Qwest selling Verizon snake oil Littleton Colorado

Late in the year 2008, numerous letters and brochures came from Qwest telling us to hurry with the wireless migration due to the fact that Verizon wireless purchased Qwest Wireless and there would be a cut-off date to receive free new phones. On Dec. 2nd I finally ordered the phones and the migration department from Qwest helped with the "smooth migration". I told them that these were Christmas presents and would be activated after Christmas, and was repeatedly told by Qwest this would not be a problem. This is a smooth migration to Verizon they told me. I also signed up for combined billing to keep bundle packaging with only 1 bill for wireless, land line, and internet.

When the bill came in January, I was shocked to see my new bill was double what it usually was. I called Qwest and they said to call Verizon and Verizon said to call Qwest to fix it. Only then was I told Verizon bills one month in advance and that my service with Verizon actually started on December 2nd when the phones were shipped out, even though I still had Qwest wireless phones and using of their minutes,. This means a monthly service fee was paid to Qwest of 199.00 and a monthly service fee of 168.00 was paid to Verizon wireless plus the 160.00 for the one month in advance for Verizon.

Qwest stated that they were sorry and Verizon was sorry too when I talked to them, but no one would credit their monthly service fee for being double billed for the December 2-24th time frame. Only at the end of the activation message did we learn that Verizon started charging the day the phones were shipped - not activated. Further, I live in Black Forest and the phones don't even get service at my house and the 30 day verification time frame expired because they started from ship date and not the activation date for the Verizon service!

Buyer beware - this isn't a smooth transition and they say"too bad!" I've been a Qwest customer for 12 years and never missed a payment and keep adding services with them. If I cancel, a fee will be charged on all three phones because I will be breaking the contract. No one at Qwest explained this would happen and I was on hold and trying to solve this for 4 hours 3 different times, was hung up on repeatedly, and no resolution could be found.

We understand now that Verizon bills in advance - even though you would think Qwest would divulge this information before the "smooth transition", but the fact that I was charged twice for service in December - even though the Verizon phones were wrapped and under the Christmas tree, and the opportunity to verify that the phones would work expired without us knowing is inexcusable.

This transition was anything but smooth, and we are disgusted with the "customer service" at Qwest - especially Patrick - who had to review our (spotless) record in order to have a conversation, and we want everyone to know to steer clear of both of these swindlers.

Jeff
Black Forest, Colorado
U.S.A.