Review by rfjason 
Posted: 2.7 years ago
member for 2.7 years, 15 visits, last login: 96 days ago
 Kirkland,King,WA
 $40 per month (12 month contract)
 about 180 days
 "speed as promised"
 "six months to install, massive incompetence, no accountability"
 "not worth it when you have to put up with these keystone kops"
| Pre Sales Information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Value for money:
(ratings well below consensus)
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Everyone has installation horror stories. But, should it really take six months for Verizon to figure out an order? What do you do when call back after call back is promised, but no one ever calls back? How do you respond when a technician shows up at your door and complains AT YOU because there's no installation on the side of your building? Why do billing reps not know their own pricing?
»www.rfjason.com/?p=22 is my full review of the install process from October 2006 to March 2007 complete with pictures of equipment from the street to my home and speed test results.
I ordered FIOS data (voice & tv are not available in my area yet) with 5mbit down and 2mbit up for $29.99/mo for the first six months and $39.99/mo thereafter. Installation was free with a one year contract. Activation fee is $19.99.
From start to finish, this install has been an absolute nightmare. The end result? After hounding incompetent Verizon customer service for six months, I finally have FIOS. But, the cost is ugly telco equipment inside my home, wiring punchdowns with no regard for my drywall, flimsy obtrusive unfinished conduit on the side of my building with an exposed fiber optic line that's just begging for an animal to chew through it, and a credit card charge a full week before my billing cycle even begins!
Honestly, if I had known it was going to be such a nightmare, I wouldn't have ordered it and I would have stayed with Comcast, as much as I loathe them and began this whole process to get away from them. What's that they say about the Devil you know?
Update 3/24: I had a conversation with the Verizon billing rep on 3/23, and I finally got to see my actual bill on 3/24. What the rep read out to me and what was on my bill were two completely different things. Full details including the actual telephone conversation: »www.rfjason.com/?p=23
Followup comments:  rpg
join:2003-02-11
Aston, PA
1 edit | Your website review You seem to have a few misconceptions that should be cleared up.
From your website listed above: »www.rfjason.com/?p=22
The back of the Actiontec router. Is that a coax? Why, yes it is! Does it get used in this installation? No. Have I tried plugging into my Comcast coax? Hell no. YAY VERIZON!
The coax port is used in conjunction with Fios TV to provide the on screen guide and video on demand feature. It is not for use with Comcast.
This is the battery backup for the ONT. That's right: battery backup. I don't know why they're doing this, but they are. YAY VERIZON!
Fiber needs power, hence the power supply. If your power goes out a BBU will allow you to talk on the phone.
I got Erin, the sassy black "oh no you dih-int" bitch from Hell that always gives me attitude. I was not looking forward to this call.
You can listen to the seven and a half minute call here »www.rfjason.com/?p=23
I listened to your call and she actually seemed rather helpful compared to many customer service reps. The only reason there seemed to be a problem was because of you. You continuously insisted that you knew the pricing policy and further said there is no $35 5/2 package. The prices and packages vary geographically. For example, I have the 15/2 package at $39.99 a month, the very same price you pay for 5/2. | |
|  | rfjason
join:2007-03-23
Kirkland, WA
| Re: Your website review You would think that the very helpful (read: not helpful at all) rep would understand or be able to communicate that prices vary geographically. But she didn't. She tried to convince me that my monthly rate was $34.95 and then blew her stack with me when I disagreed.
I've since called billing a couple of times to verify information. Other reps admitted that they couldn't pull up my details because not only does it take four days for my online bill to show up, it takes the same four days for it to show for them as well. Without the bill, the reps are flying blind with no information. Erin, the original rep, tried to BS her way through with me, and it didn't work.
Erin is a prime example of bottom of the barrel service as far as I'm concerned. | |
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sivran
Long Live The Suite
Premium
join:2003-09-15
Arlington, TX
clubs:
 ·RoadRunner Cable
1 edit | Re: Your website review The coax port is also used for MOCA installs -- using a home's existing coax wiring to deliver both internet and video. If it is unused on your Actiontec, be glad -- it means that if you want, you can ditch that piece of junk and put your own router in, something you might want to do if you're thinking about wireless. That actiontec's wireless is, to put it bluntly, shitty.
Edit - when you swap out the routers you will either have to log into the actiontec first and release its IP, leave your router disconnected for several hours, or make a quick call to tech support. If you choose the latter, just tell the tech to log into DTI and break the DHCP lease. Once that's done, hook up your router and you'll be set.
--
Think outside the fox...Seamonkey | |
| | | | rfjason
join:2007-03-23
Kirkland, WA
1 edit | Re: Your website review I actually talk about this in my review, and you don't have to make a call to tech support or wait several hours. To successfully swap out the Actiontec, all you really have to do is clone the Actiontec mac address to your preferred router. (I used a linksys WRT54G in my test.) The ONT's only security check is the mac address. The change over is instantaneous. | |
| 
Ryle
P2P 4EVA
join:2005-03-09
Bellevue, WA
| YAY for Verizon! Fios availible in kirkland 6mo ago? dam.. i live right next to Microsoft and fios just got laid last week. ~_~
Hopefully my ordering experience will be much easier then what you had to go through. at least the actual service you got is great.
the review on your site was awesome. | |
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sigh
@snet.net | Re: YAY for Verizon! This dude has too much time on his hands.
Verizon cant expand this service fast enough to meet customer demands... theres a reason for that. Its the best internet/TV out there. I wish I lived in a Verizon area. | |
| | | rfjason
join:2007-03-23
Kirkland, WA
| Re: YAY for Verizon! I think what Ryle was trying to communicate is that Redmond, where Microsoft is headquartered, is a technology capital of the world where income and early adoption rates are far higher than any other region. You would think that Verizon, in trying to get as many customers as possible, would target this region before most others.
But, somehow, Kirkland got it first. Strange, but true. | |
|
B Rudolph
@rr.com
| Customer Service I work in a call center for a medium sized communications company, and too often people forget that there's a human being at the opposite end... Treat those how you wanted to be treated, or else they'll make your call a nightmare! We enjoy getting pricks like you worked up! | |
| | rfjason
join:2007-03-23
Kirkland, WA | Re: Customer Service It's specifically because I know there's a human being on the other end of the line that I can be so firm in a call. | |
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