Weird conundrum with Verizon Fios (discounted bill)?

May 17, 2024 11:46 AM

I chatted Verizon Fios up because I was having trouble applying my employee discount to my account. In an unexpected turn of events, the rep offered me a higher data plan (500mbps vs. 300mbps) at the same price monthly. I was excited and took the offer, but upon closer review, realized the rep applied the Verizon Forward discount, intended for low income customers on SNAP/SSA (which I am not). I'm not sure of the best next step here.

The Verizon Forward program also appears to require applications for it, but the rep immediately offered the discount on the upgraded plan and was able to apply it right away. A further search on the r/Verizon subreddit on Reddit revealed that for some, Verizon would claw back the discount if they found people did not apply for the Verizon Forward program. My monthly cost would be much higher with the upgraded plan (500 over 300) without the Forward discount.

I'm concerned and am not sure what to do. On one hand, I don't want to lose the discount/upgraded speed, but on the other hand, I want to be sure I'm doing everything right and protect myself/not see a surprise increased bill or owed price differentials.

I wanted to make it clear I did not ask for the discount — my original question was on how to get the employee discount to be applied, and without me asking, the rep offered an upgrade at the same monthly payment, which (upon later review) included the Verizon Forward discount. After that was done, I decided not to push for the employee discount because it would require unmerging my Verizon Wireless/FiOS accounts and would be too much hassle for presumably $5ish off, and I felt getting an essentially free upgrade was good enough.

I am surprised the rep was able to apply the Forward discount, especially if it requires applications. It makes me wonder if the rep had some kind of special authority or if the Forward discount also applies to something else.

Please advise on the best next steps. Verizon/Fios can be frustrating to deal with, as many of their reps are outsourced to other countries and English isn't their first language/give conflicting information.

posted by dubious_dude to Technology (6 answers total)

Verizon sent a bill after a contract expired that was way more than expected. When I called, the rep was able to bring the cost back down to something I felt was reasonable.
It makes me wonder if the rep had some kind of special authority
That's their job. They want your business. If you're unhappy, go elsewhere.
posted by HearHere at 12:02 PM on May 17

the rep is using/abusing the forward program to resolve calls quickly/minimize work on their end.

you can either call verizon back and deal with untangling everything and get the employee discount or you can plead ignorance if they ever call.

about twenty years ago i went through an online form to sign up for a discounted palm treo plan through sprint. turns out it was a realtor-only special of some sort and after a few years they started calling and leaving messages asking for details. i never replied and eventually moved to another plan after three or four years on this plan.
posted by noloveforned at 12:04 PM on May 17 [1 favorite]

I wonder if they gave you the discount based on your zip code? I get a lot of mail about offers for free/reduced price internet due to living in a lower income area, but I don't actually qualify for the offer. If I were you, I'd probably just accept the lower rate until they notice it. It's not like you're taking away cheap internet from someone else.
posted by jabes at 12:28 PM on May 17 [1 favorite]

For what it's worth, it's likely that the subjective usage experience of 500mbps vs 300mbps is effectively identical (unless you're a very heavy internet user, or have a ton of people in your household). This might argue for the relative peace of mind of giving up the discount and moving back to the 'slower' plan.
posted by kickingtheground at 12:46 PM on May 17 [2 favorites]

I would call them back and have them remove the discount. It's not worth dealing with them later if they come looking to claw back the discounts once they figure it out. Presumably there is auditing somewhere in their system that matches the discount to having documentation on file, even if well after the fact, so I would assume it would get caught eventually, rather than assuming nobody will ever notice.

> It's not like you're taking away cheap internet from someone else.

Is this just Verizon offering a discount to look not as bad, or is it actually a government-subsidized program? Because in the latter case, there would be a cap on the program, and so it actually would be taking benefits away from somebody else.
posted by tubedogg at 8:21 PM on May 17

Re: tubedogg’s question, the subsidized government program shut down, but some companies are continuing their own non-subsidized version to keep the customers they got while the program was running.
posted by brook horse at 9:56 AM on May 18