Verizon Wireless Verizon $7 charge to talk to CS for payment vs "pay now” app Gainesville, Florida

I was with Verizon since 2002. I was a loyal customer until they started charging $7 dollars to pay your phone bill with a representative. As you are in the call text messages appear "To continue with your payment or payment arrangement free of charge using My Verizon, click https://m.vzw.com/m/paafge " I clicked the link set up a payment. Then it asked me to prove I’m not a robot by selecting the fragments of a photo that contained cars. Then it thanked me for using the link. 2 days later I get a notice to pay my bill. This never happens if you have a payment arrangement. I called to ask if they had my arrangement on file. Again I get a message stating I will be charged $7.00.

So once again I make a payment arrangement for Tuesday. Today is Monday and my service is cut. I found out when I tried to sign in to my online job by calling them. I was rerouted to financial services, (automatic $7.00 fee) I asked why I was cut and about my 2 arrangements. I was told they had no record of them. I asked for a supervisor. This woman comes on ignores me trying to explain I was erroneously cut from service. She just kept yammering on about my line reconnection fees that will be on my next bill. I tried many times to get customer satisfaction.

I asked to pay my bill today but that they not access the line disconnect fees seeing the "pay now” app was not registering arrangements. She treated me like I am making it up. This infuriated me to no end. I AM NOT A LIAR. She then said she would transfer me to tech support. I sat on hold for 34 minutes. I believe the pay now app is deliberately dysfunctional. After you go through several calls over an hour of calls they hope next time you’ll decide $7 vs a ton of calls and long hold times will make you throw the towel in and pay $7 to ensure you get the result you expected. One rep today asked if I received a confirmation of a payment arrangement. I asked what method they use to send a confirmation. She said via text. I did not have any texts from Verizon. Then very indignant she said, "see you never set up a payment” I am tech savvy and anything but ignorant, I set up 2 payments to completion. The time of year when many people need some extra time on bills Verizon decided to charge an extra fee. I think there is a policy that only a financial service rep can set up a payment arrangement.

This whole thing is a farce. $7 or suffer. Flawed system. Deceptive practices. Verizon Greed. I left today after 16 years. In the past they tried to retain your business. Now they happily help you walk out. It cost me $67 to keep my number and go with Sprint. I get 4 unlimited data lines, new iPhone XR phones, iCloud storage, and phone protection for $35 less a month than Verizon.