Veteran's Discount for Verizon Broadband

Greetings, Gang!

I finally decided that I am tired of lugging around and setting up my heavy and cumbersome Hughesnet dish.  I'm done with the contract, so I put it on suspension.  I researched Verizon "broadband" because I have my voice plan with them.  I suppose if I am in an area with NO cell signal, I can set the Hughes dish up and reactivate it occasionally.  However, I don't plan to be in a no-cell area for very long.  But ya never know.  ;D

I went to a local Verizon store, and got young man that didn't know his you know what from a hole in the ground.  I looked at the Verizon netbooks, but none had any provision for an external antenna port.  This port is a MUST because I spend so much time in fringe areas. (cell reception, as well as mental state.  ;D)  The USB modem for Verizon HAD to have an external antenna port for my Yagi, so I went with the UM 175. 

I called Verizon and ordered the modem, which was free.  No messing with rebate "gift cards" like I'd have to do in the store.  I "innocently" asked if the "government employee" discount that applied to my voice plan would apply to the data plan.  The surprising answer was YES, I would get a 12% discount on the broadband monthly fee.  I asked if there was a discount code (so I could share it here), and he said no, the computer puts it on automatically.  We had quite the thread going on this last winter, and I recall sometimes the discount was applied to the data and sometimes not.  I will report on what my bill looks like.

Also, since my old Motorola V325i is finally biting the dust, I ordered a Motorola W755 on the free "new every two."  These phones are tetherable, have external antenna access ports, and can "back-door" Verizon free if needed in many places.  However, with the Yagi attached to the USB modem, I don't anticipate much of a signal problem in fringe areas.

Hennyway, I mainly wanted to put out the word that if you have a data plan AND a voice plan $39.99 and above, it looks like you CAN get that 12% discount, although you may need to ask for it to be sure.  At least with Verizon.

ZuniJayne said:

Greetings, Gang!

Also, since my old Motorola V325i is finally biting the dust, I ordered a Motorola W755 on the free "new every two."  These phones are tetherable, have external antenna access ports, and can "back-door" Verizon free if needed in many places.  However, with the Yagi attached to the USB modem, I don't anticipate much of a signal problem in fringe areas.

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Jane,

We used the W755 for one trip and got the back door slammed shut on us.  Fortunately there was only about 15 or so minutes that that they caught on the next month.  Good Luck on the back door approach.  Check on the Yahoo group, "internetbycellphone" http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/InternetByCellPhone/?yguid=185741494

Lately we have had no problem getting WIFI almost everywhere.

  Verizon informs me "Veteran" and "Government Employee" are not the same. Hopefully Verizon won't merge with Applebees before next Veterans Day.

What I was told was that the Verizon Veterans' discount applied to phone service, including data plans. It does not apply to stand alone data cards.

Jim,  I am on the IBCP Yahoo group.  It may be true that I will lose backdoor access with this phone change.  My old V325i was a 1xrtt-only phone, and I believe the W755 is an EVDO Rev A phone.  From posts today on the ICBP group, backdooring is a function of the phone plan, not the actual phone.  I could be wrong on that,too.  ;D  I'll just find out soon!

Because I spend so much time in very rural/fringe areas, depending upon WIFI only is just not an option for me.  I can "piggyback" off someone's unsecure signal, but I don't like to do that.  It's a touchy ethics area, as well as questionably secure.  I don't have much money, but I can afford $60 per month to feed my Web addiction.  ;D

Applebee's

Click to expand...

...or the Golden Trough!  ;D

Greetings, Gang!

I got my first bill for the Verizon broadband service via USB modem today.  Imagine my surprise to see NO discount on the broadband service.

When I called Verizon to inquire, the rep told me that the 12% discount only applied to data FEATURES, such as Mobile Broadband Connect, not data PLANS.  She said she could see how the previous rep could reach an incorrect answer when I set up the data plan.

I was not happy about it, but me making nice while gritting my  teeth does have some advantages.  She waived the the $35 activation fee for the data line.

Any carrier - call 5 times, get 5 different reps, and average your answer.  You might get the truth!  :

  I made 3 calls, 3 different answers. The only thing consistent was Vets are not Gov't employees. Military must be active or reserve. Retired or service connected disabled is no longer a Gov't Employee.
  This all makes sense so why is it called Veterans Discount??

ZuniJayne said:

I got my first bill for the Verizon broadband service via USB modem today.  Imagine my surprise to see NO discount on the broadband service.

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Jayne

I went to a Verizon (factory) store and they processed my DD-214 (?) and told me that I would be getting the veteran's discount on my VZ aircard bill. When it didn't show, I called VZ and was told the discount only applied to phone plans, not data plans.

bigskymt said:

  I made 3 calls, 3 different answers. The only thing consistent was Vets are not Gov't employees. Military must be active or reserve. Retired or service connected disabled is no longer a Gov't Employee.
  This all makes sense so why is it called Veterans Discount??

Click to expand...

I showed them my retired ID card and they scanned it and within 4 days I received an email indicating I would be receiving the discount on the next bill and I did.  My bill calls it a "15% Access Discount".  BTW, I only have voice plans.

As has been already noted, it is NOT a Veterans discount. It is an general access discount made available to certain large organizations & corporations, including federal government employees. The military is considered part of the federal government and retired military counts, per cdrcos' report.

It applies to phone services but not data-only plans (cellular modems).

Verizon reps do not seem to be well-versed in this and may other things that are not mainline phone sales.

Got AT&T 15% discount on both my cell phone AND aircard last month..they
waived the $32 charge ($64 total) because they were bad boys in not
notifying me years ago I was eligible for the discount..figured I had left
over 15 years of cell x 12 months x about $8/month = about $1400 on
the table not including the last 2 of aircard use
the girl was aghast and said certainly I will waive the fees
so - two different #s... send me email if interested and I will get the 800 #
you send a fax too with your ID card...I will also scan the form in and email that to you if desired.

Rich

We do just call it a "veteran's discount" but, as Gary says, it's a "Government Employee" discount.  It says so at the top of "my Verizon" when I sign in.

The discount would have been nice, but so far leaving the SUB modem attached to the PC and just firing it up when I want to get on the internet beats rasslin the Hughes dish around. 

Time will tell if I can pick up the data signal in a fringe rural area with the Yagi.  I'll post about that when the time comes.