On my way back to Boston from Bermuda, my flight got canceled and I had to spend about 6 hours in the airport. Thought I would kill sometime by checking emails and as well as monitoring my flight statues. I used my aircard for 1.5hrs. did not watch a movie, did not play a game, did not get on Youtube, did not download any picture, all I did was checking my emails and flight statues. When I got my bill, it was almost $900. It’s almost like $15 per minute. I could not believe it. so I called. They told me it’s roaming charges... blah blah blah….I thought this is the most outrageous thing that ever happened to me my life. I did expect to get charged, may be something like $40 or $60 for doing simple things like checking emails and read news. Had I known this would be so expensive, I would just sit there and pick my nose instead!

I have been with Verizon for more than 10 years beginning when they were called something else. I have never seen anything like this. Few month ago when I walked into the store to replace my phone, the sales person told me this, the aircard, would meet my lifestyle. I didn’t even question her and gladly bought one right away. Thought she was helping me out and I appreciated it. And also thought I trust Verizon and they would never let me down. I am ok with paying $69 per month for the 5GB even though I only use it once a month. I do have internet services at home and work. I don’t mind paying this. However, this is just a robbery and illegal. If the charges are going to be so extremely expensive, why can they post a warning like other internet sites for something like: you are about incurring $15 per minute using the Bermuda service, would you wish to proceed?” I would shut this thing so fast like I am trying to stop an explosive object. When you buy a book from Amazon.com, they warn you before charge anything to your account b/c they are smart enough to know that if they don’t do that, they know you would dispute with the credit card for charges you don’t agree, and it would cost them more money to fix that than giving you the warning. Here with Verizon. Once the aircard is on, it’s too late.

I am ok with paying. I think I am more than generous. But it has to be reasonable. You can’t just rip people off like this. This is just outrageously.

I did not know checking my emails and reading some news off the internet would actually affect my life as my bill is about $900 and it would clean up my savings. This is wrong. Verizon is shrewbiz. Aircard is evil.

I am trying to get it off but having a hard time. They are not taking it off. I asked the manager when was the last time she had pay for something that cost her almost $1k. if you know the charges are so expensive ahead of time, would you still want to pay for $900 to check your emails and read news?

It’s simply unfair and it’s robbery!!! They have deprived my rights for making decisions. I will fight it. No matter what kind of trouble I am going through, I will fight it!

My husband: Richard Sink Account number:032020223400001 recieved a statement from I.C. Systems, Inc. in today's mail,
reference number:28578931-1-59 saying they were collecting a debt from Verizon in the amount of: $19.95.
The very first time we recieved a statement from Verizon, I, Reba Sink, Richard's wife, went to the Verizon store to pay said bill. The person I talked to went to the computer and looked up the account and finding a ZERO (0) balance, said that we didn't owe anything on that account. Not only that but I went several times to pay and they always told me the balance was ZERO. Now after more than a year they sic a collection agency on us for a bill we DO NOT OWE!
SO I AM TELLING I.C. SYSTEMS THAT WE ARE DISPUTING THIS CHARGE AND WILL NOT PAY IT.

Thank you,

Reba Sink

After being a “basic” customer with Verizon for about 8 years, with 450 minutes a month. I upgraded my phone in Aug. 2006 to one that had internet capabilities. Since I didn’t use the phone often I was reluctant to purchase a plan that had a lot of minutes, but wanted to try life on the high tech side. I was told that if I didn’t use the minutes or services, I would be able to change the plan. I signed up for a plan that gave me 900 minutes a month so I could play with my new toy and see if it was worth the extra cost of the extended service and time. I was able to access my personal mail at the hospital where I do volunteer consulting, my home account with my ISP, as well as Hotmail & Yahoo that were preprogrammed in the phone’s menu. There were also several news and sports sites preprogrammed in the phone. I was able to use the internet to go to different sites I was able to add as "favorites" for information. (sports – weather – news etc.) I ended up only using about 200 minutes max. I kept the plan in the event that when I got to experience the “bells & whistles” I would use them more often. Time passed and I didn’t use the minutes I had been paying for.

In the spring of 2007 Verizon changed their programming, and all I was able to access on the web were the preprogrammed sites on the phones menu. This change was done without any notice or change in service fees. I no longer had access to the hospital or my home e-mail or the web sites of my choice. I visited the local store several times and they agreed that there was a problem. The phone store employees contacted tech support and a “Trouble Ticket” was initiated. I received a call from Verizon "Tech Support" a few days later. Their response in essence was, “Yep there’s a problem – Nope we can’t fix it – Oh well such is life”. I received a survey by mail. I completed it and returned it indicating since they had not fixed the on line problem and changed my usage capabilities with no warning, explanation, or reduction in charges, I was unhappy with their service and was doubtful I would renew my service with Verizon when my contract was up in the summer of 2008.

I returned to the store and reduced the minutes, as I had been told I could do, a year earlier. I received a letter from Verizon confirming my change, and extending my contract by one year because I made the change. I returned to the store and asked why I got the extension. I was told, “ it’s their policy”. I told them I was told I could reduce my minutes when I bought the phone and package. I was told that it was correct, I can change my plan anytime I want, but each change is accompanied by a one year extension. They apologized for not explaining that policy when I purchased the plan, and when I changed the service. I could change the plan back to what it was and they’ll remove the extension. I called Verizon Customer Service and got the same results.

I understand I agreed to the contract for the services and 900 minutes. I purchased the plan with the understanding I could change it if I didn’t need the additional minutes or want the additional services. Their programming change reduced the usefulness of the phone and reduced the time I use it. I do not think it is fair I have to pay for the extra minutes I was told I could reduce or to have to pay for a plan that is not what it was when I agreed to it without having to agree to an extra year of their service..

There is a suit filled in Minn. by the Atty. General against Sprint for the same practice. I brought a printed copy of the article and explained this to the clerk at the Phone Store. His response was, It’s our current policy, if it changes next week we’ll do what ever the new policy says.

On my April, 2009 Verizon One-Bill, I was charged $9.99 for "Premium Test Messaging". Not knowing what this was, I contacted Verizon (a real pain) and was told it was applied by Go Live Mobile, aka SMS Gamer Info. I called Go Live Mobile and they said they would make a refund. Lie -- never saw anything. A credit did appear on the May, 2009 Verizon bill, along with a letter explaining the credit may take up to two billing cycles. But then the June, 2009 bill arrived and the "Premium Test Messaging" charge reappeared. I attempted to contact Go Live Mobile a good dozen times and could never got through, as "all our agents are busy". Upon calling Verizon Wireles after the second incident, I did get them to initiate a block on these scams, so we'll see what happens in the future. The party line is that all phone carriers are subject to these add-ons and cannot do much about it. But this was an inconvenience that should have never happened in the first place. It sounds to me that some legislation is in order.

So I call Verizon Wireless 1 day ago because the owner of the restaurant can't speak English to well. I speak with a rep. and she ask for my name and I give it to her. Then she says "chink"? And I said no... my last name is Kim. I am asian and my last name is Kim I don't know how my last name sounds like "chink". I was pissed off, but I still needed to get the internet fixed, so I went on with the phone call. No apology whatsoever, if she did apologize I wouldn't write this right now. Anyways the internet ultimately got fixed for 30 mins - 1 hour and went down all of a sudden without anyone touching anything. I call again and this time I get a very nice rep. and helps me out fixing my internet and it is running fine since then. I call today to speak with a supervisor and the rep. said that they are all busy and will call back as soon as they are finished with their phone calls. So... still waiting on it now.