Latest news with #loyaltydiscounts
Phone Arena
21 hours ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
Verizon's decades-long bond with customers is cracking, and you might not be surprised why
Verizon still wears the crown as the largest phone carrier in the US, boasting 115.2 million wireless retail connections as of July 2025. But August's numbers might tell a different story – especially after the company's recent (and very unpopular) move to scrap loyalty discounts. That decision has already pushed plenty of longtime customers to jump ship and find a new wireless it is not just the loyalty discounts that have people packing their bags. Many frustrated Verizon customers are heading for T-Mobile, AT&T, or smaller MVNOs like Mint Mobile, US Mobile, and Google Fi because of unhelpful customer support, too. Forums are buzzing with posts from users saying they've finally had enough. –nanohead, Reddit user, August 2025 This particular customer had been with Verizon for 26 years – sticking around because things used to get fixed, support was solid, and service was reliable. But now? In their words, it's a "train wreck." The final straw? Verizon 's TravelPass feature failing completely, with no fix in sight. I get charged, but the phone does nothing, so I have to buy a 3rd party SIM just so I can do basic stuff. I've spent probably 40 hours on chat, phone, with "escalated' tech support, and still nothing. Not fixable, lots of boneheaded excuses, and of course, they just try to upsell me on stuff I don't need. I don't want streaming, I want my damn phone to work. Same with other phones in the family, data drops, no international service, etc. The latest stunt is they added a $500 charge for changing phones (1 of my kids' phones died, so she replaced it, and activated a new phone). – nanohead, Reddit user, August 2025 It seems Verizon 's customer service couldn't do much to solve this longtime customer's problems, so they've decided to take their business elsewhere. And, as is often the case with phone carriers, once one person shares their story, plenty of others jump in with similar experiences. – CaptainK718, Reddit user, August 2025 It's wild to think about people walking away after decades of loyalty. – realitytvmom, Reddit user, August 2025 However, despite the many issues Verizon is facing right now, it still earns solid praise for offering the most widespread coverage in the US, at least when it comes to 4G. | Image credit – FCC And of course, Verizon isn't the only carrier dealing with unhappy customers – all of the big players have their own customer service headaches. T-Mobile , for instance, has become known for stories where users feel let down by reps who either don't help much or push too hard to sell extra stuff. AT&T hasn't been free from mistakes either, with plenty of missteps in its customer service history, too.
Phone Arena
4 days ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
Verizon is scrambling to win back trust of customers
Verizon customers haven't quite forgiven the company for attempting to take away loyalty discounts, even though it seems to be reinstating them. Apparently, the return of loyalty discounts isn't enough for customers who have made up their minds to switch to another carrier, which is why the company seems to be planning a better discount campaign. Verizon is rumored to announce new loyalty discounts in late August. These discounts will be percentage-based and not fixed like the current ones. The rate will be about 10 to 25 percent and will be applied to the whole account. Verizon is seemingly reworking how discounts are calculated and handed out. This will be a replacement for the discounts that are set to end on September 1. The new discounts will reportedly only be for select postpaid customers. This was reportedly the plan from the get-go, but Verizon 's failure to communicate that properly is allegedly costing it customers. While Verizon hasn't officially said anything about a new version of the famed discount, this rumor has been coming up frequently, so we are inclined to believe there might be some truth to it. The company is presumably phasing out older promotions as part of a broader strategy to improve plans and service. The company's intention was never to take away discounts, but only to update the way they are determined and implemented. Verizon customers may have reacted adversely to the notification about the removal of the discount due to other controversial changes announced by the company recently, including the discontinuation of perks, a hike in activation fee, a rate increase in tablet plans, and an upward revision of other charges. It's also possible that the removal of discounts was very much part of Verizon 's strategy, but the company was forced to backtrack after an alleged customer exodus. After all, Verizon has been losing customers, and it probably can't afford to have another quarter of high churn. Regardless, the company needs to stop sending mixed signals and clear the air before things get out of hand.
Phone Arena
5 days ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
Verizon reinstates loyalty discount after online uprising, but customers say it's too little, too late
With many customers leaving or threatening to leave, Verizon appears to be rethinking its decision to revoke loyalty discounts. Earlier this month, the company started notifying customers that it was rescinding loyalty discounts. The irony was that these loyalty discounts were the only reasons some customers were still with Verizon . These rate cuts were offered to customers who were considering leaving and magically appeared anytime a customer hinted they were switching to another carrier. That's why many customers were taken aback when Verizon announced that it would be ending the discount on September 1. Apparently, they were being discontinued for all customers. The company allegedly told a customer that the discontinuation of some older promotions was part of its strategy to improve plans and services. Verizon was previously going to withdraw the loyalty discount for all customers. For many, this was the last straw. And even though Verizon previously hinted that it didn't care if price-sensitive customers left, its recent actions say otherwise. The company is again offering discounts as high as $20 per month to customers for every line on their account. To trigger the offer, you'll have to use the same trick as before: go to the My Verizon app, navigate to Edit Profile and Settings, and then tap Number Transfer Pin. This is a code that's generated for customers planning on migrating to another carrier and prompts Verizon into action. Verizon appears to be offering loyalty discounts again. Of course, this route isn't guaranteed to hook you with a discount, but it seems to be working for most customers. It looks like customers reacted more strongly to the cancellation of the discount than Verizon had anticipated, which is why it has decided to bring it back. The other running theory is that Verizon never intended to remove the discount for customers who have been with it for a very long time. Yet another theory is that the company is just changing how the discounts are issued and applied. —Inner_Difficulty_381, Reddit user, August 2025 —J-b0n3, Reddit user, August 2025 Either way, Verizon did spook customers by implying it was taking away the discount, and any damage control it may do might not be enough to get disgruntled customers to stay. Some customers have decided to part ways even after being offered the discount, as they can no longer bring themselves to trust the company. Others complain that price increases have offset any discounts that are Verizon may have its reasons for revoking the discount, this was a botched execution. The timing was also off, considering it was only in June that the company ran a campaign about not letting customers down.
Phone Arena
5 days ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
It's no joke, Verizon customers are really leaving after losing their discounts
Very recently, Verizon sent out emails informing some of its customers that their loyalty discounts were going to be canceled. People often joked about how they were only with the carrier for these discounts, but those weren't just jokes: people are really leaving now. Customers who have been with the company for decades are now saying their goodbyes and looking for greener pastures. Posts on online threads — and accompanying replies — make it very clear what's happening: users are not happy about losing their loyalty discounts. Previously, Verizon had a pretty solid customer retention strategy. Any time someone would inquire about leaving the carrier, customer support was instructed to provide them with a discount that they couldn't refuse. This isn't happening anymore: Verizon's trash is T-Mobile's treasure. Now, when customers call and say that they're thinking of leaving, they are reportedly being told that there is nothing that the company can do. There are no more discounts, and no more pleas to stay. Verizon is losing subscribers each month, and it's perfectly fine with that. People have reported some Verizon stores being completely empty. | Image credit — Verizon To an extent, I suppose I understand. Customers who call and threaten to leave just for a chance at a discount can't all be given one. But, then again, the carrier hasn't been a saint either. From customer service woes, to price hikes, people have had many unkind things to say about Verizon over the years. But they aren't just making empty threats anymore, and it's going to be quite interesting to see how much of an impact this makes on Verizon 's subscriber count. Of course, T-Mobile and AT&T aren't completely in the clear either. T-Mobile , in particular, has been the subject of many, many controversies these past few months. However, it has only been Verizon that has been losing customers. The discount strategy worked brilliantly, and I can't wrap my head around why the carrier would do away with it. Who knows, Verizon may roll it back if it goes horribly wrong, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Phone Arena
05-08-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
Verizon might regret what it did to its most loyal base
Verizon just made a pretty unpopular move and customers are not holding back. The company recently removed its loyalty discounts – something that long-time users really valued – and now the backlash is coming in strong. – Independent-Syrup256, Reddit, August 2025 And it is not just a few frustrated users. Others who've been with Verizon since the Bell Atlantic days are saying they are done, too. For context, Bell Atlantic was one of the original Baby Bells formed after the breakup of AT&T in 1983 and it later merged with GTE to form Verizon in 2000. So, yeah, we are talking decades of loyalty here. – Gregorygregory888888, Reddit, August 2025 Plenty of long-time Verizon customers are clearly reaching a breaking point – and they are not holding back. –bd485, Reddit, August 2025 Another user chimed in with a similar story, only this one involves their whole family plan. – aspenextreme03, Reddit, August 2025 – RoundChampionship840, reddit, August 2025 And for others, the decision has already been made. – Refrigerator-Tasty, Reddit, August 2025 So yeah, it is clear: people are leaving. And the sentiment is pretty consistent – years of loyalty are being met with price hikes, disappearing perks, poor customer service and AI-driven support systems that just don't cut it. Still, despite everything, Verizon does have one major edge: coverage. If you live outside of a major city or don't really care about cutting-edge 5G speeds, Verizon 's 4G network still offers the most reliable coverage in many areas. That is something a lot of users aren't willing to give up, no matter how annoyed they are with price changes and customer service. So, if you are trying to figure out which carrier is right for you, it really comes down to what you value more – wider coverage or better pricing and perks. And if you are still on the fence, we've got guides to help you compare the best phone carriers based on where you live and how you use your phone.
