On August 24th I received a written notice that Verizon was adding an Administrative Fee starting October 1st. It said this fee was not a tax, and that it was being added in accordance with the paragraph in the Customer Agreement that is quoted in this thread. I called them on October 8th and told them that this charge materially adversely affected me and that I was cancelling my service. I asked them to note on my account that I was not to be charged the Early Termination Fee in accordance with the Customer Agreement. The person I talked to said it was no problem and I wouldn't be charged the charge.
On October 9th a bill was generated for 2 Early Termination Fees, plus tax. They now say that the fee is a tax, and doesn't qualify for getting out of the ETF. The bill specifically says "this is not a tax." Every person I talk to now (all of them are supervisors) insists that it is and they will not remove the ETF charges.
So then I pointed out to them that my contract expires on October 24th, and I have already paid them in full through the end of the contract, so they can't charge me this fee anyway. I know their computer shows this date because I called twice before and asked them when my contract was up, and T-Mobile asked them too. They always said October 24th. After I pointed this out they told me that I have to fax them something in writing that is dated after March 1, 2005 that states that my contract ends on that date or else they are going to consider my contract good until January 2007. I don't know what they expect me to fax them. They don't print the contract dates on the bills. The only stuff I have that says the date on it is the original contract, which is dated October 24, 2003.
I have asked for a mediator. After that I will take it to arbitration. They aren't getting any money from me.
The point is: be careful dealing with these assholes. They tell you one thing then bill you another. It is fraud, plain and simple.