Got a weird one here in Seattle. Small business client has Verizon FiOS internet and phone service. They're being charged business rates ($340/month) but the service agreement shows residential FiOS speeds and equipment. Verizon says it's because the account is under a business name, but the actual service is identical to what residential customers get for $89/month. Anyone seen this scam before?
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Verizon FiOS business vs residential rates - anyone else seeing this?
David, this is super common with Verizon. They have a "small business" tier that's basically residential service with business billing. The kicker is they don't provide any of the actual business features like static IP, SLA guarantees, or priority support. It's pure profit padding.
Same thing happens here in Utah with CenturyLink. They see a business address and automatically assume you need "business grade" service even for a home office. The service is identical but costs 4x more. Always worth challenging these classifications.
The real test is asking for business-specific features. If they can't provide guaranteed uptime, dedicated support, or service level agreements, then you're paying business rates for residential service. I've gotten several Phoenix clients switched to proper residential billing and saved them thousands.