Pros: good call quality, EVDO
Cons: Data plan very expensive, some calls go right to voicemail, crippled phones
Summary: I've been with Verizon first in Connecticut, then Oregon, then Wyoming. As the years have gone by, I've slowly become disillusioned with Verizon. There's been no one problem, but more of a lack of flexibility in their plans and my growing sense of decreasing value.
Call quality has always been consistent. Dropped calls are rare, but 1 out of 5 incoming calls goes right to voicemail. Some calls ring once before going to voicemail. When traveling, some text messages can take up to 24 hours to arrive. Rural service has been improving, but still could be better. Inside office buildings reception runs from fine to poor.
Their Customer Support is no better or worse than others, and I've not had to wait long for a human being once getting through the touchtone maze. Billing mistakes have been rare, but I've had to keep calling until I got a rep who would correct the mistake.
Retail outlets can be hit or miss. Some reps are knowledgable and helpful, others are disinterested, bordering on rude, if you're not signing up for new service.
My biggest beef is the cost of the data plans for smartphones. This is one area I really feel ripped off. Sixty dollars for unlimited, forty for a very limited plan, measured in kilobytes. If you go over the limit on the measured plan, it gets expensive very, very quickly. Some months I use very little data, others a tremendous amount, so it's hard to judge what my needs for data are. EVDO broadband access is plenty fast, but not surprisingly is unavailable outside cities. I'd like to see a cheaper data that uses their slower national access which is available everywhere.
I dislike Verizon's habit of crippling smartphone features, especially using the phone as a laptop modem, ie, bluetooth dial-up networking. Paying $60 a month for unlimited data and no DUN really irritates. To my knowledge, Verizon does not carry any WiFi-enabled phones, which disappoints.
Their voice plans don't offer anything unique or compelling: no rollover minutes, no My Circle, etc. The plans are standard issue, and again a little pricey.
Verizon reminds me of the old Ma Bell (well, it was a Baby Bell): rather arrogant, impersonal, and offering dull products at its convenience. Because it's so large and has so many corporate clients, Verizon just doesn't have to worry about the consumer business beyond marketing.
Other providers in my area are now offering plans and products comparable To Verizon's but with more flexibility and lower costs. I'm ready to jump ship and take my chances elsewhere.
