Verizon - Battery Scam

Posted by jktshff1 on 2013-02-06:

Good info, thanks

Posted by Suzy on 2013-02-06:

I have ran into this problem before with Verizon, most recently just last week with both my son's and my phone. My son's phone is not even out of contract yet but they told him the phone was discontinued so they couldn't get a battery any longer. My phone is about 3 years old and out of contract, so no battery available for mine either. Their only solutions was a $30 portable phone charger, which is bulky and inconvenient to keep hooked up to the phone or to upgrade phones. Well there is nothing wrong with either phone they work just fine, the only problem is the battery. Why would I buy new phones and new contracts when there is nothing wrong with the ones we have.

We are not a family that feels the need to have the newest and greatest thing out in technology as soon as it comes out We don't do smart phones with data charges as we don't live our lives over our phones. So I accepted the portable phone charger for the time being for my son's phone as his is used more, but I declined any upgrades and will seek actual batteries elsewhere. Another of the sales reps ideas was to get the insurance on the phones, then when they stopped working make a claim pay the deductible and get another phone. Let's see, about $60 a year for the insurance, $50 for the deductible, then get sent a used or refurbished phone. Umm no, could just buy a new one for not much more than that. Those $30 upgrade fees per phone every time you get a new one get my goat too, so I have no incentive to upgrade any earlier than I have too.

I do have to admit though that Verizon has good service, and I've had very few problems with their customer service when I've needed it, the only reason I continue to stay with them, for now at least.

Posted by Vinnie on 2013-03-09:

Or go to a battery place such as Batteries Plus or Interstate Batteries. They will have the right battery and their database is not geared to sell new phones.

Posted by Meri on 2013-03-09:

I'm not clear what phone is being talked about. Is it a particular phone or all of them? My beef with Verizon is their data cost and how they measure data. I was sold a hot spot box and found out later that my phone had that feature and I wasn't told. I had a broadband insert for years and never used more than 5,000 megabits. After I got the hot spot I was suddenly using 40,000. I was on my computer the same amount of time as always. I was ripped off.

Posted by JPCIII on 2013-03-09:

Going thru the same thing Sprint...

Posted by GenuineNerd on 2013-03-10:

Perhaps Radio Shack or online sites may have the battery you need. Cell phone companies pull this "battery is no longer made" scam in order to sell you a new phone. As long as you know the phone's make and model number, and/or the the battery's number, you should easily find a replacement. I believe Walmart and Best Buy sell cellphone batteries as well.

Posted by Pieter Klein on 2013-03-12:

I always look for the part number on the dead battery and take it to Home Depot, Lowe's or Radio Shack and find what I need. Verizon isn't in the business of making batteries so they are buying them from a battery manufacturer so you can find them in well stocked retail stores. I also search for information and suggestions on Amazon.com for specialty batteries such as Industrial rechargeable AA, C and Ds for hew tech flashlights or Radio Controlled devices.