http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/ Engadget Mobile Comments for Verizon increases SMS rates -- customers now free of their contracts http://mobile.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://mobile.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 4:00PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 4:47PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 4:17PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 4:32PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 4:31PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/

:)]]>Jan 12th 2007 5:06PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 4:33PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 5:44PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/
"YOU CAN END THE AFFECTED SERVICE, WITHOUT ANY EARLY TERMINATION FEE"

What Verizon Wireless is offering to do is cancel text messaging. Without a fee! What fun.

I compiled the legalese about price changing from all the national carriers. We're at their mercy.

http://www.mobiletracker.net/archives/2007/01/12/verizon-wireless-sms-price]]>Jan 12th 2007 5:31PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 4:50PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 6:07PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 5:26PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 7:17PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 13th 2007 12:09AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 6:19PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/
Read the link I posted in comment #3. It states that the rate you pay for text-overages on a text bundle WILL NOT change, it will still be 10 cents for every text you send/recieve over your bundle's allotment.]]>Jan 12th 2007 8:04PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 9:11PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 9:13PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 12th 2007 11:26PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 13th 2007 2:12AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/
The mesaging plan is a seperate contract from the voice plan, which is also the core TOS. Verizon will allow me to cancel my messaging plan, but that would make no sense because I would then either have to pay the increased txt prices, or just sign up for a new plan.

It seems that if you don't have a messaging plan, you might be able to argue that messaging rates are part of the core contract and the rate increases affect the TOS. But that's going to be a tough argument. I'm pretty sure that anyone who says they got out of their contract is a liar. ]]>Jan 13th 2007 11:58AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 13th 2007 12:20PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/
I just got off the phone with CS. My contract doesn't expire for a full year but i was able to get my plan switched to a monthly. The CS rep switched my expiration date to today. I DID/do have a text message package (1000 texts for $9.99 per month). They key to getting the ETF dropped or getting your contract switched to a month to month is the International Messaging rates. I have never received an international message buy i told them that most of my friends are International Business majors in college and will be doing a study abroad next semester. He tried to tell me that text messaging is not part of the contract, but i pointed out that text rates are one of the main things that salespeople hit on to get you to sign the contract and that i felt like i was being forced by verizon to keep my texting package. I was only on the phone for about 25 min, and still have butterflies in my stomach. The best thing about getting switched to the month to month is, unlike canceling your contract, you can port the number. If i missed anything, let me know. Good luck!

ps. I also mentioned to him that Sprint did the same thing not too long ago and let their customers out.]]>Jan 13th 2007 3:02PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 13th 2007 4:10PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/
I just got off the phone with CS. The guy told me that if I called to VZW and complained that the 5 cent increase was a burden, they would credit me the 5 cents (within a certain time frame). Since VZW was crediting people and alleviating the burden, the material change does not apply. Just what I was told.]]>Jan 15th 2007 8:40PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/
They do try to make things right though - but offering free texting packages until the account reaches its two year experation - you just have to be firm that the terms have changed and are not what you agreed to when you signed your contract.. especially if you DO have a text plan, you need to be firm that they have changed the rate of receiveing txt from international carriers from 10 to 15 cents.]]>Jan 16th 2007 9:29AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 17th 2007 11:32AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/
At first, the CS rep (who was quite decent about the whole thing) put me on hold to discuss the situation with her supervisor. She returned saying that I could not end my contract without paying the ETF, but that they would give me a $5 credit. I asked for what? She said it a one time $5 credit does nothing to cover any inconvenience that I would have to keep paying more each month. Then she tried to talk me into adding the text bundle to my plan. (I am calling to cancel the service, and they are asking me to pay more?) So then I asked (nicely yet firmly) to speak with her supervisor. On hold once again, and thinking that I would have to really focus the argument to make my case, cross navigating the internet screens of their service agreement and everyone's comments here for reference...Then, to great surprise, she returned and said they would cancel the contract without the ETF, which I had her repeat jsut to make sure, and that was it. It's done!

Even though I didn't have to verbally really state my case to the supervisor, all of the comments here really prepped me, so thanks! Good luck to everyone! ]]>Jan 17th 2007 3:47PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Question... I have SPRINT, and just recieved notice
that they are raising the price of their TOTAL EQUIPMENT PROTECTION PROGRAM from $6 to $7 per month effective Feb 18, 2007. Is this enough of a change to allow me to try to get out of my contract with the ETF?
(maybe someone can start a thread about this)
Thanks for your help!
Lori ]]>Jan 17th 2007 9:08PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/
Uhh weren't you calling to cancel because of an increase in text messaging rates? Or where you simply using the increase as a convenient excuse to whine your way out of an ETF for a separate reason?

If the former, then: A) I sure hope you are porting to Alltel or T-Mobile, cause Sprint and Cingy actually beat VZW to the punch with the text rate increase. B) Her offering a bundle makes perfect sense to you because it gives you a lot of texts (depending on the package of course) for a monthly amount that comes to a whopping TWO CENTS (or less) for every text sent or received, clearly positioning the bundle as a rather smart alternative to paying per text (be it at 10 cents or 15 cents per text).]]>Jan 18th 2007 3:06AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 21st 2007 2:19PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 30th 2007 4:17PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/It was a bit of a pain dealing with the 1st rep, then the supervisor, but eventually they start trying to make you offers. Stick to your guns. Quote "Adverse Material Affect" from the contract. And enventually you should get out of the contract.]]>Jan 21st 2007 9:53PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 25th 2007 1:30AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 26th 2007 2:16PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 28th 2007 11:22AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/]]>Jan 30th 2007 12:51AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jan 30th 2007 4:45AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Feb 1st 2007 11:50AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Jun 28th 2007 11:34PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Feb 6th 2007 9:39PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/
Our Rights To Make Changes
Your service is subject to our business policies, practices, and procedures, which we can change without notice. UNLESS OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY LAW, WE CAN ALSO CHANGE PRICES AND ANY OTHER CONDITIONS IN THIS AGREEMENT AT ANY TIME BY SENDING YOU WRITTEN NOTICE PRIOR TO THE BILLING PERIOD IN WHICH THE CHANGES WOULD GO INTO EFFECT. IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE YOUR SERVICE AFTER THAT POINT, YOU'RE ACCEPTING THE CHANGES. IF THE CHANGES HAVE A MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT ON YOU, HOWEVER, YOU CAN END THE AFFECTED SERVICE, WITHOUT ANY EARLY TERMINATION FEE, JUST BY CALLING US WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER WE SEND NOTICE OF THE CHANGE.]]>Feb 7th 2007 1:17PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/
I asked if the rates were going up, she said yes, then i asked if that meant that my contract was void, and she said yes if i refused the new charges :) even though i have unlimited text messaging, which she brought up but i told her that it was still a change and that i would like to go ahead and cancel. she said ok :)

yay!! thanks for all the information, it really helped!!!]]>Feb 9th 2007 10:40AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/i just got all 4 of my phones contract end date moved up to march 1st! it is 100 percent true. && i worked for the company. HELL YEAH! apple phone here i come.]]>Feb 9th 2007 11:42PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Feb 10th 2007 12:24AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Feb 10th 2007 12:17AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/
Text messaging is an optional feature. You can choose to use it or not. A text message rate increase is NOT a 'material adverse effect' for that reason. If, by 3/1/07, we were forcing all customers to change their pricing plan to a higher pricing plan, then THAT would be a material adverse effect. Text message rate increases don't count.

Besides, if you text message enough to even care about the rate increase, if you have at LEAST a $5 text package, any text/pix/flix you send over the allowace is still $0.10 per message.

If a supervisor let's you out of your contract because of this text increase, it means you got lucky enough to talk to a sup without a backbone, as no supervisor I've spoken to is about to let anyone out of their contract.

So, best of luck to all of you who just have to 'stick it to the man', because in this case, you probably won't get very far.]]>Feb 10th 2007 8:02AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Feb 18th 2007 9:44AMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Feb 18th 2007 2:37PMhttp://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/01/12/verizon-increases-sms-rates-customers-now-free-of-their-contr/Feb 19th 2007 4:22PM