I am awaiting a call back from verizon. I went as far as a supervisor, he understood everything that I laid out for him, but said that verizon has sent out notices telling all supervisors to NOT let anyone out of their ETF with this increase. I am still pushing due to the multiple fee increases in 2009 alone, so we will see what happens.

Yes. I completed this yesterday, successfully, based solely on “Administrative Charge” increase. My Verizon service will remain active until the end of my billing cycle at which point, I will receive a final bill without an Early Terminations Fee. If you are unclear as to what this fee increase is and would like clarification, please call 888-684-1888, option # 3. I have been a Verizon customer since 2000 and had over 1 year left on my contract. It is time for me to part ways, due to another increase, which is a “Verizon initiated charge”, not a taxation required by the FCC or Federal/Sate law. If this were the case, Verizon does not honor the requests to cancel without receiving a ETF. Petty and humorous it may be - the rate increase will allow you out of your contract under Verizon’s own contractual terms.

To cancel my Verizon service, it did take 1.5hrs on the phone, allot of patience, speaking with 2 different CSR’s and 2 different Supervisors, and me not accepting any other offers they presented me with to remain a Verizon customer. Multiple times in our conversations, the Supervisors stated that they would like to do research and call me back. Do not allow them to do this. Clearly state to them that this is unacceptable and you would like the matter resolved immediately.

"Geeky One", the self proclaimed Verizon supervisor, is in clear violation of his employer/employee contract with Verizon. To come on here and make false statements, which he has, could cost him his job; especially if this ends up on the desk of the CSO (Smile). While "Geeky One" means well (to be debated), the customer retention scare tactics he is using, are completely false. If this happens to anyone, please contact the BBB and your local State Attorney Generals office. Action, although delayed and slow, shall be taken against the denial of a contractual obligation. If enough claims are filed, this could also help initiate the process of a rightful Class Action Lawsuit.

Verizon, by law, is required to honor this request for up to 60 days, after the notification to the customer. In this case, I received notification on my June statement and at that point, I have 60 days to cancel, without receive an Early Termination Fee. Verizon, by law, is bound to their own contract which clearly states the following:

“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.”

Verizon clearly exercised their right to make a change, increasing a Verizon initiated fee and then notifying the customers of the increase. We, as customers, have 60 days from that notification, to exercise our right to end our Verizon service, without receiving Early Termination Fees. Verizon chose not to define “Material Adverse Effect”, so even if it is a $.01 increase, Verizon has no way, or law abiding rights for that matter, to judge the direct effect this has on you. Funny this loop hole may be, but this is basic law and the way Verizon instituted their contract.

If you end up with a CSR or Supervisor, who is unaware of your rights to cancel your contract without the ETF, politely ask to speak with someone else who can assist you. I would advise you to set aside at least 1 hour, to complete this process. Good luck and bring some extreme patience to the table.

I'm in PA. It will show up on your next bill.

Was just released from my contract at the end of the billing cycle due to admin. fee increase. Customer service rep. was very friendly and helpful. It sounded like she was unfamiliar with this clause in the contract, though, as I was on hold for a good portion of time while she researched the issue. She then came back and told me I would need to bring in proof of what the contract says to a retail store as she can't see the contract. I directed her to the VZW website's Customer Agreement page where she then found the clause, put me on hold to talk with a supervisor for a few minutes, and returned to offer me a credit for the difference in the increase. At that point, I declined and she allowed me to cancel without penalty. All in all, 31 minutes well spent, and with a very friendly and helpful rep...something I can't say I've always had.

Now, I'm curious. I understand that I'll be responsible for paying this month's full bill since she put my end date on July 25. Can I, however, go ahead and port out next week and be okay? Or would I be better off going ahead and getting a temporary new number from AT&T and then porting my current VZW number on or around the 25th? I'm scared to wait too long, though, as I assume my number will be lost if I don't port by 7/25.

GeekyOne said:so sorry everyone but when you sign the terms and conditions with any carrier - you are accepting that contract and its carriers policies. I deal with people who hate to take personal responsibility for a living. people who argue they shouldnt have to read their bills, or check their own accounts. people who expect vzw to call them personally when their bills are due. come on - if your bank doesnt call you when the mortgage is due and then you get all whiney about why are they foreclosing does that really argue any valid point with the bank? No - you signed a contract - you are personally responsible - blaming someone like myself (which I get wonderful customer feedback because I will work with a reasonable customer rather than one who thinks I should somehow be responsible for their bills) is merely a copout. If you dont like contracts - then dont sign them - go prepaid. Once youve accepted t&c for any contract you are legally bound to said contract or you can pay the etf to get out of the contract. Hate it all you want - but you only have yourself to blame.

You're flipping the problem entirely on its head. We read the contract before we signed it. Now we want to bind Verizon to it. Read again: Verizon is the party trying to get out of the contract. Nowhere does Verizon reserve the right to fix a materially adverse change by making another change to the contract.

okay, I have read this entire thread, as well as a few other things on the internet about this.

I have 4 lines/contracts with verizon that I would like to cancel. however, I haven't been so prompt about paying on-time recently due to financial hardships. am I still eligible to have my contracts terminated without an ETF per line?

Just wanted to say thank you. I have been with AT&T for a year now and have been extremely happy with the service I have received. Unlike Verizon. So happy, I decided to switch over the rest of my family which is 3 more lines on AT&T. I called Verizon (we have been customers since early 07) and told them I wanted to terminate all lines of service. Told them about the price increase as noted by the OP. I explained that and also the fact that we have had nothing but horrible customer service (this is true to the point where I want to forget it ever happened). The service rep tried to keep us by offering 2 months free and waiving the EFT and reducing the contract to 1 year. I declined. She also noted that we can suspend the account for up to 3 months in case we decide we don't like the other carrier. I declined. I was put back on hold.

She came back and told me the contracts were terminated and there were no EFT's. I also asked her to verify that the 2 numbers I ported 10 minutes earlier to AT&T would have no EFT's and she put me back on hold. Five minutes later she came back and stated she credited those fees as well because it was taking too long to get a hold of customer service. She verified that all contracts were canceled and no EFT's assessed.

If anyone is going to do this and want to keep their phone number(s) - you need to port it BEFORE you cancel. If you don't, you will not be able to port it after.

Thanks to the OP for giving us an out. We are now free of Verizon. Terrible service.

sorry for the double post

I just tried again, and was again denied. This was the 4th supervisor I spoke with. The CSR I had before him, was speechless for 30 seconds after I asked him to tell me where the contract defines what a material adverse affect is. Then he finally spoke again and just said "we're not waving it", so I asked to speak with the supervisor. The supervisor just kept saying the same thing and basically told me that there was no way I was going to get it waved and that I would get the same answer every time I called, no matter what.

I really hope they don't pull this on me... I'm trying it tomorrow after having my friend assume liability for her line.

A guy at AT&T said that verizon will try to play the customer's ignorance, so I suppose I just have to sound like I know what I'm doing and won't take no for an answer?