A Verizon customer stayed for 20 years, now they're rethinking everything
Loyalty to a carrier used to mean something. Customers who stuck around for years - sometimes decades - often expected a little goodwill in return. But as recent events have shown, that's not always the case.
Following T-Mobile's price hikes that affected long-time customers, Verizon users are now sharing similar frustrations. One such customer, Reddit user OneFourtyFivePilot, has been with Verizon for over 20 years, only to be hit with a sudden $5 per device, per month increase on their bill. The reason? Their plan was "too old."
Looking for a way to lower costs, they reached out to Verizon's customer service, only to be offered a $4 monthly savings - a barely noticeable difference. Understandably, this wasn't the solution they were hoping for.
While Verizon did suggest loyalty discounts, they weren't exactly what the customer had in mind. Instead of a meaningful reduction, they were given two offers:
Other longtime customers also shared their stories
One commenter, Anonymoushipopotomus, described their own situation:
Whether OneFourtyFivePilot will make the switch remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: loyalty doesn't always pay off the way customers expect.
Following T-Mobile's price hikes that affected long-time customers, Verizon users are now sharing similar frustrations. One such customer, Reddit user OneFourtyFivePilot, has been with Verizon for over 20 years, only to be hit with a sudden $5 per device, per month increase on their bill. The reason? Their plan was "too old."
That’s it. That’s what Verizon offered me when I specifically asked how to reduce my bill. After two decades of loyalty, this experience might just be the final straw. What an incredibly frustrating conversation.
-OneFourtyFivePilot on Reddit, March 2025
While Verizon did suggest loyalty discounts, they weren't exactly what the customer had in mind. Instead of a meaningful reduction, they were given two offers:
- A $10/month mobile hotspot (which would add to their bill, not lower it)
- A $600 discount on a phone—if they added a new line
That's hardly the kind of loyalty reward a customer expects after 20+ years. And they're not alone.
Other longtime customers also shared their stories
25 year customer, old school 2gb a month plan. All of a sudden, Im burning through data every month, even though I only have wifi on for all the apps I use on my phone, and the most data hungry was Reddit, if that shows my usage. One day I went through over 6gb, even though I was on wifi at my shop from 730 am until 2:30 pm, they said I downloaded a 1.8gb file at around 11 am. On wifi. Their solution was for only 12$ more a month I could go to unlimited, and I wouldnt need to worry about overage charges. I switched to us mobile, and I now use my phone data like a normal person, whenever I want. My data average after switching, going full data on everything whenever I wanted, has been 2.4 gb a month, so something was seriously fucky there. Switch man, you wont regret it.
-Anonymoushipopotomus on Reddit, March 2025
Many others in the thread echoed similar experiences, with some advising OneFourtyFivePilot to switch to an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator), which often provides lower prices for similar services.
The reality of big carriers
Unfortunately, price hikes are nothing new in the telecom industry. Large carriers like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile adjust their plans regularly, and longtime customers - who often stay on older plans - are sometimes left with limited options.
There's a growing trend of people seeking out MVNO's and thinking of abandoning the Big Three. In the end of the day, people vote with their money, don't they? And while Verizon remains one of the most reliable networks in the U.S., for some, the rising costs may outweigh the benefits.
Whether OneFourtyFivePilot will make the switch remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: loyalty doesn't always pay off the way customers expect.
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