Re: Might be prorated hefty overages?
tikibar1
Community Leader
Community Leader

As noted in an earlier post, this is primarily a customer-to-customer forum.  Responses by reps are not guaranteed.  Even if a rep does respond, it could be days. 

And just to let you know ... repeating the same issue multiple times is against the forum's Terms of Service.

I realize it may be an inconvenience, but if you need a quick response, I still suggest calling Customer Service.

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Re: Might be prorated hefty overages?
MAD21
Enthusiast - Level 3

I may have missed something...but how many times have you USED the internet to CHAT with a Vzn CSR?

You have a text script sent to you of the conversation and therefore, a record.

You started out with a mistake (not understanding where you posted - or who would see it). You seem to be kicking a dead horse by continuing to post to Verizon customers.

As a customer, I sympathize with your (read YOUR) data problem - but it is pretty common knowledge among us customers that Vzn often overstates data usage - and you have no recourse if that happens to you (except to dispute the charges).

Next, why in the world would you pick a data provider who is the very most expensive in America!  You keep stating that you are pushing your budget - yet you continue to use a service that eats your lunch, dinner and shorts.

You made a few mistakes - and I will bet that Vzn will take full advantage of them. Your contract is rock solid (not in your favor). Your selected service provider is the very most expensive you can get. Now you have purchased an unmanageable data plan that someone out of your control manages and monitors.

Please consider it a lesson learned and either CHAT, dispute or pay (not honestly sure that you have other options).

Finally, kick yourself for getting into a contract. Now all of the other, cheaper service providers are out of your reach and there may be no solution until your contract runs out (or you pay Vzn to let you out). That ETF may be cheaper than continuing to pay for the data charges you are realizing.

I am paying $25 for unlimited data (includes unlimited phone and text).  Not available to you - unless you want to cut your data plan down to 250Mb and buy into another plan of unlimited data for $25...

Good Luck!

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Re: Might be prorated hefty overages?
KMI2014
Newbie

I used the live chat once about backdating and it was supposed to have been taken care of. What I believe to have happened is the csr likely only backdated the 16GB to 20GB upgrade but not the initial 10GB to 16GB upgrade, I thought I made this clear but the rep must have overlooked it. Data usage shows me being under my 20GB cap using only 14.5GB, that is official usage information on the device and usage information under MyVerizon account was showing the same until recently. Yes it's pushing my budget when they are claiming I went 10GB over my 20GB allotment despite usage information stating otherwise. I only accounted for being careful with usage, staying under my monthly allotment and only paying the price for my plan. If I went over by one or two gigabytes that's still within my budget but 10GB over for $165 on top of my bill no $#&*@%! way!

I barely have an internet connection atm and took me a few minutes to log in and load this page so I don't think live chat will work out or if I can load it. As I said my phone is a prepaid Tracphone with a set amount of monthly minutes I need to stretch out and is primarily for emergencies, I don't get good reception on it out here. Calling in to customer service, being put on hold etc.. then trying to explain the issue so they can resolve it will eat through my minutes.

I'm sorry and didn't know bumping wasn't allowed, usually forum etiquette suggests bumping after 24 hours without a response or resolution. I did bump short of 24 hours but only because I thought maybe the topic is getting buried or the admin/mod forgot to toggle something else so a rep could see the topic and assist.

I'm not under contract because I purchased the device and why Verizon? Well either way I'll get screwed and Lte through Verizon is the only decent option out here. None of the other mobile providers offer Lte out here yet. No one cares about semi-rural or rural folks so no dsl. cable, fiber and not even fixed wireless service. There is nothing reasonable/affordable around here, everything is either slow and/or expensive/capped.. Around here it's dial up, satellite, 3G Evdo or Verizon Lte. Since I play games online in my free time I went with whatever offered the best ping/latency plus Verizon offers decent sized data packages for my needs. Sorry no "unlimited" or reasonably priced plans with reasonable caps, nothing other than plans designed to milk rural customers dry. Generally there's overages with typically any mobile provider that's not an mvno and all the big name providers charge around the same. Satellite hits customers with slow throughput (throttle) if they exceed the data cap then charge $9 for a measly 500MB restore token. Throttled satellite is akin to the glorious 56k dial up days but feels slower even when it's running at full capacity due to high latency. My parents are letting me use their satellite connection via wifi from 60ft to 70ft away, they exceeded their monthly cap due Windows updates and my sister so that's why I said live chat likely isn't an option since I probably won't be able to load it. It took me a few minutes to load my email to see what my mobile number is so I could use it to log in here, a few more minutes to load the page after logging in to navigate here and post.

Verizon/Wireless should have a direct to csr private section for support under special circumstances. There are some things live chat can't even assist with (apparently) still forcing us to call. But what if someone doesn't have phone service or has poor phone service or a prepaid minutes phone where calling in isn't ideal? What about disabled and developmentally disabled folks that can type stuff out but are incapable or have a difficult time with the verbal aspect and talking?

I tried posting over at the Verizon direct forum at dslreports,com but as I said they only deal with Fios/Dsl and not Verizon wireless so they were unable to help or even contact a Verizon wireless rep to assist me.

Btw I have a screencap showing the usage information on the device right before I was recently dc'd and it shows me using 14.5GB out of 20GB as I said. So to resolve this Verizon wireless likely needs to backdate the initial 10GB to 16GB upgrade as well as the 16GB to 20GB upgrade, the did backdate the latter but not the former I think.

Sorry for the tl;dr.

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Re: Might be prorated hefty overages?
Tidbits
Legend

Once the bill posted theres not much you can do. If the cycle hasnt reset then you can contact customer care and backdate the plan.

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Re: Might be prorated hefty overages?
KMI2014
Newbie

Ha great.. If only a rep responded sooner lol. I think I had three or so days before my cycle reset when I posted initially but no way will I pay that bogus charge and will dispute it to the fullest extent I can. I already contacted support via live chat but the rep made the mistake of not backdating both upgrades only backdating the 16GB to 20GB plan upgrade but not the initial 10GB to 16GB upgrade. I had no idea this was going to happen after contacting support and thought it was all taken care of. Their usage information shows me being under my cap so there should be no actual overages.

Gah.. this website is annoying, stop signing me out. It took ages to load this website with this crappy connection I'm using. If the website could remember my login information and keep me signed in that would be great and make it quicker for me. I can't call until Monday, live chat is going to be difficult/impossible and no Verizon employees seem interested to assist me here.

Can't I just im a Verizon rep on the forum or an admin/mod notify them?

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Re: Might be prorated hefty overages?
Tidbits
Legend

Oh keep in mind what you have might not be overages. If the plan is more expensive you will pay that and a month in advance specifically for that plan. The following month when you downgrade you get credited that month in advance. It's complicated for me to explain while typing. Sounds right in my head though.

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Re: Might be prorated hefty overages?
KMI2014
Newbie

If that was the case why was my service suspended especially when I paid nearly the whole balance this cycle except $25 which was to be paid next week? I've had service less than a month and normally Verizon doesn't suspend accounts that quickly, I walked into the Verizon wireless store in the city on June 20th to sign up for service.

There is a red warning when I log into the account "You have incurred high overuse charges, please pay immediately to avoid service interruption" despite official usage information showing me using 14.5GB out of my 20GB allotment. There isn't even any overage alerts on the account and I had just got an email alert stating I was at 75% of my usage allotment. The sms I received also stated high overage charges and to dial *611 or whatever to avoid service interruption. There isn't any notes on the account, sms, email or phone call informing me service is suspended and to pay the balance to restore service. However service is obviously suspended because I lost connectivity on Wednesday and haven't been able to connect since then.

So likely an error on their end or as I thought the rep only backdated the 16GB to 20GB upgrade but not the initial 10GB to 16GB upgrade. I had to switch to the "More Everything" plans by following a link for "Explore the More Everything" plans as the plan the Verizon wireless store employee set me up with didn't have any data plans higher than 10GB.

The device is a ZTE 890L jetpack if that means anything..

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Re: Might be prorated hefty overages?
KMI2014
Newbie

So I contacted Verizon wireless on Facebook because someone suggested that to me but forgot about that until now and received a reply. So apparently it is a backdating issue, only the last upgrade can be seen and backdated and is like the initial upgrade (any upgrade prior to the most recent) doesn't exist but had no problem charging the overages for it ofc.

I asked if there is anything that can be done to reduce or remove the overage charges, that I misunderstood the whole backdating concept due to being a new customer that only had service less than a month and if a one time exception could be made in my case considering I'm a new customer. Hopefully this can be resolved and service restored but looks like I may be waiting until tomorrow to hear back, I think it's past business hours since after my last reply the rep hasn't responded.

I'll let everyone know how this works out and if I manage to get this resolved, at least this thread can serve as a warning to other customers if they search around before (or when) getting Verizon wireless service.

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Re: Might be prorated hefty overages?
KMI2014
Newbie

Well the reps know the first step of customer service i.e being polite and courteous with customers and acknowledging their issues/complaints. Seems someone forgot to teach them the second and last step which is actually resolving customer issues/complaints.

Wasted time on the phone with their financial services trying to explain this issue to them. They claim it was the backdating issue (overage charge)  that raised a red flag on the account causing suspension. They claim they lifted that flag but can't restore service due to the remaining $25 on my balance for the cycle. Well if it wasn't because of the remaining $25 on my balance that caused suspension there should be no issue restoring service, right? If it wasn't for the backdating issue and suspension the remaining $25 wouldn't even be an issues as I'm not that late. My service was suspended on the day of or day after the due date and I paid nearly the whole balance, jeez holding a minuscule $25 over my head that wasn't the reason for the suspension to begin with. I could understand if I was weeks past due but no grace period, this is not a prepaid account.

I've had service less than a month when the suspension occurred due to misunderstanding the concept and process of backdating when upgrading, a normal likely common mistake with new customers. I don't particularly feel wholly at fault and thank goodness someone pointed it out and explained backdating to me or I would've never known and been in more trouble.

I'm disabled and receive assistance through a housing program, I'm in their independent housing program. Someone else is in charge of my finances and disbursing money to me when I need it. I just got service on June 20th and was immediately sent a bill, normally the first bill doesn't come until around the next cycle with prorated charges. A bill for about $118 was sent like three days after I got service with payment due by July 15th. That's a problem because I didn't have money at the time I got service and was sent the bill. The housing program I'm in gets a check for me on either the 1st or 3rd of every month. From there they pay my rent, utilities and garbage with me taking care of my internet or tv bill. I have to wait for them to pay my rent, utilities and garbage (if due), they check my balance and sent me out a check no sooner than the 10th of each month. Due to budgeting and the fact that out of that check I have to buy supplies, food and have other things to pay I couldn't blow my entire check on the Verizon bill. So I paid what I could satisfying most of the balance, requested another check be made out to me so I could pay the remaining balance the following week. The request was put in late so there is nothing I can do until Friday or Saturday when I'll have the money to.

Support can't due anything about the backdating issue and overage charge until the next bill is generated, they are supposed to get back to me on Wednesday about that. Been arguing with financial service to reconnect my service but they are being stubborn and won't budge. Contacted support on Facebook but they keep referring me to financial services which was no help so I'd be wasting my time. If I do call in I will be requesting to speak with a supervisor or another superior to hopefully get this resolved and service reconnected tomorrow.

If only support responded here in a timely manner last week there would've been a good chance they would reconnect me last week but maybe not since service was disconnected the day of or day after the due date. They not only need to accommodate those without phone service but accommodate their customers with disabilities.

I wasn't expecting any of this especially not before backdating was explained to me and I became aware of it. I thought it was over and I was in the clear after contacting support via live chat to backdate the plan/upgrade. So take this as a warning anyone that is searching around and reading this, doesn't matter if you are a new customer or if it's a misunderstanding/mistake they'll still screw you over by cutting you off and refusing to reconnect service.

Good customer service would be making a one time exception in good faith especially for new customers. Maybe Verizon lost Part II of the customer service training manual or misplaced the part about good customer service and resolving customer issues/complaints lol.

This thread still continues to fall on deaf/blind ears/eyes to Verizon reps but at least they responded on Facebook. Now only if they'd help me and reconnect my service. I used their automated menu to notify of late payment and was given a date no later than August 1st but service is still disconnected, perhaps I should have done that as soon as I got disconnected if it would have made any difference. Despite all this I'm being told they want a reconnect fee when service is reconnected. -_-

Really, how can companies have sub-par or such terrible customer service and stay in business? If it were any other business and customers were treated that way they'd go out of business in a heartbeat. If it were any decent company serious about customer service and satisfaction this wouldn't be an issue or they would actually bother to resolve the issue/complaint and reconnect service.

Sorry for the tl;dr and didn't mean for this to really be a rant, just updating on what's going happening and warning new or potential customers.

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Re: Might be prorated hefty overages?
MAD21
Enthusiast - Level 3

Sir,

You have the wrong service provider. Not sure where u live, nor do I know what conditioned u to select this company- but I assure you (and will insure you with$$) that every other cell service in your area would be a better fit for you.

Analogy-You wanted transportation and you jumped right into a.Rolls Royce. f a.Caddy or Jag is not beneath your needs, you are in luck. If not then you need to be prepared for $500 oil changes and $4,000 tire changes. That is where you are.now. Enjoy our top of.the.tower service...

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KMI2014 <forums@verizonwireless.com> wrote:

KMI2014 created the discussion

"Might be prorated hefty overages?"

To view the discussion, visit: https://community.verizonwireless.com/message/1114385#1114385

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