Thinking of cancelling all 8 contracts because of the RAZR

Question

I have had my Driod Razr ever since it first came out. I was never really impressed with it to begin with because the battery life is AWFUL....even with the help of apps like JuiceDefender and Advanced Task Manager- it dies within a few hours of usage. The phone also heats up to the point where I have to put it down because it is burning my hand. I went to the Verizon store after having it for 10 days and begged them to switch it out for a different phone because it was within the 14 day return period. The sales rep told me to try it for a full month and that it was the hottest and most advanced phone on the market. He told me that if I still didn't like it after the month I could return to see him and he would let me return it and exchange it. I went after testing it for a month, but the rep was no longer working with Verizon. When I told the manager what the rep had told me, the manager told me the same thing- "this is the hottest and most advanced phone on the market. You won't get a better phone than this. You don't want to downgrade yourself." I didn't want to downgrade and this was my first Droid phone so I kept it believing that Verizon had my best interest in mind.
For the last few months, I had issues with my Driod RAZR that have been getting progressively worse. The hepatic feedback on the screen went crazy! If I touch the bottom of the screen, the top drop-down notification list opens up. I couldn't select any apps because as soon as tap on one for some reason another app opens.
I can't use the keyboard because, for example, if I tapped a "t" on the keyboard an "a" would show up.... none of the letters would respond and it would come up with completely wrong letters and words. Then it started going crazy and rapidly typing all sorts of letters by itself and rapidly opening all different programs. It also restarted itself several times throughout the day. It randomly calls people. My device is completely useless at this point.
I went to the Verizon store (an official one) and one of the reps there told me that the original RAZR has had so many problems that they don't even sell it at the store anymore. He did a hard-reset on my phone and it still didn't stop the problems. He suggested that I call Verizon customer service and tell them my concerns over the phone. He also told me to request that they send me a new and different model of the Driod RAZR called the Driod RAZR MAXXX HD. I did not have much time for him to go over all of the specs of the MAXX HD but he told me that it has one of the best battery life's out there and that all of the bugs were worked out of this model.
I called customer service and explained the phone deal. They told me they couldn't send me anything other than a re-certified original Droid RAZR. I felt let down and quite upset as this rep from the store promised me they would send me the new and better MAXX HD if I requested it. I just want a reliable phone.
I received the re-certified Droid RAZR and have had it for 2 days now. It has the SAME exact issue as my original RAZR. The erratic hepatic feedback is driving me insane PLUS the phone won't charge past 40% making die within 3 hours of NO usage. I have more problems with the re-certified phone they sent me than the original pain in the butt phone I had. This phone also heats up to a higher temp than my original. The temp gauge on the phone read 120 degrees where on my original it has reached a high of 114 degrees.
I am not quite sure what to do. We have 8 contracts within the immediate family and we all are thinking of cancelling. Customer services lack & willingness to help or listen to my request has us all pretty much frustrated. My family members are not able to get a hold of me because my phone is dead in 2-3 hours (with no usage!) and there was an emergency in which I needed to use my phone and I was not able to. Not only was I not able to use my phone but I have no communication with my family during the emergency.
We have had Verizon since it even became "Verizon" and we have been loyal customers who have never missed a payment. It would be a shame to lose 8 customers over 1 phone.
Any suggestions from other customers that have had the original Droid RAZR? Outcomes from customer service related issues?

Answer 1

Really to bad about your phone being bad and it sounds as though it was bad from when you got it or very shortly there after you bought it.  So you have 8 lines with VZW all under contract which sounds expensive to get out of because of the Termination fees if they are less than about 1.5 years old.  It sounds as though you may have purchased this phone through a Preferred Authorized Retailer not a corporate store. Since you stated after you went back the second time the Rep no longer worked there and you talked with the manager of the store and then you left and went to the Verizon store (an official one) this would be a corporate store.  When you purchase from these Authorized retailers being Authorized or not VZW will usually tell you to take your issues up with where you bought the phone.  I learned this the hard way when I purchased a phone through one of these stores where I lived.  I then got a job in a distant city and had issues with the phone and went to a VZW corporate store and was told when they looked at my record that I would have to take it back to where I purchased the phone.  That being 2.5 hours from where I was working and I only went home on week ends.  When I got back there on Saturday they told me they would have to send it to manufacturer and would be 2 to 3 weeks before I would have my phone back.  I gave them the phone to get it fixed but I looked online and found my nearest corporate store 55 miles away and went there and purchased at full price a new phone just so I could go to any VZW corporate store or call tech support and get help and since then my experience with the refurbished  phones has not been bad.  I have only received one refurbished phone which did not work as advertised when I got it.  I called and they sent out another phone which worked.  The fact is I think that second phone I got was new(can't really say). 
Have you considered just buying a used phone from someone or looking online just to finish out your contract?  If you cancel all your VZW 8 lines and move to another carrier with all 8 lines will be very expensive.  I would just move them to other carrier as the contract expires and I would make sure each one was in a different month at least to cut the cost down each month.  I only have 4 lines and I know what that cost but I can't really do upgrade on my phone as I want to keep my unlimited data.  I would consider buying a phone through www.swappa.com or www.ebay.com and then letting all these contracts expire and then move them to another carrier if that is what you really want to do.  Good Luck with what ever you decide.  Some of these issues are very painful at times.