They Still Haven't Started

Scott Hardie | April 9, 2004
Any other disgruntled Verizon customers? For two years since I moved here, they have hounded me with telemarketing calls, trying to get me to sign up for new service packages even though I'm paying a rather unfair amount for the one I already have and like. My attitude during these calls has slowly declined, from friendly to polite to firm to cold to outright hostile, and I actually snapped at the guy today and swore at him. (I apologized and told him I used to be a telemarketer and it wasn't personal and all that, but it was too late to salvage any cordiality.) Driven by this irritation, I have been moved to issue a complaint to customer service, explaining to them in an Andy Rooney tone that if this is how they treat their paying customers, I will take my business to a cellular provider who behaves as though they appreciate it. I await a response telling me that Verizon will stop the telemarketing calls, or at the very least apologize for them, but the damage to my nerves and attitude is already done for the day.

Dave Stoppenhagen | April 9, 2004
I had a similar problem, my wife and I were receiving 4-5 calls a day from MCI on our home phone. They never left a voicemail and if someone answered the phone there was no one there. I finally called them back and chewed out a manager, but it took a month for me to get that pissed. I finally told them I work for SBC and that they can't beat the rate they hung up on me.

Scott Hardie | April 10, 2004
Way to get 'em off your back, Dave.... Work for the competition. :-)

I got an email response from Verizon. It was a customized form letter telling me at length how to register with the Florida Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services so that I don't get any more solicitous phone calls. Too bad they mention right there in the email what I already know, that the Florida do-not-call list has an exception for any parties with which you have a prior or existing business relationship. I have an existing relationship with Verizon, and soon I will have a prior one.

Lori Lancaster | April 10, 2004
[hidden by request]

Steve Dunn | April 12, 2004
Isn't there a national do not call registry? Seems like I signed up for something like that a while back, and I do not receive telemarketing calls anymore.

I also registered for a do-not junk mail list - I think it only applies to credit card solicitations (which accounted for most of my junk mail). I barely receive any at all these days, though my wife still gets them...

Dave Stoppenhagen | April 12, 2004
The funny part is I don't even have SBC as a phone carrier because they rates are worse than any other company. The fact that I work for them doesn't mean squat when it comes to money.

Scott Hardie | April 12, 2004
The national do-not-call registry is a wonderful thing. I was on it from day one, and it immediately cut down the number of telemarketing calls I received from about one per day to about one per month. But the DNC list has an exception for any company with whom you have a current or prior (within 18 months?) business relationship. So I'm already paying Verizon a monthly phone bill, *and* they can legally telemarket to me for more on top of it. And it won't end even after I cancel my account!

Do you still happen to have the registry information for the do-not-mail list, Steve? I'd love to get on that. First we took care of the telemarketers, now we're taking care of the junk mailers, and soon we'll take care of the spammers. (And I'd sure love it if someone went after the fucking St. Pete Times for throwing a free copy of their raggedy-ass newspaper on my driveway every morning at dawn, and ignoring my requests that they stop it.)

Dave: Reminds me of Lily Tomlin's old "we're the phone company!" bit. :-)