Current Customers are not taken care off like New Customers

[Paddu]

I have been with Verizon for more than 4 Yrs now, My current contract has recently expired. Was shopping around for new packages avaialble that could provide me the same discounts that I have or more.

One of my Neighbors moved from another service provider to Verizon and got a triple play bundle package for $89.99/- month with free HBO & HD-DVR and 75/35 internet.

When I asked for a similar package, I was told to pay $149/- permonth!

Well if being a new customer gets me that much price difference, it infers two things -

1) Verizon do not care about customer retention and only cares about registering new customers. Any offer given to new customers, should also be offered/extended to existing customer who are looking to renew/upgrade their contracts (at least)

2) It encourages people to disconnect their service at the end of their contract and pick another provider, if the provider doesnot provide a competitive pricing or service - comeback  (may be with in 30 days) and you will become a new customer here and get the pricing.

And recently the customer care (especially on the phone) is answering so rudely to existing customers, they indicate as if they do not care if we stay with verizon or not.

But if you call them saying you want to be a new customer, they talk to you so sweetly that you will wonder if you are speaking to the same customer care that you spoke with before.

Ridiculous

Are there any tips or suggestions to get through this situations?