OT--No Phone--No Internet--No TV

[Sixgun]

Yea guys, I loved it---while it lasted. (3 days) Verizon shut us off. This is what happened:

Our phone, internet, and TV is one package at $99 a month via Verizon FIOS. HBO, taxes and other BS comes to $149 a month. Anyway, last week, we get a bill for $350. Somehow, some special e-mail service was added. We argue, telling Verizon, "Whats this BS? We never signed up for it--go and see if we ever used it. We have MSN and for the 3 e-mails we deal with on a daily basis, there is no need for this "special e-mail service"

Well, to make a long story short, and after my extremely talented argumentative wife got done dealing with TWO Verizon supervisors, well, we lost. They got spiteful and cut us off on the due date. I don't know what my wife told them but she told me THEY hung up on her. She is Italian and sure can be nasty.

Where does that leave us? Not good as new installation fees from another company don't come cheap when your 400 feet off the road and everything is underground.

I paid those b--a9s--t&$@ $350 today and I am on a mission to trash talk Verison FIOS as much as I can. Everything now has a block on it. Can't figure out how it all happened as our "Junk E-Mail" is exclusively filtered and it all gets deleted.

All in all, it did not bother me too much as I only missed Leverguns.Com and the Military History Channel. Sure was peaceful without the phone ringing ------------Thanks for the vent ------------------------Sixgun

[Mike D.]

Our "combination services", landline, HDTV, and Computer from SureWest come to $159 per month. Cell service from AT&T costs an additional $130 for 4 phones. What gripes me are all the additional fees and taxes that they don't disclose when selling the services.

[Hobie]

FIOS is infamous for doing stuff like that. That's why the COMCAST ad with the FIOS salesman rolling the bill in on a front-end loader. FIOS/Verizon has no response to that one.

[O.S.O.K.]

Do you have line of sight wifi service in your area?

They often do not advertise - we used this service when we lived in the country. They were an old radio communications company that went into this because they had the equipment to do it.

Basically, you put up an antenna tower to catch the signal.

Check around, maybe its available. Might call the local radio shack as they sell the tower equipment and would know if anybody offers the service in your area.

Then, you could go with vonage or something for the phone - maybe dish for TV?

Just a thought.

[Pete44ru]

[Where does that leave us? Not good as new installation fees from another company don't come cheap when your 400 feet off the road and everything is underground.]


From a retired CATV employee - AFAIK, the U/G wiring from the street to the home is the property of the homeowner, who can let anyone they please hook up to it.

(Verizon & CATV usually use the same type coax wires to carry TV & internet signals)

If there's a CATV tap on your service pole, your connection charge might only be minimal.

Whatever you do to investigate - DO NOT PHONE THE CATV COMPANY & SPEAK TO SOME FLUNKY ABOUT IT !

DO call, and ask to speak to a Field Sales rep, or a Door-to-door Sales Rep, or an Engineer - depending upon the size of your local outfit.
They should be able to make an appointment to physically inspect your installation situation.

You may be surprised, at just how much they'd be willing to stretch - just to take a customer away from a competitor.

.

[cas]

We had cable TV here since it became available way back when. After I'd been on my own here for a while I got behind on some bills. I knew the cable bill was late, but I figured "Heck, the next one will be here any day, I'll just wait for the doubled up one." Well I did. What came was a bill saying "You have 10 days to pay..." This letter came on day 8 of those 10 days. So after a couple decades of being a good paying customer, the lovely cable company came out on Christmas Eve and disconnected my cable.

So I said screw em, and they didn't make another dime off me for 10+ years. I finally gave in to get a cable modem.

[Sixgun]

Goodness, I knew there was a reason for hanging out here. Gun experts along with electronics experts. The only alternatives we have is Comcast and the thing with the dish. Comcast is considerably slower than FIOS, along with a major hook up fee and the dish thing (my inlaws have it) is more aggravation than its worth.

Gonna check in to this CATV thing but I seriously doubt it as I never heard of anyone talk about it. Thanks anyway Pete The same goes for the wifi--thanks OSOK Still gonna investigate 'em though.

Life was so much simplier before all this trash & aggravation---I understand why some people go homesteading in Alaska.

CAS---we in for next month?----------Sixgun

[SteveR]

Yea guys, I loved it---while it lasted. (3 days) Verizon shut us off. This is what happened:

Our phone, internet, and TV is one package at $99 a month via Verizon FIOS. HBO, taxes and other BS comes to $149 a month. Anyway, last week, we get a bill for $350. Somehow, some special e-mail service was added. We argue, telling Verizon, "Whats this BS? We never signed up for it--go and see if we ever used it. We have MSN and for the 3 e-mails we deal with on a daily basis, there is no need for this "special e-mail service"

Well, to make a long story short, and after my extremely talented argumentative wife got done dealing with TWO Verizon supervisors, well, we lost. They got spiteful and cut us off on the due date. I don't know what my wife told them but she told me THEY hung up on her. She is Italian and sure can be nasty.

Where does that leave us? Not good as new installation fees from another company don't come cheap when your 400 feet off the road and everything is underground.

I paid those b--a9s--t&$@ $350 today and I am on a mission to trash talk Verison FIOS as much as I can. Everything now has a block on it. Can't figure out how it all happened as our "Junk E-Mail" is exclusively filtered and it all gets deleted.

All in all, it did not bother me too much as I only missed Leverguns.Com and the Military History Channel. Sure was peaceful without the phone ringing ------------Thanks for the vent ------------------------Sixgun

When you signed up didn't they lock you into a 1 or 2 year contract? So you would stay with VZ during the contract length and charge you an early termination fee? If so then it goes both ways, VZ cannot add "services" you didn't sign up for, so you have leverage that way.

If not then you are stuck with what they say, but VZ is regulated in PA and a call to the Public Service Commission will get some serious attention from VZ.

As far as changing to cable service, it wont work with FIOS, because you service is coming in on a glass fiber to the ONT on the side of your house, where then it is broken off with coaxial cables or Cat-5 cables.

Steve

[Griff]

Earthlink was the first service provider in our area to off DSL service... or so we thought. We had Earthlink as our dial-up provider and when they said DSL was available in our area (even before inside city limits), we jumped. Fast forward two years... a summer storm knocked out the phone service, interrupting the DSL. When the phones came back up, the DSL didn't. It was learned that Earthlink was leasing the phone like used for DSL from AT&T. After 3 weeks it was clear that it had become a shouting match between Earthlink and AT&T. One would say the other hadn't fixed the lines, the other said they wouldn't allow access.

I finally cancelled Earthlink and signed up directly with AT&T for DSL. Rates dropped by 50% and in the interim, whenever the phone service has been interrupted, as soon as it was re-instated, so was the DSL.

[Pete44ru]

FYI: CATV = Community Antenna TeleVision = "cable TV" company - Comcast (amongst others).............

As I suggested, talk to a head cheese, and not one of the mice.

.

[Sixgun]

VZ is regulated in PA and a call to the Public Service Commission will get some serious attention from VZ.

Steve,
Thanks! I'm not one to put out an extra $200 and let those legal robbers get away with it. I'm gonna see what I can do with the PSC.------Sixgun

[stretch]

No phone?!?

No TV?!?!

Where is this magical place?

-Stretch

[rimrock]

whatever you decide on, DO NOT use Hughesnet. And, WildBlue by AT&T is nothing more than Hughesnet. They don't tell you about latency--its 3 trips to outspace and 1 trip back earth for each packet of information. Hughesnet will almost always be SLOWER than dial up once your initial welcome period of about 7 days has expired. They throttle you ( restrict your communications) because they have drastically oversold the available space on their satellite, IMHO.
Some small towns have gotten federal grants to install decent Internet access. Maybe you're close enough for a link up. OR, if you don't want to give Verizon any more money, then schedule regular trips to the library or wifi hotspot, and take your laptop.

It's not just communications, but every aspect of business where the attitude is ignore customer service so you can make more money--forget about value added service--just make the consumer think its there. And the idiots wonder why the people are fed up with both parties, and are no longer loyal to American brands!!!

rimrock

[Ysabel Kid]

Sounds like no fun at all. I got fed up with my local cable company a few months back. I explained that we don't watch much TV, probably 5 channels regularly, no premium channels, and I was tired of paying $70 a month for it. They basically yawned at me. I explained if they made me change I'd be changing my local and long distance service I had with them as well. Another yawn. So I did. I will probably eventually end up paying the same, but it will be for much better service.

[Hankster]

Verizon has a VERY bad reputation for funny business billing....there was one about a guy who got an 18,000 Dollar bill from them!! Google it.. it's there... they "changed" his "special" sign up deal after 24 months to "standard" without notifying the guy, until he got "Mega-Bill".... that;s just one of truckloads of bad stories about them...... they have good "coverage", but TERRIBLE customer service!!!

[El Chivo]

Geez I had no idea it was that high.

I still have no TV (or cable), been that way since Cheers was in its first season. I have local phone service with no long distance access - $22.00 per month, just up from $18.00, and dial-up internet for $15.00 per month. I manage to run a website with an online store this way, and if I couldn't, I wouldn't. If I call my mom long-distance, I use a phone card at 1 cent per minute.

I am way to cheap to change anything - it would drive me crazy.

I don't mean to change the subject, but do you know if you plug the line to the pilot light in your gas stove, and light it with matches, it will save you about $15.00 per month?

[SteveR]

VZ is regulated in PA and a call to the Public Service Commission will get some serious attention from VZ.

Steve,
Thanks! I'm not one to put out an extra $200 and let those legal robbers get away with it. I'm gonna see what I can do with the PSC.------Sixgun

Welcome! Let us know how it works out. It's a shame that VZ is the one company rolling out FIOS, the technology is so advanced, that most people are not aware of will be coming down in the future. With this type of technology, holographic type images are possible, the future is interesting.

Steve

[Pete44ru]

[I have dial-up internet for $15.00 per month. if you plug the line to the pilot light in your gas stove, and light it with matches, it will save you about $15.00 per month?]

NetZero internet access = $0.00/month, and modern gas stoves haven't had pilot lights for quite a few years (I've had my KitchenAid gas stove for 8 yrs) - the gas is "off" until a burner is turned "on", Electronic ignition takes the place of the old pilot light(s).

.

[buckeyeshooter]

I hate verizon, I will not buy from them no matter what service they have.

[madman4570]

Yea guys, I loved it---while it lasted. (3 days) Verizon shut us off. This is what happened:

Our phone, internet, and TV is one package at $99 a month via Verizon FIOS. HBO, taxes and other BS comes to $149 a month. Anyway, last week, we get a bill for $350. Somehow, some special e-mail service was added. We argue, telling Verizon, "Whats this BS? We never signed up for it--go and see if we ever used it. We have MSN and for the 3 e-mails we deal with on a daily basis, there is no need for this "special e-mail service"

Well, to make a long story short, and after my extremely talented argumentative wife got done dealing with TWO Verizon supervisors, well, we lost. They got spiteful and cut us off on the due date. I don't know what my wife told them but she told me THEY hung up on her. She is Italian and sure can be nasty.

Where does that leave us? Not good as new installation fees from another company don't come cheap when your 400 feet off the road and everything is underground.

I paid those b--a9s--t&$@ $350 today and I am on a mission to trash talk Verison FIOS as much as I can. Everything now has a block on it. Can't figure out how it all happened as our "Junk E-Mail" is exclusively filtered and it all gets deleted.

All in all, it did not bother me too much as I only missed Leverguns.Com and the Military History Channel. Sure was peaceful without the phone ringing ------------Thanks for the vent ------------------------Sixgun

When you signed up didn't they lock you into a 1 or 2 year contract? So you would stay with VZ during the contract length and charge you an early termination fee? If so then it goes both ways, VZ cannot add "services" you didn't sign up for, so you have leverage that way.

If not then you are stuck with what they say, but VZ is regulated in PA and a call to the Public Service Commission will get some serious attention from VZ.

As far as changing to cable service, it wont work with FIOS, because you service is coming in on a glass fiber to the ONT on the side of your house, where then it is broken off with coaxial cables or Cat-5 cables.

Steve

Time for another eecb!
You have to understand when all the members up to the Corp. owner and board members get messeges of your viable case---------------They want it shut up and will apease your case!
Since the Corp. freely provides their email contacts for all and you have a computer and interent connection you are just legally using your options.

[meanc]

Sixgun,

file a complaint with the BBB.

Call Verizon everyday and bitch/moan about it.

Don't just give them your money. Make them earn it.


Sprint hit us with a $630 cell phone bill for an internet/messaging system we never ordered.

4 days of continual calling and a nice derogatory letter to the BBB, got us out of it.

I suggest you try it.

[Rusty]

Gee and to think I've been waiting for FIOS to come to my area. I have Verizon everything. Home phone is $99 a month for unlimited everywhere calling DSL is a little more. I even had a lightening strike a while back that cooked the DSL modem and they had me another one here in 24 hours. Verizon wireless has offered stellar service as well. They just replaced a phone I bought for my niece who is in college in N.Y. state. Nary a problem there either. They sent the replacement via Fedex the next day.

[Sixgun]

OK guys, you all gave me a good education on how this stuff works. Thank you all! I gather that Verizon is not at all liked by most of you. I just home from work and I am mentally beat. (gotta work--lots of illegals and other parasites depending on my tax dollars)

I'm gonna get on the horn shortly here and see who I can pee off----------Sixgun

[meanc]

I'm gonna get on the horn shortly here and see who I can pee off----------Sixgun

Make sure it's a supervisor. And keep him/her on the line as long as possible. Do this several times a week and make certain they document the call. And always request a call back from someone higher up.

Every time you call just tell them you weren't satisfied with the results of your last call.

They'll quickly realize the overcharge just wasn't worth it.

Use your speaker phone so you don't have to hold the phone the whole time. Just sit back with your favorite drink and enjoy the conversation.

[Sixgun]

meanc,
Man, you got it down! I'm an Easterner and I should know these things.

Speaker phone and favorite drink, I love it!-----Thanks----------------Sixgun

[willygene]

verizon sucks glad im om at&t and my internet is hughes net works great no extra bs.

[BwanaDave]

BBB is BS, don't waste your time with them. Verizon sucks but they do have the coverage. I have had a couple of go arounds with Verizon. I even switched to another provider, sprint, and the cover sucked. Face it, the have you over a barrel so you may as well smile and enjoy it.

[Sixgun]

BBB is BS, don't waste your time with them. Verizon sucks but they do have the coverage. I have had a couple of go arounds with Verizon. I even switched to another provider, sprint, and the cover sucked. Face it, the have you over a barrel so you may as well smile and enjoy it.

That about sums it all up-----------all those b&s@()s know it!-----------Sixgun