The Verizon Debacle

[Ballenxj]

Starting with unsolicited phone calls that left no message on the answering service, I googled one of the numbers, finding that is was indeed Verizon, so I answered it early this morning. It was a mechanical voice message stating that my balance was past due, and don't hang up, we will give you payment options. I hung up! This sounded too fishy to me since I was on auto pay. I headed down to a main Verizon office this morning to investigate. They said that it was true, I have not had auto pay for a month now, and the employee asked if I wanted to set it up? I said yes, and he dialed a number, then handed me the phone. The lady on the phone started asking questions for security purposes, and I replied, I don't want to start saying personal information over the phone while standing in a room full of people I don't even know. I asked if she could text me the number so I can go home and do this in private. She did, and I went home.
I called the number when I got home and spoke to a very understanding person for about an hour while he looked into it.
It seems that the person I dealt with at an earlier visit to upgrade to 5 gig of data had deleted all my records. I was mad, and so was the person I was currently speaking to for setting me back up on auto pay when I thought I'd ask about the unlimited plan. This person said sure, no problem. I now have the unlimited plan, but have to prepay every time before I can resume auto pay because my history had been deleted.  
Oh well, I'll get through this, but SHEESH! I had been a Verizon customer in good standing since the mid nineties!

 

[closeanuf]

We are just another number.  I wonder if it had been something that would have benefitted them if they would been able to "pull up" the recording of your conversation you had with the rep that screw up?

 

[Ballenxj]

  I wonder if it had been something that would have benefitted them if they would been able to "pull up" the recording of your conversation you had with the rep that screw up?

If it had been over the phone as in my third dealings with this, probably. Unfortunately my initial contact with them was in person because I thought I was getting scammed on the first phone contact. I think where it initially got screwed up is on my first visit to find out why they had switched my voice mail to a system that asked me to re sign up to some visual voice mail that I never asked for in the first place. When I went down to get that fixed is when I think they erased my information. Their new system made me miss important voice mails.
Geeze, it ticks me off every time I think about that. Why on earth do they go ahead and change things without asking you first if you even want to?

 

[Ballenxj]

Just found out today that when Verizon says unlimited, they don't really mean it. I got both a text & email from them today stating that I have almost used all of my 10 gig limit. I'm pissed now. I called them up, and after jumping through all their hoops to get to actually speak to a human, I got Elizabeth on the line. I asked her why I got those notifications, and she said that was because I'm only allowed 10 gig of hot spot use per device. I have two, and I pay $20 extra for it's line service.  I told her this is the first I've heard of this limit, and to please define what unlimited means?  I let her know I was not happy. Then I asked what happens if I go over the 10 gig? Will I be charged more? She said no. what will happen is my line will default to 3g. Hmm, I told her OK, but I still wasn't happy about this. She apologized for the last rep not telling me, but said they will lose money if they allow either device to go over 10 gig, but my actual phone still has 10 gig available. (Circular conversation here) to which I replied again, what about the advertised unlimited? She then explained that each device is allowed 10 gig tethered, but the phone by itself has unlimited. HUH? So I guess if I want to watch youtube on that little screen, everything is fine? I need a much bigger phone.

 

[BradKW]

I do understand your frustration and the feeling that you're getting screwed with.

However, I will say that the 10GB tethering limit is pretty much industry standard and there are valid reasons why this also benefits the customer in some ways. And there are also ways around it, some legit and others on the nefarious side.

The reason that limit exists is because, for example, my home PC is wifi capable. I get great LTE coverage and I could easily tether my PC through my phone and quit paying for XFINITY cable internet. It's not uncommon for me to use 200GB+ per month from home PC, and all that would then be taking up LTE bandwidth. Multiply that out to all the others that might do that and you end up with an overloaded system that lags for everybody...even the person who only uses 1GB of data per month on their phone. So basically the infrastructure just can't support all the 4G bandwidth that would get used if tethering had no cap. That's the theory anyway, and everything I've read tends to support this scenario.

Your phone itself does have unlimited, but if you're a big data user (over 20GB at least), you can also get dropped in priority when the system gets loaded to capacity...which means you'll be throttled to 3G before another user who doesn't use much data.

One workaround for this is using Casting on Android and I forget what Apple calls it, but same thing...you project your phone screen to a compatible TV and this isn't tethering...or at least it doesn't count against the tethering cap. I don't do this, but that is my understanding.

There are other ways that trick your phone into not showing it's tethered when it is. There's been threads here about it and I plan to look at it more closely in the future.

 

[Ballenxj]

I do understand your frustration and the feeling that you're getting screwed with.

However, I will say that the 10GB tethering limit is pretty much industry standard and there are valid reasons why this also benefits the customer in some ways. And there are also ways around it, some legit and others on the nefarious side.
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One workaround for this is using Casting on Android and I forget what Apple calls it, but same thing...you project your phone screen to a compatible TV and this isn't tethering...or at least it doesn't count against the tethering cap. I don't do this, but that is my understanding.

There are other ways that trick your phone into not showing it's tethered when it is. There's been threads here about it and I plan to look at it more closely in the future.

Yeah, I never used to have this kind of trouble with Verizon, and is one of the reasons I have stayed with them so long. Due to the recent screw up were they lost all my details, I'm not so sure any more. (I'm still having a hard time believing that one inexperienced employee can erase a customers entire history.)
What you say makes sense, but I still think they might have explained the limitations of unlimited. I have got to say though, the last two Verizon reps I spoke with on the phone were very pleasant.
Casting? Never heard of it, but if you find out more about it, please let us know here?

 

[BradKW]

Here's a pretty good description of how Cast works:

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-use-of-the-cast-screen

One question I have after following a couple links is that I'm still not certain if a wifi network is needed. I believe that just the two devices can connect without a wifi router, but then I read things that make me not 100% sure about that...

 

[Blanch]

Here's a pretty good description of how Cast works:

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-use-of-the-cast-screen

One question I have after following a couple links is that I'm still not certain if a wifi network is needed. I believe that just the two devices can connect without a wifi router, but then I read things that make me not 100% sure about that...

A wifi network is needed. So it can be problematic. I use a small device called a digital adapter for tv with my iPhone. It plugs into the hdmi port on the tv and attaches to the phone. Then my phone screen is cast to my tv with a perfect picture. It never counts as tethering because it all runs off the phone. My eyes are old and tired, this allows me to watch Netflix and YouTube on my large tv instead of the tiny phone screen.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jimindenver]

With my Samsung Galaxy S4 I can use a OTA/HDMI adapter to put its screen onto a TV, the adapter even will take a wired keyboard and mouse. With my EX's S5 we used mirror casting onto a Amazon firestick wirelessly, the same with my other phones. Add a bluetooth mouse and keyboard for a very computer like experience.

The picture is good but the S4 runs it's battery down pretty fast. The wireless casting will start to freeze and stutter once either the phone or the stick gets hot.

 

[Ballenxj]

Blanch

  I use a small device called a digital adapter for tv with my iPhone. It plugs into the hdmi port on the tv and attaches to the phone. Then my phone screen is cast to my tv with a perfect picture. It never counts as tethering because it all runs off the phone.

This is interesting, would it be called a USB to HDMI adapter cord? Maybe find it at Best Buy? Thanks.

 

[LeeRevell]

I need to find one too. I do have an HDMI to HDMI for connecting laptop to TV, and it works fine. But connecting the smartphone to TV would be great too.
I have been on Verizon's "unlimited plan" for this monthly period, ending on the 4th of May. I am a bit over 5Gig of data now. If I can confirm they won't drop me in speed to 3G after 10Gig, I could watch more video. But a TV is really needed. My eyes really get tired with the little phone screen!

 

[Ballenxj]

I need to find one too.  I do have an HDMI to HDMI for connecting laptop to TV, and it works fine.  But connecting the smartphone to TV would be great too.
I have been on Verizon's "unlimited plan" for this monthly period, ending on the 4th of May.  I am a bit over 5Gig of data now.  If I can confirm they won't drop me in speed to 3G after 10Gig, I could watch more video.  But a TV is really needed.  My eyes really get tired with the little phone screen!

If they do the same for you as they did me, you will get either a text, email, or both stating you are at the end with maybe a tenth of a gig left.

 

[Hoot]

Thanks for bringing this topic up, am not mobile yet, but have started tracking data use on my computer with Glasswire free software to get an idea of what uses what.  Anyway, 'casting' is a new term to me but I googled "technomadia casting on android" to see if the Technomadia folk had addressed this, fwiw, here's their article of a few months ago, google: " Video Streaming on the Road Tips: How to use HDMI Adapters with Smartphones & Tablets "  . 
Cheers, hope helpful.   (If you like their take on things, might also look at their free facebook group, search facebook with “ Internet for Rvers “  .   Remarkable to me how much info they and their helpers post there in response to questions. )

 

[Blanch]

On amazon it is called a

Apple Lightning Digital AV Adapter for Select iPhone, iPad and iPod Models (MD826AM/A)

It hooks to the tv via hdmi and it allows for a second lightning plug to be attached so it charges while you watch. I use it every day, works great.

I have unlimited data on Cricket for $65 a month. I watch tv and YouTube this way just about every day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LeeRevell]

On amazon it is called a

Apple Lightning Digital AV Adapter for Select iPhone, iPad and iPod Models (MD826AM/A)

It hooks to the tv via hdmi and it allows for a second lightning plug to be attached so it charges while you watch. I use it every day, works great.

I have unlimited data on Cricket for $65 a month. I watch tv and YouTube this way just about every day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hkpefully they have a similar item for us Android users. Gotta do some searching....

 

[galladanb]

I have the Google chromecast since before it was a google thing.
And we have the azon fire stick.

For us we use them differently, mostly Netflix and utubes on the chromecast.
Azon prime video and Kodi on the fire stick.

Both work flawlessly for us. We simply call up something we want to watch and "cast it" to the big screen.
They both use wifi, and I cast with my iPad, Sandy casts with her droid tablet.

None of the data use age is an issue for us as our current xfinity plan limits have never been reached.

The stick was around $50, and the chrome is around $35 everywhere...

And the quality is always absolutely the highest, it seems to only be limited by either the content quality or the tv screen. We almost always see 1080p on everything.

If you want more info ask here or send me a pm.

Only trouble is, when we sell the house, our visual experience will only be limited by the cellular data plan we select. Lol! And that is another entire thread by itself!

Such Fun!

 

[Ballenxj]

I have the Google chromecast since before it was a google thing.
And we have the azon fire stick.
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Such Fun!

Thank for the info.

 

[hepcat]

I have Verizon... and also have the usual like-hate relationship. They have the best coverage. And reliable service. But, I can't ever remember ONCE when their customer service has been sufficient that we haven't had to follow-up with a second or third-line supervisor to straighten out what the counter people screwed up.

I feel for ya...

 

[NeedAnEscape]

Hkpefully they have a similar item for us Android users.  Gotta do some searching....

https://www.amazon.com/TOWABO-Charging-charging-Chromebook-Projector/dp/B06XNQXTV9/ works with my phone, the LG V20. It also lets you plug in the charger and a usb keyboard or mouse.

 

[LeeRevell]

https://www.amazon.com/TOWABO-Charging-charging-Chromebook-Projector/dp/B06XNQXTV9/ works with my phone, the LG V20. It also lets you plug in the charger and a usb keyboard or mouse.

That is interesting, but no help to me. Not listed for cellphone use. I can already connect laptop to TV/HDMI.