First off I want to say that if you are a Verizon Wireless customer and have recieved outrageous charges on your bill from “megabyte usage”, you are not alone. Since Verizon has decided to switch over to a per-megabyte usage charge, complaints have piled up all over the Internet in response to its vague and deceiving outlines.
Apparently there is mass confusion over what is megabyte usage. I will settle this for now and say anything you do with your phone besides making voice calls uses megabytes. The real question is, what does Verizon want to charge as megabyte usage. Verizon charges $2 dollars for 1 megabyte of usage, so even if you only use your program\application once or download one ringtone you are charged $2 dollars.
This new pricing policy from Verizon is simply out of line. Could you image a store where you are charged by how much you look around for things to buy? That is basically how it works with the new pricing policy. First you have to pay to download a list of applications, next you pay to download an application, then you pay to use that application, and finally you pay to download your item. You can’t even window shop without paying a fine.
My first thought to combat these usage charges was to turn off data usage on my phone. All phones have the option to turn data off so I figured it would fix this type of problem. It unfortunately doesn’t stop data from being sent at all.
This next method should work for everybody though. Verizon has certain options that can be added and removed from your phone. Some features that can be added actually block certain services such as application downloads, ringtone downloads and ext. Adding these blocking features should keep you and your family from getting stuck with outrageous megabyte usage charges. Here are the steps to do this.
Update1: Blocking these services will not stop charges for applications and games already installed on your phone. If you already have applications or games on your phone, you either have to delete them or stop using them all together. If you do not delete them, you still may be charged for accidental usage or other “unknown reasons”.
Update2: Rhonda Scott’s comment below points out that even if you block the get it now feature, you will still be charged for accidentally “attempting” to access a blocked service if you click on Get it now. Blocking Get It Now will stop the massive charges though.
Verizon also offers many plans that include unlimited data usage for your phone. These new usage charges are a great way to get people to upgrade to these plans, mainly because people want to continue using their applications and games without paying massive fees. So people are duped into upgrading their plan and paying a rate hike for the same service they had the month before.
I say if you can get out of your Verizon plan, for a reasonable amount of money, do it. Verizon Wireless is run by a bunch of snakes that are constantly studying how they can convince the consumer into paying more, without actually getting more. I, for one, am done with Verizon and it’s unjust policies.
If you feel your rights as a consumer have been violated, voice your opinion below on your experiences
If you wish to file a complaint we recommend you contact the Better Business Bureau, your local state’s Attorney General, and the New Jersey Attorney General.
As far as megabyt usage is concerned, is reading CNN on your cell phone a chargable offense?
You think that’s bad I was charged for 33 mbs used I have a unlimited data plan as rfequired for my phone bujut still encurred 65 dollars in extra charges
too bad it cost money to adjust usage controls now.
Today we are shopping for a new phone service, we are finished with the crooks at Verizon. We are also filing complaints with the states Attorney General,Better Business Bureau and the FCC. Our service plan is now $334 per month due to the usage charges. If we access the internet and exit the program the next time we access the internet we find the last querie has been re-opened, increasing the usage charges. We simply do not understand why this illegal activity and charges can not be stopped.
Verizons biggest scam is there monthly unlimited services. Which i found out the hard way are NOT unlimited. The 69 per month fee i paid for “unlimited” internet service on my blackberry is total bs. After i recieved a 27,000 bill. I am not exaggerating, i was told the “unlimited” plans are “unlimited” up to 5 gb. After that they charge you .25 per mb! Imagine my rage having a serious conversation with everyone at verizon from the store up to corporate headquarters,and being told by all of them that,”yes sir,yur service is unlimited up to 5 gb,then it’s not!!! Are you kidding me!! I did finaly get the charges taken off but it took four months!!Verizon is one of the worst companies i have ever had to deal with in my life. Thier your best friend while thier selling but after that there is no service.
I just switched from sprint to verizon this week. I have had the phone for about 4 days and already have gone over the 150mb that were on my plan for data usage. First, I have only left my house once since I started my plan since I have been snowed in, so I have been connected to wifi in my house and should not have been charged for using internet. Secondly, I have disabled the 3g internet since the day I got my phone, so even if the wifi was not connected it should not have used their internet. Third, when I called verizon the rep basically called me a liar and said I had to have “manually went back into settings and turned back on the 3g connection,” even after reading what my settings said twice. Now I have used 170 mb, and am already getting billed overages 4 days into using their services. The rep was also very rude interrupting me constantly. I am most likely canceling my services with them.
louis…really 27000dollars… i dont believe a bit of that that is more thwa 110 gb of data…THAT is insane, plus the fact they dont even offer a 69 dollar planm parents pay 30 a month for unlimited WITHOUT a cap, all from verizon.
.and for your “window shopping chargs” just accessing it costs verizon so why shouldnt they charge you
The REAL problem is people allow them to do all this and complain but do NOTHING about it, When is enough of anything ? How high is high…Start getting the word out , protest the stores across the country. They are no different then any other greedy establishment…F controlling people.
Being on a fixed income even makes it harder ;-( i know for me i got so pissed because im not a cellphone user and only have one to stay in contact with daughter when she n baby are not home, I do NOT text so i got a simple phone lg8360 and they pulled that data crap with me, on the other hand daughter has a Envy 2, we hav a family plan unlimited text/pic and phone , we do not use or want anything else, but tried forcing it on us and did for a few months, i said BS and was reading that the phone they claimed fell under smartphones, but i was reading where they sell used phones my phone was not listed a smartphone as of October 2010, but a mulitimedia i believe they called it which didn’t not require the minimum 9.99 charge. BUT do u think they notified anyone about it ? NO and would of continued milking you UNTIL you bring it up (BS) so they took it off and i had everything blocked on both phones to block any mistakes from happening, so i was told, well when viewing our account i notice differences of blocking, so i called and questioned it and let them know that it should read all the same on both phones, which she did FINALLY….
Also for all of you who buy a phone from someone else or given and want to change it, if you go to store its around 20.00 if you call the 800 its free ;-)
My daughter was charged $1,000 for a 6 weeks of “Data” charges even though we specifically requested it to be blocked when she bought the phone.
Contact FCC and Verizon Data response sight to complain.
wow. if you buy a smart phone with verizon you must have the data package. thats crap
so if im using wifi and not thr internet and am already paying for unlimited txt/pic txt i shouldnt be charged for that right? i dont download anything so now i am concernd about this i dont have the money to be charge for something i dont do.