This review is entitled the Good and Bad of Verizon! I’ll start with the GOOD! After a very stressful day, I was recommended to go to 90th St. and 2nd Ave. and I walked in and Mr. Syed Sherazi was incredibly helpful and very courteous, respectful and friendly. Thankyou Syed. He heard my problem and complaints and because I could not get onto Verizon with my cell phone (because I’ve switched carriers) he let me use his cell phone. He contacted customer service and different departments and then let me stay on and use his phone. I was on the phone and in the store for over an hour while he was able to attend to other customers who came in specifically to see him because they know that he gives great customer service. I absolutely recommend SYED wholeheartedly and he should be heading up customer service department for ALL OF VERIZON because everybody can learn from him and believe me.. they NEED him!! After being in the store and on his cell phone for almost 90 minutes, I was finally directed to the department who might be able to help me tomorrow. (Hopefully the person will be as helpful as Syed) Syed was able to pull up my account history which I havent had for years since going to Autopay! NOW FOR THE BAD! It’s looooong! Verizon has been a nightmare to deal with! I started to get auto pay and realized that my bill was higher than I’ve ever realized and so I contacted them. I was able to reach them because my number was listed with them. They told me there was nothing they could do and so I went to Spectrum for all my services internet, tv, landline and for my boutique. I was advised that I had to return the equipment of modem and the router to Verizon, which I did for one of the Services and for the last two weeks I’ve been trying to be in touch with Verizon every day to return the Business Internet Gateway by calling the 1- 800-922-0204 number which is useless because nobody answers.. and I have to listen to that awful canned music for hours. FINALLY last week I reached an agent (after calling every day for 5 days and waiting for 4 hours every time for an agent to answer the call.So she actually heard my story, and said I would be able to send back the Gateway equipment and she would be mailing me a return label …. she was restricted from emailing me the return label because of arcane, stupid policies! Because I had switched carriers, my number was not able to be located and after calling for days and waiting for hours (it’s almost impossible to get to speak an agent and that is the reason that I went to different stores) Today I went to the one on 72nd and Lexington. They were hopeless and very rude. I went to the UPS STore to see if they would print a return label (not able to without relevant info) one on 86th and Lexington they were unable to but suggested I got to 90th and 2nd! And that is how I landed up going to meet with Syed today! So right now I’m with Spectrum and my bill is going to be a lot lower for a year. I was told by Syed that they might lock me into a contract for 36 months and increase the price. Well that’s where all these phone carriers get us by the you-know-what! Verizon has good good cell service but their CUSTOMER SERVICE IS AWFUL!! PLEASE VERIZON!!! !! Improve the ability for customers (past and present) to reach you more efficiently and quickly! Get some hints and tips from Syed and help your customers! And allow your customers to return the equipment for recycling even if the “grace” period is over, so that they do not land up polluting the planet by being thrown into landfills! Very stressful day! Verizon owes me a drink now! Phew! Thanks again Syed! You were very helpful!!