FCC Sees Large Spike In Verizon Wireless Complaints

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According to this article, the Federal Communications Commission has received a huge spike in customer complaints regarding unexplained increases in the amount of data being used. How many people have complained? Well, there were more complaints in September than there were in the first eight months out of the year combined. That alone tells you something is definitely wrong.

In September, customers filed 2,079 federal complaints against Verizon Wireless over billing. That's more complaints against Verizon in one month than had been filed in the first eight months. Customers submitted a total of 1,442 complaints through Aug. 31, or an average of 180 a month, according to the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates cellphone carriers.
 
My sister is on a 150mb data plan, shes had it for 2 years, the first 22 months she hasn't gone over her data limit, suddenly shes gone over the past two months with no explanation as to why, the phone doesn't show any abnormal usage. With this many complaints and I see the same thing I think something must be up.
 
I wonder if it's an update with Android or possibly Apple causing the stealth increase. I don't think the article covered that possibility at all?
 
Apple phones will not let you update over wireless. They specifically say that you must have Wifi before the update will download.

Also, I thought Android didn't automatically update over Wireless either.
 
My dad switched from them for this very reason. He kept getting $200+ bills with the data overages.

Their policy is essentially that it's accurate and you owe what they say.
 
cyclone3d said:
Apple phones will not let you update over wireless. They specifically say that you must have Wifi before the update will download.

Also, I thought Android didn't automatically update over Wireless either.
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Not the DOWNLOADING of the update but something in the update....like a security fix, unknown stealth tracking, etc...LOL I really find it hard to misinterpret my post?
 
Verizon... their plans are already off the chart rip offs, now their bs meters are off the charts too?
 
I suspect they either updated billing software or a script on the data infrastructure side, that generates the billing records, was changed. I can't speak for Verizon, but I've seen this happen many times (though I assumed it was because my company has horrible inter-department communication (and the infrastructure side is notorious for making stealth changes.
 
Bowman15 said:
Not the DOWNLOADING of the update but something in the update....like a security fix, unknown stealth tracking, etc...LOL I really find it hard to misinterpret my post?
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Oh, yeah, that could definitely be. IF that is the case, then it should be required that the data that it uses not be counted. It should also be able to be turned off completely.

That being said, I haven't noticed my data usage going up on Verizon, but 99% of my usage is on Wifi so even if it tripled, I would still be using less than 1GB per month.
 
munkle said:
My sister is on a 150mb data plan, shes had it for 2 years, the first 22 months she hasn't gone over her data limit, suddenly shes gone over the past two months with no explanation as to why, the phone doesn't show any abnormal usage. With this many complaints and I see the same thing I think something must be up.
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As far as I know, the smallest Verizon data plan is 2GB, your 150mb seems pretty small.
 
cyclone3d said:
Apple phones will not let you update over wireless. They specifically say that you must have Wifi before the update will download.

Also, I thought Android didn't automatically update over Wireless either.
Click to expand...

Wireless is WiFi

Your connection to the Cell towers is a Cellular Network that is of course wireless, but WiFi is also wireless.
 
lcpiper said:
Wireless is WiFi

Your connection to the Cell towers is a Cellular Network that is of course wireless, but WiFi is also wireless.
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Yeah, I interchange Wireless and Cellular since a bunch of people around me do the same. I forget that it is not correct.
 
Spidey329 said:
My dad switched from them for this very reason. He kept getting $200+ bills with the data overages.

Their policy is essentially that it's accurate and you owe what they say.
Click to expand...

Wife and I never have a problem and if we get close, we get warnings saying we are getting close with the last warnings asking if we want to add a Gig for a one time fee or make a change to our plan. I have not seen anything to complain about yet.
 
lcpiper said:
As far as I know, the smallest Verizon data plan is 2GB, your 150mb seems pretty small.
Click to expand...
It was a promotional plan they had back when they only had unlimited for $30, they haven't had the plan for roughly 5 years. I never wanted to pay $30 for data because I was on wifi all the time, but I wanted a smartphone and they require you to have data. Verizon finally offered a $15 data plan with 150mb of data that you could get a smart phone with so I got it. I had it for 4 years and only went over my plan 3 or 4 times so it worked for me. I was able to aquire an unlimited plan 2 years ago so my sister took the 150mb plan because she wanted a smart phone but didn't want to pay $30 either. I think its criminal that they force you to buy data, you should be able to use a smartphone with wifi only and still be able to get voice and text service.
 
thesmokingman said:
Verizon... their plans are already off the chart rip offs, now their bs meters are off the charts too?
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I have a shared family plan for my wife and I, so two phones, a shared 6GB of data that isn't metered or restricted, and everything else is unlimited, it's costing us $140 a month, so $70 a phone and our phones are paid for. How much are you paying?

if you are getting similar service for $25 less a month then I'd agree and start looking to swap carriers, but I can tell you that my wife, who is always looking for a bargain, frequently comes home with tales of one carrier or the other offering some great deal and when I put it to pen and paper it turns out to be no bargain at all.
 
lcpiper said:
I have a shared family plan for my wife and I, so two phones, a shared 6GB of data that isn't metered or restricted, and everything else is unlimited, it's costing us $140 a month, so $70 a phone and our phones are paid for. How much are you paying?
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140 for 4 phones @6gb ea. Oh wait we added another line a few months back and its at 160 now.

Yea, there's a reason we never signed with Verizon.
 
thesmokingman said:
140 for 4 phones @6gb ea. Oh wait we added another line a few months back and its at 160 now.

Yea, there's a reason we never signed with Verizon.
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Well you could have at least said who your carrier is :confused:

And although on paper it sounds much better, and would be for some people, it would make little difference for me perhaps. I use so little data it's crazy, my wife is the user, I go all month on less than 1GB, she uses all she can without going over. So unless she can use my unused data, she won't get much more by switching, and I wouldn't be using what I am paying for.
 
lol I typed so fast musta forgot to write Tmobile. Oh and we jumped on the two s7 deals for 1, so tmobile is also paying for our netflix for the next 3 years. Then there's rollover, free everything, free streaming netflix ie. the bandwidth isn't counted, and whatever else service, I don't pay attn as there's too much free shit they give. And we can cancel at any time cuz there are no contracts.

**I just logged into check, its 140 for 5 lines @6gb ea. The total after taxes/fees is 160 lol.
 
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I just checked my last two bills. Still only $95. Under .7gb per month on a 2gb plan. I do have warnings and a cutoff below that point in my phone, as long as the app using the data reports through the phone.
 
thesmokingman said:
lol I typed so fast musta forgot to write Tmobile. Oh and we jumped on the two s7 deals for 1, so tmobile is also paying for our netflix for the next 3 years. Then there's rollover, free everything, free streaming netflix ie. the bandwidth isn't counted, and whatever else service, I don't pay attn as there's too much free shit they give. And we can cancel at any time cuz there are no contracts.

**I just logged into check, its 140 for 5 lines @6gb ea. The total after taxes/fees is 160 lol.
Click to expand...

doesn't work everywhere though. I know people that left tmobile due to terrible service in our area.
 
lcpiper said:
Well you could have at least said who your carrier is :confused:

And although on paper it sounds much better, and would be for some people, it would make little difference for me perhaps. I use so little data it's crazy, my wife is the user, I go all month on less than 1GB, she uses all she can without going over. So unless she can use my unused data, she won't get much more by switching, and I wouldn't be using what I am paying for.
Click to expand...

Not quite the same, but Cricket (AT&T MVNO, so no roaming on T-Mobile/rural carriers) is $100 (total, no additional taxes) for 5 lines, unlimited talk/text, 2.5GB data @ 8Mbps, unlimited @ 128Kbps. Each line upgrade to 5GB adds $10/month. Each line upgrade to 10GB adds $20/month, mix and match as you please. You could have 4x2.5GB + 1x10GB for $120/month. You need 5 lines to maximize the discount. 4 lines = 100/month(yes, 5th line is free), 3 lines = 90/month, 2 lines = 70/month.
 
My wife and I have actually noticed this. The last 2 months have hit our 10gb cap....where in the previous year we were averaging about 6. The increase is all on her line (an iPhone)...which doesn't make sense because she just transitioned to being a stay at home mom and uses our WiFi even more. (Yes, WiFi assist is off).
 
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Exavior said:
doesn't work everywhere though. I know people that left tmobile due to terrible service in our area.
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That's not relevant as this is about the plan costs. Coverage is specific to areas so you'd have ppl leaving Verizon for spotty service or ATT/Sprint/Tmobile, ie. ymmv.
 
thesmokingman said:
That's not relevant as this is about the plan costs. Coverage is specific to areas so you'd have ppl leaving Verizon for spotty service or ATT/Sprint/Tmobile, ie. ymmv.
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I travel for work frequently, often to remote backwoods locations for weapons testing. I have never had coverage issues with Verizon, ever. My work phone however is Sprint and that damn thing never has a signal outside of a metro area. This is the only reason I stay with Verizon.
 
Grahamkracka said:
I travel for work frequently, often to remote backwoods locations for weapons testing. I have never had coverage issues with Verizon, ever. My work phone however is Sprint and that damn thing never has a signal outside of a metro area. This is the only reason I stay with Verizon.
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Omg, cue the next 20 post... Can you hear me now?
 
lcpiper said:
Wife and I never have a problem and if we get close, we get warnings saying we are getting close with the last warnings asking if we want to add a Gig for a one time fee or make a change to our plan. I have not seen anything to complain about yet.
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An FCC mandate requires them to do that. When we implemented it (several years ago) we called it billshock.
 
Grahamkracka said:
I travel for work frequently, often to remote backwoods locations for weapons testing. I have never had coverage issues with Verizon, ever. My work phone however is Sprint and that damn thing never has a signal outside of a metro area. This is the only reason I stay with Verizon.
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Verizon is the rural phone of choice. Otherwise, in the Metro area I would go Tmobile.
I have two lines with Unlimited Data. My wife and I are over 20GB each month, not including the tablet and Mom. We can go well past 50GB without any throttling. This plan is much higher than the new TMo One plan.
I never got a warning for excessive data use.
 
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people get smart phones and think they are going to get by on 2 GB of data.... Windows Phone updates its self on a regular basis and some of those updates are HUGE as it is an OS reinstall.... This is a large factor as to why I have unlimited data on my line

WorldExclusive said:
Verizon is the rural phone of choice. Otherwise, in the Metro area I would go Tmobile.
I have two lines with Unlimited Data. My wife and I are over 20GB each month, not including the tablet and Mom. We can go well past 50GB without any throttling. This plan is much higher the their new TMo One plan.
I never got a warning for excessive data use.
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Same here I can bust 20GB in 1 week of nights
 
YeuEmMaiMai said:
people get smart phones and think they are going to get by on 2 GB of data.... Windows Phone updates its self on a regular basis and some of those updates are HUGE as it is an OS reinstall.... This is a large factor as to why I have unlimited data on my line
Same here I can bust 20GB in 1 week of nights
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Assuming you're in the U.S., you are not the norm. Not even close. Most use under 5 GB...probably. If you're using WiFi at home and work, then it's probably under 2GB
 
No, I am not the norm because I Netflix it at work during night shift, that was the reason I got unlimited data but OS updates did also factor into the equation...
 
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So far Verizon hasn't overblown my data but I have been shot with roaming charges before. I work close to the river across from Canada and occasionally my hotspot will connect to Rogers Wireless. I live and work in the US but Verizon can't block international roaming or refund me the charges. Douche bags.
 
az_max said:
I just checked my last two bills. Still only $95. Under .7gb per month on a 2gb plan. I do have warnings and a cutoff below that point in my phone, as long as the app using the data reports through the phone.
Click to expand...

That would be 1/3 the cost with Project Fi.
 
thesmokingman said:
That's not relevant as this is about the plan costs. Coverage is specific to areas so you'd have ppl leaving Verizon for spotty service or ATT/Sprint/Tmobile, ie. ymmv.
Click to expand...

I just meant that not everyone can leave and go to them.
 
Well I use red pocket from ebay.. monthly limit is 1000 min calls, unlimited txt and 500mb high speed 500mb worthless speed (after first 500mb I go crazy try use slow ) it's 220 a year for unlimited txt uses Verizon tower and 200 year if can live with 1000 txt month. I have purchased 4 of these plans for me my children my grandma and myself. I use wifi and predownload content to phone. If you are not heavy data user like streaming music thenews hard to beat 17$ for Verizon reliability.. only time I go over is when at magic mountain and surfing while in line for rides. Then it's 5 or 10 for extra 1gb I think which lasts me till new data starts... people paying 70 a month wow I'm rich but love to pinch pennys when I can. Oh forgot to mention if u use GSM phone it will work for att.. if use CDMA Verizon it will work Verizon they send both Sims to activate... maybe super off topic haaaaa. And lastly use phone with ringplus free 1.5gb month sprint service incase kids forgot phone at evil ex wife's house... (ya I'm a pushover )
 
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