My Two Weeks With the Verizon iPhone

I have tried Cingular/AT&T, T-Mobile, and today marks exactly two weeks since I got the Verizon iPhone 4 and I could not be happier. It has been a great experience using the iPhone thus far. It is amazing just how technology has come so far. This was probably the biggest anticipation for Verizon in a while and their preemptive strikes on the high demand kept lines at the Verizon stores short. A week before the release date they had it available to Verizon customers, a day before they made it available to the general public on their Website, and on February 10 when I went after their 7AM store opening I was only number 17 in line.

The signal with the Verizon iPhone is always strong wherever I go especially in those places where before I could not even get any signal at all. I have not had any dropped calls as of yet, and although I got the 16GB version, all of my daily demands are able to fit all neatly inside this phone. In fact, I have only used 1GB so far. One does have to take into consideration there although the iPhone comes in a 16GB, as well as a 32GB version, the actual memory is less by about 2GB. It seems like a big chunk of memory to be taken up before you even open the box but the average user will usually only need about 8GB of space to save what they need.

Even though the iPhone 4 is advertised as having the longest battery life than any previous iPhones, when put under heavy use it will need to be charged pretty much every single day. There was a brief time when I did not use it too much and the battery lasted for about 3 days and that only got it to the mid-way mark. The 3G speed seems a little slow to me at times but in most cases this is such a non-existent short coming to me because having no dropped calls and more bars in more places makes up for it just fine. Plus, with many places today carrying Wi-Fi signal the iPhone 4 certainly surfs the web just as fast as a computer.

Many have said that the Verizon iPhone cannot talk and surf other data applications at the same time, and while this is true I do not think many of us even attempt to do this. It is a very rare instance in my opinion so this option not being present with Verizon does not bother me at all.

With the iPhone 5 looming just over the horizon, why did I decide to make the switch now? I have to admit, part of the reason of why I decided to buy the Verizon iPhone was not just because of the realization I was getting a better service provider but also because of the unlimited data plan service. Other service providers cap their data plans while Verizon still continues to offer unlimited data. This will not last and I decided to grandfather into the service right now before Verizon data caps begin to hit in the near future with the introduction of their 4G phones.

Although Verizon kept things running smoothly there were some problems I have had to deal with for these past two weeks. For all of you who want to switch out your phones for the Verizon iPhone, and for those who want to switch to Verizon, listen to this. Verizon is very sneaky. I specifically told the Verizon store Sales Associate (They do not want to be called store employee anymore) EXACTLY what plan and what service I wanted. He decided to add extra services for which I had to pay on top of my talk and data plans. Before signing I asked for him to read back the services he had added to my account and he conveniently left out the fact he had added insurance and the unnecessary 3G mobile hotspot for an additional $30 a month.

My mistake was that I was too trustworthy. A few days later when I got my first bill, it just seemed very high so I decided to check my receipts again. That is when I realized I had been duped. Not only did I realize I had gotten unwanted services but also that I had been given another customer’s receipt thrown in for good measure. I admit I was very upset and I could not wait to drive down to the Verizon store to give them a piece of my mind. However, when I got down to the store they were very friendly and helpful in removing the extra services, no questions asked, which leads me to believe they do this quite often. The downside is that I still have to pay the bill that was sent to me which includes those unwanted services. I had a chat over the phone with a Customer Service Rep and they assured me that I would get the credit back for the imposed services in my next bill, which would result in a smaller bill. I really hope that happens. Lesson here is, ALWAYS check the details of your plans and services before you agree to sign ANYTHING.

With the whole Verizon billing issue behind me…for now, I only had my old service provider, T-Mobile, to deal with. I marched down to the nearest T-mobile store, walked up to the next available associate and said, “I would like to terminate my services with T-mobile and I’ll be glad to pay any cancellation fees at this time.” I have absolutely nothing against T-mobile. They have been serving me for the past 4 years with probably one of the best customer service around. But just as with saying goodbye to a great job before heading out in search of better opportunities, it was a bittersweet goodbye that had to come. Of course, not before they asked me for reasons as to why I wanted to cancel which pretty much annoyed me. I brushed off their inquiry by simply saying there was no reason and that I just did not want the service anymore. They asked again and wanted to know if it was coverage issues that had me standing inside their store asking to cancel their service, and once again I lightly dismissed the cellular inquisition simply stating there was absolutely no reason and/or issues I just did not want the service anymore.

I attest that all I have written here today is 100% true and accurate. What had become bliss had turned to a consumer nightmare. I just hope the next two years with Verizon become blissful again. Oh how I love my iPhone.