Charged for an entire month for 2 days' service

[headlocker]

Around July 1 I terminated my service with Verizon and moved it to PTel.  I have tried to go on Verizon's website to check my account and make sure that I no longer had service and when I logged on it said there was no account/number associated with it.  In the past when I've changed providers I would have been done at this point but I was just billed for $150 for this month's service.

When I called Verizon the customer service representative said that even though I cancelled service two days into the billing cycle, I would be billed for the entire month.  I argued respectfully with her for an extended period after which she said she would refund the money but that I would still owe it.  I am not quite sure what any of that means other than I'll get the money back in my account but will still be liable to pay the $150. 

Has anyone else run into this with Verizon and is it possible to hope that I could pay a prorated bill like every other utility in the world? In any case, it further reinforces what a ripoff Verizon is and how I made a good choice to terminate their service.

[lbmustache]

AT&T did the same thing to me when I cancelled a phone line. I cancelled in the middle of the billing cycle, got charged the full month, AND then got charged a prorated amount the next month. The most AT&T would do was give me a small credit towards a future bill... better than nothing but completely obnoxious.

[patrat]

for what its worth, Tmobile prorated when I left them. Walmart family mobile prorated my rate for the month I joined. This was automatic on both ends.

[dandarc]

AT&T did the same thing to me when I cancelled a phone line. I cancelled in the middle of the billing cycle, got charged the full month, AND then got charged a prorated amount the next month. The most AT&T would do was give me a small credit towards a future bill... better than nothing but completely obnoxious.

Main-line plans are usually post-paid, right?  So your bill that you pay in August is for your usage in July.

[Daley]

Has anyone else run into this with Verizon and is it possible to hope that I could pay a prorated bill like every other utility in the world? In any case, it further reinforces what a ripoff Verizon is and how I made a good choice to terminate their service.

This is yet another pitfall with postpaid accounting with mobile service providers. Verizon bills for the entire month and doesn't prorate the base calling plan, only the add-ons. The key when leaving Verizon (especially if you're waiting out a contract) is to time your number porting and departure between your contract end date and the last day of the billing cycle for that month to minimize financial damage. There's not much to be done as this is a contractual thing you agreed to. Feel free to file complaints with regulators in your state, the FTC, etc., but don't expect your money back.

Unfortunately, this information at this point doesn't do much for you, but it does serve as a useful but cautionary bit of info for anyone else desiring to leave Verizon, AT&T or Sprint for cheaper pastures.

[Jack]

When I cancel service, I specify to them that I want to cancel "effective on X date" where X is the last day of the billing cycle (unless they pro-rate).

If I were in your situation and Verizon refused to refund the money, then I'd say "fine, then I want to be able to use the service until the end of the billing cycle!"