Misinformation re: Canada & Mexico service

[mdp90069]

Recently I went on vacation to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  I have been there before, last year, and had tried to rely on WiFi only to get emails and send them.  Unfortunately, whenever the WiFi got briefly interrupted or dropped out, and when I forgot to go to Airplane Mode briefly when moving around, I ended up going into Global Data roaming, which is EXTREMELY expensive.

So, this time, I called in to Plan Change customer service a two days before the trip to add Mexico to my Shared Plan with four lines.  I had read about the $15.00 monthly service plan adding those two countries, and wanted to see if I could get it for all three phones, and possibly for my MiFi mobile router. 

To my delight, the rep said she could add the service instantly and it would be effective before we got there.  I pressed her repeatedly about how many minutes; how many text messages; and how much data.  I also decided I would reduce my data plan to 4GB from 6GB as I never use anything like the full amount of data.  She assured me I would have all three services on all lines, and even calculated how much my prorated talk & data time would be with all the plan changes.  Here's what I wrote down in a text document at the time:

Call of January 21, 2013 @ 3:42 PM until 3:48 PM

"

01-13-2013 to 02-12-2013; cycle ends the 12th of

every month. 

Billing System password:

        [you guys don't need this info]

  - 699 Mex to Mex & Mex to US minutes, this cycle.

- 4 GB data rather than 6 --

Pro-rated int'l data 2.933 GB until 02-13-2013

CDMA everywhere in U.S. & Mexico - no analog!  "

I asked her about roaming, any analog roaming (I have been burned by that one in the past--it's pretty much dead now, at least in Mexico) and ANY additional charges, and was assured that there would be none as long as I didn't exceed my 699 minutes of talk time, which I was sure I wouldn't and didn't come anywhere near using up.

Once in Mexico, sitting on the beach, both I and my spouse starting getting scary text messages from Verizon stating

"You have incurred $50.[something] in Global Roaming charges.  Turn data roaming off or call +1-908-559-4899 to make plan changes."  After a quick discussion, we called Verizon at the special Global 908 number to see what was what up. 

Q: "Do I have international data service?  From when I changed my plan on the 21st?"  A: "Yes, I see that here."  Q:  "Is that per line or something?  Or is it shared on all lines?"  A:  "Let me check that, sir.  [pause] no, that would be shared on all lines." Q: "Why am I getting these text messages?  What is wrong?"  A:  "I am not sure.  You shouldn't be receiving them.  I will make a note in your account that you called in.  If they keep coming in, call in again."

Sure enough, we kept getting them, and I called in again and spoke briefly to someone else, and got pretty much the same story, and was told to check my bill when I got home.

The day after I returned, I got this lovely text message: " VZW FREE MSG: As of 01/26/2013, Mobile 310-6**-**** exceeded $250 in data roaming charges. Data will be blocked after $500.  Here's how to manage usage. "

I log into My Verizon and get the message that my service will be turned off if I don't pay immediately!  THANKS, VERIZON!

I called into Customer Service, hit plan change, and talked to a rep who fumbled around, and then said "Sir, you don't have and data coverage in Mexico."  What the f***?  How can I have been told three times I do, and I don't.  After getting immediately incensed, I asked in an agitated but polite stream of words the summary of above, and how am I supposed to get this service?  Oh, she says, it's $25 extra for data in Mexico.  What utter BS.  Is it for all lines?  Oh, no, it's per line.

Now, this said, somebody somewhere set me up for this service on my 310 iPhone 4S, because all the roaming charges were billed to the other line.  But NO ONE told me it was going to cost an extra $25, and they all told me my spouse's line was covered, which turns out to be wrong.  Naturally I had to demand to speak to a manager, and after 5 minutes of stalling, she agreed to back date the service.  This is what it turned out to be if you want these services:

"

***

January 29th, 2013 @ 10:20 AM until 10:46 AM

Cynthia--manager.  Back-dated int'l data plan to 1/21/2013.

Contrary to what THREE separate Customer Service reps told us (January 21 '13 @ 3:42pm for 16 minutes) AND from Mexico 1/24/2013 at approx. 12 noon Central Time & again ??? same day? Next day?), Int'l Data is PER LINE & $25.00 per line. [!!!] 310-663-7170 & 310-927-9189 back-dated to 1-21-2013 per plan change manager Cynthia.  Never told how much the data allowance is....& does it count against Shared Plan 4GB? "

Now I am sitting here wondering what nightmares I will have in the next billing cycle and if some one will decide that wiping it all away (which she seemed to do) is not OK and they will just add some massive charges to my next billing cycle.

My monthly bill is painfully high as I use my phones for work and need great service.  At $250 plus a month, they have to do better.  BE CAREFUL...the reps just don't seem to understand how these Share Plans work in Mexico and the U.S.  And I would NEVER use Verizon outside North America/CDMA--you should buy a throw away phone and use pay-as-you-go in Europe and everywhere else you can do that, to avoid getting screwed.

   No matter how many times you ask the critical questions, you don't get correct answers, and even the letter they sent me about my new plan states things that at odds with the plan I was promised (I have seen no text roaming charges--good, sice that was supposed to be included, and their letter says, Oh, NO it's 50 cents a text in a tiny font footnote--no one in Customer Service seems to know that, and I haven't been billed for them which suggests texts ARE included in the Mexico/Canada plan--maybe you get texts thrown in if you have a costly high-service multi-line plan like I do.  Wtf?).

I really hope that calling in and reviewing how I was misled did work and I won't have endless hassles going forward with billing.  Aaargh.

[maricundia]

Yes, I almost broke down on the phone today with customer service, because I had to pull out of them the information I needed to make a decision as to get the 25.00 fee for data usage. Once I understood it, I felt a great relief! You see, the important thing we all need to know is the difference between what is termed 'data usage' and actual talk time phone call old fashion stuff whereby you dial a number and actually talk to another human. Two totally different things. Data is internet, weather, email, etc.

Also know that you can easily turn off 'data roaming' before you leave the USA, and you will still be charged 99 cents per minute of int'l calls, and yes 50 cents for texts, but No Roaming. I know, so confusing, don't cry.....

To make you feel better, my husband and I have been driving to Mexico for 20 years, and I remember not communicating with my folks here in USA for weeks at a time. A family member could have died and I wouldn't have any way of knowing. (Or I could have died, and THEY wouldn't have known....) Talk about incomunicado!