What happens to many other Verizon customers happened to me today and it wasn't pretty
As a 20-year Verizon customer, the carrier took advantage of me today by lying about losing my perks.
As a 20-year Verizon customer, I was extremely upset today when all of the negative things that I have written about lying reps ripping off the public hit too close to home. This afternoon, I was in the process of upgrading an iPhone on my Verizon account when the rep told me that I could save a few bucks by changing the plans I was paying for. According to the rep, the monthly cost would be reduced to $65 per month from $69 per month, but I would get an increase to 30GB of high-speed mobile hotspot each month, up from 25GB.
The rep told me that this was the only change, so I agreed to it. But the rep lied, and after all of the reporting I've done over the last few years detailing the shady side of the wireless industry, perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised. What the Verizon rep failed to tell me was that I would lose my perks which included free Hulu, free Apple Music, free Google Play Pass and free Apple Arcade. Another Verizon rep I spoke with admitted that the first rep I spoke with did not tell me the truth.
The amount of lying and gaslighting in the mobile industry is quite astonishing. And it doesn't matter whether you're a new customer or a 20-year customer. And don't bother to ask for a supervisor because you'll never hear from one, even if you are promised a call at a certain time. The only solution, and one that I see many recommending on social media, is to subscribe to an MVNO,
An MVNO is a mobile virtual network operator. These are wireless firms that don't own a network or spectrum. They purchase wireless service wholesale from one of the major US carriers and sell it retail. Because they usually don't have the expense of paying a salesforce or expensive building leases, the MVNOs can charge lower rates than the major carriers, even though some MVNOs are units of Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T. Some of the top MVNOs in the US include Visible (ironically owned by Verizon), Google Fi, Cricket Wireless, and Xfinity Mobile.
Should I switch carriers after 20 years with Verizon? It's something that I am seriously considering because, after the way I was treated today, it seems that it is time for a brand new relationship with a company that values my business. That is not Verizon. Not anymore.
We have asked Verizon to comment on this story and if we receive a response, we will update this article.
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