aerix88's dashboard

I wish I had found this site sooner, but it was only recently due to a news story about the website. It's always frustrating when things take a long time to resolve; when I help customers I like to do so as quickly as possible, and follow-up to make sure any problems don't recur.

I'm looking into a way to get the information I need to help you. As you can imagine I can't post my email address on here, as I am in a call center, and would not be capable of handling the influx of messages. Also, I am with Wireless only and am sure I would get Landline or FiOS questions.

I am an employee, but do this outside of work time, so do not get paid when attempting to help folks out with suggestions or other feedback.

I will post again on this forum when I've found a way to look at your situation specifically without compromising your account security or having my email address on the web. I definitely want to help, be assured of that.

If you are still experiencing signal issues, please call in to Technical Support. If needed, they can file a trouble ticket with our network engineers to find out if you are indeed in a marginal coverage area or an area that will soon be improved.

Thank you! In the world of customer service, compliments are always a great thing to hear.

Did you still have a problem with your VZW billing issue? I see you haven't yet updated your original post. Would like to help.

Thank you. In the world of customer service, unless you also work in the service industry, this means an awful lot of VZW employees.

It makes it worth being in Customer Service.

Lots of options here. If the line in question has a monthly access charge of $49.99 or higher, and it has been at least 12 months since the last discounted equipment purchase, then it would qualify for the Annual/Early Upgrade. You can also now perform an alternate upgrade, if there is another line on the account currently eligible. Or you could have someone else upgrade the line on their account, and once the upgrade is complete you can then activate the phone on your line.

I know this response is no where close to being recent, but I only just found this website! Just wanted to give a response to help any new viewers.

I would be frustrated with that situation as well. At the time you posted this problem, our Worry Free Guarantee (WFG) was probably 15 days. Currently it is 30 days, meaning if the service doesn't work in your area, or if the equipment you have doesn't work with other equipment you already have, you can return it without an Early Termination Fee.

I mention this not as a fix to your problem, but as a resolution for others who may see this page and advise them.

Be sure to return the equipment to the original point of sale and have the service canceled prior to the 30 days WFG is up, in order to avoid the ETF. It sounds like you canceled service after the WFG period was up; I strongly recommend to any new VZW customers reading this to ensure everything is working as expected to avoid the frustration an unexpected ETF would bring.

New equipment purchased at a discount from VZW is provided at a significant loss to the company. Service over the 1 or 2 year contract usually offsets this, but not always, and not as much as one might believe.

The discounts that all post-pay cellular companies provide are out of their pocket; that is the reason for contracts, and why there are Early Termination Fees, to attempt to recoup the loss when a new device is provided at less than retail.

You can always purchase a new device from someone other than VZW, whether directly from a manufacturer or from a friend who no longer needs the device. As long as it is not attached to another mobile number, and the device was not reported as lost/stolen and the previous customer did not have the line suspended for non-payment, that phone/device can be used on any VZW line.

I assume at some point in the future, though it may be a while, the phone companies' subsidies will end, as they already have in Europe. In its place will be service providers, and the manufacturers would provide the equipment separately. This will end contracts and ETFs, but the cost of equipment will sky rocket.

Hopefully I have provided a better understanding of why there are costs to upgrading equipment at all, and more importantly upgrading earlier than normal, as well as providing other options for new equipment.

ChaCha is a premium service. Premium SMS (PSMS) doesnt necessary mean it has some sort of cost. There are free PSMS programs, most notably those in advertising, from Heroes, local radio stations and political campaigns.

However, there are many more PSMS programs that do have a cost. These are the ones that cause folks to add a PSMS Block to their account. I have spoken with many customers who have subscribed to a service without reading the terms and conditions and ended up being charged, even though they agreed to said charges.

It is very frustrating to be charged for something you didn't realize you were being charged for. At this time it is an all-or-nothing block on PSMS, either all PSMS or no PSMS. If they PSMS Block is removed I highly suggest being careful of what you subscribe to; even free websites such as Facebook also use PSMS campaigns (ones that cost money) and most folks click through the ads without reading them.

Verizon Wireless requires the 3rd party provider of the PSMS program to confirm twice with the end user it's OK to start the service. This is usually done via SMS but can also be subscribed via a website. If you are charged for PSMS let us know what the codes are (on your bill) or we can look them up and see what 3rd party company the PSMS program(s) belong to.

Unfortunately, no map service is perfect. VZW does use maps provided by NAVTEQ, a company that provides service to more than just VZW. That being said, you can submit feedback if information is wrong. The maps are updated frequently, however, submitting feedback will help to have an issue addressed.

http://bit.ly/joKgH

That's a website you can submit said feedback. Extremely long URL so that's why I shortened it.

You can also find this link by signing into the Navigator website http://www.vzw.com/navigator. Once logged in, you go to Help > FAQ > Mapping. According to this section the maps are updated by NAVTEQ every 3 months. Hope this helps.

Some phones have the capability of sending any of your calls that are not in your phonebook straight to voicemail. Check to see if you have this functionality. Most newer LG phones do. You can find it in the Call Settings in the menu.

Usage Controls is $4.99/VZW phone/month, yes there is a cost. It is more for protecting minours than for blocking spam or telemarketer calls. You can, however, block up to five 10-digit mobile numbers from calling/messaging you, for up to 90 days. This is a free service that VZW offers. This too can be found at vzw.com/spamcontrols or by calling Customer Care.

Please report any offending calls, especially if there is a mobile number, and especially if you speak with someone. It is illegal for a telemarketer to use an automated system to call cell phones. Placing your mobile number on the Do Not Call list does not prevent this from happening; that list is for landline phones. However, there is a place on the FTC website, I believe quoted above where you can report offending callers.

I'm not familiar with this particular area. Is there a ZIP code for that area, or better yet a specific address I can check our coverage map with? You don't have provide a private address, a public one nearby would be OK.

I would be frustrated with that too... sorry I only just found this website! – aerix88, on June 16, 2009 04:30

Actually it sounds like the issue is you have Premium SMS blocked. Premium SMS can be anything ranging from a joke-of-the-day, to searches through Google, updates via Twitter, a whole bunch of different services.

Twitter is sent to your phone via the universal Short Code service that all mobile carriers use, specifically via code 40404. Personally I am a heavy Twitter user on my VZW phone and have no issues whatsoever.

If you have Premium SMS (also called premium texting) blocked, then all short codes will be blocked, whether they are free or not.

You may have had the Block Premium SMS feature added to prevent the charging short code programs, but please keep in mind it also blocks the free short code programs. The important thing to remember is please, please, please read all info on the website/text message from a short code program if there are any charges that apply with a particular program.

I would recommend calling Care and seeing if Block PSMS is on your account. If you prefer, you can also check yourself on the website:

verizonwireless.com > My Services > My Plan > Additional Features

It would be listed as Block Premium SMS.

I'll be honest, it sounds like the store you had visited was an authorized dealer/retailer, also known as an indirect agent. These are stores in areas that VZW isn't able to build a corporate owned location, or are too many existing or potential customers to be supported by just corporate communication stores.

There are a couple reasons I think this is the case. 1. Verizon Wireless' restocking fees are $35 per line, and do not apply if the device is returned to the point-of-sale within 3 days. 2. We do not sell used phones. All of the phones we sell to new customers or upgrading customers are new; warranty replacements that come from the phone manufacturer have a potential to be refurbished or re-manufactured phones, but new phones are new. I used to be in Agent Support and have heard of indirect agents selling used phones.

The reason I bring up indirect agents is that they often have their own separate equipment contracts, and the contract with Verizon Wireless is for service. There are some premium or exclusive retailers for Verizon Wireless and usually have the same policies and procedures on these types of issues. That being said, it sounds like you had visited a more traditional indirect agent.

There's not a way to send a direct message on here, but I would recommend checking with Customer Care (800-922-0204 from any phone, *611 free airtime from a VZW handset) to see if the charges were issued by VZW or the indirect agent, which is an independent business that sells VZW service and equipment to be used on the VZW network.

To be more specific, ask to be transferred to a Data Technical Support rep, if you aren't already speaking to one. Without more info, it sounds like you need a DMU key reset.

Other symptoms of similar problems are slow speeds and being unable to connect (usually with an error about user name/password).

I needed this done once on my UM150 (similar device) and haven't needed it again. Not saying it can't happen more than once, but a DMU key reset should resolve your issue.