TOPIC:

Just a heads up.

I have the "New" Verizon plan with 30 GB of data, 2 phones, and a MiFi device. I receive a 15% Veterans Discount on the cost of the data plan. I had registered for this discount by mailing them a copy of my DD 214 about a year and a half ago.

Yesterday I was logged on to my Verizon account on the MyVerizon page. It shows a sort of pie chart thing which shows my remaining data and number of days remaining in this billing cycle. Out beside the pie chart is a blue link that says Plan Details.

I clicked on Plan Details and a page came up that showed my plan, charges for data and devices, etc. Below that it showed each device Scrolling near the bottom of the page was a line that showed "Discounts". My line showed 15% Military and Veterans discount and had an EPIRATION Date of 11/28/2016 with an Alert message that said Action Required and a click link to RENEW. The renew button page wanted me to register AGAIN and mail my DD 214 in again.

I searched the web and found a link for Tami Erwin, Executive Vice President - Wireless Operations. Her page had a "Contact" link beside her picture. I wrote her a message impressing on her that being a Veteran DOES NOT EXPIRE. The "renew" page was obviously set up for Verizon Partner and Employee Discounts to verify they still worked for a company that was authorized a discount.

In a few hours I got a call from a Verizon Tech Support person. She informed me that Veterans discounts did not expire and wanted to know where I got that information. I told her I was looking at it on my MyVerizon, Plan Details page. She pulled it up and seemed shocked to see the Action Required and Renew messages. She told me she would have to do some research and call me back.

She called me back today while I was driving back from the VA. To be brief she said she had taken care of it and that my discount would not expire.

When I got home I pulled up the Plan Details page and low and behold the Action Required was gone.....BUT the Expiration Date now says 03/09/2018. I wrote Tami again and got another call in a few hours. The lady said "don't worry about it". She said that when the discount program came about, the veterans were lumped into the same system as the civilian accounts, which DO have to be renewed every year to 18 months, and they did not have a way YET to separate the Veterans out.

The reason I am writing this is to let you know that if you are receiving a Verizon Veterans discount you might want to check your MyVerizon, Plan Details page. We all know that if the COMPUTER says your discount is expiring it WILL expire if you don't take some action. I would not have known mine was about to expire if I had not looked at the Plan Details page. If you discover yours has an expiration date.....drop Tami Erwin a note by clicking on the Contact link beside her picture at www.verizon.com/about/our-company/executive-bios/tami-erwin

I don't trust Tech Support's "don't worry about it". I would prefer do see Expiration Date - NEVER.

Good Tip !! Thanks for the link to Erwin. However when I tried to use the link a message came up stating that the page was no longer avail :>)

Thanks for the heads-up, Mel. I have the identical “New” Verizon plan as you – two lines. MiFi Jetpack, and 30GB data. I wondered if my discount still applied (originally established some years ago). Guess what, apparently MY veteran status has expired – go figure. I am responding to the link you provided to find out why.
Again, thanks for the notification!
John

Irontail wrote:

Good Tip !! Thanks for the link to Erwin. However when I tried to use the link a message came up stating that the page was no longer avail :>)

Irontail - I just tried the link, and it goes right to her contact page.

I checked mine and even though the plan detail shows my Veteran & Military as expired a number of years ago, my monthly bill for August does show the 15% discount. Seems they have a little housecleaning to do.

Thanks for the heads up, wb4zit!

cdrcos wrote:

shows my Veteran & Military as expired a number of years ago, my monthly bill for August does show the 15% discount.

Okay....that makes me feel better. Does look like they could clean that up with about 3 lines of database search and replace programming. I mean......they do present themselves as a mega-technology company able to leap tall buildings with a single bound.

Altho we're had Verizon for years and generally have good connections all over the USA, but the customer service has always been lacking (like every other tech company). Even today, we went in to explain a 'confusion in billing', and had to walk the CS guy thru it myself before he 'got it'... even tho he had everything right there on the screen, and the history. Took a half hour to do a five minute correction.

It's always been that way with either Verizon phone CS or walk-in CS, even at the corporate stores, which is one that's near us. Almost never the same people in there, always new faces.

My plan also shows that I currently have the discount with an expiration date in July 2017. If it goes away next year, I'll know it as soon as I get the August 2017 bill. I always investigate any monetary changes in any bill as they occur and validate them one way or the other. I do appreciate the heads up on this one.