Family Base Issues.. FRUSTRATED
jwpillar
Enthusiast - Level 1

I added Family Base to my cell plan last week in an attempt to control my daughter's out of control data usage.  I set everything up (with my husband and I as parents, her as a child and blocking her data after 5 GB).

Both she and I are getting text messages that we have exceeded our data limits and/or we have used 75% of our data for the month, although we have only used (as a family) 2.344 GB of 13 GB. 

I have already called Customer Service and was told to clear our cache, which was done and I am still having issues.

I am beginning to believe that the program is just terrible.  I am also a bit angry that Verizon would put out a program that is so faulty.  I am a 19 year customer with Verizon and right now with all  of the extra charges and no data rollover and all of the great things I am seeing about other carriers I may finally jump the fence, so to speak.

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Re: Family Base Issues.. FRUSTRATED
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

First and foremost as a 19 year customer of ours, we certainly appreicate your many years of loyalty with us jwpillar. I understand the importance of ensuring the Family Base feature is working acurately at all times. Allow us to get to the bottom of this for you. I myself use this feature for my daughter and receive text messages when she is getting close to her data allotment. When you receive these text messages are they referring to her allotment? With Family Base, you will get text messages when the line who has the data restriction reaches 50%, 75%,90% and 100% of the allotment. Also, when you set the data restriction, did you power her phone off and on to ensure the data allotment is set correctly?

Thank You,
MichelleL_VZW
VZW Support
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSUPPORT

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Re: Family Base Issues.. FRUSTRATED
Malan717
Enthusiast - Level 1

I get the same message when my daughter is getting close to her limit (3GB), but that just her usage only not mines nor my wife.  I also have been a long time customer of Verizon and with using Family Base my daughter probably wouldn't have a phone.

Re: Family Base Issues.. FRUSTRATED
jwpillar
Enthusiast - Level 1

I just Uninstaller it all together.  I was getting messages that I had exceeded my limits and I didn't have a limit set for me.  Also my daughter was nowhere near being close to her limits on data and I just kept getting messages.  It was more trouble than its worth

Re: Family Base Issues.. FRUSTRATED
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

Malan717,

Thanks for the information, we want to restore your faith in such a great feature. I use it for my family and has not failed. Based on what you said, you added Family Base  last week. When does your bill cycle end? Call #DATA and reply with the date included in your text message.

AdaS_VZW
Follow us on Twitter at @VZWSupport 

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Re: Family Base Issues.. FRUSTRATED
HFGODSEY
Enthusiast - Level 1

I too am having problems with this app. I put this on my sons phone to keep him from watching movies and playing games at night and he is able to do it anyways. Useless unless we can get it working correctly!

Re: Family Base Issues.. FRUSTRATED
AndiElam
Enthusiast - Level 1

I tried this plan the beginning of the month. We had to upgrade to keep from going over the data.  I have spoken to two operators and both have said it is my fault.  The gb set for my nephew was 1 gb now its 2.9 gb.  Where is that my fault?  I was told it would work and so far am NOT happy with verizon and its service lately.  I have been a verizon user for about 20 years.  Now I am told I have to  download a app for parents to my phone, that is why it did hold the 1 gb to his phone.  How stupid is that and it costs $5 a month to boot.  I do not know what else to do, going in to the stores is worthless when it comes to phone help and talking to operators doesn't seem to help either.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Its getting to the point I can't afford our family plan!

Re: Family Base Issues.. FRUSTRATED
Kaceyj
Enthusiast - Level 1

I have installed this app too so I can track my kids usage and the info hasn't updated for at least 10 days now!  I don't see what good it's doing if I can't see what they are doing!  It only worked for a few days.  I am frustrated too!

Re: Family Base Issues.. FRUSTRATED
BankerDad
Enthusiast - Level 1

I am also trying to use Family Base to monitor my sons usage on his phone.  The issues I have are receiving a text giving me incorrect information about his data usage, then the text started coming up for me regarding my phone (my phone has a grandfathered unlimited data so there is no way I am even close to my limit,) he is still able to text at night and he has programs on his iphone that i did not authorize.

My issues may be caused by "user error" but if so it is because I have no idea how to use the darn program and cannot seem to find documentation anywhere.  I am out of contract and there seem to be some other providers that would be more accommodating, I also am a long term customer and have been happy with service.  But with my son being 13 this has to work and it has to work now.  I can not wait for Verizon to get it right.  I am not trying to make a threat I just want the technical folks to understand that I am at the end of my rope, my son has to have a phone since he often has to wait for rides after practice.  We have gone with Verizon since I was told Family Base would work and it isn't.

Re: Family Base Issues.. FRUSTRATED
labsnabys
Enthusiast - Level 1

I just wanted to chime in that the app does work for some of us. I've been using it to track my sons' phones for almost two years, and we have yet to have a problem with accurate usage statistics or locking problems. Make sure if you are trying to lock your kid's phone that he/she has not put it into Airplane Mode before you had a chance to lock it, because the lock mechanism cannot communicate with their phone (and therefore cannot lock it) while the phone is in airplane mode. If they have access to WiFi, they can put the phone in airplane mode and do whatever they please regardless of whether you have locked it.