Charges for the remainder of month AFTER porting to another carrier?

H

hdoraisamy

New member
Hi all,

I'm sorry if this has already been answered but I can't find it...

Just got off the phone with Verizon customer service and I'm ticked.
I am out of contract with Verizon, so no concerns about Early Term Fee.
I ported my number to AT&T mid-month in my billing cycle.
The Verizon rep tells me that I will be charged for the remainder of the billing month, even though I no longer have service with them.

Her words: "I understand your situation, but since your number has already been ported and is no longer in our system, I can't 'disconnect' it, which would require me going back and activating it first, so that you wouldn't get charged. Your phone number is set to automatically be canceled at the end of the of the billing cycle."
(apparently if I 'canceled' service with them, it would be prorated)

So basically, they're charging me for services I'm not receiving. Should they not prorate the final month of service to when I ported it? Why wouldn't porting and canceling be the same thing? Can I fight this? Or is there some bit of fine print in my contract (which like anyone I don't have lying around) that allows them to do this nonsense?

Thanks!
Adam
"...have I satisfactorily answered your questions tonight?"
 
Once your contract is up, you are under no obligation to stay with a carrier. Your plan becomes month-to-month instead of being under contract after 2 years has gone by. ETF should not be a concern and there is nothing in the contract that states that you have to pay the remainder of the month because you are no longer bound.

I would fight it and email some VZW execs to get some justice. Try Executive Relations, the number can be found on Consumerist. This does not seem right at all and you should fight to get it resolved correctly.
 
wzap-
So you agree - that it seems I should only have to pay for half of the last month, to the date that my number ported to AT&T? That's what I think. Seems 'porting' the number away and 'canceling' service are the same thing to me. Even insurance companies will give you a refund for the unused portion of the billing cycle if you cancel early.

Seems like every single dang time I have to make some sort of change of service with a phone company, they rip me off and I have to fight it. It's so tiring, and there's never any recourse for the trouble.
adam
 
In your customer agreement, it clearly states tha if you port your number out to another carrier or disconnect your service while in or out of contract; Verizon Wireless will bill you up to the last day in your bill cycle. The only time you can disconnect on demand is the DAY OF your contract expiring.
 
Ah,
After googling around I found a copy of the contract in which it states that. Thanks for pointing it out.

Though while it is in my contract that I will be billed for the whole "billing cycle" even after canceling service, I stand by my argument that it's essentially unethical and illegal - much as the California courts agree that not prorating early termination fees is illegal.

"Billing cycles" hold no inherent magic of their own. Everything must be billed in some kind of cycle. What other essential service doesn't prorate?

I'm sure the telecoms would argue that 'you've purchased your minutes in advance for the month, so we have to bill you for all of them.' I'm guessing this is why they came up with the frustrating system.
signing out,
adam
 
Try filing a complaint with the FCC - it almost worked for me - they would have refunded my money ($150), but a screw up happened and my situation got forwarded to a collection agency - when that happens, you will not get a refund. Verizon Wireless has been very uncooperative in this matter with me - it cost me $300 to leave them. I understand the pro-rated Termination Fee, but this BS about porting is above and beyond. I hope there is an evetual class action suit - Good Luck.
 
I just had the same thing happen to me. Im both mad a verizion and at AT&T for not warning me about this. I mean AT&T does tons and tons of these ports, and they didnt bother to warn me about Verizions stupidity. They are all just comon thiefs if you ask me.
 
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