Today Verizon finally restored my Unlimited Data Plan (UDP), after wrongfully taking it away on August 22 – during a simple SIM card replacement.

This effort has been particularly draining, costing me entire work days – countless hours. I won’t apologize for it, but it has set back many different projects that I was supposed to be making my top priority.

It took a mere four hours after I filed the formal notice of dispute, FCC complaint and CPUC complaints for Verizon to call me up, and inform me that they had put UDP back on my account. Four hours… but all that paperwork took days of research and drafting.

It’s very clear today that Verizon is taking adverse action to Unlimited Data Plan holders. They’re being booted for very benign actions, ranging from using certain alternative devices – ones that Verizon even agreed to allow by licensing coveted spectrum (the C-Block). In my case, Verizon booted me off my plan over a month after I had extended my contract, carefully avoiding a device upgrade on the line of service.

I took all this effort, knowing that shortly after I filed the complaints, Verizon would call me up and offer to restore my UDP. I even said precisely that on some of the third-party Verizon communities weeks ago. I’m pretty well known in the industry, and when I say I am willing to file a formal FCC complaint… I mean it.

The reason that I took all this effort, is so that other people who lose their UDP, can copy my work, and get their UDP back too.

Below you will find copies of my formal Notice of Dispute complaint description, the FCC complaint, and the CPUC complaint:

Verizon Notice of Dispute Complaint Description (PDF)
Mediation Notice (PDF)
FCC Complaint (PDF)
CPUC Complaint (PDF)

About the Mediation Notice – The Verizon formal dispute form requires you to sign a confidentiality agreement, provided you choose mediation before arbitration. Since I filed an FCC complaint, I refused to sign that, and instead wrote in the signature to see the Mediation Notice.

I should note that the difference between the FCC complaint, and the CPUC complaint, is that C-Block UDP issues are only in the FCC complaint. The California PUC can only hear cramming and slamming issues related to UDP on Verizon, not Open Access mandates that stem from the C-Block CFR (as that is exclusively regulated by the FCC).

Finally, these are informal complaints. The nature of the complaint process, is that you should first file an informal complaint, and then escalate to a formal complaint if the carrier does not resolve the matter.

Here, the system worked – Verizon responded to my informal complaint, and restored my UDP… along with a reasonable bill credit for my costs and loss of service.

If you do escalate to a formal complaint, I would not use the exact language in the articles above – that is a serious matter, and ideally formal complaints would be peer-reviewed – and preferably, reviewed by an attorney, before filing. A formal complaint is essentially a lawsuit, and you should take it that seriously.

If you use these documents – let me know! Post in the comments below and share your experiences. Please do note that my time is limited – so I cannot help each individual Verizon user, but if you post in the comments… I’ll take a look.