Verizon, Not Too Happy With You

On Friday afternoon, Verizon sent me a notification that my phone was dangerously low on data. That has NEVER happened. Up until I bought my new phone a week or so ago, I thought my data plan was pretty robust. I never used even half of my data. I bought the iPhone 12Pro, and suddenly I am leaking data all over the place.

I have the same account that I started back in the 1990s. It was a different company back then, but a year or two later it was acquired by Verizon. I've been a Verizon customer for more than twenty-five years, my husband, too. To say I am loyal is an understatement. 

My most recent iPhone, although four years old, was working perfectly, but it was having trouble running a Pivo Meet. I gave in and decided to buy a new phone. I called my closest store, asked if they had it in stock, and was told yes. I showed up an hour later and was told they didn't have it in stock, and when they asked with whom I had spoken, I was told no one of that description worked there. And then someone said, "when we're busy, other locations take the calls. You must have spoken with someone at a different location."

Are you freaking kidding me? How was I supposed to know that? So then I asked where I might be able to pick up the phone. I was referred to several stores quite some distance away, so I walked out. The walk out made me feel good, but it did nothing to solve my problem. From my truck, I called a different number and ordered a new phone. I drove to the next closest store which turned out to be a "corporate" location, and not one I had been told about. They handed me my new phone, and then told me to go home and transfer all of the data from my old phone to the new phone. 

That sounded a bit odd to me, but I headed home, ready to set up my new phone. The transfer took an hour or so, and everything looked great until I tried to make a call. Nope. I drove back to store one, and the Verizon employee very politely set up my phone for calling; he had to remove the SIM card and click a few things. Given that he was the employee I had walked out on earlier, he was very nice. #sorrydude

A few days later, my brand new iPhone lost service for the better part of the day. I was FUMING. I later found out that Verizon had experienced some sort of issue, but still. Clearly, patience is not one of my virtues, so the moment I received the low data alert, my head nearly exploded. On Friday evening, I spent several hours trying to upgrade my plan. After finally getting to speak with an agent in Asia, my plan was updated, but wouldn't take effect until later this week.

The next morning, I tried again, this time over the chat with a different agent, also in Asia. He and his supervisor tried to update my plan, but according to them, the box you check to do that was grayed out. I knew exactly what he meant. It's like trying to order a new LeMieux pad, but the option you want won't light up so that you can click it. Yeah, just had that happen a few weeks ago.

In the end, Verizon "gave" me 1GB of data to tide me over until later this week when my new plan (hopefully) takes effect. Why all of the theatrics? It's just a bit of data. Quit TikToking for a few days. I know, but I had a Pivo Meet lesson scheduled with STC Dressage for Saturday morning, but those Meets take a ton of data, and data was the one thing I didn't have. In the end, no lesson. Sean Cunningham, owner and trainer, was really great about the early morning cancellation. He understands the frustrations of virtual lessons.

Verizon, you owe me a lesson, you jerks!