the 80$ off.  Yet he didn't know he could.  Which is why as a customer you do this thing where you Ask options- ' I need a new phone.  What are my options.  What can I do'. Being tech savvy actually doesn't apply whatsoever to being savvy of whether you can pay off Verizon phone agreements early, or not, etc. 

 if you meant the employee did what he should have. Then your just a blatant psychopath.  As the one time fees and such associated with opening a new line were more than the 80$ it cost to pay the phone off.... so there is literally no argument valid for that ever being a remotely reasonable option. 

Also you seem to either be missing the point or misaligned.  Yes, I get that you had to open a new line to BOgo or get the other deal.  The entire point being    If the psychotic employee was going to make my brother open a new line, why in the heck wouldn't he mention the deals my brother asked about. One cruddy excuse could have been, well you have to open a new line for those deals, and  their was no sign you wanted/needed a new line so he never mentioned it  

IT WAS THE EMPLOYEES IDEA TO MAKE A NEW LINE-TOUTING IT AS THE ONLY WAY MY BROTHER COULD GET A NEW PHONE.  I'm not sure if you understand how saying this is the only way--- is akin to a blatant lie. And how if how the new line being to forced on him then begs the question as to why the deals wouldn't be mentioned when asked about --- the deals that require a new line. But I really can't explain it any better   And I have a feeling your of some odd disposition that would make you disagree anyway... so I don't care to discuss it with you or about your response most likely   Unless your seeing the rationality of what I'm saying and the irrationality of any other position ( unless you just hate people and think the world is some big evil ball where everyone who is tricked and lied to should just accept that fate... then sure.  I get you)

Finally if you port your number, and do whatever you said.  Yes youd have a new number. That is the entire point really..... people don't want a new number. There is a hundred posts on this community about it. 

it is also psychotic or Verizon, because they will happily give you a new phone deal if you change your number.  Because all you do is open a new line. Shut down your old line. Wallah.  You get the deal.  It is the net equivilant of just giving you the new deal without making you change numbers.... minus the one time fees and such that may be associated. Which people would happily pay. 
the reason you do something like port to google voice, is to then leave Verizon.  And come back a month or two later- as a new customer, able to get a new phone deal for your new line.   And the. You port your number in after that.   So you have the number you have always had......     

nobody wants a new Verizon number and their old number as her to google voice... that is entirely not relevant to the point being discussed.  
this is also a very obvious idea, and one I have no plans to discuss further if you still don't get it/ somehow disagree still. there is very little rational ground to attempt to, but alas, I don't think I am doing anything here but explaining the same stuff in the first post.

good day to you. Enjoy.... thinking Verizon's practices are slimy but condoning it all?? 
Or whatever it is that is going on.  

[Losername]

You are rightfully given any time to rant at me that you want.  If you read through mine, I will attempt to do the same, especially given I can't say anything in less than 3 paragraphs, and your rant seemed rather short.  

T-Mobile making such a workaround seems smart. Because from what I currently can tell, Verizon has no such thing. Which the way I see it throws a decent brick in your statement, given that I can like I said ( on a plan with multiple lines) just add the new line. Get the new phone.  Then delete my old line.  There is literally no net difference for the bill, aside from a few one time fees, which are obviously worth the deal economically speaking. People don't do this, and neither do I want to, because I want my phone number. In don't even really want a google voice account for a month or whatever, and then try porting it back in. Although that may be the best option.

also even if T-Mobile makes you wait three months or whatever.  For many people who's living situations dictate that having some other provider aside from Verizon really wouldn't affect the service they get or anything for 3 months (considering many stay in the same general area 95% of their day to day, and get good enough coverage from more than just Verizon in that area)

than really, it would be worth it for people to just switch providers for 3 months. To save 3,4,5,600$ on a phone potentially. And really the perceived hassle of doing so is still likely worth it to most economically... but yeah it's all a bit annoying sure.  and most of us are lacksidaisical (or whatever that word is?)

really though, all this stuff and what you said just illustrates one of my main points, although I didn't spend many words on it. 

the carriers have set up a market now where to get the best value, by far, is to switch carrier every 2.5 years or so. Essentially whenever you need a new phone.  I am not hoping on the new phone like most losers,  but eventually all of us do get a need for one, and it seems to often coincide with a similar time frame (2.5-5yrs?).      Not to mention the other perks of switching over, like discounted rates and such for whatever small amount of time. 

I have seen the psychovaliant fanboys on this board try and do really, really convoluted math to try and prove that the amount saved by switching carriers like that is actually somehow not really worth it    ?? Or not at all the benefit people perceive it to be. I assume these people all make 60,000$ or more a year, and such things like saving 1500$ over two years somehow don't recognize in their brain as a worthwhile reason.  
plus, whatever completely random value they always don't state, but obviously heavily imply, for intangeables like 

'customer service'

are worth jack to the rest of us who are literally on here  complaining about exactly that    Customer service      The guy who has had Verizon los to them and sell them crazy ideas instead of tell the truth to about the things I mentioned that happened to my brother, yah, not gonna care about your perceived thousand dollar a year value of customer service 

not to mention that I could give two flying Frosted Flakes about customer service anyway      Everywhere terrible    Especially going off your perceived standard. One should expect these people to often be slime nerve, so why care. I also don't even need it.  I need decent treatment in general. I need a phone upgrade to have a decent deal. I need to not be messed up out of completely legal and viable options for dealing with a phone theft.

and even if none of the other providers have any of that, all I do is simply see what providers have good enough coverage for my needs, and then apparently now- switch every 3 years because saving 2000$ dollars or more actually matters to some families.

so of course I won't be a 15 year customer of anyone in the future.  That's the entire point. That's apprently the new game.  The old game used to be, be loyal, you supposedly get benefits.

well after 20 years of loyalty, apparently the game has changed. And if there is nothing Verizon wants to do to keep us, then hey, cool for them.  They can lose the profit they make of my family, however lessened it may be by giving us areasonabke deal on a phone, or I will get it myself I guess doing some stupid google voice maneuvers that are a near equivilant for them money wise, or I just leave to someone else to get my money saved.

and I come back in 3 years to squeeze more money out of Verizon via new customer deals than they would have lost compared to just keeping us and giving a bit of love.

pretty simple stuff here but, a fanboy doesn't operate off rational points of view  (not that you are one. I have no clue what you are)

ps for no need to mention, my family is not poor by any means. But we save money, and are never just happy to throw a grand a year away if a decent option to not do so exists.

'customer service

[Losername]

That's fine, and me pointing out that technical literacy has nothing to do with contract deals, etc, is really not of any point that matters 

glad your not defending shadyness. But I don't see why if that's your stance, it's not so hard to defend retroactive correction of mistakes that aren't necessarily your fault, or realistically pathetic business practices. I know you don't read contract fine prints when doing everything, and if you ask a specific question like is their another option, what's the best way, cheapest, etc.  you don't always necessarily expect to be lied to.

ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADD

 This absolutely was And is, a corporate Verizon store.  I know The difference, I checked, and I wouldn't have brought it up otherwise. 

I really don't care how much fault people want to shift onto him.  He tried very well to do things correctly and he informed, and while I surely berated him too, I do not at all accept these things and shouldn't.  If I just accepted Home Depot doing dumb warranty stuff to me last week over a Rheem water heater, and Rheem trying to pass it off onto Home Depot, I wouldn't have saved 450$ on that ordeal. Took 6 hours of phone falls over two weeks sure. But it was worth it. And I will happily inform you if such diligence works again in this situation

even if it is only to get credit on our bill for the 120-140$ some dollars that were unnecessarily created out of thin air when my brother tried to be an informed consumer by asking a corporate employee. He didn't just barge in like a retard.  He did ask. And unfortunately was trustworthy.  Such is the life of his SoCal San Diego chillin self much of the time.  
I don't think he should have to have done research outside of the company necessarily.  And while I understand reading a contract may have found him a line about how you can pay off the remainder at any time.  It's not like he didn't ask questions that just about everything aside from directly asking so. If we just accepted sleezebag moves from companies all the time and put the vast majority of the blame on consumers, the world would be twice as much of a dirtball than it currently is. 
Neither does a company need to do these things to exist.

 I honestly have no idea why that employee did that. I really doubt he has new line number on existing accounts that could be so important to him to squeeze out like he did. But I will get it solved, you can bet on that.

tootoo my unhelpful friends.   Discussion welcomed though, I suppose. I guess I was just hoping a employee of sorts would actually try and deal with me on this given we are a family of four and 20yr customers, but alas, all I got was a really, reallllllly **** generic message from an employee that said that blamed the new CEO or something, and said that in the future, they will treat their loyal customers so much better. And That I will eventually see this come to light... sometime.... in the 'future'.

excuse me while I laugh myself into a coma. 

[Losername]

NOTICE TO ALL WHO HAVE REPLIED AND MAY BE INTERESTED IN DOING SO

i was thinking about saying I'd be interested in hearing about actual deals that you think are good, but heck, I don't want a moto z garbage whatever and can almost guarantee your answers will be of zero interest/ why waste time when you know no secret offers that I wouldn't see myself by going online (yes yes, something I wish my brother did, bless his soul, but we can't always expect our older siblings to be perfect. Jokes aside, he asked specifically about them, which is good enough for me to validate why then being told there are none that don't involve a trade right now, and then to further sell him a new line as "the only way you can get a new phone right now, unless you wait 4 months".... well... I digress.)

 BUT WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU IS-

do you really not find it odd that I can get a free iPhone 7 right now as long as I am willing to throw away my phone number?? Like I said before. Open new line, get phone, close my current one. Trying to port away old number and new number aside ( have heard before that when you get the new line, you can't switch your old number to it.... although porting outside Verizon May still be a way around that)

but regardless. When the bill changes not at all, minus the one time fees associated with the line.

tell me how this makes any sense. 
heck I'd pay another one time fee just to keep my dang number.

and it's still worth the 350$ be phone costs otherwise.

but heck I guess maybe that just a loop Verizon will shut down once they think more about it.  And since nobody wants to change their number anyway on these boards that mentions it, I guess it may not be a big problem for them.

still is completely stupid.... but maybe so am I for not being willing to give up my number. Alas.... such first world problems I have  

ciao 

[mama23dogs]

@Losername   

Not reading all that 🙄  I'll skim, but for gosh sakes. 

I'm questioning your reading comprehension.  Verizon isn't the Borg man.  There are scummy salespeople in ever business.   There are good people, and there is company policy which the good follow and the scummy try to get around.  And someone as gullible as your brother needs to have his hand held until he can smell the difference. 

     I do understand you have no idea how the cellular companies work.  How added lines show on the report to stockholders, churn, etc.  

    Only about 1 1/2% of customers are willing to switch carriers.  Very few are willing to give up their phone numbers, as too much it tied to our cell numbers.  This limits how many promotions actually are given.  And it's just not worth it to try to keep the disgruntled 1 1/2%.  

[mama23dogs]

@Losername 

Last word:   As I have always understood 'shady' as you used it, it implies an underhanded or sneaky operation.  This is not shady.  
Verizon, AT&T, t-mo, Sprint, and all the little MVNOs have every right to offer deals to add business.  It's how capitalism works.  
Any business that wants to stay busy does something to drum up new business.  No business can rely on keeping all their old customers.