VW problems began with introduction of 508.
This all started several years ago when they did away with the plan whereas if you kept your phone for two years, you would qualify for a phone upgrade at a greatly reduced price. You could get a $500 or $600 phone for $200. They stopped offering this purchase plan and now you have to pay full price for a new phone.
Actual Verizon Store...Was this actually a Verizon store?
Or an authorized retailer?
Not the same thing, by any means...
The online stuff (not being able to chat) isn't a store issue, and neither was the doing away with the reduced priced upgrades...Been with Verizon for well over 23 years........back when they were Bell Atlantic with the 30 minute Plan p)
Never had issues with Coverage, Billing, Customer Service, etc.......
Like what was mention above, sounds like a Store issue.
Just saying.
Whether or not the store I go to is Verizon, or Verizon Wireless doesn't matter. It's the same store I've been going to for years and they USED to be able to do just about anything with an iPhone. Now they do very little with them...something has changed with the company...Few issues here. VW is NOT the same as the Verizion wireless stores. They are in competition with each other. Then end game for the mothership is the stores are needed but keep the services at a minimum until the client base ages out (yes, sad to say when grandma and grandpa pass) and the remaining clients are comfortable with a 99% online experience.
Think about the savings in employees, and management, and all the overhead like stock, rent, lights, heat, AC and multiply by the number of actual stores. Big money.
Good info, I didn't know any of this, but this doesn't explain why my store that used to do just about everything with these phones now only does very minor things, or why I can't get any tech support online...I'll comment on this.
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
No one was ever getting any thing at a greatly reduced price.
Everyone was paying the subsidy for the discount in their bills.
An Example: When our Iphone 4s's finally died, we were paying $156./month.
We went in and bought 2 Iphone 6's at full price, with 0% financing for 30 months.
My cell phone bill went down $28./month to $128.
When the phones were paid off, my bill went down to $94.
We just had to replace our phones last month (mine totally woofed, Mrs Tdbo's on its last legs.)
We got SE's. Phone bill went up to $128. again for 30 months.
Obviously, this is cheaper than the former subsidies.
However, your gonna pay, one way or the other.
Our store said they would install it, but they said I had to go online and register our phones on some website in order to get the protectors, they would send them to us, then we'd bring them into the store and they'd install them...sounds like a lot of hooy just to have screen protectors installed...like they don't want to be bothered with it...Our VW store doesn't install them (might be COVID related, not sure because they used to). Assuming you are using a tempered glass screen protector, if you don't want to waste your time with the store, get one that provides a template -- easiest install ever, no bubbles or other issues.
I agree the coverage area (lack of areas with no service) is absolutely the best with VW. No question. My complaint is with their recent lack of support at their stores, and their poor online customer service now that USED to be the best in the business. The only thing that keeps me with them now is the horror stories I hear about the other companies. Total Wireless definitely sounds like one I need to check out though...I've been with ALL (major) carriers and I don't see where you guys can say Verizon is more expensive? I've literally set in my car with an iphone 8 on Verizon, one on ATT and one on Sprint. Verizon killed them all time and time again on data speed and call quality.
Between my quest for better service at my very rural homestead here in North central Florida, I have found Verizon to be the best and use it both now for my family plan and my company cell and hotspot. The cost difference is minimal with any other major carriers.
FYI- wait until they are doing the BOGO deals on phones to really save! We bought my wifes iphone X and got my daughters XR free, then my sons MotoS was completely free as a promo. I pay $180 a month for 4 lines all with unlimited data. That is less than what I paid Sprint for their total GARBAGE service and data and the same as what I paid ATT (within $2-3) for comparable plans.
I've had plenty of experience with AT&T and I can say I would never even consider going to them. I had them when I had DirecTV, and we had to deal with them at work all of the time because our system's internet was through them. They are one of the THE worst companies I have ever had to deal with.ATT is no better.
I setup a prepaid annual account for my wife and I.
I called the 1800 line, they said I could purchase two SIM cards at the ATT store (official), and they would activate the plan in store.
I get to the official store, the guy says no we don't even have access to do anything to Prepaid phones. We can't do anything for you.
Prepaid had to overnight me two SIM cards which I was told would be activated.
They were not and I had to spend several hours on the phone with them to do the simple task.
I deal with ATT because in San Antonio, and rural Texas, they are king for coverage. On Tmobile my phone would have no service regularly.