Charging Customers More Due to Covid-19
PresterJohn
Newbie

Hi All,

Verizon agreed to reduce my rate (I was significantly being overcharged) and included a service upgrade. Due to Covid-19 they are indefinitely suspending the service upgrade. That's fine.

What's shocking is that they are not in the meantime honoring the rate reduction. They say it is contingent on the service upgrade.

Verizon is using Covid-19 as an excuse for keeping rates artificially high. I will be raising this more broadly. Wanted to post it first to this forum. I did try Verizon customer service first and even escalated it. I'll keep you all updated.

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Re: Charging Customers More Due to Covid-19
gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader

To re-iterate, you're just talking to other users here.  None of us have any inside knowledge of Verizon's policies.  You didn't provide any information about what they offered you or your old package.  If you had done that, we might have been able to help you navigate their system and current policies or given you a bit more insight into why they won't do what you want.  But it's clear you didn't want to hear that.

I can tell you that canceling usually requires talking to them.  I wasn't even aware they had an online "cancel" button.  If that's not working, I suggest you contact them by phone or chat.  That should be more efficient then the method you tried. 

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Re: Charging Customers More Due to Covid-19
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

Incorrect. Upgrading you service typically includes upgrading the ONT and running ethernet to the router. These are unprecedented times and things are changing everyday. You’ll just have to hold off or switch to another provider. 

Re: Charging Customers More Due to Covid-19
PresterJohn
Newbie

I asked Verizon for a reduction in the monthly charge because it was insanely high. They said okay, In no way was it conditioned on a service upgrade. That would be silly to say we will only charge you less once we UPGRADE your service. They used COVID-19 as an excuse to charge me more by tying changing my service - which is understandably indefinitely on hold - to the rate reduction!

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Re: Charging Customers More Due to Covid-19
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

I understand that it may be frustrating. I have not idea how Verizon's billing system works, but if that's what they are telling then I guess that's how it works. Nobody is using Covid-19 to charge you more money. The world doesn't revolve around you. Verizon is talking measures protect it's customers and it's technicians. The whole world is dealing with an extremely contagious virus and Federal and Local governments, Corporations, and small businesses are all trying to do what they can to keep things normal while also doing things safely. 

Re: Charging Customers More Due to Covid-19
PresterJohn
Newbie

"I have not [sic] idea how Verizon's billing system works, but if that's what they are telling then I guess that's how it works."

So if they told me it was $1,000,000/month for Internet then you would "guess that's how it works"? By your standard, everything Verizon does would be right because they say it's right.

What they told me is that they would indeed lower my absurdly high rate. They are using Covid-19 as an excuse not to honor that. I am sure I am not the only one they are doing this with and so it is a real "dollars and cents" issue for Verizon where they can use Covid-19 to significantly delay charging customers reduced rates. That's not acceptable.

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Re: Charging Customers More Due to Covid-19
gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader

1st of all, you're talking to other customers here.  You can complain and argue all you want here, but nobody can do anything for you.  You posted the same message over at DSLreports.com and got similar answers.

If you truly want to understand what is going on, post some details about the service you had(have) and what they offered you. All you've said is "they promised to lower my rate but didn't because of COVID-19."  If you provide details, we other users might be able to explain why Verizon can't make a change right now.  Depending on the details, there may even be a chance that we can suggest a path to get Verizon to do what you want.

Details that would be helpful include what service you have today, what equipment you have today, how internet is currently connected between the ONT and router, and what service/upgrade did Verizon offer you.

But if all you want to do is post a public complaint that Verizon isn't doing what think they should do, consider that done.

Re: Charging Customers More Due to Covid-19
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

You are still missing my point. No one at Verizon is using Covid-19 to charge you more money. They can't complete their orders because the techs are going in houses. They just started these restrictions. There are posters over at dslreports.com saying there is a temporary setup they are looking into to complete installations. Like I said before, these are unprecedented times. You're just going to have to wait until they figure out how to do these temporary installs safely. If that is a problem for you then you are free to cancel your service and try a self install with your area Cable Company. 

Re: Charging Customers More Due to Covid-19
PresterJohn
Newbie

The reality remains they are charging me more due to Covid-19. Not installing upgraded service is fine! I totally get that and support Verizon's field workers. I don't want them at risk just so someone can upgrade service.

There is no reason they cannot honor the rate reduction they promised me. It was never contingent on getting upgraded service. That is just something Verizon decided on, using Covid-19 as an excuse, to delay honoring the reduced rate.

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Re: Charging Customers More Due to Covid-19
PresterJohn
Newbie

The only change I want and asked for is a reduced rate. Verizon promised me that. They also threw in a service upgrade that I don't care about. I totally agree that Verizon field workers should not be doing service upgrades right now. Verizon using that as an excuse to indefinitely delay me paying the reduced rate they promised is completely unacceptable. It is using Covid-19 as an excuse not to honor it. This is not the time for company's to be using excuses like this. I am 100% going to call them out on it.

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Re: Charging Customers More Due to Covid-19
PresterJohn
Newbie

Cancelling Verizon now. One reason is people like you on this forum who try to rationalize and make excuses for what is very poor corporate behavior at a difficult time for most of us. Optimum came and installed today and is up and running.

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