We have a Verizon bundle package-Direct TV, phone service, high-speed internet. All on one convenient monthly bill. . .
So a little while ago, I check my email, and there’s one from Verizon with the subject line “Important Change to Your Verizon Agreement”, so I open it. Basically, it says “Hey, some areas that now receive service aren’t going to get service anymore after November 30th (talk about a day late and a dollar short!). BUT if we discontinue your service because your area doesn’t get it any more, you don’t have to pay a service termination fee!” :eek::smack:
Seriously? Does this mean that in the past when areas lost service, people did have to pay the termination fee?
Well, it might soften the blow for some people I guess, but I’m guessing since November 30th was yesterday and I still have service, I’m gonna be OK. . .
Now if I could just figure out a way to get them to give me NBC, dammit!
I figured the email from them meant in the past you had to fight the early termination fee, even if they were at fault, and that they were about to drop service to a number of people. My email didn’t mention that they were actually dropping service for anybody. It was just an assumption on my part.
You know, having re-read the email, I guess you’re right: they didn’t actually say they were dropping anyone’s service. They just said that, as of Nov. 30th, if service becomes unavailable in my area, I don’t have to pay a termination fee. How very, very generous of them. :rolleyes:
I can just imagine what these conversations were like before:
Verizon Rep: Thank you for calling Verizon, how may I help you today?
Customer: Um, I don’t seem to have Direct TV anymore. . .
VR: Yes, sir, that service has been terminated in your area; that will be $79.95. Would you like to pay with a debit card or a credit card?
C: Uh, you terminated the service, not me.
VR: (Still perky) Yes, sir! Termination fee is $79.95; will that be debit or credit?
C: I’m. . .not understanding this at all. You terminated the service. I’m not paying anything!
VR: If you’d prefer, we can bill you!
ad nauseum, until the customer starts, I dunno, shooting at shit or something.
I presume they’re just trying to keep a whole bunch of worried customers from calling up to make sure they weren’t charged a termination feel. It costs them nothing to add a sentence to an email, time at the call center is delays and $$.
I got it today, as well. It’s legit. Here is the announcement on the Verizon website. The email contained that text, verbatim.
The only thing I can think of is that there must have been incidents much like the one norinew lays out, where some clueless (or vindictive) customer service reps tried to levy the early termination fee. A few customers complain, Verizon realizes that their terms of service are either vague or silent about it, and decides to avoid such problems in the future by making the policy VERY CLEAR. (“Internal Staff Memo: We thought this was obvious, but apparently it isn’t to some of you numbskulls. Is this clear enough?”)
As pro-customer as the change is, it is nevertheless a change to the Terms of Service, and must be wrapped in the bend-over-and-smile boilerplate that accompanies all such changes. Does make for humorous reading, though.
How do those termination feels work, anyway? “Since you don’t want our service anymore, you have to let one of our technicians come over and momentarily fondle your breast.” Hmm.
