TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·Comcast
|  Verizon makes a good point
If it can't respond and try to retain the customer, cable would have an unfair advantage, Verizon says. Why? A cable customer who switches to Verizon for TV must call to cancel cable service, giving the cable company a chance to try to keep its customer. And if the FCC rules prevent what Verizon is doing, then the rules need changing. Of course, even NEW rules shouldn't allow Verizon to unduly delay the transfer. They should get 1 crack at retaining their customer and then they should have to put thru the transfer request.
--
My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page |
|
Network Guy
join:2000-08-25
New York | Cable MSOs need to STFU
Competition is a swell beauty, and this shows it.
In the past Verizon would have given two shits to cancel an account. It's good to see companies bid for your money, not the other way around. |
|
Jerm
join:2000-04-10
Richland, WA
| yeah...
Its a war...
Do you know who tends to WIN in these situations? The Consumer!
Competition is a great thing.
Personally I file this under the "who cares" heading because my home phone costs me $5/month or less total because I use a metered VOIP service. Smart consumer FTW! |
|
probboy
join:2008-01-10
Natick, MA
| Happened to me.
I put in a port request to Comcast back in November when Verizon raised rates on subscribers who didn't bundle (funny thing is that it's tough to bundle if they only offer one service at your address, but I digress). I was paying some god-awful amount for one of the Verizon Freedom packages ($49/mo, maybe). As soon as they got the port request, they were willing to offer the same exact package for $24/mo for 12 months ($33/mo after unfees and taxes).
My guess is that they aren't losing money at the $24 price point. |
|
tommy13v
Premium
join:2002-02-15
Glenville NY
 ·ViaTalk
1 edit | $24 a month? I got $14.99 per month for 12 months back in November.
»www.fatwallet.com/forums/message···=verizon |
|
fatmanskinny
Premium
join:2004-01-04
Wandering
·Comcast Digital Vo..
·Comcast
3 edits |  Recent Bell to Comcast Digital Voice nightmare....
Here is a summary of my recent experience over the last two weeks:
1. Called Comcast to sign up for digital voice. We were told that the phone information with Bellsouth (in my name) has to match up with the information on Comcast account (in wife's name). Set appointment for install (9 days later) and Number Portability process was started.
2. Called Bellsouth. Attempted to change account info to wife's name. They said they had to run a credit check, yada yada yada. Explained to them why we are doing it per move to Comcast Digital Phone. They said it still has to be done. Declined to go further.
3. Called Comcast back. Someone said we could change the account info into my name by going directly to a Comcast service center.
4. Went to Comcast service center later that week. My wife and I were present with ID information to change account. Comcast rep told us that in order to legally change everything including putting my social security number (last 4 digits) within their system, we had to cancel the account and reopen in my name, therefore losing any promotions we had on the account. We declined to change it.
5. My wife called Comcast again and they stated it still has to match up or we may not get the BS phone number.
6. My wife called Bellsouth again with me on a 3-way call. They transferred us to several departments and eventually we hung up because we did not get to the Number Portability group.
7. Wife called BellSouth again. Someone said that changes to the account cannot be made as the Number Porting request from Comcast locked the account. They suggested to have the Phone Number Porting removed so changes could be made on the account. This will take 48 hours to complete.
8. Wife called again 2 days later with me on the line. FINALLY, we got someone in Bellsouth who told us that the account information does not have to be in my name and they do this with Comcast all the time. We told the BS rep Comcast said it must be in her name. The rep said she is certain this is not the case and she has personally transferred numbers to Comcast without account names syncing up (addresses matched). We thanked her and hung up.
8. Wife called Comcast back. She told them what Bellsouth rep said. The Comcast agent said "yes, that is correct. Although we don't prefer that to be the option, it has gone through." Uh, Comcast could not tell me from the beginning that this option was available????
In all, over 10 phone calls placed between 2 companies and a lot of time wasted in order to move to Comcast from a Bell company.
It looks like Comcast was giving Bellsouth a helping hand for us to stay with Bellsouth as their reps did not display enough knowledge about the process and Bellsouth answered the question that Comcast should have been able to answer.
On the other side of that coin, the Comcast Tech who installed was super professional and rewired my alarm system to run over Comcast DV, saving me a $75 tech call from my alarm system.
Important Note:
The Comcast tech for my CDV install recently moved down here from Massachusetts (down here for 1 week). He said that Verizon FIOS is kicking Comcast's a$$ up there so bad, he had to relocate to Atlanta because their workload dropped. They had something like 1400 serviceable routes and now they have about 87 in his former service district in Mass. Damn!
--
The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary. |
|
TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| Think about using a feature like GrandCentral from Google in the future. You get 1 number from GrandCentral you give to everyone. And then you can direct calls to any phones you like(even simultaneously) no matter how many times you change your underlying land line and cell phone numbers. Then you can switch providers all you want without worrying about number portability.
»www.grandcentral.com/
Read about it here:
»www.google.com/support/grandcentral/
--
My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page |
|
fatmanskinny
Premium
join:2004-01-04
Wandering | Damn Google has everything. Lol! Good find. Thanks much. |
|
fatmanskinny
Premium
join:2004-01-04
Wandering
·Comcast Digital Vo..
·Comcast
| reply to tommy13v
Re: Happened to me.
If AT&T were as smart as Verizon smarter, they would have countered my move to Comcast DV. Well, being that my service is a lot cheaper ($19.99 a month + $3 eMTA fee) and I have unlimited local and long distance with more features than I use, I am glad I made the switch.
I can also fax over it as you get an actual dial tone.
--
The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary. |
|
SKYWARP
join:2005-02-02
Portland, OR | reply to fatmanskinny
Re: Recent Bell to Comcast Digital Voice nightmare....
Legally, Comcast was correct. PON requests include account holder's name, the phone number, and the address. All of this information must match.
If any of these things do not match, the notified company can reject the PON request. |
|
SKYWARP
join:2005-02-02
Portland, OR
| Naughty, naughty. . .
Verizon is clearly in violation of the porting laws in place.
Good or bad, what they are doing is wrong. They should petition to change the regulations, and untill they are changed, they should obey them.
These laws were put into place to protect choice. If it were not for these regulations, you wouldn't have the choice to take your number to another company to begin with. Verizon is doing exactly what these laws were put into place to prevent. |
|
DaveNJ
No Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey | Bell less reliable then Cable
I have 1 bell phone , and 2 cable. So far this year the bell phone has been out for 4 days in total. The cable phone was out one day, due to a power outage, which lasted about a day. So far cable is more reliable, and cheaper. |
|
Enlightener
join:2006-01-28
Cedar Park, TX | reply to TKJunkMail
Re: Verizon makes a good point
I would think that once a customer has contacted another provider and put in a transfer request that the previous provider has already ha their 1 crack at keeping the customer happy. |
|
icp1
Premium
join:2000-10-13
Saint Louis, MO
clubs:
 ·AT&T DSL Service
| reply to DaveNJ
Re: Bell less reliable then Cable
said by DaveNJ  :I have 1 bell phone , and 2 cable. So far this year the bell phone has been out for 4 days in total. The cable phone was out one day, due to a power outage, which lasted about a day. So far cable is more reliable, and cheaper. Yes, we all know that 1 user for 1 year testing is statistically significant  |
|
jester121
Premium
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL
 ·surpasshosting
·ViaTalk
| reply to TKJunkMail
Re: Verizon makes a good point
No, Verizon is comparing apples and oranges.
If a customer transfers their Comcast Digital Voice (or whatever it's called now) to Verizon they follow the exact same porting process in reverse.
Porting regulations aren't applicable to TV service. Remember, the point of this law was for the good of consumers -- switching carriers doesn't mean losing your phone number. There's nothing of the sort in television, whether satellite, cable, Uverse, or FIOS. |
|
moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to TKJunkMail
Re: Recent Bell to Comcast Digital Voice nightmare....
said by TKJunkMail :Think about using a feature like GrandCentral from Google in the future. You get 1 number from GrandCentral you give to everyone. And then you can direct calls to any phones you like(even simultaneously) no matter how many times you change your underlying land line and cell phone numbers. Then you can switch providers all you want without worrying about number portability. » www.grandcentral.com/Read about it here: » www.google.com/support/grandcentral/ Bell Atlantic used to offer something like that years ago. Cost too much and never got off the ground.
»query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h···64958260 |
|
rit56
join:2000-12-01
New York, NY
| Verizon and their tatics
I switched to TWC triple play in October. I started calling Verizon in August to try to get a comparable or better deal. They told me they had none. As soon as I made the decision to switch, contacted TW and said lets go Verizon started calling and offering me a deal to stay. I don't understand why they offered nothing until I decided to switch. All they did really was piss me off and at that point I wanted out. They need to rethink their business model a bit. If a customer calls them and says "I'm thinking of switching to TWC for their triple play, do you have anything competitive as far as a land line goes?" you would think at that point they would offer a deal of some sort. |
|
jester121
Premium
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL
·surpasshosting
·ViaTalk
| reply to TKJunkMail
Re: Recent Bell to Comcast Digital Voice nightmare....
If Grandcentral could port my existing number IN, they'd have a money-making opportunity. I'd pay a hundred bucks or so to keep my phone number mine, always, no matter what, and have access to their forwarding service. Then I could switch between VOIP/cell/whatever at will and not have to hassle with number ports every time. |
|
TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| said by jester121 :If Grandcentral could port my existing number IN, they'd have a money-making opportunity. I'd pay a hundred bucks or so to keep my phone number mine, always, no matter what, and have access to their forwarding service. Then I could switch between VOIP/cell/whatever at will and not have to hassle with number ports every time. Their site says they are working on that. But I bet they are having trouble getting their service approved as some sort of CLEC to allow the porting in to be allowed.
--
My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page |
|
supergirl
join:2007-03-20
Pensacola, FL
·Cox VOIP
·Skype
·Cox HSI
·AT&T Southeast
·magicjack.com
| reply to TKJunkMail
Re: Verizon makes a good point
said by TKJunkMail :If it can't respond and try to retain the customer, cable would have an unfair advantage, Verizon says. Why? A cable customer who switches to Verizon for TV must call to cancel cable service, giving the cable company a chance to try to keep its customer. And if the FCC rules prevent what Verizon is doing, then the rules need changing. Of course, even NEW rules shouldn't allow Verizon to unduly delay the transfer. They should get 1 crack at retaining their customer and then they should have to put thru the transfer request. FCC Rules don't allow a "one crack". You can't winback till after the port to the new company. VZ should suffer lots of fines. After all, they have no problem suing everyone for "violating" their broad patents. It is a clear FCC violation NOT to just port and try and win the customer back before porting. The FCC put that rule in since the RBOCs are monopolies. K. Martin should do his job and fine them and tell them to cease and desist. VZ wants to play the game by chosing which laws they like and which they don't. When I switched to Cox Digital Phone, Bellsouth didn't try to win me back till after I left. They did try and delay the damn port for 14 days though. Funny, cell cos can port in 24 hrs but it takes a Bell 10 days to port. Ridiculous. Fines can be imposed on that too. Fine VZ and makes rules so clear these bozos get it. By the way, employees doing that can get fired so fire the executive that started this mess.
--
Saving the world keeps me busy. However, I find Earth very primitive from my home planet of Krypton.
-Supergirl |
|
