Moving to Non-FiOS Area and Being Charged Contract Breach Fee
Marc121
Newbie

I am a faithful Verizon Fios and Wireless customer who has been very content with the products and services Verizon has offered over the years.  Recently I’ve been having a major dispute completely out of character from what my experience has been.  I am moving to an area that does not have Verizon Fios, so I am unable to transfer my Double Play Package to the new residence.  According to the customer support specialists, since “high speed” internet and telephone are available at my new residence, I am forced to either extend my contract for the meager services that are available at my new residence, or pay a contract breach fee of $170.  When I initially spoke with the sales department to sign up for the Double Play Package, I specifically asked about, and was guaranteed that if the same services weren’t offered in a new residence that I would not be required to pay a contract breach fee.  Knowing that my job as a Department of Defense contractor could result in my needing to change locations, as well as the fact that my lease would be up during the contract period, there was no way I was going enter into the contract without that stipulation.  So the situation is either that the sales representative was incorrect, or purposefully misleading.  Regardless, I will be moving to a location that is not fully supported by my current contract.

 

I am a Department of Defense contractor with the Army Wounded Warrior Program, and as such I work primarily from home.  The “high speed” band width offered at my new residence by Verizon of 3 mbps does not remotely meet my needs.  I currently pay around $150 a month to Verizon Fios for actual high speed internet with a bandwidth of 150 mbps and an HD television package, capable of streaming video, video-teleconferencing, 24/7 internet access, etc.  If I were to extend my contract at my new residence I would end up paying $49 a month for 1/50th of the performance, a telephone service that I do not currently even have or need, and zero television service.  This is idiotic.

 

The bottom line is I am moving; I have a contract with Verizon with stipulations that were either erroneous or dishonestly represented, for services not available in the area I’m moving to.  The attitude and response I got from the customer support representative I spoke with on July 28th, 2014 was basically too bad, deal with it, pay up or Verizon will take this to collections.  Collections…for $170?  Amazing.  As an MBA I am educated in ethical business practices.  Her approach was unethical at the very least, and bordered on extortion.  Pay up or else.  I was very clear with this individual on what I do for a living, what my requirements are, and the basis of understanding in signing the contract originally.  This is like a catering fee for $500 a plate banquet and getting a Happy Meal in a fast food restaurant…and getting threatened for not agreeing to food or location.  Demanding $170 dollars because Verizon is not capable of providing services I require is ridiculous.  I’ve been an exceptional wireless customer for years and an exceptional FIOS customer for 3 years.  It cannot be the $170 profit that Verizon is worried about, because from a business standpoint this is the situation: If I am charged the $170 for disconnecting my current services I will cancel all other Verizon contracts forever.  I am a 27 year old business professional and spend roughly $1500 a year on Verizon Wireless products and services.  If I continue to use Verizon Wireless products until the age of 60, Verizon will have made roughly $50,000 in revenue over the next 33 years in today’s dollars.  Even if you discounted that at 5% (which is a purposefully high number from a capital budgeting standpoint) you stand to forgo a present value of $24,000 in revenueThat means you’re compounded return on the $170 dollars will be about -5% per year.  The immediate loss by present value standards will be -99.29%.  That’s what satisfied, dedicated customers bring…and for some reason your service representatives don’t grasp this concept and would prefer that I completely leave Verizon as a disgruntled former customer and get the one-time $170 erroneous breach fee.  Asinine business model.

 

The bottom line is that I am going to cancel my FIOS contract next month soley because Verizon is not able to provide the services I require, which is fair.  Now, further down the road, the decision on whether I will be a FIOS customer again is going to hinge on my experience to date.  If I am unfairly coerced into paying the $170 fee I can honestly say I will no longer use Verizon for any service, wireless or otherwise.  I would prefer to pay a little more, lose some connectivity now and then, basically spend my money elsewhere, than be dealt with this way.  As a customer going through all this, the breach fee is a pivotal decision point as far as my future as a customer with Verizon goes, as I’m sure it is for other former and future customers.  My lesson learned from the support representative and my experience with Verizon as a whole right now is that I would be foolish to enter into another contract with your company if this is how I, as an exceptional customer, am going to be treated in the future.

 

I would seriously appreciate a call from someone I can discuss this reasonably with as soon as possible.  I do not want to directed to support services for this.

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1 Solution

Correct answers
Re: Moving to Non-FiOS Area and Being Charged Contract Breach Fee
somegirl
Champion - Level 3

@GitaKM wrote:

It is not the question of paying the termination fee.  But to claim they have service when in reality they are teaming up with some other companies and offering DSL in place of FIOS is plain wrong - and lying and dishonest.

I dont' care what you say about that.

And to de-activate the $300 card they had offered, which says that there is no expiry date.

That was not something honest is it??

And saying that we signed something - nowhere on the contract do they disclose that if you move where they don't have service you still have to pay.  That is dishonesty - especially if customers sign up in good faith.

There is such a thing as honesty and ethics - which companies are getting away from - especiallly cable providers.

Gita KM


If you read the Verizon Online Terms of Service, I think you'll find that they do cover these issues.

2. DEFINITIONS AND CHANGES TO SERVICE (specifically sub sections 1 and 5) covers the "service" definition.

The $300 dollar card would have been contingent on your specific 2-year agreement, which you are breaking.

10. TERMINATION OR SUSPENSION OF SERVICE (specifically sub section 2) covers your moving/ETF issue.

I'm not saying any of this is the right thing to do, but they aren't being dishonest. It really is in the ToS that you agreed to when signing up for service.

View solution in original post

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Re: Moving to Non-FiOS Area and Being Charged Contract Breach Fee
LawrenceC
Moderator Emeritus

Hi Marc12,

Your issue has been escalated to a Verizon agent. Before the agent can begin assisting you, they will need to collect further information from you. Please go to your profile page for the forum and look at the top of the middle column where you will find an area titled "My Support Cases". You can reach your profile page by clicking on your name beside your post, or at the top left of this page underneath the title of the board.

Under "My Support Cases" you will find a link to the private board where you and the agent may exchange information. This should be checked on a frequent basis, as the agent may be waiting for information from you before they can proceed with any actions. To ensure you know when they have responded to you, at the top of your support case there is a drop down menu for support case options. Open that and choose "subscribe". Please keep all correspondence regarding your issue in the private support portal.

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Re: Moving to Non-FiOS Area and Being Charged Contract Breach Fee
Verizon_Support
Customer Service Rep

Hello Marc12, As stated this issue has been resolved in your private support case. Please let us know if you need anything else.

-Mitchell

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Re: Moving to Non-FiOS Area and Being Charged Contract Breach Fee
esalanga
Enthusiast - Level 2

I have the same experience.  Please see my post as well.  I am moving to an area that doesn't even offer Verizon...it does not exist in my territory.  I do not have the luxury of transfering to a meager service.  I too am being charged with an early termination fee, and while Verizon employees are doing their job, it seems to violate stakeholder responsibilities.  They can collect my fee, but I will never recommend or use Verizon products going forward.

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Re: Moving to Non-FiOS Area and Being Charged Contract Breach Fee
joyzhaosun
Enthusiast - Level 1

I should have read your notice before I signed the two years contract with verizonfios.  I had  the same issue when I moved to a new place a couple of month ago. The difference is, I was suggested by an associate  to  keep the copper telephone to avoide the fee. However, I am still being tortured by verizon transger service. They still charged me $160 besides the new installation fee. After I submit a BBB file, I was told both the fee will be refunded. Since I cant find the $160 credit in my account, I called the verizon and I was told I need to wait 60 days to get my money back. Can you believe that? 

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Re: Moving to Non-FiOS Area and Being Charged Contract Breach Fee
joyzhaosun
Enthusiast - Level 1

I would say never .

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Re: Moving to Non-FiOS Area and Being Charged Contract Breach Fee
robersonrs
Newbie

I was suprised and disappointed to have had the same expericne as Marc12 when I canceled my Verizon FiOS triple play service today. As with him, I needed to unexpectedly relocate for work after living in my current location for a short time (a little over 1 year) and the area where I'm moving does not offer Verizon FiOS. Overall I have been satisfied with FiOS and would have been happy to continue using their service after moving, but because they don't offer it in my new location that isn't possible.

I'm already frustrated that I lost a lot of money by buying and selling a house in such period of time and it certainly was not my intention to move when I signed up for Verizon service (otherwise I would not have bought a house). It feels unfair to be charged a termination fee when I don't really have a choice about moving and I have no option to continue using FiOS. I asked about waiving the termination fee due to the circumstances but the two representatives I spoke with today on the phone refused to honor that request.

As with other commentators on here and as Marc12 laid out with his business background, this seems to be a puzzling business decision/strategy by Verizon b/c while I had been happy with FiOS the last 14 months, this turn of events today does not particularly make me want to sign up for Verizon services in the future should I live somewhere where it is an option. It is also a puzzling decision b/c when I briefly lived in an apartment here prior to buying a house last year I had TV/internet with Uverse. Uverse did not charge me a termination fee despite me having had a promotional deal with a contract when I moved even though I only used their services for about 3 months b/c I bought a house in an area where they don't offer service. Their rational for not charging a penalty was that I was moving to an area not served by Uverse. I don't understand why Verizon is adopting what I think would strike most folks as an unfair practice of taking advantage of people who need to move and don't have the option of continuing their Verizon service. 

It would be great to talk with someone at Verizon who has the authority to make an exception to this cancellation penalty as the two represenatives I talked with today when I canceled my service claimed they didn't have that ability and then claimed that there was no else I could talk with who did have that authority. I also really think that Verizon should rethink this policy. It's unfair, it seems to strike other people that way based on the comments here, it's out of line with their competitiors, and it's creating ill will among customers who were previously happy so that Verizon can save a trivial amount of money compared with the fees they could generate from these same people if they used Verizon in the future.

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Re: Moving to Non-FiOS Area and Being Charged Contract Breach Fee
jmeb86
Newbie

I am having the same experience.  I'm moving back home because of financial reasons.  I asked to transfer my service to my new location and they said they don't offer FIOS in that location.  My Aunt lives around the corner and has FIOS.  I asked about what that does for my contract and the representative told me I'd have to pay the cancellation fee.  How is that even legal?  I will be reporting this to the Better Business Bureau as well.  I loved the service, but just for this reason, I don't think I'd ever go back to Verizon.  Can anyway at Verizon help resolve this?

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Re: Moving to Non-FiOS Area and Being Charged Contract Breach Fee
The_Boss_71
Newbie

I called Verizon last night to determine if I have FIOS in the area I am moving to. Unfortunately, I am not in a FIOS service area. I was then told that I would be charged $200 for breaching the contract. My reward for being a faithful customer for several years is being robbed of $200 because Verizon is unable to provide me service. Disgusting. I will share my experience with 15,000 of my coworkers as well as every person I run into.

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Re: Moving to Non-FiOS Area and Being Charged Contract Breach Fee
GitaKM
Newbie

I had Verizon service on a 2 year contract at my previos address.  They had given me a $300 debit card for the 2 year contract.  I was happy with the Verizon Fios and was going to continue with them.

When I needed to move close to work, I asked them if service was available. 

They assured me that the service was available.  When I moved to my new place, they offered me DSL and Direct TV.

Which meant that they had lied and the service FIOS was not available.

i tried to call them several times, and I could not even get a right answer.

When I moved I had to get another service, as I could not work with DSL.

The charged me the contract break fee of $120 and not only that they disabled my Debit card.

The Debit card was not supposed to expire at all, it says on the card.  But when I go to use it, it says it is de-activated.

What a fraud Verizon is. 

Gita KM

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