Early Termination Fee and Hurricane Sandy

[luke31]

Hello all. Currently, I'm on Verizon, and so are my parents. We all live in Rockaway Beach, NY, an area that was hit very hard by Sandy. I was living in Brooklyn during the actual storm, but neither one of us had any signal, so I couldn't reach my parents throughout the entire storm without constant interruptions. My girlfriend, with whom I am staying, has AT&T. Whereas she had full signal throughout the storm, I had none. I had to use her iPhone, and even then could not reach my parents as they had no signal. Even to this day, more than a week after the storm, they can barely keep me updated without constant interruptions and dropped calls. Let's just say the whole experience was rather harrowing. I'm planning on calling Verizon and demanding that they cancel my ETF so I can switch to a carrier that actually offers signal in the Rockaway and doesn't drop service in the moment of greatest need. If I cite these difficulties, and the fact that I'm paying more for Verizon than I would for any other carrier, do you think they'd be willing to cancel the ETF? Thanks!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[Mooncatt]

Glad you made it through the storm ok!

As for switching carriers, any of them could have just as easily been knocked out, and I'm sure they all suffered network disruptions in various areas. Unless you've driven all over and found AT&T to have better coverage, I wouldn't use this as a reason to switch. I also read a report that AT&T partnered with T Mobile to share towers for the time being, so it may not have even been an AT&T tower servicing you.

But, as they say, it wouldn't hurt to ask for an ETF waver if you do switch. I wouldn't know if they are making any exemptions to that or not in the affected area.

 

[luke31]

Glad you made it through the storm ok!

As for switching carriers, any of them could have just as easily been knocked out, and I'm sure they all suffered network disruptions in various areas. Unless you've driven all over and found AT&T to have better coverage, I wouldn't use this as a reason to switch. I also read a report that AT&T partnered with T Mobile to share towers for the time being, so it may not have even been an AT&T tower servicing you.

But, as they say, it wouldn't hurt to ask for an ETF waver if you do switch. I wouldn't know if they are making any exemptions to that or not in the affected area.

I might just be being irrational in the heat of the moment. Apparently Verizon had the best service through the storm, though not where I was. Maybe an ETF is a bit extreme, I think I'll go the discount route and ask for a reduction on my bill for that period.

 

[Jude526]

You ate with the best....being Verizon. And if you're polite when talking to them am sure they will do right by you. But be nice when you call. Too many people ate rude. The employees are just that...employees. they don't cause the network problems.

sent from either my HTC Rezound or my Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet

 

[anon(1458)]

Just be honest, friendly, and patient with the reps. It gets you a long way.

Glad you made it thru the storm ok