Verizon shenanigans

Talk about wringing every last dime out of your customer...

A few weeks ago my Verizon Blackberry died. Since I'd fulfilled my 2 year commitment, and was tired of having to tether the thing to my PC to get my contacts and calendar to sync, I decided to go ahead an jump for the iPhone, crappy-AT&T-network and all. I began porting my numbers... first mine... then I canceled the OnStar service in the Tahoe...and then a few days later, my daughter's phone. Now that her number has successfully ported out, I called verizon to cancel the account altogether, and I got the best excuse ever from Jan at Verizon Wireless: "We'll cancel it effective the 18th, which is the end of your billing cycle, so you don't get a pro-rated bill". Uh. What? You mean you'll bill me through the end of the month so I can pay for 2 weeks of service that I'm not going to get? Hell yeah! NOT.

So then Jan puts me on hold for 5 minutes while she "makes that change". Jan comes back and tells me that she has to transfer me to someone that can help me.

Kristen. Ah, what a sweet lady.
"Why are you leaving us Mr. Goldsby, what's wrong?".
"Nothing's wrong, I just made the move to the iPhone".
"Okay, well let me make that change. You realize there will be an early termination fee becuase you didn't fulfill your 2 year commitment on that other handset, and your final bill will be pro-rated so it will be a little higher than usual?".
"Uh, yeah, but it will be less than letting it run through the 18th of the month?"
"Well, yessir.".

I guess that little game has made it into the corporate playbook.