gotta love verizon customer service

[inferno1]

So Ive made it a habit that whenever I have an important question for verizon that I call them atleast 3 times, why... because I always get conflicting info!!!!!!

Maybe someone here can help me get the right info...

I am going to Aruba next week and want to be able to use my phone, not all the time, but to be able to check on the kids while Im gone.

Ive called Verizon 5 times and gotten these three main answers:

-If i pay a prorated price for some international add on plan, then i can use my phone as normal and it will use my normal minutes and data

- I can pay a prorated price for a data plan, i will get about 200MB of data, but calls will cost 1.99 per minute

- there is no international/data plan that i can add, calls are 1.99 per minute and data is 2 cents per KB

Can anyone please help?
Thanx
Danny

 

[jwalker87]

Might help if the thread title had something to do with your question...

Also, I've found that the people in the stores can answer questions much better than the people on the phone. Or maybe it's just because they can call a manager over, who actually knows something.

 

[inferno1]

good points, I was going to try and go to a store tonight in person.

 

[euph_22]

Calling From Aruba
Info on int'l roaming fees for vzw customers - Official Aruba Community Forum

I haven't seen anything about data rate.

 

[lilsaphyre]

Clark Howard has taught me a lot and maybe his site can help you but at first glance, I'm going to tell you now that using your hotel's wifi is your best bet and using a service like Skype will be invaluable for you and your wallet.

He has more information on the things you can do but the wifi thing is your best bet.

 

[inferno1]

hotels wifi is $20 a day.... thats crazy....
I have not been able to find much free wifi nearby either....

Im also looking into borrowing a friends GSM phone and buying a prepaid Sim for it, I assume that would be the cheapest way to go.

 

[seVer]

or you can do your own research instead of calling in 3 times- wasting your time, and making others wait who actually have a problem ...

www.verizonwireless.com/international

enjoy.

 

[lilsaphyre]

Wow... just wow. And you know what dude above? That's what CS is there for. To answer questions and help you especially since your account is with them. That's why they're called Customer service. If he wants to call 3 times, let him. I think we all pay enough to VZW to afford some extra reassurance or peace of mind. Some of us don't get company discounts.


ANYWAY, I did a little looking into it and came up with basically unless your phone is unlocked that using your phone isn't going to do. I guess GSM phones are easiest to do this with and then you'd use a service like telestial.com

Also there's a site called Pingo that from what I understand, you call a local number they have then tell it to call a US # and from Aruba I gather it costs about $0.02 a minute. I don't think you'll be able to call it from your cell phone though because once it touches a tower you're going to be charged out the wang hole if you know what I mean.

 

[Flash408]

2 cents or .002 cents?

YouTube - Verizon Math Fail failblog

This is a classic!

 

[rapidsandroid]

I am going to Aruba next week and want to be able to use my phone, not all the time, but to be able to check on the kids while Im gone.
Can anyone please help?
Thanx
Danny

I have always had excellent service when I contacted Verizon. In fact, the last two times I emailed Verizon Customer Service through My Verizon, someone had called me within a couple of hours...not just respond to my email.
As far as Aruba, have you considered just purchasing a throw-away pay for minutes phone while there? I do that all the time when I travel out of country and is much cheaper and convenient than trying to get my US phone to work abroad. Enjoy your trip

 

[Omega3]

2 cents or .002 cents?


This is a classic!

hahahaha that is hilarious "Wow, I'm teaching math here"

 

[yojoe600]

wow thats the funniest recording i have ever heard " Sir it is a matter of opinion"

"NO its Not its math"

 

[Rdjr74]

That video is gonna hijacking your thread! I've never heard that before, funny stuff right there!

 

[crazydog]

Why not just get a prepaid phone to use? I believe that would be the simplest option.

 

[dan h]

To the OP.... maybe using an international calling card might be easier and cheaper. I remember when I had the blackberry 8830, which is a "world" phone, and I traveled internationally, it was still a big headache dealing with Verizon and the cost of using that phone vs just using a calling card. Hope this helps.

 

[inferno1]

Why not just get a prepaid phone to use? I believe that would be the simplest option.

thanx, my simplest option would be to use my phone if the cost was minimal...

but if not then I would either buy a prepaid phone, or a prepaid SIM to put in my friends old phone....

 

[AnotherHiggins]

2 cents or .002 cents?

YouTube - Verizon Math Fail failblog

This is a classic!

Beat me to it.

I had actually already found the links before seeing that you had posted it.

Here is the blog that goes into more detail.

The important lesson is that you shouldn't take the CSR's word for it. And to always take note of who you spoke to when.

 

[inferno1]

Update:
voice is 1.99 per min
an unlimited data package can be added for 69.99 per month (prorated for how long you are there)
looking like i will be using skype over the data connection
Thanx
Danny

 

[seVer]

can't use skype outside of the U.S. on a VZW phone, nor can you use it on wifi (unless using from a computer, of course).

@ lisaphyre- there was never any mention of a cost impact, nor any mention of discounts. I said the OP is wasting *HIS* time by calling 3 times to get information, AND he's forcing other people to wait who may actually have a problem. That's why I posted the website link... to do his own research. It's arguably quicker, and you know you'll get the correct information the first time.

For the record, it took me 10 seconds to get this .... Calling From Aruba . and I know for a fact that it takes longer than 10 seconds just to get past the "thank you for calling verizon wireless" rep greeting *AFTER* you get thru the IVR.

bottomline information :: 1.99/min for calls. globalemail $64.99 if you have a voice plan. (it would be prorated for the time that it's active.) I couldn't immediately find anything in text messaging, but it's probably the standard $.50 to send, $.05 to receive.