Verizon Offers $20 Credit After Nationwide Outage Stranded Users in SOS Mode For Hours (theverge.com) 32
Verizon is offering affected customers a $20 account credit following a nationwide network outage on Wednesday that left users across the US unable to connect, forcing phones into SOS mode for roughly ten hours before the carrier restored service around 10:15PM ET.
Customers will receive a text message when the credit becomes available and can redeem it through the myVerizon app by clicking "Take action."
Customers will receive a text message when the credit becomes available and can redeem it through the myVerizon app by clicking "Take action."
Why is this not automatic? (Score:5, Insightful)
They know which areas were affected. They probably know right down to the IMEI which customers were affected. Why is this not just automatically credited on the next bill? Why do I have to get a text message, install their shitty app and click something to claim it?
Rebate psychology, that's why. They know some percentage of users won't notice or won't be bothered, and that's free money for them.
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They know which areas were affected. They probably know right down to the IMEI which customers were affected. Why is this not just automatically credited on the next bill?
Exactly. AT&T does that automatically. There were times they reported a possible service interruption for my area and I never even noticed since WiFi calling was available.
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One of my coworkers had another theory: requiring the affirmative action of clicking the thing allows them to say that by doing so, you waive any other right to complain that you might have otherwise had. So if your spouse had a heart attack and you couldn't call 911, maybe don't click the thing.
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You could accomplish the same thing by just requiring a reply to the text message (that can have terms or a link to terms) saying "yes."
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You could, but then more people might claim the money.
I didn't say it was a GOOD theory, just that it was another one :)=
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Rebate psychology, that's why. They know some percentage of users won't notice or won't be bothered, and that's free money for them.
And you probably have to waive your right for any future damages or lawsuits regarding the incident. So if you take the $20 you can't come back with a lawsuit that says it cost you $1,000 in productivity for your Uber earnings for the day.
Re: Why is this not automatic? (Score:2)
And you probably have to waive your right for any future damages or lawsuits regarding the incident. So if you take the $20 you can't come back with a lawsuit that says it cost you $1,000 in productivity for your Uber earnings for the day.
True, but such a claim would almost certainly fail anyway. Five quid says there is a clause in your contract that says Verizon are not responsible for lost earnings.
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Five quid says there is a clause in your contract that says Verizon are not responsible for lost earnings.
No bet! With as long and ridiculous as those contracts are, I would be shocked if such a clause were not included. However, you can't get out of all misconduct and malfeasance with a contract - you can't, for example, waive damages due to gross misconduct. For example, if you sign a waiver with a dentist to extract a molar, and instead he cuts off your arm, there's no waiver or contract that would protect the dentist from a lawsuit for gross misconduct. Or if you buy a battery-powered scooter, and it bursts
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I don't think that you do.
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"n. A rich cake made with many eggs and little flour and usually containing chopped nuts."
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Why do I have to get a text message, install their shitty app and click something to claim it?
Rebate psychology, that's why. They know some percentage of users won't notice or won't be bothered, and that's free money for them.
Not only will some people either not notice or bother, some will think the text is a scam. More importantly, for Verizon anyway, the people that do will have install their app -- all for $20. Sure some people will immediately uninstall it, but many will probably keep it, for whatever reason.
Re: Why is this not automatic? (Score:1)
Because they have to get everyone to click through a waiver that prohibits them suing Verizon for anything that has happened or may ever happen.
Typical (Score:2)
They know to whom they need to send a text but instead of just crediting their balance, they make customers jump through hoops in the hopes that some forego the effort or can't work the app.
$20? They are mocking their users, right? (Score:2)
Reminds me of the Uber-Eats vouchers ClownStroke handed out after their homemade disaster from abject incompetence...
Re:$20? They are mocking their users, right? (Score:5, Informative)
Why is this mocking. $20 is 50% or of most of Verizon's monthly service plans.
A more than 50% rebate for a half day's outage is pretty good. But the rebate should be automatically applied. Not the way they are doing it.
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I don't know what service plan you have, but my Verizon cell phone bill is over $80 a month. I needed one of the better "Unlimited" plans so I could tether my other devices without going over a data cap. Which is a really stupid thing to say about an "Unlimited" data plan, but it's 2026 and that's where we are now when it comes to corporate greed and service contracts.
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Unlimited Ultimate Plan [verizon.com] $50
Even with an $80 bill, a $20 rebate is 25% off. To me 25% off for a 1.7% outage(half day / 30) is a very fair trade. Better than most SLAs I've had the misfortune of reading.
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The fine print
per line for 4 lines
So $200 in reality.
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Verizon has always been my landline internet provider, and when there was an outage longer than an hour they have always done an automatic credit for the time it was down. The real mocking is that now you have to opt in to get your $20 for the wireless outage - enshitification at it's finest.
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That would be reimbursement for service they did not provide. What about paying some compensation for the damage they did?
Has anyone gotten the credit? (Score:3)
We had lines affected. I got the text telling me to claim the credit, but I have no option to claim it. Has anyone successfully claimed it?
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Same. Nothing in account and no SMS text. Bah.
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Now you have to wait for a credit for your credit not working. But you have to ask for the second credit first, then complete that and then maybe the first credit will work by then.
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No SMS, but we did see a message about outage in iOS app. No redeem option though. :(
What about corporate accounts? (Score:2)
The text they sent looks exactly like a scam (Score:3)
My friend got a text message telling him of the rebate. I looked closely at it, and could not confirm that it wasn't a scam. It even contained a link that used a shortener. Not very well done.
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I hate it when companies do that!! Why not use your own domain name as a shortener redirector like http://verizon.com/outagerebat... [verizon.com]
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Indeed. People are basically clueless about anything even a tiny bit complicated. That you got down-moderated for an entirely correct and insightful comment just proves your point.
No SMS and redeem option! (Score:2)
Yesterday, I did see a "Take action." in the iOS app but it didn't give me a redeem option.