Problem with Verizon Wireless

Here's the situation. In December, my fiance and I purchased two smartphones from Verizon and signed up for a two year contract (we've both been long-time Verizon customers). From Dec. through early May this year, the phones worked fine in our 12th floor apartment. The signal and call quality were never great, but the service worked well enough and almost never dropped a call. Since early May, however, the signal in our apartment has been terrible. It is difficult to make an outgoing call (the phone won't dial out most of the time) and when the call connects, the call quality is terrible and the call is usually dropped after a minute or two. This started happening to both of us around the same time. (and we can call from other locations just fine, so it isn't the phones). We haven't moved or done anything to the apartment. The building hasn't had any new construction and there is no construction nearby that could possibly interfere with the signal. I get an okay signal on the ground floor, but having to take an elevator down to the ground floor everytime to make a call isn't practical..

I've been working with Verizon tech support, but I'm doubtful they will be able to solve it. I suspect that they will throw their hands up or somehow try to pin the blame on something/someone other than them. Two reps have noted that the cell phone contract does not guarantee service indoors.

One possible option is to get a service extender from Verizon. Basically, it sets up a minature cell tower in your home by using a broadband connection. If this would solve my service problems, I'd be fine with using it, but the equipment costs $200. I am not about to purchase this product at my own cost to fix a problem that I did not create. A resonable outcome would be for them to provide the service extender free of charge, but I'm not sure if they will do it.

Assuming they don't, what are my options? The core issue here is that the service worked fine for months but now it doesn't work. Although the contract says that service isn't guaranteed indoors, I can't imagine that it helps them very much where the service worked for me for months but now, through no fault of my own, does not work. (I'm not sure what the problem is but suspect it might be their tower, otherwise I have no idea).

The most reasonable outcome is for them to provide the service extender. If they can't or won't, then I think I should be allowed to break the contract without any penalties. But I'm not sure how that would play out. Thoughts?

I have a clarification. I haven't been able to look at my verizon wireless contract because I can't find it. The assertion that "Verizon doesn't guarantee indoor service" came from several service reps, but I haven't been able to check my contract for that language. I did, however, go through almost all of the signup process online. In the customer service contract online, it makes no mention that Verizon does not guarantee service indoors. So, the reps may be bs-ing me.

Any thoughts?

What doesn't make sense to me is I'm on the hook for something that used to work properly but doesn't now through no fault of my own.

To take an extreme example, can Verizon legally just shut down all its towers and force everyone to keep paying? If there are under no obligation to provide a particular level of service, then why can't they do that.

That said, the reps did tell me they are obligated to provide service, just outdoor service. So, they do admit some sort of service obligation. I think my opening is that my contract may not contain this "we do not guarantee indoor service" clause. So, they can't legally make a distinction that is not present in the contract.

Verizon is what I've used for years because "it works." Our phones definitely work other places; we've tried them in several other places repeatedly.

But here is the thing. During the 30-day trial period, I never would have kept this phone if it worked as it did now. And what is ironic is that if you move to somewhere without service, you can cancel without a fee. But I didn't move. I didn't do anything, and now it doesn't work for either of us. It feels that the "trial period" was blatant misrepresentation if you can't rely on the trial period to be a good indication of how the service will operate in the exact same location after it ends.

I was able to get a hold of my customer agreement. Nothing in the agreement says that Verizon is only obligated to provide outdoor service and that they "don't guarantee indoor service." The reps repeatedly told me that Verizon doesn't "guarantee indoor service," but my contract says nothing to that effect. So, this is making me pretty suspicious of them.

Here are the relevant provisions from the customer agreement:

"Where and How Does Verizon Wireless Service Work?
Wireless devices use radio transmissions, so unfortunately you can't get Service if your device isn't in range of a transmission signal. And please be aware that even within your Coverage Area, many things can affect the availability and quality of your Service, including network capacity, your device, terrain, buildings, foliage and weather."

"Disclaimer of Warranties
We make no representations or warranties, express or implied, including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, about your Service, your wireless device, or any applications you access through your wireless device. We do not warrant that your wireless device will work perfectly or will not need occasional upgrades or modifications, or that it will not be negatively affected by network-related modifications, upgrades or similar activity."