plan changes will require new agreement

Buried deep in the boilerplate, in the middle of a paragraph, in yesterday's
bill is this statement:

"As of February 5, 2006 calling plan changes will require a new 1 or 2 year
customer agreement."

You have been warned :-)

Since my agreement expired 2 years ago, is there anything I would want to
check on changing to in the next 3 days? (I know this is vague, but
thought there might be general good things to switch to. Thanks.)

Please post not email replies wrote:
> Buried deep in the boilerplate, in the middle of a paragraph, in yesterday's
> bill is this statement:
>
> "As of February 5, 2006 calling plan changes will require a new 1 or 2 year
> customer agreement."
>
>
I thought this was always that way. Been a Verizon customer for years
and always thought plan changes inluded this

<iwantthisname@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1138720187.903153.227330@z14g2000cwz.googlegr oups.com...
>
> Please post not email replies wrote:
>> Buried deep in the boilerplate, in the middle of a paragraph, in
>> yesterday's
>> bill is this statement:
>>
>> "As of February 5, 2006 calling plan changes will require a new 1 or 2
>> year
>> customer agreement."
>>
>>
> I thought this was always that way. Been a Verizon customer for years
> and always thought plan changes inluded this
>

Same here. I've never made a change that did not result in a new 2 year
agreement, so I don't understand the notice with the current billing.

> > I thought this was always that way. Been a Verizon customer for years
> > and always thought plan changes inluded this
> >

I had been able to make the following changes without a new contract:
- Increase minutes within a plan (eg: stay with America's choice, but
join a higher minute tier) without extending a current contract.
- When I was month-to-month, I was able to sign on to a non-promo plan
without signing a new contract (promo are things such as free
nights/weekends), but I don't think any non promo plans exist any more.
- I was able to add/remove features, like text messaging bundles,
without a new contract

I don't know which if any of these could now be going away.

-MVL

iwantthisname@gmail.com wrote:
> Please post not email replies wrote:
>> Buried deep in the boilerplate, in the middle of a
>> paragraph, in yesterday's bill is this statement:
>>
>> "As of February 5, 2006 calling plan changes will
>> require a new 1 or 2 year customer agreement."
>>
>>
> I thought this was always that way. Been a Verizon
> customer for years and always thought plan changes
> inluded this

No. This looks like a change. Subtle, but a change.

Prior to this you could change plans at any time, up or
down, with no change to your contract. Of course there
was the provision that if you accepted any promotions
on the new plan it would require a 1 or 2 year agreement.
There is usually something pretty significant that is listed
as a promotion. Free N&W, etc. or something like that.
There is always a base plan and if you only switched to
a currently offered base plan you could change at any time.
Now it looks like if you are under contract (not month to
month) then the commitment would be extended to 1 or
2 years from the date of the change.

I think this would most effect people whose needs have
changed AND are planning on terminating service when
their contracts expire.

"Quick" <quick7135-news@NOSPAMyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:Z6NDf.5914$2O6.605@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com ...
> iwantthisname@gmail.com wrote:
>> Please post not email replies wrote:
>>> Buried deep in the boilerplate, in the middle of a
>>> paragraph, in yesterday's bill is this statement:
>>>
>>> "As of February 5, 2006 calling plan changes will
>>> require a new 1 or 2 year customer agreement."
>>>
>>>
>> I thought this was always that way. Been a Verizon
>> customer for years and always thought plan changes
>> inluded this
>
> No. This looks like a change. Subtle, but a change.
>
> Prior to this you could change plans at any time, up or
> down, with no change to your contract. Of course there
> was the provision that if you accepted any promotions
> on the new plan it would require a 1 or 2 year agreement.
> There is usually something pretty significant that is listed
> as a promotion. Free N&W, etc. or something like that.
> There is always a base plan and if you only switched to
> a currently offered base plan you could change at any time.
> Now it looks like if you are under contract (not month to
> month) then the commitment would be extended to 1 or
> 2 years from the date of the change.
>
> I think this would most effect people whose needs have
> changed AND are planning on terminating service when
> their contracts expire.
>
>

So one could get out of his or her contract if they don't agree with this
new change.

But, they will send out a letter with a $10 'bait'
If you call and acknowledge, you'll get $10.

Small print at the bottom says that if you don't within 30 days
it will revert back to the old expiration date.

I interpret to say - don't call and you're OK


"Please post not email replies" <linux-user@nowhere.com> wrote in message news:CSIDf.483$5Q3.53@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
> Buried deep in the boilerplate, in the middle of a paragraph, in yesterday's
> bill is this statement:
>
> "As of February 5, 2006 calling plan changes will require a new 1 or 2 year
> customer agreement."
>
> You have been warned :-)
>
> Since my agreement expired 2 years ago, is there anything I would want to
> check on changing to in the next 3 days? (I know this is vague, but
> thought there might be general good things to switch to. Thanks.)

iwantthisname@gmail.com wrote:
> Please post not email replies wrote:
>> Buried deep in the boilerplate, in the middle of a paragraph, in yesterday's
>> bill is this statement:
>>
>> "As of February 5, 2006 calling plan changes will require a new 1 or 2 year
>> customer agreement."
>>
>>
> I thought this was always that way. Been a Verizon customer for years
> and always thought plan changes inluded this

You could go up or down in the number of minutes without a new
agreement. Based on this new policy, it looks like most people went down
in the number of minutes, which this new policy may stop.

SMS wrote:

> iwantthisname@gmail.com wrote:
> > Please post not email replies wrote:
> >> Buried deep in the boilerplate, in the middle of a paragraph, in yesterday's
> >> bill is this statement:
> >>
> >> "As of February 5, 2006 calling plan changes will require a new 1 or 2 year
> >> customer agreement."
> >>
> >>
> > I thought this was always that way. Been a Verizon customer for years
> > and always thought plan changes inluded this
>
> You could go up or down in the number of minutes without a new
> agreement. Based on this new policy, it looks like most people went down
> in the number of minutes, which this new policy may stop.

It will be interesting to see how or if they respond to pressure - i.e. threat to
switch carrier when contract ends.

Lou

Since this is a significant change in the terms of service, I wonder if
it would allow one to cancel their contract without the early
termination fee?

Lena

In article <1138794836.037433.206190@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups .com>,
"Lena" <lenagainster@gmail.com> wrote:

> Since this is a significant change in the terms of service, I wonder if
> it would allow one to cancel their contract without the early
> termination fee?


an informal, legal opinion says that it is.

but i am not sure if everyone has been notified of the change. what
about those who pay on line with no paper bill?

james g. keegan jr. wrote:
> > Since this is a significant change in the terms of service, I wonder if
> > it would allow one to cancel their contract without the early
> > termination fee?
>
> an informal, legal opinion says that it is.
>
> but i am not sure if everyone has been notified of the change. what
> about those who pay on line with no paper bill?

If one has an online account, selects the latest statement and reads
through the many pages (20 for my family plan), on the second or third
page in the legaleze section, the statement regarding the change as of
Feb 5 is printed.

Lena

In article <1138827901.296230.20230@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups. com>,
"Lena" <lenagainster@gmail.com> wrote:

> james g. keegan jr. wrote:
> > > Since this is a significant change in the terms of service, I wonder if
> > > it would allow one to cancel their contract without the early
> > > termination fee?
> >
> > an informal, legal opinion says that it is.
> >
> > but i am not sure if everyone has been notified of the change. what
> > about those who pay on line with no paper bill?
>
> If one has an online account, selects the latest statement and reads
> through the many pages (20 for my family plan), on the second or third
> page in the legaleze section, the statement regarding the change as of
> Feb 5 is printed.


that certainly slipped by me. damn, and verizon tried so hard to
communicate this change to their customers, right?

On Tue, 31 Jan 2006 13:27:11 -0800, "kevin weaver"
<kevinweaver1@charter.net> wrote:

>"Quick" <quick7135-news@NOSPAMyahoo.com> wrote in message
>news:Z6NDf.5914$2O6.605@newssvr12.news.prodigy.co m...
>> iwantthisname@gmail.com wrote:
>>> Please post not email replies wrote:
>>>> Buried deep in the boilerplate, in the middle of a
>>>> paragraph, in yesterday's bill is this statement:
>>>>
>>>> "As of February 5, 2006 calling plan changes will
>>>> require a new 1 or 2 year customer agreement."
>>>>
>>>>
>>> I thought this was always that way. Been a Verizon
>>> customer for years and always thought plan changes
>>> inluded this
>>
>> No. This looks like a change. Subtle, but a change.
>>
>> Prior to this you could change plans at any time, up or
>> down, with no change to your contract. Of course there
>> was the provision that if you accepted any promotions
>> on the new plan it would require a 1 or 2 year agreement.
>> There is usually something pretty significant that is listed
>> as a promotion. Free N&W, etc. or something like that.
>> There is always a base plan and if you only switched to
>> a currently offered base plan you could change at any time.
>> Now it looks like if you are under contract (not month to
>> month) then the commitment would be extended to 1 or
>> 2 years from the date of the change.
>>
>> I think this would most effect people whose needs have
>> changed AND are planning on terminating service when
>> their contracts expire.
>>
>>
>
>So one could get out of his or her contract if they don't agree with this
>new change.
>

I don't think that's the case. If I read things right, this is a
change in VZW policy, not a change in the contract you signed. Read
your contract, see if this is spelled out in there. If not, you
likely can't.

On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 07:27:28 -0500, "james g. keegan jr."
<jgkeegan@gmail.com> wrote:

>In article <1138794836.037433.206190@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups .com>,
> "Lena" <lenagainster@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Since this is a significant change in the terms of service, I wonder if
>> it would allow one to cancel their contract without the early
>> termination fee?
>
>
>an informal, legal opinion says that it is.
>
>but i am not sure if everyone has been notified of the change. what
>about those who pay on line with no paper bill?


Actually, James, I think this "Worry Fre Gaurantee" is more of a VZW
policy, not a part of the TOS. Being that, I think this will NOT be
able to be used as ground for termination w/o the ETF. Find the
wording in the contract that explicitly states you can change your
rate plan without extending your contract. You probably won't, the
WFG was more of a promotional thing.

This is from someone not in the legal profession.