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Why Verizon is losing more cellphone customers than ever
Washington Post ^ | 04/22/2017 | Brian Fung

Posted on 04/22/2017 7:05:47 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

For the first time, the nation's largest wireless provider is losing customers faster than it can replace them.

It's a major milestone for Verizon, which on Thursday reported a net decline of 289,000 cellphone subscribers over the past four months.

Even though Verizon usually loses some cellular customers every quarter, it has historically lured enough back to be able to report growth in that part of its business. But recent months have seen hundreds of thousands of customers defect to competitors such as T-Mobile and Sprint, analysts say.

Things could have been even worse if Verizon hadn't suddenly reintroduced unlimited data plans in February, according to Verizon's earnings numbers. In the first six weeks of the year, Verizon lost nearly 400,000 wireless customers, according to its latest earnings report. But once the new plans became available, they helped blunt those losses by bringing in about 110,000 new subscribers, Verizon said.

Verizon's reluctance to bring back unlimited data and its sudden about-face this year reflect rising competition in the cellular industry that is forcing large incumbents to adapt. The telecom giant has long argued that consumers are willing to pay a premium for a quality wireless experience, in contrast to budget carriers such as Sprint.

But aggressive moves by smaller carriers to build out their networks are paying off, said Roger Entner, an industry analyst with Recon Analytics, meaning that such companies as T-Mobile are chipping away at Verizon's network advantage. In a recent federal auction of wireless airwaves, T-Mobile emerged as a major beneficiary, spending $8 billion to acquire rights to radio spectrum it will use to expand its mobile Internet capacity.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet; Society
KEYWORDS: cellphone; cellphones; phone; phones; telephone; verizon; verizoncustomers; verizonwireless
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To: yarddog

Is it a straight talk phone? I only ask because I know their plans start at 45. We had a very nice rep switch a straight talk phone to total wireless (starts at 35) for us a while ago. Tracfone owns both. They’re not supposed to switch them but might be worth asking.


61 posted on 04/22/2017 9:40:00 PM PDT by agrace
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To: IronJack
"Lol! Thank you, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. I hope your voyage on the Good Ship Lollipop goes splendidly.

Evidently my voyage is more enjoyable than yours.

You didn't laugh out loud.

Further, you've resorted to sarcasm and name calling. Which is pretty much the same as acknowledging I was right, as our liberal friends teach us each day.

62 posted on 04/22/2017 9:56:00 PM PDT by tinyowl (A is A)
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To: sean327

I don’t know what the problem is with cell coverage and AZ.
Probably the same as internet access in San Diego.

Someone is waiting for a political kickback before anything is fixed.
Heck, small towns like Fort Collins, CO have better service than Phoenix, AZ


63 posted on 04/22/2017 9:58:59 PM PDT by Zathras
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To: All

Odd.

I’ve had Verizon wireless for years and never had a problem.

Bought a fairly nice Apple phone after my Android died ( 5 year old phone ) and Verizon lets me pay a little per month on it.

Interest? None. No interest at all as I have been a long time customer.

- so love for Verizon from this customer.

But don’t get me started on Comcast - wow, do I dislike that company.


64 posted on 04/22/2017 10:32:47 PM PDT by warsaw44
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To: yarddog

What brand is your Tracfone? I think which carrier they use depends on the make of the phone. Would appreciate a reply. Thanks!


65 posted on 04/22/2017 10:38:16 PM PDT by moonhawk (My Basket of Deplorable is Irredeemably mired in the Swamp of Crazy.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Wow! Thanks SO much for posting this article!! I have AT&T and hate it. The coverage is fine but the local store’s service is garbage. I decided the moment they screwed me over at my last phone purchase that I was leaving them as soon as my contract was up (which will be in just a few more months). I wasn’t sure what carrier to go with, but this article has given me lots of companies to check out, thanks to the readers’ comments at the end. I should definitely be able to get better customer service AND save a bundle each month!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!


66 posted on 04/22/2017 10:44:31 PM PDT by TXBlair (We will not forget Benghazi.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Never again with Verizon. Never. More than a decade ago left them forever.

When my Sprint phone would drop a call in one particular dead zone (about a 2 mile stretch of highway) I never got mad. Just said to myself, hey, at least it’s not Verizon.

Now, I just have no-contract phones.


67 posted on 04/22/2017 10:48:18 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for ... some have unwittingly entertained angels)
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To: IronJack

[ I absolutely hate Verizon. I’ve never experienced such rotten customer service in my life. Ask 10 different Verizombies the same question and you’ll get 15 different answers. And ask the same question again the next day and you’ll get 20 new ones. They are the worst liars and two-bit con men on earth. You can’t believe anything they tell you. ]

Well, I see you had experiences similar to mine.


68 posted on 04/22/2017 10:52:17 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for ... some have unwittingly entertained angels)
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To: deweyfrank; PAR35
Bell Atlantic and Nynex merged and became Verizon. Verizon then bought out GTE, giving Verizon a nationwide footprint.

It was when Bell Atlantic bought GTE that they changed the name to Verizon. I was there.

69 posted on 04/22/2017 10:55:10 PM PDT by boatbums (God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.)
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To: McGruff

Surprisingly, my Tracfone had service in areas of Nowhere, Kansas that one of my other phones didn’t. I even bought a CB because I only looked at my main phone with unlimited minutes. Oh well, a backup is always good, even if it’s extra backup. Short range CB but hey...


70 posted on 04/22/2017 10:57:53 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for ... some have unwittingly entertained angels)
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To: AlaskaErik

LOL yes, heard that.


71 posted on 04/22/2017 10:59:33 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for ... some have unwittingly entertained angels)
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To: deweyfrank; PAR35

Actually...it was a “merger” of Bell Atlantic and GTE and the merged company was called Verizon. We all thought it was a strange name for a telecom.


72 posted on 04/22/2017 11:02:53 PM PDT by boatbums (God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.)
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To: Trump20162020

who was subsequently found guilty of child molesting ...


73 posted on 04/23/2017 3:20:00 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
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To: SeekAndFind

One of the biggest problems is trying to get someone live on the telephone.


74 posted on 04/23/2017 3:31:54 AM PDT by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
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To: rockrr

You were hacked. Someone was piggybacking on your hotspot.


75 posted on 04/23/2017 3:37:43 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$ ("Where there is smoke, there is Susan Rice." Lee Carter, FBN, 4/6/2017)
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To: McGruff

M wife and I both use pre-paid phones. We don’t use them much and it averages out to 15 dollars a month per phone. Same service and networks the contract phones use.


76 posted on 04/23/2017 4:00:04 AM PDT by Mechanicos
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To: SeekAndFind

We have two Verizon cell phones.

We went to the Verizon store to pay off the phones. Since we bought both phones on the same day the pay off amount was exactly the same.

However, we could only pay one off on that day because their computer would not accept two payments for the exact same amount on the same credit card! I suspect this is to prevent accidentally charging someone twice, I understand that. What I don’t understand is that they did not provide an override by a manager.

We now have to return to the store to pay off the second phone. Bad customer relation.


77 posted on 04/23/2017 4:21:08 AM PDT by CIB-173RDABN (US out of the UN, UN out of the US)
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To: philetus
We have had Virgin Mobile unlimited for 8 years without a single problem.

Virgin Mobile is great. I've had one for more than 8 years, haven't had a problem in 10 years, and it's a pay-as-you-go phone. I have expensive phones -- they have their uses -- but the lo-tech cell phone @20c/min never fails at what it does, and it's good as long as I add $20 every 90 days.

As for Verizon, I have problems with them regularly and have been looking forward to Monday to call them about the most recent one.

78 posted on 04/23/2017 4:37:00 AM PDT by Buttons12
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To: boatbums

You are correct. I guess the old memory isn’t what it used to be. I retired in 97. After the Nynex merger and before the GTE merger. Although I officially retired from BA, the Verizon name and the GTE merger was being kicked around then. It became official as of the merger with GTE.


79 posted on 04/23/2017 4:44:34 AM PDT by deweyfrank (Nobody's Perfect)
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To: sean327

Same for me. Verizon is the only carrier with coverage at the family farm where my 92-year-old mother lives. My sister has Mom on her plan and we feel a bit more comfortable knowing she has that extra safety measure there. Also, when we visit her, we’re not cut off.


80 posted on 04/23/2017 4:44:37 AM PDT by MayflowerMadam ("If we cannot control our tempers, what has grace done for us?" Charles Spurgeon)
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