Posted on 04/22/2017 7:05:47 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
For the first time, the nation's largest wireless provider is losing customers faster than it can replace them.
It's a major milestone for Verizon, which on Thursday reported a net decline of 289,000 cellphone subscribers over the past four months.
Even though Verizon usually loses some cellular customers every quarter, it has historically lured enough back to be able to report growth in that part of its business. But recent months have seen hundreds of thousands of customers defect to competitors such as T-Mobile and Sprint, analysts say.
Things could have been even worse if Verizon hadn't suddenly reintroduced unlimited data plans in February, according to Verizon's earnings numbers. In the first six weeks of the year, Verizon lost nearly 400,000 wireless customers, according to its latest earnings report. But once the new plans became available, they helped blunt those losses by bringing in about 110,000 new subscribers, Verizon said.
Verizon's reluctance to bring back unlimited data and its sudden about-face this year reflect rising competition in the cellular industry that is forcing large incumbents to adapt. The telecom giant has long argued that consumers are willing to pay a premium for a quality wireless experience, in contrast to budget carriers such as Sprint.
But aggressive moves by smaller carriers to build out their networks are paying off, said Roger Entner, an industry analyst with Recon Analytics, meaning that such companies as T-Mobile are chipping away at Verizon's network advantage. In a recent federal auction of wireless airwaves, T-Mobile emerged as a major beneficiary, spending $8 billion to acquire rights to radio spectrum it will use to expand its mobile Internet capacity.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
“Glad to know that Walmart’s phone, Page Plus, uses the Verizon coverage.”
When my brother got phones from Walmart for him and his wife, they told him that the plan — SmartTalk, I think — uses Verizon towers. Well, that was true, but he couldn’t get reception when we could. Later he learned that the company doesn’t use ALL of the Verizon towers, so the coverage wasn’t as good. I don’t know if that has changed, but to me it sounded a bit Clinton-esque. I didn’t have sex with that woman... not a SINGLE time. (”not a single = multiple)
No, the thieves I’m talking about are not call center people, they’re the greasy sleazeballs that work at the Verizon stores and kiosks. Yes, some of them are young, but most are in their 30s at least. But age is no excuse. They have a job to do, and that involves knowing the products and services they sell. Either they are woefully ignorant or they are intentionally misleading their customers. Neither is acceptable.
And if lying to your customers is a requirement of the job, find another job or risk the wrath of people who don’t like being lied to.
For a person with such a Pollyannish outlook on life, I can’t believed being called Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm would be anything but a compliment.
You’re welcome.
And yes, I did laugh out loud. Or at least chuckle.
And 400,000 other peoples’ ...
It was more like 3 years ago I believe. Prior to that point I had been a decade long Verizon patron. Sprint lured me away, saved me money and gave me unlimited data. Still happy. I expect more Verizon defections simply because I recall my frequent and useless attempts at customer service with them. Sorry but I can no longer hear Verizon.
Battery swelled and broke my iPhone. Went in to get my updated Verizon phone this week. SHOCK... they don’t do that anymore! I had to buy a new phone for about $800. Then they wouldn’t “move the data” for me to my new phone. I had to do it myself. Now there’s some customer service for you. A year ago, I went in to see if they could lower my payments, I don’t use my phone that much. They said I was on the “old” plan that changed 2 years before and now I could save now about 30%! But why didn’t you notify me I could have been saving this for two years? The answer...”Don’t you read our ads?”
Because Verizon refused to support the Microsoft Lumia 960XL, I had to switch to ATT. I was paying about $57 a month for two gigs of data, now I’m paying $45 a month for six gigs of data. It’s called competition, and Verizon lost my business.
I had a tracfone. Worst service ever. Rarely even got 3g., much less 4g. Called them and they lied through their teeth how I was getting 4g, but the phone was just showing 3g,etc.
Terrible difficult customer service out of India, could hardly ever understand them. Terrible coverage. Dropped calls ,etc. Reminded me of my first bag phone.
I ditched Sprint in late 2013. I had completed my contract with them (I had been with them since 2002,mostly out of habit). Poor service and poor data speeds, and fairly expensive at about $90 a month.
I did my research and purchased my new phone outright, a Nexus 5. I settled upon the Straight Talk $45/mth & tax Plan with unlimited calls & texts and 5GB LTE data off the AT&T towers. Better service and at about half the price.
In June of 2015,I switched again to Cricket unlimited with 2.5 GB of LTE data (now 3 GB) also off the AT&T towers. $35 complete, including taxes.
No contract. No commitment. I buy my own phone when I want (I’ve gone from the Nexus 5 to the OnePlus One to the Moto X Pure Edition, always selling the old phone and using the money towards a new phone. I am mostly on WiFi so I seldom go above 2GB of data.
It works very well for me. I hate long, expensive contracts.
Yes it was a straight talk plan now that you mention it. I would not have remembered but that is it.
It is a Samsung SM-S765C.
Formerly known as C&P Telephone (if memory serves). Any further mention dates me too much.
Every once in a while, I get my 30 gig warning from T-Mobile. They never seem to enforce it
Because they are sure that New England will be a stronger growth market than is Texas and the rest of the Sunbelt.
I live in a dead zone and have 5 family phones. Called Verizon and they gave me a network extender. It plugs into your cable and acts as a booster. Only problem occurs when your electricity goes out or cable.
Thank you. I have a friend who needs a tracfone that uses Verizon. they’re the only provider that works around here.
If only all of us freepers got together and put pay phones back on every corner of America...
You didn’t chuckle either.
So Pollyanna is also a clairvoyant! Who knew?
If you go to the Tracfone site I think you can put the serial number of the phone in and it will tell you if it works with Tracfone. On a personal note, I put in a Tracfone SIM card into my iPhone 5s. I got phone service but no data service, yes, I had paid for data. I finally got a Metro PCS SIM card and everything is just fine. I am thinking of moving to Mint SIM because their pricing is quite good.
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