Verizion Pulls Out of FMCA Agreement !!!

[rossboyer]

Chris Smith did not leak the post on rvmobleinternet, he did correct the cost once it was lowered to be sure accurate information was posted.

[wildebill308]

Must be another case of the Russians Hacking us.

Bill

[wjell]

2 hours ago, rossboyer said:

Chris Smith did not leak the post on rvmobleinternet, he did correct the cost once it was lowered to be sure accurate information was posted.

Maybe that is something you should confirm with them. Their post seems to indicate they had more than just one contact with him.

https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/fmca-rolls-out-unlimited-verizon-hotspot-plan/

 

[BillAdams]

Did FMCA check to see if YOU actually had an RV?  You write anything you like in the blank boxes and you are a member.  Everyone in the Country is about to become a brand new RVer!

[wjell]

46 minutes ago, BillAdams said:

Did FMCA check to see if YOU actually had an RV?  You write anything you like in the blank boxes and you are a member.  Everyone in the Country is about to become a brand new RVer!

If you are asking me, I don't remember. It was over a year ago when I joined.
" Everyone in the Country is about to become a brand new RVer! ". Yup, even if they don't actually own a motorcoach or any kind of RV. Talk about diluting the membership and the brand!

[BillAdams]

I can assure you that they did not check.  How could they?  Run down DMV records?  That's not going to happen.  I have been a member since 1994 and no one responsible for membership at FMCA actually knows whether I own an RV or not (or care).

[Boundertom]

2 hours ago, BillAdams said:

I can assure you that they did not check.  How could they?  Run down DMV records?  That's not going to happen.  I have been a member since 1994 and no one responsible for membership at FMCA actually knows whether I own an RV or not (or care).

I would not expect FMCA to verify motorhome ownership. Under normal circumstances I would expect people to be mostly honest about motorhome ownership, since there is no HUGE benefit to membership if you are not a motorhome owner. The bigger point here is that there are ~70,000 existing members who should have had the opportunity to sign up for the data plan BEFORE it was offered to new members. This shows VERY poor judgement on the part of FMCA management.

Tom Thomas

F58933

2006 Fleetwood Expedition

[manholt]

Chris sent an email direct to rvmobil, June 13,15 and 16, 2017...Ross, all you got to do is click on Link.

Tom, yeah.  I know the feeling and also, why do this a month before the very important voting in Indy? 

[wjell]

1 hour ago, manholt said:

Chris sent an email direct to rvmobil, June 13,15 and 16, 2017...Ross, all you got to do is click on Link.

Tom, yeah.  I know the feeling and also, why do this a month before the very important voting in Indy? 

If you read the article, it mentions at least one phone call. Also, the completeness of the information (details in FMCA Plan Questions) about the benefit goes far beyond what was on the FMCA website. The details had to come from someone "in the know". 

[rossboyer]

15 hours ago, wjell said:

Maybe that is something you should confirm with them. Their post seems to indicate they had more than just one contact with him.

https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/fmca-rolls-out-unlimited-verizon-hotspot-plan/

 

I did go to the link you posted. At the top it states that it was posted by Chris Dunphk not Chris Smith. The article goes on to say that a person could sign up without a motor home.  

 

Maybe we should all rethink about this issue. If this benefit brings in new members, why would we need to open membership to all RVs?  Why not look at the positives instead of being critical of the organization when one of the 5000 released the information prematurely not the FMCA Staff. 

I was present when this benefit was discussed at the May Executive Board meeting, but I didn't go out and blast the world to create a nightmare for the staff. Testing the system by announcing to 5000 is good not negative. Those 5000 were current members, so the announcement did go to the membership. It was one of those that caused this issue. 

[wjell]

1 hour ago, rossboyer said:

I did go to the link you posted. At the top it states that it was posted by Chris Dunphk not Chris Smith. The article goes on to say that a person could sign up without a motor home.  

 

Maybe we should all rethink about this issue. If this benefit brings in new members, why would we need to open membership to all RVs?  Why not look at the positives instead of being critical of the organization when one of the 5000 released the information prematurely not the FMCA Staff. 

I was present when this benefit was discussed at the May Executive Board meeting, but I didn't go out and blast the world to create a nightmare for the staff. Testing the system by announcing to 5000 is good not negative. Those 5000 were current members, so the announcement did go to the membership. It was one of those that caused this issue. 

I can almost guarantee the Verizon will not stand for this plan being offered to the general public (GENERAL PUBLIC = THAT DOES NOT OWN A MOTORCOACH but is willing to spend $50/$60 to get this GREAT data deal and a free hotspot) Google " Omnilynx Verizon " and see how long that lasted before Verizon shut it down. EXACT same thing here except for the $50/$60 "membership fee".

Where the 5,000 members given the level of details described in the "FMCA Plan Questions" in the article? Did you see that Chris Dunphk spoke and emailed back and forth with Chris Smith? I suggest you might want to re-read the article more closely.

This no longer has a single thing do to with motorcoachs or RV's. It is all about a " a secret way to get unlimited Verizon hotspot data for $50 a month " and there were over 10,000 links about it the last time I looked. This was going to happen "leak" or "no leak". This is the "wired world" we live in today. The only thing that could have prevented it was if FMCA held to their rules of motorcoach ownership and would verify same. Otherwise, "Katy bar the door". 

Unless I'm wrong, (and I often am) there is a PR disaster unfolding here.

[manholt]

Right or wrong.  Nothing can be done about it now!  Don't forget the FMCA members who knew about this, over 2 months ago via Charlie and as Herman wrote...call FMCA.

[hermanmullins]

I personally think Chris Smith, our Executive Director, and his Staff are doing a great job. They found a great new benefit for the members. He spoke of the new program that they were in negotiations with and would run a test program. When the announcement was made to keep it under their hats until it is worked out to a room of 25 to 30 individuals, guess what, It ain't a secret any more. 

Mistakes were made. Steps are being taken to ratify the situation. Please be patient you will get your chance to get your MiFi. 

Thank you Chris to you and your staff for continuing to improve the benefits to the members.

Herman 

[wjell]

I hope you are correct hermanmullins. I sure hope you are correct.

[spuds]

13 hours ago, Boundertom said:

I would not expect FMCA to verify motorhome ownership. Under normal circumstances I would expect people to be mostly honest about motorhome ownership, since there is no HUGE benefit to membership if you are not a motorhome owner.

Bolded for emphasis.

Low-priced, unlimited Verizon data would be a HUGE benefit to many, thus we do not have normal circumstances in this case.

Surely FMCA understood the desirability of this perk when they arranged to offer it.  You wouldn't think they'd go through that effort for something that only a small portion of the membership would want, or which would attract a significant number of new members.  Either they expected rabid interest in the program to increase membership sign ups (which they got) or they don't understand what they were offering and what the market for that is.  

So either very poor judgement, or they knew exactly what they were doing.

 

[rossboyer]

3 hours ago, hermanmullins said:

I personally think Chris Smith, our Executive Director, and his Staff are doing a great job. They found a great new benefit for the members. He spoke of the new program that they were in negotiations with and would run a test program. When the announcement was made to keep it under their hats until it is worked out to a room of 25 to 30 individuals, guess what, It ain't a secret any more. 

Mistakes were made. Steps are being taken to ratify the situation. Please be patient you will get your chance to get your MiFi. 

Thank you Chris to you and your staff for continuing to improve the benefits to the members.

Herman 

Herman. Thank you making positive comments. We need all posters to look for the good. 

[rpelatt]

20 hours ago, BillAdams said:

Did FMCA check to see if YOU actually had an RV?  You write anything you like in the blank boxes and you are a member.  Everyone in the Country is about to become a brand new RVer!

I tried to join in 2013 not knowing that you had to already own an RV. I wanted to join in order to post on forums and learn more about various brands before making the big decision. I called when I got stopped at the year, make, and model section, and was informed that ownership was a pre-requisite. Fine. I waited until we purchased and then joined. I understand they can't run through DMV records for everyone but I would at least hope they don't allow membership without filling in that section. Then at least the member knows he/she is lying and not just omitting the details. JMO 

[rlbarkleyii]

We as FMCA members have a right to be pissed about this roll out. By closing discussions FMCA staff is just pouring coal on the fire. I hope they will regroup and open this to all CURRENT members before new members. BTW what is a "coach code"?,  Are they talking about our member numbers? 

[Boundertom]

7 hours ago, spuds said:

Bolded for emphasis.

Low-priced, unlimited Verizon data would be a HUGE benefit to many, thus we do not have normal circumstances in this case.

Surely FMCA understood the desirability of this perk when they arranged to offer it.  You wouldn't think they'd go through that effort for something that only a small portion of the membership would want, or which would attract a significant number of new members.  Either they expected rabid interest in the program to increase membership sign ups (which they got) or they don't understand what they were offering and what the market for that is.  

So either very poor judgement, or they knew exactly what they were doing.

 

I think we are in agreement. I did not mean that these are "normal circumstances". Quite the opposite actually. This data plan is obviously a very desirable benefit. Again, the point remains that if this was supposed to be a "soft launch", why were they signing up new members and putting them on the data plan, ahead of existing loyal, long term members? It just seems completely obvious to me that you should take care of existing members first. I guess FMCA management doesn't see it that way. If this was an intentional decision to increase membership, I don't think they were counting on the backlash they will receive from existing members. I have had mobile internet from Verizon, in various forms,  for many years. Missing out on this deal is NOT the end of the world for me. I just don't like being screwed by an organization I have been a member of for 35 years.

As an aside, I just read all the pages of the current topic on allowing towables into FMCA. It gave me a lot to think about. Mostly about what am I getting out of my membership? The answer is, not much. I renew year after year, mostly from habit, and partly because of the magazine. I might be better off spending that $50 on 20 gallons of diesel fuel. 

[spuds]

1 hour ago, Boundertom said:

I think we are in agreement. I did not mean that these are "normal circumstances". Quite the opposite actually.

Tom, yes we are in complete agreement - on all points of your post, including reviewing (and keeping a watchful eye) whether FMCA membership provides us any continued value.

As with you, coming to the message board to review the Verizon data fiasco has also caused me to read over the many posts about allowing membership to owners of towables and contribute my thoughts to that thread.  So there's that - FMCA gets a momentary bump in their forum participation from those of us peeved about the handling of the Verizon deal ;-)

Michelle

[BillAdams]

Since FMCA never has and never will check if someone applying for membership actually owns the RV they claim to own, this thing is about to go ballistic.  The likelihood is that Verizon will pull the plug when 5000 folks a month (assuming that's the limit) sign up month after month after month.  FMCA should have been able to see the future with this plan but since it appears not to have been given any consideration the only 2 choices now are to offer this plan to members who pre-date the announcement or require a potential member to provide a copy of vehicle registration before being allowed to join this close knit family.

[rfsod48]

Bill, I question if the higher ups are that smart. This may jus go the Omni way.

[Boundertom]

1 hour ago, BillAdams said:

Since FMCA never has and never will check if someone applying for membership actually owns the RV they claim to own, this thing is about to go ballistic.  The likelihood is that Verizon will pull the plug when 5000 folks a month (assuming that's the limit) sign up month after month after month.  FMCA should have been able to see the future with this plan but since it appears not to have been given any consideration the only 2 choices now are to offer this plan to members who pre-date the announcement or require a potential member to provide a copy of vehicle registration before being allowed to join this close knit family.

Bill, I think you are right about Verizon pulling the plug. In fact, I wonder if Verizon didn't already pull the plug, once FMCA started selling the plan to anyone with a pulse and $104. I figure there is about a 60% chance this thing is already dead. I hope I am wrong. It would have been a great benefit, and a reason for me to maintain my FMCA membership.

[Boundertom]

I just now received this email from Chris Smith. I assume it is a canned response from submitting my info online a few days ago. Anyone else get this?

Dear Thomas, Thank you for your interest in our newest FMCA member benefit, unlimited “on the go” internet access at a member-only price. Response has been overwhelming!   We have your request and will be contacting you next week.  Thanks for your patience.   Regards,    Chris Smith Executive Director / CFO

[spuds]

59 minutes ago, Boundertom said:

I just now received this email from Chris Smith. I assume it is a canned response from submitting my info online a few days ago. Anyone else get this?

No, and I submitted the forum fairly early on and never got a phone call.