I Hate Verizon

I thought this time would be different. Sure, Verizon and I shared an unhappy history but that was years ago and people change. When FIOS showed up last year with the promise of fiber optics to my door, I was seduced into giving Verizon another try.

I should have known better.

My FIOS Internet is faster, so it's a partial victory, but FIOS TV has frequently let me down. It's the multi-room DVR that disappoints. It's flaky and buggy and even when it does work, it's no TiVo.

Lately, the DVR has taken to randomly rebooting. Not a good sign. Then it started recording shows that shouldn't even be broadcast. Yes, that's as weird as it sounds.
It said it was recording one show but I tried to watch and it was recording a different show, a show that appears no where I could find on the guide. (Yes, it was on the correct channel.) I checked the other TVs and they had the correct show on that channel. It was only the DVR with its wires crossed. [sigh]

It was time to call Verizon (again). So I began the Quest for Verizon Support:

1. Look up the phone number online by putting FIOS TV, Tech Support, and My State into the look-up tool.

2. Call the number that came back as FIOS TV Tech Support. "Thank you for calling Verizon Wireless" Verizon Wireless. WTF?!?

3. Spend 5 minutes getting to a person at Verizon Wireless, explaining that I wanted FIOS tech support and waiting for them to give me the correct number.

4. Call the correct number. Go through a phone tree that keeps asking for my Verizon home phone number (I don't have a Verizon home phone).

5. Be put on hold. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait.

6. Finally talk to an actual person-- who asks for my Verizon home phone number.

7. Explain that I do not have a Verizon home phone number, but offer the account number instead. No luck. The only way to access the account is with my non-existent Verizon home phone number.

8. Give my contact phone number instead. (Which I have given on every previous call and it has never worked to bring up my records.) "Sorry, that didn't work either. We'll have to try to find you by name and address."

9. A search by name has finally brought up my account. The support tech says she will add my contact phone number to make it easier next time. Then says "Oh, it's already added. Hmm... I don't know why it didn't work." (Which I've heard before. Several times.)

10. Almost 30 minutes into the Quest, I am finally asked to describe the problem.

11. "Wow. There certainly seems to be something wrong with that DVR." You think?

12. The support tech was at least very friendly and helpful, but had to go through her whole procedure. "Please unplug the DVR for at least 20 seconds...."

13. Clearly there is a major problem with the DVR, but the tech needs to run 3 "function tests" before she can issue a DVR replacement. So, I wait. And start typing this blog post.

14. After several minutes the tests are completed, the trials have been passed and a new DVR is in the mail. (Well, UPS actually.)

Now I sit and wait for it to arrive. Will they send the right DVR? Will the new DVR actually work? How long will I be on the phone trying to get it working once it arrives?

Tune in next time when I attempt the Quest to Activate the New DVR.

(I hate Verizon.)
Posted on 6/08/2009

6 comments:

  1. Calling Verizon customer service will make any sane person lose their mind real fast. Luckily, if you can get through to Verizon fios tech support, the support is actually quite good. I hope your replacement dvr will make your troubles dissapear.
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  2. Thanks, Duane! The woman I *finally* talked to was helpful. My fingers are crossed!
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  3. So, my apartment complex recently had Verizon added as option (fiber optics). They did construction to put in new ports in all the units. I called to complain tha they got drywall dust all over my nice things, etc. I should have known no one would call back or care. Today I decided that the marketing they have sent me over the past two months has been a little overdone. I think I've received about 100 channel lineups and marketing requests to sign up. I called the number on the advertisement mailed to me today. The guy on the other end said, "Well, unless you have an account with us, there is no way to stop those." Isn't that considered spam? Or harrasment? Or something? What a wonderful waste of paper and money. Sadness.
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  4. okay, so my apartment complex also was recently equipt with verizon fios, just in case the residents want it i guess. now i have weekly verizon representatives comming to my door to get me to switch over. i have comcast, it gives me some problems, but if i call, they try to do what they can to help me, and i am happy with it. My apartment complex has a "No Soliciting" sign at both entrances. So what can i do? And your all right, try to call verizon if your not upgrading or adding a service, they basically tell you to go pound sand. Today was funny, because my boyfriend answered the door trying to be nice, he said he was busy with our son, then here i come through the apartment like a shark, i get to the door, and i said ( i really said this, no lie) "leave us alone...no knock knock knockie" because i am so sick of this i thought maybe if im wierd and seem irritated and freak him out, they wont come back. so we;ll see, but im so over being nice. i know its 2 minutes out of your day to say no, but then they keep going. i was asked after saying no once, well how much is your comcast bill? well i order an embarassing amount of movies, so my bill is high. i always order the newest movies and some old favorites so my bill is usually like 200 dollars. im not discussing that with him! and if i wanted fios, i would call the number on one of those flyers i get every three days with the circculars in the mail, or the door hangers they put on my door knob. god, verizon leave me alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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  5. I hate verizon too. My saga with verizon is too long to post. Needless to say I have switched to Comcast and am telling everyone not to go to Verizon. I would pay more than stay with Verizon. One time I was hold for almost two hours while they tried to figure out why I did not have internet service for over 12 days and then they said they could not give me a credit. LOng Live Verizon's competition.
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  6. Best example of poor customer service out there. They do everything to exemplify this truth. Should be in textbooks at business school as what not to be like.
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