Billing question

Does anyone know how long a cell phone company such as verizon will continue
charging a customer after they have shut off their service for non-payment?
Would it be for the duration of the contract? Or would they simply turn it
over to collections after a couple of months and charge for just those
couple of months? Or perhaps turn it over to collections after a few months
with a charge for the full amount of the contract?

I am in financial dire straights and am considering letting them shut my
service off. If they would allow me to cancel my contract(s) and make
payments on the cancellation charge of $175 per phone, I would do that. But
I doubt they would go along with that scenario.

Thanks.

"Barb" <nottelling@doh.net> wrote in message
news:2BGdnbhJYJJyUfmiU-KYvw@comcast.com...
> Does anyone know how long a cell phone company such as verizon will
continue
> charging a customer after they have shut off their service for
non-payment?
> Would it be for the duration of the contract? Or would they simply turn it
> over to collections after a couple of months and charge for just those
> couple of months? Or perhaps turn it over to collections after a few
months
> with a charge for the full amount of the contract?
>
> I am in financial dire straights and am considering letting them shut my
> service off. If they would allow me to cancel my contract(s) and make
> payments on the cancellation charge of $175 per phone, I would do that.
But
> I doubt they would go along with that scenario.

I'm just guessing.
If you are under contract they will expect to be paid for
the remaining term of the contract.
If you terminate the contract then I believe they would only
come after you for the $175.

In either event you should probably change plans to the
least expensive plan they have. Make absolutely sure that
your contract is not extended -- this would involve *not*
taking any promotions with the lower plan.

Check with your local store, write/email the executive
offices (from the website) and ask about options for your
condition. My guess is that a company with 30+ million
customers has a department that deals with this sort of
thing. Maybe they have some option to shut off your service
and work out some payment schedule. Companies only get
so much back on the dollar when they turn it over to
collection agencies so there is an incentive for them
to work with you directly.

good luck,
-Quick

Quick,

Thank you for your response, I think that I will do exactly what you
suggested.

Thanks again.
"Quick" <dave_horwitz@NOSPAMsbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:Eo49b.454$LL3.49961118@newssvr13.news.prodigy .com...
>
> "Barb" <nottelling@doh.net> wrote in message
> news:2BGdnbhJYJJyUfmiU-KYvw@comcast.com...
> > Does anyone know how long a cell phone company such as verizon will
> continue
> > charging a customer after they have shut off their service for
> non-payment?
> > Would it be for the duration of the contract? Or would they simply turn
it
> > over to collections after a couple of months and charge for just those
> > couple of months? Or perhaps turn it over to collections after a few
> months
> > with a charge for the full amount of the contract?
> >
> > I am in financial dire straights and am considering letting them shut my
> > service off. If they would allow me to cancel my contract(s) and make
> > payments on the cancellation charge of $175 per phone, I would do that.
> But
> > I doubt they would go along with that scenario.
>
> I'm just guessing.
> If you are under contract they will expect to be paid for
> the remaining term of the contract.
> If you terminate the contract then I believe they would only
> come after you for the $175.
>
> In either event you should probably change plans to the
> least expensive plan they have. Make absolutely sure that
> your contract is not extended -- this would involve *not*
> taking any promotions with the lower plan.
>
> Check with your local store, write/email the executive
> offices (from the website) and ask about options for your
> condition. My guess is that a company with 30+ million
> customers has a department that deals with this sort of
> thing. Maybe they have some option to shut off your service
> and work out some payment schedule. Companies only get
> so much back on the dollar when they turn it over to
> collection agencies so there is an incentive for them
> to work with you directly.
>
> good luck,
> -Quick
>
>

I had billing disputes with Western Wireless Licence LLC d/b/a
CellularOne, and they send me a letter that my account had been turned
over to a collection agency only 1 week after the bill was due...I guess
it seems that they're desperate for money...maybe they'll go bankrupt (I
hope).

AD

Barb wrote:
> Does anyone know how long a cell phone company such as verizon will continue
> charging a customer after they have shut off their service for non-payment?
> Would it be for the duration of the contract? Or would they simply turn it
> over to collections after a couple of months and charge for just those
> couple of months? Or perhaps turn it over to collections after a few months
> with a charge for the full amount of the contract?
>
> I am in financial dire straights and am considering letting them shut my
> service off. If they would allow me to cancel my contract(s) and make
> payments on the cancellation charge of $175 per phone, I would do that. But
> I doubt they would go along with that scenario.
>
> Thanks.
>
>

I don't think Verizon will do that. It seems to me that they have let me go
a month over without turning my service off.

By the way, even if a company goes bankrupt, they will still go after you. I
was with Worldcom and had billing disputes with them, they turned me over to
collections after their bankruptcy.

"About Dakota" <glaeske@REMOVEMEyifan.net> wrote in message
news:3F653C6F.8080905@REMOVEMEyifan.net...
> I had billing disputes with Western Wireless Licence LLC d/b/a
> CellularOne, and they send me a letter that my account had been turned
> over to a collection agency only 1 week after the bill was due...I guess
> it seems that they're desperate for money...maybe they'll go bankrupt (I
> hope).
>
> AD
>
> Barb wrote:
> > Does anyone know how long a cell phone company such as verizon will
continue
> > charging a customer after they have shut off their service for
non-payment?
> > Would it be for the duration of the contract? Or would they simply turn
it
> > over to collections after a couple of months and charge for just those
> > couple of months? Or perhaps turn it over to collections after a few
months
> > with a charge for the full amount of the contract?
> >
> > I am in financial dire straights and am considering letting them shut my
> > service off. If they would allow me to cancel my contract(s) and make
> > payments on the cancellation charge of $175 per phone, I would do that.
But
> > I doubt they would go along with that scenario.
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> >
>

Well, I called Verizon and they offered me the option of voluntarily
suspending my service for 3 months so as to catch up with all bills without
incurring more charges. I took that option and I am happy about it.

Thanks again for your advice.

"Barb" <nottelling@doh.net> wrote in message
news:5_SdnZilJuvTcPmiU-KYuQ@comcast.com...
> Quick,
>
> Thank you for your response, I think that I will do exactly what you
> suggested.
>
> Thanks again.
> "Quick" <dave_horwitz@NOSPAMsbcglobal.net> wrote in message
> news:Eo49b.454$LL3.49961118@newssvr13.news.prodigy .com...
> >
> > "Barb" <nottelling@doh.net> wrote in message
> > news:2BGdnbhJYJJyUfmiU-KYvw@comcast.com...
> > > Does anyone know how long a cell phone company such as verizon will
> > continue
> > > charging a customer after they have shut off their service for
> > non-payment?
> > > Would it be for the duration of the contract? Or would they simply
turn
> it
> > > over to collections after a couple of months and charge for just those
> > > couple of months? Or perhaps turn it over to collections after a few
> > months
> > > with a charge for the full amount of the contract?
> > >
> > > I am in financial dire straights and am considering letting them shut
my
> > > service off. If they would allow me to cancel my contract(s) and make
> > > payments on the cancellation charge of $175 per phone, I would do
that.
> > But
> > > I doubt they would go along with that scenario.
> >
> > I'm just guessing.
> > If you are under contract they will expect to be paid for
> > the remaining term of the contract.
> > If you terminate the contract then I believe they would only
> > come after you for the $175.
> >
> > In either event you should probably change plans to the
> > least expensive plan they have. Make absolutely sure that
> > your contract is not extended -- this would involve *not*
> > taking any promotions with the lower plan.
> >
> > Check with your local store, write/email the executive
> > offices (from the website) and ask about options for your
> > condition. My guess is that a company with 30+ million
> > customers has a department that deals with this sort of
> > thing. Maybe they have some option to shut off your service
> > and work out some payment schedule. Companies only get
> > so much back on the dollar when they turn it over to
> > collection agencies so there is an incentive for them
> > to work with you directly.
> >
> > good luck,
> > -Quick
> >
> >
>
>