Verizon Express Network no longer free

stevenrp · 08-07-03, 10:25 PM

Ok first things first. Is anyone still able to access the internet using Verizons Express Network without paying a monthly fee and just having it taken off of your plan minutes?

When that info was posted here I called Verizon and confirmed that it was true. But the CSR said my Timeport cell wasn't capable of connecting to the EN. So I waited a couplle of weeks for when I was eligible for a new phone and picked up the LG VX4400. I just called VZ and they again told me that it was all true. She activated it but it didn't work. Kept telling me invalid name/password. So I called tech support. He told me the feature code was blocked. When I told him I was after the no monthly fee express network access that just comes off my minutes, he told me this....

Everybody had access to it but as soon as the billing cycle hit, the system would re-provision the code and turn it off. That it was there for services like the picture phones. That if I had a picture phone and paid for that service then it would work. That or pay the monthly fee for the phone I have now. He also said that your plan minutes are shared between voice and data and that the free nights and weekend minutes do not apply. He told me the reason the CSR's were telling everybody that they can do that was because some of them heard it worked, tried it, and just started telling the customers that it was true.

So I went out and bought a new phone, car charger, case, and USB cable for nothin. Sigh.....Oh well, it's still a new toy.

AxiMonkey · 08-07-03, 10:31 PM

Whoa....so does this negate the reason for expecting to pick up an LG VX4400 and GoMadic cable and expect to use my dial-up ISP for net access and only have that time taken out of my minutes....or is that pertaining to data on EN only???

I'm about to make the switch from AT&T to Verizon for this very reason and need to know if it's still the option I should be going with.

stevenrp · 08-07-03, 10:36 PM

No, I'm talking about accessing the internet through Verizon's Express Network. Not dialing an external ISP. BTW, the phone is really cool. You can also access the internet thru it's built in browser. It's just a text browser for WAP sites but they charge like $7 per month for that service. If you do end up getting the phone, let me know. There's a free gateway out there that you can use instead of VZ that allows you to use the phones internet feature without going thru VZ and paying them. You can read about the service at www.waptunnel.com.

AxiMonkey · 08-07-03, 11:02 PM

Awesome....exactly what I wanted to hear. I've fallen in love with that phone! :)

Thanks for the info on waptunnel as well....had no idea. I'll let you know when I get it....it probably won't be too long now. Can't wait!!

deftech · 08-08-03, 02:30 AM

Well....just trying it out now, as I have not used ExpressNetwork in a few weeks.....but it's still working just fine for me, and I've had my bill for over a week! I'm crossing my fingers that it stays on for my account. :D

Also, just wanted to note for AxiMonkey.....that even if EN doesn't work, you'll still get free access to Verizon's QuickConnect network (14.4 Kbps speed).

AxiMonkey · 08-08-03, 07:48 AM

Thanks deftech. 14.4 is good enough for the occasional email and pulling down a map if I get lost enough....pretty much all I'd use it for anyway. Very cool to know this stuff guys. Thanks a lot.

stevenrp · 08-08-03, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by deftech
Well....just trying it out now, as I have not used ExpressNetwork in a few weeks.....but it's still working just fine for me, and I've had my bill for over a week! I'm crossing my fingers that it stays on for my account. :D

Hmmm......Anyone else still have access? I think I'll call back tonight and try with a different tech. I've heard so many cases where people call VZ and get it turned on. Maybe the guy I talked to was wrong.

Ralph Wiggum · 08-08-03, 08:19 AM

Yea, I get the same password error. I am using the GoMadic cable with my LG-VX4400. I am currently setup to use my work's dial-up account. I called Verizon support and they had no clue what Express Network was...she even went to ask a "Manager". Oh well, my current setup rocks although I figured that Verizon would take better care of me. (Have their local, LD, DSL & Cell services)

stevenrp · 08-08-03, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ralph Wiggum
Yea, I get the same password error. I am using the GoMadic cable with my LG-VX4400.

Was it working for you at one time and then it stopped? Or was this the first time that you tried it?

tgreenstein · 08-08-03, 09:17 AM

There is a separate support line for Verizon's Mobile access offerings at 1-866-890-2357; they would probably know the "real" answer. I've found the staff at this number to be incredibly well-informed; they walked me through configuring Mobile Office for both my Axim and laptop and they knew exactly what they were doing.

stevenrp · 08-08-03, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tgreenstein
There is a separate support line for Verizon's Mobile access offerings at 1-866-890-2357;

Yep. That's the number I called last night when I was told that it's not available for free.

deftech · 08-08-03, 11:55 AM

I really don't think it's supposed to be free. When I first called about it, the lady on the phone said that they just had a meeting about it a few days before. She said that it was a feature that was just going to show as "Mobile Office $0.00" on your features list, but that the service should be blocked from use until you pay for it. She said that in the past, they had to go through a whole setup to add Mobile Office to an account when you decided to get it......and that this would make it just a simple one-click operation for them now if you decide you want Mobile Office. She was surprised that so many people were getting it for free....but said something like, "well, if it's working for you then best of luck to you....but it could possibly stop working any time in the future."

She seemed well informed about everything as we were speaking.....even on some more technical-type questions...but who knows for sure.

khaml001 · 08-08-03, 12:24 PM

On the previous thread explaining how to set up the 'free service' with Verizon I left a post explaining what one of the Verizon techs told me....she said that they were in a testing phase of the new network and that it would be ending 'very soon', thus killing the freebies! This was maybe a couple of weeks ago......I guess that they got the answers that they were looking for! Thus....

stevenrp · 08-08-03, 01:07 PM

Too bad they obviously don't inform their CSR's, or at least the ones I talked too. I went out and bought a new phone because of what they told me. Maybe it was a marketing ploy to get some of us to buy new phones. :D

Jer · 08-08-03, 02:05 PM

I just accessed the VEN, no problem. I'm using an LG VX10 and gomadic with my Ax. Called two weeks ago because I was paying $45 for a $40 service. They fixed my account, verified with her that all my features where still there including VEN and she didn't say anything about it costing extra...

I was having problems accessing Yahoo mail on A02. Upgraded to A03 and all is good...