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.
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Yes, I am so upset with Verizon Wireless because of the megabyte charges on my bill every month . Each month I call a rep and get the answer “they can be on there by accident” but does not take them off the bill. We have the nationwide plan, unlimited texting and pixs. Rep tells me only way to “stop megabyte charges” is to block pixs. I pay for that service. Some agency needs to step in and examine what Verizon Wireless is doing to customers.
I just got off the phone with a VZ wireless rep. I didn’t ask for the bogus charges to be taken off, but I did let her block the pic.flix mess service on my wife’s phone. I asked her if she could tell me what the kb usage was for, she said she could give me the ip address. I got 2 adresses and looked them up. They are listed as cellco DBA as verizon wireless. It had a lot of info on it, including a phone # to reach vz data services. 1-800-770-1779. hope this can help someone. I will try to call the # in a couple of days.
Actually, you can block “Nationalaccess” and be done with the charges all together…….
There is the remedy.
@ VZW EMPLOYEE – What if you are paying for unlimited Pix Messages? Blocking Nationalaccess will block all Pix messages.
Therefore I wouldn’t really call that a remedy, that sounds more like a band-aid. Why not simply cure the problem by not charging for any data under 500k (half a megabyte)? Surly Verizon must have at least one programmer around that can write the code for that!
I dispute that charge EVERYTIME and have filed my FCC complaint. It’s nasty how the faceplate button is defaulted straight to GET IT NOW. I did the online thing to prevent downloads but the web browser still starts and I get the $1.99 charge.
So far, VW has credited me but it still sucks. What about the thousands of people that have their bill on auto-pay? I just pay once a month.
And now their early termination fee has doubled?! What’s up with that. Thieves.
I have everything blocked and I have removed National access on our 4 phones and we no longer get the 1.99 charges . . . however we also no longer can send pix which is something WE ARE PAYING FOR. It galls me to send VZW almost $150 a month and not be able to use our full plan.
Of course Erica is going to support her employer on this one. See gets free cell phone service from them so she is not charged for anything like we are!
Thanks for this info. Hard to believe Verizon would discourage customers (by charging them) from shopping from their cell phones.
Also wanted to let you know Verizon has made it harder to find the web page to block these controls. I was able to find it, but it was more by blind chance than being able to figure it out.
I’m glad you found the info helpful Kevin. Thanks for the update on Verizon’s changes on how to block these features. I just updated to the new steps and added some pictures to help illustrate exactly where these links are. It took me a few minutes to do the digging, so I can see why it was difficult for you as well.
Now I just hope the FCC will do something about these charges, they are already investigating Verizon specifically for these $1.99 megabyte usage charges and other violations. Julius Genachowski is the new head of the FCC and is doing a better job then her predecessor just by even talking to Verizon about these charges.
I am the latest victum of this bull**** fraud of a company Verizon. My little brother got charged 500 dollars usage for megabites. plus all of my other family members bills.Wich came out to 800 dollars in total charge. I’ve been with the company for 10 years and i have never seen anything like this. Now thats 10 years down the drain. Iam canceling my contract with verizon. thanks alot Verizon.
P.S F*** Y** Verizon
thank you for this, i was just charged 130 dollars for one month in megabyte.You helped me alot.
I have had a great few years with VZ, but I just got the kid the rogue and put 2 games on it. WTF, i got the $9.99 25 mb plan and that is a joke. In only 4 days she used 54mb by playing the game. NO where does it say that the game uses data. They charge for the game and then the download counts against your data plan. COME ON THAT IS CRAP VERIZON! The phone is probably getting cancelled. I told the rep today, 2 of the 5 lines on my plan have left for the iphone and it looks like a 3 is about to. I mean what they are charging, I can get the kid an iphone!
Very upset that Verizon is making charges to people who are hard working in earning each dollar. I’ve come to realize that for the past 19 months they were charging 1 out of my 5 lines a $15 fee for VCAST? Never was it used! This totals an amount of $285 not including taxes. I called them to have my money back and all they can do is 3 months! I will need file a complaint to the FCC and get my money back. What a dishonest company!
If you have unlimited text/pic messageing, you should not get charged for data AT ALL. Whoever you talked to at Verizon is fillin you full of shit. They have no idea what they are tling about and are just trying to get youoff the phone so they can get to the next person.
If you have unlimited text/pic messaging you can still be charged for sending picture messages, unless Verizon changed something. There is no way to tell if they did because though don’t announce price\service changes.
Many people in the past have complained about being charged for sending picture messages while being on a unlimited plan.
This is rediculous this has got to be against some kind of ammendment this is rediculous tipical america. Picking on the little guy hey look were a big buisness lets let the rich get richer and the poor get poorer stealing our money. Hey i got charged for 11 dollars of megabyte charges and they dont even mention what they are. This is bull i also have charges of two downloads one problem i didnt download anything big busines’s ruin this country no heart anymore this is rediculous same with healthcare watch the movie sicko that movie pissed me off and showed how rediculous this world has become.
Very intelligent of you Verizon Wireless Rep. How about when all the blocks are in place except for the packages (text/pic) that is paid separately for each month and you are still getting these charges? I have even moved my hot keys so I do not have GET IT NOW anywhere to be easily hit and my keypad locks instantly.
The newest item now on my account is that I had a discount that was set up because I work at a certain place. I had signed up with this discount and have been employed at this place continuously since. All of a sudden, Verizon Wireless decides to not give me the discount without any warning from them. I have called them 3 days ago and spoke to a person that could barely speak. I was supposed to get a return call from them within 24 hours. Three days later and I am still waiting. Now, when I call them back, they will have no record that I even spoke with anyone and I will have to go through the same thing over again.
I believe it is the same with any of the cell companies, they offer you anything under the sun to get you to come to their company, but once you are there and stay a while, you will get raked through the coals.
I like this “If you do not want to move to the Nationwide plans and the phone that you WANT (not REQUIRED to have) has to have a Nationwide plan, well then you do have the opportunity to not get the phone and not change your plan.” (as quoted from ME). I have just run through the circle of upgrading my 5 phones. I never upgrade them just to upgrade and have the newest phone out there, mostly because by the end of 1 year the phones no longer work, so we struggle with them for the second year. I was told in the store and on a call with *611 that ALL phones now require at least the Nationwide plans and very soon all phones being sold are going to require some type of MB package. With 5 phones, I might as well let my contracts expire because there is no way to afford that! Again, that was from 2 different VW customer service reps.
if you get charged is there any way to take it off
my phone dosnt close so everyday i go in the store.
also they say i downloaded things i dont even have in my phone. i got charged 90$ for this
Thanks for posting this. It really helped, appreciate it.
I too have been nailed with the BS $1.99 charges (I’ve never used web/data services), so I read through all of the posts to get the full breadth of the situation. I think some Verizon customers may have reacted strongly, as people tend to do when they feel they have been wronged. But the majority of the Verizon employees posting on this blog are way out of line. To insult somebody because they are being charged for services they did not use is hardly called for. To tell somebody they should have “read” their plan does not help to “remedy” a situation where somebody was charged for something they didn’t use. So please try to have some kind of pride in the work you do and be honest with yourself as well as your Verizon customers. You’re only adding fuel to the fire by coming on to a blog and insulting people who are clearly laying out the facts that support their frustration.
Count me in – It is totally a cheat on Verizon. Even the “free” sample of ring tones are included in the charges and they never say that an accumulating amount (that is tough to check) is going to trigger the charges.
Very disappointed in Verizon. Which I didn’t renew.
I too am i victim of mb usage, anyone have luck with the BBB
Verizon wireless is very dishonest company. I sign up for internet air card on the 1ST of Feb 2010. Then Travelled to Singapore on the 2nd Feb. I was able to access my email for about 2 to 3 hours and got a billed for $2600. No warning of roaming Charges, The Verizon sales guys only explained that all I have to pay was $120 a month to be able to use my internet any where in the World. Now think about it. I only have the Internet card for only five days and got slap with $2600. We going to Court ro settle this.
I completly understand Carol, but the Nationwide price plan has no roaming or long distance also supports the 3G for newer vzw phones, the data feature is 9.99 permonth and it covers 25 mb of data which is good for browsing the web, playing games, previewing ringtones, or mobile email. Todays society theres always lines, traffic and sometimes your just waiting somewhere with your phone so theses services can come in good use.
There is always a mobile web block option, or even a National access block that will not let you incur any fees:)
That is correct any wording you place it comes down too purchasing the ringtone charge plus the charge of shopping. While your previewing/shopping your on the data so there is a pay per use you can always get a bundled package for cheaper than 1.99 per mb. You can also shop for the ringtone online on media center than send it too your phone.
That is completly false.
Traveling international would of cause this charge for roaming, if correct billing expectations were not set I would inquire on a credit. With a Blackberry Storm 2 which are global phones you can have a global feature placed on and have unlimited usage for your traveling needs.
What statement is false Kelly? Are you saying Verizon changed their policy? You would know, you obviously work for them.
Kelly, you must understand that Carol’s comment was in October of 2008 and there was no data plan available at $9.99.
You only had one option in 2008, upgrade your entire plan or incur accidental charges from pressing the up arrow on your phone.
Once again Kelly, in 2008, using the mobile web block or the National access block DID NOT prevent you from receiving accidental charges.
At the time, simply sending picture messages would cause you receive megabyte charges on your phone, even if you had the unlimited picture messaging package.
I have the unlimited plan and sending pictures is the only messaging I do, I have never been charged extra for Pic messages. I’m just debating your comment and you assume I work there. I’ve just been a valued Verizon Customer for years.
I guess I could assume you work for AT&T but that would be judging. I anaylize not judge.
I apologize Kelly for jumping to the conclusion that you were a Verizon employee. When you said, “That is completely false”, I assumed you knew more then just your personal experiences on the matter. That is a bold statement to make based on your experience alone.
The fact is, I as well as many others have been charged for megabyte usage when we never should have been. Many people were told directly from Verizon that picture messages would incur megabyte usage resulting in the $1.99 charge.
Verizon made a statement saying that they will no longer charge for accidental usage, but they never made a statement about picture messaging. You would think this type of information would be easy to obtain, but in this day and age, it’s even hard to find out what you will be charge for by using your phone.
That’s a lie. Blocking downloads has ALWAYS been free. If you really were charged ten dollars, that Verizon rep pocketed it, which is unlikely. Learn to look into what you’re paying for before complaining.
And you people wonder how these charges for services “you never used” get onto your bills? Sure is mysterious…
Derk, I believe that Steve was confusing Parental Controls with Download Controls, Parental controls do cost $10 a month. Simple mistake on his part.
“I mean what they are charging, I can get the kid an iphone!”
And have fun paying $30/mo for the required data package.