Why does Verizon hate its customers? (redux)

Tonight's debacle: Market Segmentation to further alienate your high revenue, high profit customers.

You May remember my post from April 2008 "Why does Verizon Hate Its Customers". Well, it keeps getting better.

I still have this high margin (for Verizon) account because I haven't taken the time to move to AT&T and an iPhone yet. I added a line to my account and wanted to activate Verizon's nifty Parental Control features. Apparently, although I am signed up for a family plan, I am not signed up for the CORRECT family plan (one of: Nationwide Single Line or Family SharePlan).

Now you have to know that all of this stuff is just checkboxes on a configuration screen. It's the same equipment handling all of the call routing and features. The reason I can't have the features I want is because someone with too much time on their hands and a spreadsheet determined Verizon could maximize their profit by forcing customers into just the right combination of phone plans and add-on services. In my case, even thought I pay Verizon $262 per month for service, I'm not paying *enough* to let me have Parental Controls for an additional $4.99/month.

Hey Verizon, just one more reason for me to change my service, and that of my employees, to another provider.

Can you hear me now?