Forum Discussion

hanknjoyce's avatar
hanknjoyce
Explorer
Sep 03, 2018

FMCA Verizon Plan "On and Off"?

Before I talk to a series of Verizon rep's about this just wondering - I was told when we got our FMCA Verizon Hotspot plan last April that I could turn it on and off whenever I wanted/needed to. We got the plan to use for extended travel which did not work out. We used it for 2 months, got the free 3-month suspension and now will be charged the $10 per month suspension charge if we want to keep the acct active (ouch?).

I plan to turn it back on next week for a 1-2 month trip and then turn it back off. Has anyone tried doing this "rapid" on/off thing? I realize this is not typical but just assessing our options. FWIW I have found when talking to Verizon about the FMCA plan that it takes at least three rep's before I find one who understands the provisions.

Hank
2005 Mandalay DP
2012 Honda CRV
At Home in South Dakota (really..)
  • Sunnysidebeach's avatar
    Sunnysidebeach
    Explorer
    Sep 12, 2018
    Why not do the Walmart plan; Prepay month to month, or cancel it for a few months when not needed at no charge, for the same service.
  • fj12ryder's avatar
    fj12ryder
    Explorer III
    Sep 04, 2018
    Yeah, we had something very similar several years ago. They told us we could turn it off when we didn't use it. They neglected to mention you had to pay a "holding fee". We didn't use very much data, so we dumped them.

    Now we still don't use much data and only a couple time per year so we use the Straight Talk hotspot. We only pay for it when we use it, but if you use a lot of data, it isn't the best deal at all. But it works for us and no strings attached or small print to doublecheck.
  • rr2254545's avatar
    rr2254545
    Explorer
    Sep 04, 2018
    From the FMCA website

    Can I suspend my data plan when I’m not using it?

    Verizon's standard suspension policy allows you to suspend your service up to 90 days, twice a year. You have 2 options for how you'll be billed while your device is suspended:

    With billing - You'll be billed for all services and features during the suspension period. However, your contract and upgrade eligibility dates won't be impacted.
    Reduced rate billing - You can suspend at a reduced rate of $10/mo. Monthly device payments will continue under your device payment agreement. If you choose this option, your contract and upgrade eligibility dates will be extended for however long your line is suspended.

    No mention of free 3 month suspension ?
  • hanknjoyce's avatar
    hanknjoyce
    Explorer
    Sep 04, 2018
    I spoke at length with Verizon today (via "Chat" so I would have an e-mail record again) and they confirmed I can turn my FMCA plan on and off when I wish. Of course, I will incur a suspension charge of $10 per month now when I am "off" and not using it. But still better than paying $50 a month plus fees for a service I do not usually use at home. A side issue was they had not honored my free 3-month suspension and I also got them to credit that back to me.

    So I will turn my MiFi back on next week for a while and stay connected on the road.

    Hank
    2005 Mandalay DP
    2012 Honda CRV
  • dons2346's avatar
    dons2346
    Explorer
    Sep 04, 2018
    I do believe that you can get one "hold" per year. After that there is a monthly charge
  • hanknjoyce's avatar
    hanknjoyce
    Explorer
    Sep 03, 2018
    The DW uses enough GB's with her IPAD on our trips that I think I will keep the service whether actually using or in suspend mode. I still have an old flip phone so switching now to something newer raises a whole bunch of pricing and usage issues.

    Thanks for the responses.

    Hank
  • GordonThree's avatar
    GordonThree
    Explorer
    Sep 03, 2018
    Gulfcoast wrote:
    I simply pay the bill every month whether I use the hotspot or not. It's so much easier that way.


    X2, it's a good deal, keep it active and keep it grandfathered in

    Otherwise, both V and T offer contract-free options, just cancel when not in use.
  • Gulfcoast's avatar
    Gulfcoast
    Explorer
    Sep 03, 2018
    I simply pay the bill every month whether I use the hotspot or not. It's so much easier that way.

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