Lest anyone think I completely HATE Verizon, let me first say that Verizon's reception has been loud and clear for me any time I have tried to use my phone. I am completely happy with that. Maybe I shouldn't even be complaining.

But then let me elaborate. I am a college student, and needless to say I don't have a money tree in my back yard. I go to school in upstate New York. I find it rather unnerving that I can be driving for 40-50 miles and have "No Service" appearing on the face of my phone. I think something needs to be done about the lack of cell phone towers in this area.

And then there are Verizon's billing practices. I signed up for a very basic plan, figuring I would need my phone only in emergencies, and I would only use it a few times a month in any case, so the 30 minute plan would be fine. And true to form, I've averaged about 20 minutes per month in the four months since I signed with Verizon.

However, some of those calls have to be out of my calling area, by virtue of the fact that my hometown is too far away from my college to be covered by the Upstate NY calling area. So, seeing that the roaming charge was 59 cents a minute, I figured, what the heck, only for emergencies, and agreed to the plan anyway.

Then I actually needed my phone in my hometown. Service was loud and clear, seeing as Verizon does provide service to my area - it's just not in the same calling area. But then I got my next month's bill. Turns out that I'm charged $3 per month to have the privilege to even turn my phone on when I'm not in my local calling area. OK, maybe that's not a big deal. But how did I miss that in the paperwork I signed? Maybe because it wasn't there, or was so ambiguously worded that virtually no one would have caught it? I guess that's the point of these cellular carriers.

And then there's my other issues with billing. My billing period runs from the 8th to the 8th of the month, and my bill is due on the 12th-13th of the following month. Last month I paid by credit card over the phone to ensure my payment would be on time. Then I get a bill about a week later for the entire previous month's bill PLUS this month's bill "payable on receipt." I call up and complain and the customer service rep tells me that they received my payment but not to worry about it. Which is all fine and dandy but then I hear that because I didn't pay my bill before the last billing period ended, the grace period on my NEXT bill is now a week shorter. What the hell is that? I complained and got absolutely no satisfaction from the service rep, who obviously had heard it all before.

I'm really glad I chose the one-year rather than two-year contract with Verizon. Unfortunately that means I have to stick with Verizon and their questionable practices until next August. I'm really glad that they do have great reception, because I would hate for my car to break down in the middle of nowhere... except that my phone may not even WORK in the middle of nowhere!

Certainly Verizon is aware of all this, and that's how they nail us, the customers.



Recommended: No

Amount Paid (US$): 19.99/month