Well, I do not now nor have I ever worked for Verizon....but I did work for a cell phone company at one time, and that is how I know the issues that come up with third party or authorized retailers. I never said it is a valid way for VZW to duck responsibility, because in my opinion if a "3rd party authorized retailer" makes constant mistakes then Big Red needs to pull their products, or at the very least retrain employees. The fact that I inquired about the nature of the store was only because I do know that it can be very difficult to distinguish a "corporate" store from a "3rd party" retailer. Perhaps I misinterpreted your post to suggest you were seeking input and assistance on this peer forum. So I apologize if I offended you by asking questuons relevant to your post, and I would appreciate it if you would address me privately if you feel I am being inappropriate rather than creating a new post to bash your fellow customers.