Just did it. Wow, I feel like a gigantic burden was just lifted from my chest. Ironically, the burden is in the shape of a lopsided V with a douchy white guy asking me "Can you hear me now?"

Verizon Wireless Service Plan
Peak Minutes Used Per Month
Off-Peak Minutes Used Per Month
Usage Charges: (Amt of Txt Messages, data sent, etc)

Basically everything in your bill summery.

I hope the cross-post this on the other appropriate Denton Media Empire(tm) sites (hint, hint). I'm sure it'd be appreciated by those readers too.

I think a better way to sell your customer's numbers (although it's never a good idea to sell your customer's numbers IMO) is to use a promotion, like a free iPod nano to those who opt-in. Kind of like the annoying flash ads that talk to me about a free iPod.

I wonder if the phone line is crashing due to the tsunami of frantic phone calls...

So amazing that such an obviously alienating initiative can get to the implementation stage.

I didn't receive any notice with my bill. Thanks for posting the info.

Yeah, E, it's doable, and highly recommended.

But it's nuts that Verizon makes it so convoluted, so hidden, so hostile. For something that an extremely small set of their woefully overpaying customers desire.

@trai_dep: All I had to do was put in my phone number and billing zip code. I have previously opted to password protect my account, so it asked for that as well. Then prompted to press 9 to opt out, otherwise hang up.

I did this for both numbers on my plan in about 2 minutes. Pretty painless, and with the minimum amount of info required.

Wow. It's pretty skanky.

I called the first time, entered my number and it told me that the number wasn't in their records. Then rattled off a different number to call if I had any questions - too quickly to write down, 'natch. Then hung up. So, zero way to resolve this with a human.

I called a second time and it required that I enter my ph#, then (?) ZIP then (?!) last 4 digits of my SS#. THEN (f*cking Hell?!!) it said, "If you're sure that you want to opt out of the (blah blah blah) press 1." Doing nothing would keep my unlisted, cell phone number's legs spread wide for being gangraped by telemarketers. Exactly opposite of what anyone calling the number would want, naturally.

In other words, they make you jump through a tremendous number of hoops to get out of something that <1% of their customers would opt for to begin with.

For a wireless number, which in my mind, are supposed to be more protected from disclosure rape than landlines.

THANKS!!!! Consumerist, this is why I read YOU.

Awesome, great post. I just opted-out all of my lines.

I should really pay more attention to the small print on those bills.