I can't believe how hard it is to cancel your account.

Question

I’ve been a Verizon Wireless customer for as long as I can remember. It’s been close to 20 years. For several years now, I have added smart phones to my accounts as my children have gotten older. I currently have 4 smart phones and one basic phone on my account for a total of 5 phones. As you can probably calculate without looking at my account, my average bill is in the $300 range. I recently had the most horrifying experience dealing with your customer service/tech support staff over a 3 month long existing problem. I feel it definitely requires your attention and that you should be aware of how you staff handles situations (being your name signs off on the Verizon Code of Conduct)
In early December, my 12 year old son’s Iphone 5 that I purchased for him last Christmas had the screen go black. Being it was less than a year and still covered I then brought it into a Verizon store only to be re-routed to “Apple”. I finally get it over to Apple and after keeping the phone for 2 hours, they told me they couldn’t fix it. They then give me a replacement phone which I assume was refurbished. Ever since my son connected that phone, he hardly receives incoming calls. It would ring twice and go to voicemail. Maybe 1 call would get through in 15 attempts. It was quite frustrating for his mother and I. So I contacted Apple who told me it was a Verizon issue.
So I call Verizon (611) to explain that the phone Apple gave me is no good. But Verizon Tech Support insisted that it is just a simple fix. So on a day I’m with my son (I do not live with him) I call back and speak with tech support. They have him do several options:
Make sure the phone isn’t blocking any numbers
Make sure the phone isn’t on Do Not Disturb
They have him go through all kinds of settings before turning it off for a restart.
Well we finally get a call through and figure it’s fixed.
Well only a few days later, I can’t reach my son. It goes to voicemail after 2 rings. So after several attempts I texted him to call me. He immediately calls me back and says he has no missed calls nor was he aware that I attempted to call him. So I call Verizon back and of course they want me to have the phone in front of me when “trouble shooting”. So after several days go by and I’m with my son we call again. The tech support put him through basically the same steps. This time adding a few “star plus the number calls” to make sure there is no call forwarding on.  Again we get nowhere. No keep in mind my son mostly texts his friends and he can dial out so he isn’t pestering us. But nonetheless, it frustrates his mom as well as myself. So I call Verizon again (right before the Christmas Holiday) and they tell me to go into a Verizon wireless store and get a new SIM card. They said they would put all sorts of notes on my account explaining the problem. So I comply and get the new SIM card. The gentleman at Verizon wireless finally got a call to go through after several attempts. With that we left only to experience the same problem almost immediately soon thereafter.
After the holidays my sons mom kept asking me about the phone and when is it going to be corrected. I called Verizon Wireless again requesting a supervisor. I explained everything and also explained how “tech support” does nothing. I explained how every tech support representative insists “they can fix it”. 
The supervisor puts me on hold and attempts to talk with tech support. The supervisor comes back and asks me to give tech support one more attempt. I said surely. With my son being with me, they had him do two different resets and actually had him back up his phone prior. A few days later we notice there was no change. The phone will not get incoming calls. So several days later I call again. I explained everything to a nice guy who said he used to be in tech support for another company and it sounded to him that it was a software issue in the device….but his protocol was to put me through to tech support. They made me write down a few more options for my son to try (obviously he wasn’t with me at that time). They told me after these attempts they would recommend getting me a replacement and they would make note of it in my account
So it’s now early February and I’m dealing with the same issue. I’m at the end of my rope. I call Verizon Wireless and of course, forced to speak with Tech Support. The girl tells me that being I’ve been having an on-going issue, they will just replace the phone ONLY AFTER I GIVE THEM ONE MORE ATTEMPT AT CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. At that point I told her to put me through Accounts Cancellation, I am done. She actually begged and pleaded with me to give her one chance but of course I had to have the phone in front of me. So when I told her I wouldn’t be with my son until the next day, she gladly PROMISED to call me the next day at precisely 4pm eastern.
The next day came and No phone call. Two days later I get a phone call/voicemail saying that She was sorry and that her sister had a baby (I saved the voicemail). Well I no longer had my son and his phone in front of me so I didn’t call her back.
Sunday February 9th, around 9pm I call Verizon Wireless to cancel my account. Two other carriers offered to pay any penalty  or cancellation fees I may incur if switching over. I explain to customer service representative Keisha that I’d just prefer to cancel my account. It was the day my billing cycle was to end. It was the perfect time. I explained to Keisha that I will NO LONGER speak with anyone from tech support. That they all want to be super heroes and that they are all too proud to admit that a phone has major problems. Keisha did respect my wishes and said she’d handle things. At first she tried to tell me that my phone is out of warranty but I had to remind her that Apple replaced that phone. Then she finally comes back and says she’s getting me a replacement. She put me on hold for over 20 minutes before disconnecting me. I immediately receive a text apologizing for the disconnecting and that she is working on things and will call me back shortly. She never called back
Monday February 10th, at 3 pm I call 611 and immediately ask for a supervisor. I explain what transpired on Sunday with Keisha supposedly ordering me a replacement device. The supervisor did not see any order placed on my account. The supervisor then said she would transfer me to tech support because if a device was ordered it would probably be through them. So I went along with it. When tech support Eric got on, I immediately asked for a tech supervisor. He transferred me to Greg. I explained to Greg everything I’ve been going through. The whole entire story up until Keisha ordering me a replacement device. He said he didn’t see any replacement device on order. He then went on to say the phone is out of warranty. I had no fight left in me. I asked Greg to put me through to Cancellations. He pleaded with me about the phone and it’s warranty and I kindly explained AGAIN that it was already replaced by Apple. He then put me on hold. He finally comes back and Suggests I go back to Apple……they will simply give me another replacement. I said “No thanks” I’d simply rather cancel my account rather take a full day to going to Apple, keeping this vicious cycle going. He then finally says he will put me through to cancellations.
A lady Barbara gets on the phone and explains that they don’t want to lose me. Explains that I am a valued customer. I explained that for all I was put through on a brand new device I purchased from Verizon, there was no staying. I was completely stressed out. I explained everything from the beginning which I swore I’d never explain again. Barbara put me on hold only to come back and insult me like I’ve never been insulted before. She comes back and said “How about this….how about I make an exception and allow you to upgrade early? I said EXCUSE ME? She said , you get a new device and pay the promotional price….I can even have you pay it with installments. I then asked Barbara what her position was…..she said “Tech Supervisor”. I said I asked Greg for Account Cancellation and he gave me you? She said I’m higher then Greg.
At that point I screamed….”YOU HAVE SOME NERVE INSULTING ME….I PAY $300 a MONTH AND THAT IS WHAT YOU THINK OF ME”. I WANT TO CANCEL MY ACCOUNT!!!!!!!
Barbara then yells back I WILL SEND YOU A REPLACEMENT NOW.
Now I ask you……Should I have had to go through all of this for the RIGHT THING to be Done?
Years ago, Verizon’s service was above the rest but I have to tell you, over the last couple of years it’s been no different. Dropped calls more than ever and still charging top dollar. Even though I just received my son’s replacement phone I am still looking into other carriers. It’s amazing what Verizon Wireless put me through.
Thank you for your time!

Answer 1

PORT YOUR NUMBER OUT...T MOBILE WILL PAY YOUR ETF IF YOU GIVE THEM YOUR VERIZON PHONES.