Verizon, this is why I am leaving.

Question

Verizon,
     I am writing because I can't seem to get an idea across to any customer service agent I speak with, but before we go down that road, let me tell you why I have to go to another carrier.  I bought my first phone with Verizon nearly 2 years ago, it was the first Razr smartphone.  I got it after being talked out of the HTC Rezound by a CSR.  That RAZR ran out of batteries within a few hours, daily.  So, one of your call centers took pity on me and upgraded me to the HD and extended my contract.  I thought, wow, what a great business.  I have a problem, and they take care of it.  I was happy.  I went through a few RAZR's, none of them really working for me.  So, I decided I would buy a HTC DNA online (EBAY) and sell my RAZR to pay for that.  I got my HTC in, activated it, and then went to the store and asked the CSR in the store if everything had transferred over, insurance, warranty, etc... She said that it sure had and to be sure to get an otterbox for the screen on my DNA.  So, with that information I sold my RAZR thinking that I was covered.  Granted, I should have read more closely the contract, but have you seen your contract?  I just assumed your employee knew what they were talking about. 
     Fast forward a year and few phones later.  I am in the Verizon store on the iPhone 5s launch day (that was totally my mistake, wow, what a line!).  My Nokia 928 had bricked itself and my wife wanted the new 5s, so I thought I would go in and handle 2 birds with one stone.  After waiting 2 hours (again, my bad, I should have accounted for the launch day, but 2 hours in your store doesn't help with patience) I finally spoke with a very polite and knowledgeable CSR.  He was able to deliver the bad news in a surprisingly professional manner.  The bad news being that my insurance did not apply to my Nokia, or my HTC.  That Verizon couldn't do anything for me, my Nokia was bricked and that was my problem not Verizon's.  Also, that my phone upgrade had extended an extra 4 months.  OUCH!  I explained to him what his peers had told me a year before about insurance and warranty information transferring over, he politely said he was sorry, but that they were misinformed and that there was nothing he could do.  Fair enough.  I saw the logic, but I was still upset because I made decisions based on Verizon's word a year before.  So, I asked him about the 4 month phone upgrade extension, that hadn't I signed a contract?  He told me no, that it wasn't in the contract.  But Verizon gave me  a date, and then they changed it with out me knowing.  Didn't we have a verbal contract with me?  You know, like doing what you said you were going to do?  Nope.  They don't.  So then I started thinking, why has Verizon been charging me insurance for so long if it wasn't applicable?  I asked him if I could get a refund, he told me that I had to call customer support to get the refund and that yes, I should get it.  So, I figured I would just get my wife's iPhone and go home and call customer support.  Here starts problem #2. 
     We live in New Mexico.  It is a big state full of nothing and a lot of middle of nowhere's.  He got the phone and started messing with it knowing it was my wife's.  I wasn't paying attention, I was still reeling about waiting 2 hours for nothing, but keeping calm because it wasn't this poor guy's fault.  So, after a few minutes I asked him, are you activating this line?  He indicated that yes he had and that NO phone left the store unactivated.  Wow, I wish had known that I said, because my wife is in the middle of nowhere and that the only reason we pay out or nose to Verizon is so that she is covered on her trips to the godforsaken reaches of New Mexico.  He said, sorry, it was done and there nothing he could do to undo it.  That not to worry, my wife will just get redirected to customer support.  Thanks Verizon.  Thank god it wasn't a surprise. 
      So I called the cancellation center, not because I wanted to cancel, but because I couldn't handle doing another 1hr wait with Verizon.  The associate I spoke with was very understanding of the concern I had for my wife.  She switched the phones back and sent her a text telling her how to activate her 4S.  I was very appreciative.  I then asked her about the refund of the insurance money.  She told me that I was paying for the privilege of being able to activate that insurance on my RAZR at any time.  I told her that hadn't had my RAZR for a year, since Verizon had told me that everything had transferred.  So I was paying for something that I could have never used.  The reason I made that decision was based on what Verizon had told me.  She said she could refund 2 months worth of money, but not any more.  I said, we are not talking about a lot of money here.  Money that Verizon should have never taken.  She again apologized and said she couldn't do anything, even though she acknowledged the insurance was useless to me.  I said this is crazy, I pay you guys for 4 lines a month.  You guys took money that wasn't yours and you are balking over 40 bucks?  I said on general principle that makes me want to cancel my service with you guys.  Silence.  So 40 bucks, that isn't yours in the first place, is more important to Verizon than my 4 lines?  Silence.  I explained that I can't cancel my account now, but I am really thinking it is best that we part ways.  She explained that she understood and that my accounted was noted.  Wow.  Maybe I am off base here, but she didn't try to save me.  She could have waved my wife's 30 upgrade fee (what a ripoff that is) which would have been the same thing.  Nothing. Just good bye.
     So this morning, I called to activate my wife's new phone.  Great experience.  I told the CSR that she was great, but I had some issues the day before with the Verizon process and could she transfer me to someone who I could explain the problem too.  After a lengthy back and forth, she explained to me that the only process was one where I could only complain about employees.  I told her that employees were not the problem.  The system was the problem.  She told me there was no system for that and that there was a feedback option on Verizonwireless.com, which I couldn't find, so here I am writing this diatribe, because I had to vent I couldn't find anywhere else to do it. 
     Lastly, here is why I am leaving.  Verizon, you are greedy.  I watched countless people sign up for EDGE.  What a rip off.  They are already paying for a subsidized phone and you charge them 30 bucks more for a subsidizing the phone?  Crazy.  On top of that, I saw people selling iPhones 4S's back to you for 100 dollars.  They are going for up to $350 on craigslist and ebay.  I know you need to make a profit, but wow.  You are taking advantage's of people's ignorance.  Shamelessly.  Your network is the best. It is why I joined in the first place.  But at this point in my life I think I can handle a few dropped calls than get caught up in this non-sense.  Verizon, if you read this far, thanks. 

Answer 1

Wow what a long post.
Your phone insurance was paid for a year but you never inquired after the verizon person told you it transferred over. You should have contacted the carrier Asurion and not verizon wireless.
The phone activation is totally understandable, however I have purchased my devices at full price and there is no $30 upgrade fees. I also put it in the bag and swap the meid/esn from My Verizon. So they must have changed something over the last two years regarding activations. Time waits for no man seems to hold true here.
You can always purchase another device from http://www.swappa.com or a few honest sites. Don't  do any eBay oir Craigslist since you may get scammed.
In fouyr months your contract is up, you can get a new device at subsidy yet again, but research the devices prior to purchase.
Good Luck