Complaint Review: Viaero Wireless

Viaero has been a problem since my first day inquiring about their cell phone service. If I hadn't been desperate for a new phone I would've allowed myself to see the red flags and back out before signing a contract with them. It all started when I saw a Black Friday ad for "Any SmartPhone for $1!" and also a sale on tablets as a "door buster." I decided I would go in on Black Friday to get an account for my husband, who was in desperate need for a phone. I figured I would pick up a tablet while I was there also, so I planned on waking up early for the door buster deal. Being a mother of two kids under 3, I got a later start than planned and didn't get to camp out to ensure I got a tablet like I had planned. First red flag: When I pulled up ten minutes before the store was set to open for the day, only one other person was there waiting at the door. No competition for the door buster sale? I decided to see it as a good thing and proceeded in the store when the doors opened. We both asked about the tablets, to which the manager of the store in Sidney, NE told us that they had not been sent any tablets and had none available for the sale. They had nothing they could honor the price with for the two of us who came interested. So basically a promotion was run that they couldn't live up to. This will be a reoccuring theme in my complaint....

I moved on and went to find my "$1 smartphone." I assumed that the $1 smart phone would include a two year contract, and that was acceptable to me- despite the fact that the ad stated NOTHING about how or why the phone was $1- simply that you could get any Smartphone for $1. Turns out that on top of the $1 to get the phone out the door and on top of the 2 year contract, you ALSO have to pay a monthly fee for the phone. When adding up the fee each month for the months it must be paid, you end up WAY overpaying for the phone. I decided to just buy the phone outright without the $1 promotion to avoid overpaying for the phone and purchased it at the cost of the phone with a two year contract.
Before agreeing to the contract I expressed to the manager that we travel- a LOT- with little ones. I needed to know that their service was going to be acceptable. I don't have a home phone and rely on my cell phone at home and all over the country. He assured me that they've put in so much money into towers and also in bigger cities like Houston and places in New York they piggy back off of other companies for service. He assured me I would be fine. I was excited about the unlimited data, and that was a big part of my pull to sign the contract also. I signed the contract and started our service with unlimited everything.

A month later I went and purchased myself an iphone and opened a plan for myself, signing a second two-year contract. We hadn't traveled anywhere yet for me to see what lies they had sold me about service. I paid for my phone at the two-year contract price and went on my way. Two months later as I came to grab my phone off of the charger I noticed serveral bars and lines all over the screen. I took it in to Viaero and they told me the phone has 3 layers and it looked like somehow the very bottom screen somehow got a little crack in it. There was literally zero damage done to the phone- not so much as a scratch, but the screen was going bonkers. Good thing I paid for the service plan, because the warranty doesn't cover anything screen related- it's just assumed damaged depsite the fact nothing had happened to the actual phone. I had to send back my cell phone then pay an additional $158 for a replacement phone.

The replacement process was a mess in and of itself. They collected my $158 and I sat for nearly two weeks without a functioning phone. When I finally called them to see where the heck my phone was, it turned out they hadn't even shipped one out yet because they didn't have an iPhone5c and wanted to see if they "could upgrade the phone to a 5s." I said I didn't care, just get me a phone. (They couldn't call me to clarify this??? I have to realize a phone isn't coming and track them down to answer a question I didn't know they even had????) So they sent the first phone. The first phone they sent as a replacement was in horrible shape. It had very obvious marks of prior damage and had obviously lived a hard life with the previous owner. I was ticked. I had waited a week and a half for a replacement and they sent me a hunk of junk. I called and refused to accept that phone as a replacement. They sent another. This phone also had very visable damage done to the unit. "No," I told them again, "I'm not giving you my phone which is in PERFECT condition minus the faulty screen and trading it out at the expense of $158 for a phone that has obvious damage done previously." The next phone they sent out I could shake and literally hear the inner unit of the phone disattached and shaking around. All in all I had 5 phones sent out to me before one came that I accepted. The next best part was to find out that I had given up my 1 year warranty on the phone I purchased in December and now- only 3 months later- had to accept a THIRTY DAY warranty on the junk phone they sent out. Yeah, because they've shown how great their replacement phones are!!! Ah well, their rules are their rules. Here I am with a used phone I way overpaid for that has only a 30 day warranty.

Days after my screen malfunctioned, my husband's screen shattered infront of our eyes. We literally watched as a crack started at the home screen button and cracked its way up the entire phone. He hadn't dropped it, he hadn't left it in heat or cold---just simply took the phone out to use it and we watched it break. I called Viaero, MAD! I was convinced that they're purchasing knock offs or something- I've never had a problem with iPhones yet here within a week of each other our 2 and 3 month old phones BOTH have issues with the screen??? We didn't have replacement insurance on his phone so I did not pay them an additional $158 for another phone- he was able to still use the phones despite the broken screen.
THen came time to travel. Leaving the town of Sidney just to drive to Alliance, service is extremely spotty. When we drove up to Rapid City, SD, FORGET ABOUT IT!! ZERO service! No texts went through, no calls came in or went out- we were in a complete dead zone. When I got home and realized just how little data we were actually ABLE to access for use, I was irate. I told them I was paying them for a service (unlimited everything) that they promised but could not provide. At that point I backed our service down to the most basic data plan to ensure I wasn't giving them more of my money than they deserved.
service is a major problem for this company. I NEVER get voicemails that people leave, which has gotten me in trouble with my employer. Text messages don't send to most people- my husband's phone still doesn't send out photos to certain people in his phone book. Calls constantly drop or fail. If you step foot outside of the cell carrier's town, you're doomed.

The cake topper came during my recent visit to Houston. I was driving alone with 3 children under the age of 4. Our vehicle broke down on the interstate and I pulled out my cell phone to call for help. I had 4 bars showing on my cell phone. "Thank God, I've got service!" WRONG!!!! Every call I tried to place out FAILED. Despite showing 4 bars, I had NO reception. I sat for over half an hour in the car with the children, sweating our butts off in 100+degree heat, at the mercy of Houston residents. Finally a man pulled up and let me use his phone and I'm STILL thanking God that the person who finally stopped for a woman with 3 children was someone who didn't wish to do us harm---because I had NO WAY of getting help. Thanks to my misplaced trust in Viaero, I was at the mercy of others despite PAYING my cell phone bill and despite their promises of service. Lies, lies, lies from the get go! After that incident I was up in arms. THat was the last time I was going to rely on this cell phone company. The most important time for my cell phone to function- when we are in danger- and it doesn't even put a call or text out. That entire situation could've played out way differently and I'm so thankful it didn't, but that didn't lessen my anger.

When I got home I made a final call to Viaero. "I am DONE! This is the LAST STRAW! You guys left me and my children and my niece stranded on a busy interstate with no service!!!" I told them they are so lucky that the man didn't have ill intentions or this would be a whole other type of phone call. I was unarmed, I was completely vulnerable, and I was unable to access cell phone service in the middle of a CITY. They put a woman on the line who told me I had ten days to send both of our cell phones to an address she provided. If we returned our phones--- AT MY COST TO SHIP THEM BACK--- they would waive the cancellation fee. (The phones were purchased at a promotional fee, so they want the units back.)
At first I thought, "GOOD RIDDANCE! TAKE THEM!" But then I got to thinking... wait a minute. They already HAVE the phone I purchased from them--- they got it back from me completely undamaged in February... at which time I paid them an additional $158 for an additional "refurbished" unit. So at the end of all of this I get to pay for service I rarely had, I get to donate not one, but THREE phones back to them AFTER paying them for all three of the phones, and I have to ship these units back to them at my own expense??????? What kind of sense does that make?!?!?
After the weekend and my revelation about them already HAVING the unit I purchased with my contract, I placed a call into customer service. I told them that I would send back this phone ONLY if they credit me back the $158 I paid for it. I have no problem mailing it back, but I DO have a problem donating my money to this crooked company. After fighting for over half an hour and having them rudely tell me that "these are the terms of the agreement. You will send back the units within 10 days- at your cost- and (this part was added in today during our call) after being looked over for any damage, they will credit our account."

Wait, remember how I told you about those screens cracking and my husband just working with the broken phone? So now you're telling me only if I send back two undamaged phones will I get out of the contract.  It says right on my account that I've been displeased because the phones both had screen issues only months after buying them and not being put through physical damage of any sort. They absolutely refuse to credit me back the $158. Just another cost I'm supposed to eat.
I told them I am absolutely sick of bending for them because THEY are unable to provide the service they provide. Why should I keep eating the costs??? At what point does the company stand up and say, "You know what? You're right. We haven't lived through with our promises and here's what we're going to do for you."

I hardly think it's right that I have to foot the bill for THREE separate phones and just eat that cost just so they don't punish me for getting out of a contract they can't live up to anyway!!!! Then the real kicker... the rep informs me that my account has been charged nearly $700 because the original phone I sent back in February was locked---(I was unable to access anything ON the phone because the screen wasn't functional!) "Since you've given me the passcode, after I give it to the techs I will go ahead and remove that fee." Um, you think?????? I couldn't access anything on a faulty screen and I'm just now finding out 5 months later that I'm getting charged for it? How did they not call my phone months ago to get this passcode if it was an issue?! Just looking for a chance to steal your money at every turn.
When I was completely irate because of their lack of willingness to solve this problem, I demanded to speak to the supervisor the woman had "just spoken with." She put me through to a voicemail, no answer. I left a message and here I sit looking to find out what I can do legally and what my rights are.

I don't feel like I'm asking an obnoxious amount. I'm not asking for a refund for these worthless months of cell phone service. I'm not asking to keep the units. I'm asking to be let out of this contract so that I can find reliable service, and I'm asking that they refund my $158 for the second unit I purchased, since they already have my unit that was purchased at the "promotional price" in their possession. Lastly, I was asking that THEY pay to ship the phones to them. Why do I have to foot the bill for literally everything??? I didn't find a cooler phone somewhere else, I had legitimate concerns about their horrendous coverage and about all of their false advertising and being stuck in a contract with a company that couldn't provide coverage when I needed it the most. I just want out of the contract without penalty. Me shipping back the SECOND phone I purchased on this plan without any sort of refund is NOT "without penalty." They will already have my husband's unit and my first--- if they want this refurbished phone as part of it, then they should refund me the cost.

DO NOT do business with this company. DO NOT believe the lies of unlimited everything---- that is a promise they CAN NOT FULFILL!!!!!!! In the areas with service, you typically have wifi available... but when you're broken down on an interstate with 3 tiny children in the middle of a MAJOR CITY, you're SOL! STAY FAR AWAY! They even have a BBB rating of an F. The company is very obviously taking advantage of people then hiding behind their threats of cancellation fees when you realize how crappy they are. They don't uphold any of their promises and when you bring it to their attention, they simply DO NOT CARE.
I wouldn't wish Viaero's service on my worst enemy- even they're worthy of a company that doesn't try to screw you at every turn!!!!