I usually don't vent on NGs about bad service; most of what we get
these days IS "bad service".
But I'm disgusted enough to go public on Verizon FIOS. They offered a
package of TV, Internet and telephone for what sounded like a
reasonable sum. From Day One, nearly a year ago, EVERYTHING has been
terrible. Verizon does everything to keep the customer at arm's
(electrronic) length. The Web sites are useless. There is virtually
no response to polite complaints, and when one does get a human being,
they are inept, untrained, ignorant, and basically useless even for
flipping burgers. The corporate office doesn't answer inquiries.

If anybody wants a copy of the article I am writing, with blow-by-blow
account of the Verizon horrors, let me know. It's too long and
detailed to post on a NG, but trust me, everything is backed up with
emails, phone records, faxes, letters and personal visits to Verizon
stores. (shudder!)

Meantime, please! Friends don't let friends subscribe to Verizon
FIOS.

Hypatia

"Higgs Boson" wrote in message
...
I usually don't vent on NGs about bad service; most of what we get
these days IS "bad service".
But I'm disgusted enough to go public on Verizon FIOS. They offered a
package of TV, Internet and telephone for what sounded like a
reasonable sum. From Day One, nearly a year ago, EVERYTHING has been
terrible. Verizon does everything to keep the customer at arm's
(electrronic) length. The Web sites are useless. There is virtually
no response to polite complaints, and when one does get a human being,
they are inept, untrained, ignorant, and basically useless even for
flipping burgers. The corporate office doesn't answer inquiries.

If anybody wants a copy of the article I am writing, with blow-by-blow
account of the Verizon horrors, let me know. It's too long and
detailed to post on a NG, but trust me, everything is backed up with
emails, phone records, faxes, letters and personal visits to Verizon
stores. (shudder!)

Meantime, please! Friends don't let friends subscribe to Verizon
FIOS.

Hypatia

You could say the same thing about almost any large company. They get to big
to worry about miniscule customers. We almost always pay cash for everything
but last January my wife went to Ashley and bought a diningroom table. We
had the money but for some reason she put it on "6 months same as cash". My
initial reaction was to pay the bill but it was stated "6 months same as
cash" so I didn't worry about it. I never got a bill so I waited for it. One
came 2 months later from Citifinancial saying I was late and had late fees.
I called and told both Ashley and Citifinancial I have documents that state
6 months same as cash but they didn't care. I spoke with a customer service
supervisor at Ashley and he said they don't do anything until they get
several complaints. The telephone rep at Citifinancial said I was the 3rd
complaint she got from Ashley customers that day for the same thing. I got
Citifinancial to knock off the penaties and paid it in full over the phone.
I told my wife that this is why we don't have any credit cards.

These types of customer service complaints happen all the time these days.
Large companies know that all the other large companies are doing it and
they will "miss the boat" if they don't join in. There is big money to be
made by lying to customers.

they will "miss the boat" if they don't join in. There is big money to be
made by lying to customers.-

Yes, but it drastically shortens the longevity of your business once
word gets around.

Master Betty wrote:

You could say the same thing about almost any large company. They get
to big to worry about miniscule customers. We almost always pay cash
for everything but last January my wife went to Ashley and bought a
diningroom table. We had the money but for some reason she put it on
"6 months same as cash". My initial reaction was to pay the bill but
it was stated "6 months same as cash" so I didn't worry about it. I
never got a bill so I waited for it. One came 2 months later from
Citifinancial saying I was late and had late fees. I called and told
both Ashley and Citifinancial I have documents that state 6 months
same as cash but they didn't care. I spoke with a customer service
supervisor at Ashley and he said they don't do anything until they
get several complaints. The telephone rep at Citifinancial said I was
the 3rd complaint she got from Ashley customers that day for the same
thing. I got Citifinancial to knock off the penaties and paid it in
full over the phone. I told my wife that this is why we don't have
any credit cards.

And now your credit report is shot to **** and you are designated as "late
payer."

On 03/26/2010 07:59 PM, HeyBub wrote:
Master Betty wrote:

You could say the same thing about almost any large company. They get
to big to worry about miniscule customers. We almost always pay cash
for everything but last January my wife went to Ashley and bought a
diningroom table. We had the money but for some reason she put it on
"6 months same as cash". My initial reaction was to pay the bill but
it was stated "6 months same as cash" so I didn't worry about it. I
never got a bill so I waited for it. One came 2 months later from
Citifinancial saying I was late and had late fees. I called and told
both Ashley and Citifinancial I have documents that state 6 months
same as cash but they didn't care. I spoke with a customer service
supervisor at Ashley and he said they don't do anything until they
get several complaints. The telephone rep at Citifinancial said I was
the 3rd complaint she got from Ashley customers that day for the same
thing. I got Citifinancial to knock off the penaties and paid it in
full over the phone. I told my wife that this is why we don't have
any credit cards.

And now your credit report is shot to **** and you are designated as "late
payer."



Verizon is much, much worse than "almost any large company." I've had
several bad experiences with them to the point that I haven't had a home
phone in something like 5 years now. not worth the hassle. I'm not
alone, either - lots of people I know have bad things to say about Verizon.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
On 03/26/2010 07:59 PM, HeyBub wrote:
Master Betty wrote:

You could say the same thing about almost any large company. They get
to big to worry about miniscule customers. We almost always pay cash
for everything but last January my wife went to Ashley and bought a
diningroom table. We had the money but for some reason she put it on
"6 months same as cash". My initial reaction was to pay the bill but
it was stated "6 months same as cash" so I didn't worry about it. I
never got a bill so I waited for it. One came 2 months later from
Citifinancial saying I was late and had late fees. I called and told
both Ashley and Citifinancial I have documents that state 6 months
same as cash but they didn't care. I spoke with a customer service
supervisor at Ashley and he said they don't do anything until they
get several complaints. The telephone rep at Citifinancial said I was
the 3rd complaint she got from Ashley customers that day for the same
thing. I got Citifinancial to knock off the penaties and paid it in
full over the phone. I told my wife that this is why we don't have
any credit cards.

And now your credit report is shot to **** and you are designated as
"late
payer."



Verizon is much, much worse than "almost any large company." I've had
several bad experiences with them to the point that I haven't had a home
phone in something like 5 years now. not worth the hassle. I'm not
alone, either - lots of people I know have bad things to say about
Verizon.



Worse than Time Warner Cable?

On 03/26/2010 08:48 PM, Master Betty wrote:
"Nate wrote in message
...
On 03/26/2010 07:59 PM, HeyBub wrote:
Master Betty wrote:

You could say the same thing about almost any large company. They get
to big to worry about miniscule customers. We almost always pay cash
for everything but last January my wife went to Ashley and bought a
diningroom table. We had the money but for some reason she put it on
"6 months same as cash". My initial reaction was to pay the bill but
it was stated "6 months same as cash" so I didn't worry about it. I
never got a bill so I waited for it. One came 2 months later from
Citifinancial saying I was late and had late fees. I called and told
both Ashley and Citifinancial I have documents that state 6 months
same as cash but they didn't care. I spoke with a customer service
supervisor at Ashley and he said they don't do anything until they
get several complaints. The telephone rep at Citifinancial said I was
the 3rd complaint she got from Ashley customers that day for the same
thing. I got Citifinancial to knock off the penaties and paid it in
full over the phone. I told my wife that this is why we don't have
any credit cards.

And now your credit report is shot to **** and you are designated as
"late
payer."



Verizon is much, much worse than "almost any large company." I've had
several bad experiences with them to the point that I haven't had a home
phone in something like 5 years now. not worth the hassle. I'm not
alone, either - lots of people I know have bad things to say about
Verizon.



Worse than Time Warner Cable?


Never had 'em. Only cable services I've had are Comcast and Cox and
other than bitching about the cost, I have few complaints about them.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Verizon is much, much worse than "almost any large company." *I've had

You guys don't know what bad service / bad product are. Try using
Hughes Net. I dare you. The performance is terrible every nite. and
when you try to talk to someone you can't understand a word they say.

wrote:
Verizon is much, much worse than "almost any large company." I've had

You guys don't know what bad service / bad product are. Try using
Hughes Net. I dare you. The performance is terrible every nite. and
when you try to talk to someone you can't understand a word they say.

I straightened out Hughes Net service for a customer a while back.
I'm used to dealing with tech support CSR's in India and can often
get them to patch me through to American based personnel who can
often quickly help me remedy the situation. I have thought about
learning Hindi or Urdu to mess with the outsourced tech support.

TDD

"HeyBub" wrote in message
news
Master Betty wrote:

You could say the same thing about almost any large company. They get
to big to worry about miniscule customers. We almost always pay cash
for everything but last January my wife went to Ashley and bought a
diningroom table. We had the money but for some reason she put it on
"6 months same as cash". My initial reaction was to pay the bill but
it was stated "6 months same as cash" so I didn't worry about it. I
never got a bill so I waited for it. One came 2 months later from
Citifinancial saying I was late and had late fees. I called and told
both Ashley and Citifinancial I have documents that state 6 months
same as cash but they didn't care. I spoke with a customer service
supervisor at Ashley and he said they don't do anything until they
get several complaints. The telephone rep at Citifinancial said I was
the 3rd complaint she got from Ashley customers that day for the same
thing. I got Citifinancial to knock off the penaties and paid it in
full over the phone. I told my wife that this is why we don't have
any credit cards.

And now your credit report is shot to **** and you are designated as "late
payer."


I doubt that but don't really care much. We don't use credit anymore. That
would be indicated as PIF.

On Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:24:38 -0700 (PDT), Higgs Boson
wrote:


Meantime, please! Friends don't let friends subscribe to Verizon
FIOS.

Hypatia

And their ad about watching tv in 6 rooms has been changed to say you
can record in one room and watch it in 6. I'm sure that means you
have to watch the same thing in every room.

Heck, that's no feature. Anyone can do that with a vcr or dvdr, with
splitters, and a couple signal amps, and some cable, for maybe 40
dollars an no rental fees.

On 3/26/2010 6:24 PM, Higgs Boson wrote:
I usually don't vent on NGs about bad service; most of what we get
these days IS "bad service".
But I'm disgusted enough to go public on Verizon FIOS. They offered a
package of TV, Internet and telephone for what sounded like a
reasonable sum. From Day One, nearly a year ago, EVERYTHING has been
terrible. Verizon does everything to keep the customer at arm's
(electrronic) length. The Web sites are useless. There is virtually
no response to polite complaints, and when one does get a human being,
they are inept, untrained, ignorant, and basically useless even for
flipping burgers. The corporate office doesn't answer inquiries.

If anybody wants a copy of the article I am writing, with blow-by-blow
account of the Verizon horrors, let me know. It's too long and
detailed to post on a NG, but trust me, everything is backed up with
emails, phone records, faxes, letters and personal visits to Verizon
stores. (shudder!)

Meantime, please! Friends don't let friends subscribe to Verizon
FIOS.

Hypatia
Verizon is just horrible. Here in
western NC the land lines are just plain
pathetic ... noisy, 60Hz hum, etc. I am
on a remote switcher. When there is a
power failure, the phone goes out
shortly thereafter. A Verizon person
said it was because the batteries in the
remote need to be replace. Verizon won't
replace them because they are selling
their land line business later this year
and don't want to spend any money on
stuff they will be getting rid of. Gee,
just think, a 3rd rate telephone
company, Verizon, is selling their stuff
to a 4th rate company, Frontier. Wow, I
can't wait ... NOT. BTW, I have heard,
from a verizon person that Frontier made
them fix their DSL problems because they
"didn't want to buy a crippled system."
And, DSL has improved over the last 9
months. 9 months ago, you couldn't
stream any audio or video. Now I can
stream video easily during the day, and
usually at night. Also, 9 months ago,
the DSL speeds would read as low as
40kbs during the evening ... now it's
not bad. 9 months ago, if you called
non tech support, you would get
someone in India or the Philippines
telling you to do basically stupid
things, like replacing your network
cable between the modem and computer, or
plugging the modem wallwart DIRECTLY
into a wall outlet and not into a power
strip.

Well I have my own FIOS phone hporror story, after complaing for TWO
MONTHS, and caling EVERY BUSINESS DAY FOR 3 WEEKS and esclating to the
presidents office twice my phone got fixed.

It was a bad router at the central office, which effected every fios
phone customer in our CO, about every 12th call was noisey, as time
went on to the point of unusable.

Their phone auto attendant system is designed to discourage calls to a
rep at all costs.

They refused to let me cancel, and refused to put me back on copper.
They have so many company policies they fail to realize serve the
CUSTOMER shouldnt be at the bottom of the list it should be first!

I am finally outr of contract and ready to cancel EVERYTHING with the
Verizon brand.

my fios internet has been rock solid, but the company is horrible to
deal with...........

wrote in message
...
Well I have my own FIOS phone hporror story, after complaing for TWO
MONTHS, and caling EVERY BUSINESS DAY FOR 3 WEEKS and esclating to the
presidents office twice my phone got fixed.

It was a bad router at the central office, which effected every fios
phone customer in our CO, about every 12th call was noisey, as time
went on to the point of unusable.

Their phone auto attendant system is designed to discourage calls to a
rep at all costs.

I'm late to this thread, but I am ready to concede that the inventor of auto
attendant systems shot be shot. It's just another way to make the customer
bear the cost of support by wasting enormous amounts of time reading menus
at them when a smart receptionist would know in seconds where to send you.

They refused to let me cancel,

These two year contracts should be illegal, especially when all they are
risking is a $20 router or cable modem. They are mostly to lock out
competition and restrain free market force. I'm surprised some lawyer
hasn't sued them just on that basis.

and refused to put me back on copper.

I am *so* glad I didn't fall for FIOS - although I almost did - when a
friend told me that the first thing they did was cut his old copper phone
wire I backed off. Just like "early termination fee" cutting your copper is
designed to force you to stay with them. If there was true competition,
then maybe some of these tricks might be conscionable, but the alternates
are so limited that they're not. They behave so much like monopolies, that
they really are monopolies, in the practical sense of the word.

They have so many company policies they fail to realize serve the
CUSTOMER shouldnt be at the bottom of the list it should be first!

How can they offer such terrible service to so many people and still
survive? I think it's because there's no real alternative. But there's
something else. This generation of kids seems to be "whipped." They pay
usurious interest and outrageous fees and think nothing of it. It seems
they feel getting seriously screwed by big business is just an unescapable
fact of life. I can't help but think of them as Eloi, hearing the siren and
going to the caves to feed the Morlocks in the Time Machine.

I am finally outr of contract and ready to cancel EVERYTHING with the
Verizon brand.

I don't think people realize the only true voting power they have is in
their wallet and when someone really screws you, you HAVE to terminate your
relationship with them, even if it hurts you because there's no other way to
have your voice heard. American companies *know* how infrequently customers
change to competitors and they take full advantage of it. So just DO IT and
write a letter to a VP about why you did. Google is great for finding VPs.
(-: As you pointed out, the system *prides* itself on not having to listen
to anything the customer has to say. That means you have to be creative in
reaching one.

my fios internet has been rock solid, but the company is horrible to
deal with...........

That's a serious dilemma. Whenever I talk to someone like Verizon, I always
have a competitor's latest deal in front of me. Sometimes they *will* cut a
deal to keep you if they think you're really going to leave them.

--
Bobby G.

Verizion has stopped upgrading to FIOS near nationwide, the service is
hermoraging red ink.

They are investing all their money in wireless internet.

The wireless side has far better customer service......

On 3/26/2010 11:07 PM, wrote:
Verizion has stopped upgrading to FIOS near nationwide, the service is
hermoraging red ink.

They are investing all their money in wireless internet.

The wireless side has far better customer service......
Not here in the DC metro area. We still get 3-6 pieces of unsolicited "junk"
mail each week inviting us to subscribe to FIOS.

We have had Verizon copper telephone service since 1987 (I believe) and upgraded
to DSL 2 years ago. Our service has been flawless. When we first got DSL the
modem/router they provided would not synchronize and with very little persuasion
we had a tech make a home visit, evaluate the problem, install a splitter in the
basement, hook up DSL service to the room where the modem was located, and
install a DSL/phone double receptacle in place of the old single phone
receptacle. He then hung around to make sure that I could register my service,
and when that didn't go smoothly, he sat at my keyboard, got on the phone with
his office, and 10 minutes later I was registered and up and running. No
charge! And, 100% reliable DSL and phone service since then. We must be one of
the very lucky few.

Not here in the DC metro area. �We still get 3-6 pieces of unsolicited "junk"
mail each week inviting us to subscribe to FIOS.


In the middle of my phone not working their junk mail increased

Even after asking nicely to put me on do not disturb, up to the
presidents office of verizon.

I finally conned a rep claiming the marketing manager whos name was on
all that junk, was a long lost realtive of mine

they gave me the office number and I called repeatedly ripping into
them for crap service.

I finally quiit being solicited

After asking politely the first few verizon reps who came to my door
to STOP, I began calling the cops on them. None were carrying the
required solicitation permits.

This law was enacted burglars would act like solicitators, checking
for no one home.

A tech savy resident got photos of the solicitator twice, once ringing
bell acting the part, then later walking thru his home. Smile he was
on candid camera.

So at the moment verizon is leaving me alone, I cancel at least some
services monday

wrote in message
...

Not here in the DC metro area. ?We still get 3-6 pieces of unsolicited
"junk"
mail each week inviting us to subscribe to FIOS.


In the middle of my phone not working their junk mail increased

Even after asking nicely to put me on do not disturb, up to the
presidents office of verizon.

I finally conned a rep claiming the marketing manager whos name was on
all that junk, was a long lost realtive of mine

they gave me the office number and I called repeatedly ripping into
them for crap service.

I finally quiit being solicited

After asking politely the first few verizon reps who came to my door
to STOP, I began calling the cops on them. None were carrying the
required solicitation permits.

Those SOB's did that here in Maryland, too. At first they got me to the
door under the guise of their being something important about "my service."
I thought they were doing some maintenance or something. I talked to them
thru the intercom 3 times asking them to leave. The fourth time I rang the
12" alarm bell mounted in the roof above the porch. The little morons had
the audacity to say "no need to be rude" as they scurried away. Next day I
found gum stuck on my windshield.

This law was enacted burglars would act like solicitators, checking
for no one home.

Exactly. Wait - what did you say? I think you meant the law was enacted to
KEEP them from acting as solicitors. These were two college age guys
without even ID badges and just a clipboard with a form on it. If I hadn't
already decided I wouldn't take FIOS because they clipped your copper lines,
that would have done it.

Verizon is desperate for sign-ups. They rolled out a discretionary, very
expensive service in the middle of a recession. Jobs are on the line because
it costs them IIRC, almost $800 to wire a home for FIOS and if enough people
fail to sign up, they'll be operating at a loss. I read that they've
stopped expanding and if your city doesn't have FIOS underway by now, you
ain't getting it.

A tech savy resident got photos of the solicitator twice, once ringing
bell acting the part, then later walking thru his home. Smile he was
on candid camera.

Yep, so desperate to get people to sign up they'd probably hire anybody.
I'll bet they didn't realize that anyone who they've ever locked into a two
year contract with outrageous early termination fees is going to think long
and hard before getting involved with Verizon again. I laughed when the rep
said: "That's not us, it's Verizon Wireless. We're not the same company."
So why use the same name? To trade off the name, for sure.

So at the moment verizon is leaving me alone, I cancel at least some
services monday

I'm with you. I am at least going to get rid of calling features I never
use.

--
Bobby G.

On 3/27/2010 12:04 PM, Peter wrote:
On 3/26/2010 11:07 PM, wrote:
Verizion has stopped upgrading to FIOS near nationwide, the service is
hermoraging red ink.

They are investing all their money in wireless internet.

The wireless side has far better customer service......
Not here in the DC metro area. We still get 3-6 pieces of unsolicited
"junk" mail each week inviting us to subscribe to FIOS.

We have had Verizon copper telephone service since 1987 (I believe) and
upgraded
to DSL 2 years ago. Our service has been flawless. When we first got DSL
the modem/router they provided would not synchronize and with very
little persuasion we had a tech make a home visit, evaluate the problem,
install a splitter in the basement, hook up DSL service to the room
where the modem was located, and install a DSL/phone double receptacle
in place of the old single phone receptacle. He then hung around to make
sure that I could register my service, and when that didn't go smoothly,
he sat at my keyboard, got on the phone with his office, and 10 minutes
later I was registered and up and running. No charge! And, 100% reliable
DSL and phone service since then. We must be one of the very lucky few.
I was told, by a Verizon employee, there
was not enough bandwidth in their
connection to the backbone, thus causing
the DSL slowdown when many people are on
line. Of course he was only referring
to this area of western NC. As I said
in an earlier post, there has been vast
improvements in the last 9 or 10 months
.... at least for my area. The employees
don't care what they say about their
company because most of them will either
retire or go with the new company
(Frontier) when they take over later
this year. From what I understand,
Frontier doesn't have a good retirement
plan, so those who are Verizon pension
eligible, will be taking it. BTW, I had
Ameritech DSL in the Chicago area, more
recently new at&t, and it was very good.
But even in the Chicago area, I've
heard other complain about DSL problems
similar to my Verizon problems.

Higgs Boson wrote:
I usually don't vent on NGs about bad service; most of what we get
these days IS "bad service".
But I'm disgusted enough to go public on Verizon FIOS. They offered a
package of TV, Internet and telephone for what sounded like a
reasonable sum. From Day One, nearly a year ago, EVERYTHING has been
terrible. Verizon does everything to keep the customer at arm's
(electrronic) length. The Web sites are useless. There is virtually
no response to polite complaints, and when one does get a human being,
they are inept, untrained, ignorant, and basically useless even for
flipping burgers. The corporate office doesn't answer inquiries.

If anybody wants a copy of the article I am writing, with blow-by-blow
account of the Verizon horrors, let me know. It's too long and
detailed to post on a NG, but trust me, everything is backed up with
emails, phone records, faxes, letters and personal visits to Verizon
stores. (shudder!)

Meantime, please! Friends don't let friends subscribe to Verizon
FIOS.

Hypatia

Verizon has been laying off people like crazy so those left no longer
give a s...