We recently got a phone for our daughter becauser her dad was informed by the salesperson it only costs $10 a month. However, her dad doesn't pay the bills and did not realize there was a separate $30 data charge. So my 10 year old daugther (whom I wouldn't let have a cell phone, but dad thought it was so cheap and went ahead and got her one) now has a $40/month smart phone, while I have a $20/month basic phone. She only uses it for texting primarily, so you can imagine I was quite irritated when he came home with it.
One of her friend's mother's was also informed it was "Only $10" to add the phone for her daughter and is also not stuck with the $40/month bill. I was so thrilled when the month before Verizon modified their pricing and allowed us to separate the data and texting charges (and they lowered the monthly cost of the voice plan), but then it was a moot point and we lost any savings because of this additional phone. This is happening in Denver. Are they doing this now in other areas of the country to make up for lost revenue from the new pricing scheme?
Other than this issue, I've been totally happy wtih Verizon and their service, but this new marketing tactic is leaving a sour taste in my mouth. I have not bothered contacting them either. I figured they were protected by some legal speak that her dad was supposed to read or have seen. If it had been me, I would have know to ask what the data plan cost was.
Smartphones require the data plan which would be the $30 plan charge plus the $10 line access fee.
If a basic feature phone was purchased, then it would have been the $10 line access fee plus a per MB charge for any data used during the billing cycles. The data could be also blocked to prevent those charges.
I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.
it's not a tactic or scheme or anything like that. it was $10 to add a "line." if he had got a basic phone, it would have only increased your bill by $10. he chose a smart phone. smart phones require the data plan. now, the sales rep may not have been clear enough about adding a smart phone, but technically it's $10 to add a line. it's also clearly stated in the contract that he would have had to sign. i know most of us don't read those, but it's actually fairly small (the entire contract fits on a receipt that about a foot long). unfortunately, you only have 14 days to return a phone and i am assuming your past that. what you CAN do, however, is find an old phone (or buy a cheap, basic phone on ebay or craigslist) and activate it on your daughter's line. at that point you are allowed to drop the data plan. you may have to pay $50-100 for a different phone, but it beats $720 ($30/month for 2 years).
this is what my son has and is more than capable for texting, calls, pics, and videos:
what i would do is buy one of these and activate it on her line and then either sell the new smartphone (and actually come out ahead) or use it as sort of an ipod on wifi only.
I know it's not technically deceptive, but for people who don't pay the bill, many aren't aware of that $30 data charge. So I do say the salespeople are being deceptive by saying it's only $10 to add another phone. He and the other person I mentioned thought that was all they'd have to pay. Technically, they should be saying it's $40 to add the smartphone. Whether it's a smartphone or basic phone, I know it's $10 to add the new line, but again, some people aren't aware of that (and don't spend the time reading the full contract before getting it), especially when the salesperson emphasises the $10 cost. (I couldn't believe he thought it would only cost $10, so let's just say I was ticked at that. I told him, EVERYONE would get the phone if it was only $10 a month!!!)
Thanks for the tip though! One other comment, what's the point of creating a profile name on here when it uses the full customer name? Just had to throw that out there.
Your full name is only displayed to the user. Try logging out of the community and view this discussion and see exactly how you are displayed to the rest of users.
I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
