Campbell/Verizon Wireless settlement a joke
Recently, my wife got a notice that she was part of a class action lawsuit against Verizon Wireless having something to do with prepaying on a build and canceling service/being terminated and not receiving a credit prior to some day in 2003. I don’t know, not sure, but it wasn’t anything critical to us.
Anyway, as is often the case, you usually get a little something as a result of the settlement. I was in one against Blockbuster some time ago and got like a free video rental, I was in another against a jeweler and got a gift certificate (a pretty decent amount too). Now, my wife is in this one against Verizon and they’ve settle.
The joke about it? The settlement is absolutely useless, and likely benefits Verizon more than the consumer (and the lawyers of the people who filed).
With the settlement, you get two vouchers, each of which give you a few options. Take a look at the options.
- $15 service credit for extending your contract 1 year
- $30 service credit for extending your contract 2 years
- $3 credit every 3 months after the 7th month until the 28th month, or until you enter a new contract (follow that?)
- 25% discount on a phone accessory up to a $15 discount
- 250 free domestic text messages (oooo)
- 120 minute long distance calling card (already have free long distance with my plan…)
- Free hands free ear-bud up to $15 in value
- A credit of $15 towards a hands-free accessory other than the ear-bud
Whoopdie @#$%’n do! All of them are complete BS and more beneficial to Verizon. A $15 credit for extending your service 1 yr, or $30 for 2 years? I typically get like a $100 discount on a new phone when extending my contract, or a free month of service ($60-100, sometimes more) when signing a new contract. $30? What a complete joke. And the $3 every 3rd month after the 7th month until the 28th month… what? Rather confusing there. And if you sign a new contract (ie, to get a discount on a new phone), you lose it! Or ohh boy, discounts on more pointless accessories I don’t need.
Give something people might actually use! Give them something that isn’t self serving (ie, requiring a contract extension)! Like a free phone upgrade without signing a new contract, or a discount towards a new phone purchase. How about a service credit that doesn’t come with a double edged sword.
