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Comments on news posted 2008-12-05 11:34:17: While we all love that Verizon is focusing their attention on deploying fiber to the home, that attention hasn't been without cost. ..

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jmn1207
Premium Member
join:2000-07-19
Sterling, VA

jmn1207

Premium Member

They Need More People

Well I have only been a customer for a little over a month, but in that short period I betcha I have heard every single song on their customer support phone system at least twice.
firewire9999
join:2004-07-11
Livonia, MI

firewire9999

Member

AARP ?

I can see the Unions complaining (with tad of grain of salt).

But what does the AARP have to do with it?

N3OGH
Yo Soy Col. "Bat" Guano
Premium Member
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs

N3OGH

Premium Member

No doubt...

I have no doubt Verizon has been neglecting their existing copper plant in order to drive their financial resources into Fios.

Given the economic state of most State & Local governments, I could see them doing something like this (fining them).

The day will come when Verizon abandons it's copper plant in favor of an all Fios network. It's just not worth maintaining 2 networks when the copper plant costs so much more to maintain than the fiber one.

All that copper will be sold off to some secondary provider, and Verizon will be happy to be rid of it.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

3 recommendations

Karl Bode to firewire9999

News Guy

to firewire9999

Re: AARP ?

Old folks? In Florida? Phones? They like them to work?

Rattler
join:2001-04-13
Havertown, PA

1 recommendation

Rattler

Member

Who's going to pay for it?

So they get hit with a crapload of fines. Y'know where that money will eventually come from, don'tcha?

Everyone's already grousing about the increases in FiOS-TV charges slated for the beginning of next year. Instead of fining them, make them lower their charges in the allegedly affected areas while keeping other locales at the same levels.

DarkLogix
Texan and Proud
Premium Member
join:2008-10-23
Baytown, TX

DarkLogix

Premium Member

no just make them get FiOS out here

jmn1207
Premium Member
join:2000-07-19
Sterling, VA

jmn1207 to Rattler

Premium Member

to Rattler
said by Rattler:

So they get hit with a crapload of fines. Y'know where that money will eventually come from, don'tcha?

Everyone's already grousing about the increases in FiOS-TV charges slated for the beginning of next year. Instead of fining them, make them lower their charges in the allegedly affected areas while keeping other locales at the same levels.
That's a brilliant idea! Now get back in your box. Every corporation should have similar penalties imposed rather than paying fines. This is the only way to really punish them.

re_n30gh
@comcast.net

re_n30gh to N3OGH

Anon

to N3OGH

Re: No doubt...

said by N3OGH:

All that copper will be sold off to some secondary provider, and Verizon will be happy to be rid of it.
Don't forget the fact that they are spending time and money to remove it from the homes as they install fiber (possibly to avoid "some secondary provider")

Dolgan
Premium Member
join:2005-10-01
Madison, WI

1 edit

Dolgan to N3OGH

Premium Member

to N3OGH
quote:
The day will come when Verizon abandons it's copper plant in favor of an all Fios network. It's just not worth maintaining 2 networks when the copper plant costs so much more to maintain than the fiber one.
That is the crux of the issue now isn't it. Verizon would like to think they can abandon the copper lines; however, they can not do that as the copper lines are a regulated utility and they must maintain them at acceptable service levels--unless them are able to find some sucker like Hawaiian Telecom or Fairpoint to buy those lines.

Verizon has the money to maintain both networks properly, but instead of using it for the Networks the execs choose to take it in bonuses. Can not tell you how many times I have seen "Lack of Manpower/No money in budget for OT" or "No weekend Coverage in this area" as excuses for missing a customer's committments on repair tickets. Pretty funny how there is no money in the budget to properly staff techs and meet customer expectations of service, yet there is always money to pay bonuses and stock dividends every year. The dividends run in the billions of dollars and the bonuses run the 100's of millions of dollars.

The use of the cost of FIOS Deployments as an excuse to not properly maintain the existing infrastructure is all smoke and mirrors by Verizon's PR Dept.

PeteC2
Got Mouse?
MVM
join:2002-01-20
Bristol, CT

PeteC2

MVM

The point is....

That like it or not, whether it is part of their "future" plans or not, Verizon has an absolute responsibility to properly support and maintain the services that they provide their customers.

They certainly should be fined if they are not meeting those responsibilities. Granted, Verizon is a privately-owned business, however, they are in the communications biz, which for many good reasons is regulated by Govt.

Regardless if some of the current requirements may (or may not) change in the near future, they cannot blithely decide what parts of their agreement that they want to honor, and which parts they wish to ignore.

If Verizon wishes not to be in compliance, then they should get out of the Telco business. Do not be fooled, there is still money to be made there!
JimF
Premium Member
join:2003-06-15
Allentown, PA

JimF

Premium Member

Sales pitches are annoying

I have no problem with their customer service. But they make a lot of sales pitches, apparently from the contractors they employ, and they sometimes give out downright misleading information. The call last night took the cake though. It was obvious that she was talking over an Internet phone (and not a very good one either).

The more I think about it, the funnier it gets.
majortom1029
join:2006-10-19
Medford, NY

majortom1029

Member

i beleive this.

we had verizon landline service that had another line crossed with ours. verizons tech supp told me right out that they would not fix it and to either deal with it or go to their competitor.Guess what i went to their competitor cablevision and their voip and got better service.
JBear
join:2005-02-24
canada

JBear to PeteC2

Member

to PeteC2

Re: The point is....

Pete you are right. And while being the responsible company, they would also improve relations with their copper customers who one day, may have to switch to fiber, and would want to be with a company they have had good experiences from.
EPS4
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA

1 recommendation

EPS4 to Dolgan

Member

to Dolgan

Re: No doubt...

Verizon actually has an infinite amount of money, and have no need to cut expenses, they only do it out of sheer hatred for the consumer.
moonpuppy (banned)
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD

moonpuppy (banned) to PeteC2

Member

to PeteC2

Re: The point is....

said by PeteC2:



They certainly should be fined if they are not meeting those responsibilities. Granted, Verizon is a privately-owned business, however, they are in the communications biz, which for many good reasons is regulated by Govt.
Verizon is a business but the copper they sell service on is regulated in return for a near monopoly over it.

They need to pay for it and now they need to pay for a mistake they knowingly made (lack of maintenance.)

Dominokat
"Hi"
Premium Member
join:2002-08-06
Boothbay, ME

Dominokat

Premium Member

Don't worry about it.

Verizon is buying the commision. So what do you think will happen?
NOTHING!!!

"There is absolutely no need for the commission to expend the time and resources required to formally investigate Verizon's customer service quality for telephone operations — particularly at a time when the commission is considering changes to the very rules that Verizon allegedly violated."

Archen
@comcast.net

Archen

Anon

Very, very VERIZONKED

Verizonked is a laugh-riot.

They were supposed to install DSL for me -- 10 days after the scheduled "Activation Date," they still haven't done a thing. Finally, it took the State Public Utilities Commission intervention on my behalf to cancel the order that they could not even fill.

I have been getting FIOS junk mail and junk phone calls from them for well over two years now. However, they do no even "service" my 'hood with FIOS, nor do they have a clue if they ever will. Just send me their garbage mail and flood me with their garbage calls about it.

I do not have a landline phone, from Verizonked or anyone else.

The only "cell phone" I use is a SKYPE phone connected to my laptop, which basically lets me make/receive wireless telephone calls all over the planet for free.

With respect to TV, I pull in 17 digital TV stations with just a little room antenna, and 14 of these broadcast in HD (720 & 1080i).

Verizonked is unable to connect someone to DSL Internet service. They hype FIOS service incessantly, but do not offer it in the metro area where I live. And everyone who has ever dealt with VERIZONKED soon gets to be realy sorry that they did.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Problem Solves Itself

Screw copper. Verizon needs to throw 100% of its resources into fiber optic.

jtudor
MVM
join:2002-12-07
Morganton, NC

jtudor

MVM

Changing rules?

Quote:
"particularly at a time when the commission is considering changes to the very rules that Verizon allegedly violated"
Since when in the real world are you allowed to make that an excuse? As I have always been told and heard many lawyers, judges and law enforcement officers say: "you are responsible to follow the law (rules) in place at the time. Even if the law (rules) change later you are still responsible for what existed at that time.

But likely Verizon has enough money to buy off anyone who might desire to try to enforce the rules so.......
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

1 recommendation

patcat88 to firewire9999

Member

to firewire9999

Re: AARP ?

said by firewire9999:

But what does the AARP have to do with it?
Old folks taking advantage of nearly free lifeline service.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

-1 recommendation

pnh102

Premium Member

said by patcat88:

Old folks taking advantage of nearly free lifeline service.
Sheesh. Isn't their getting our social security taxes good enough?

JesusIsBack
@charter.com

JesusIsBack

Anon

wow

Well maybe if they used their hearing aids and put their glasses back on the service would not be so bad?
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88 to Dolgan

Member

to Dolgan

Re: No doubt...

said by Dolgan:


That is the crux of the issue now isn't it. Verizon would like to think they can abandon the copper lines; however, they can not do that as the copper lines are a regulated utility and they must maintain them at acceptable service levels--unless them are able to find some sucker like Hawaiian Telecom or Fairpoint to buy those lines.
POTS service is regulated and POTS is universal service, but local loop unbundling is "where facilities exist", same way Verizon won't turn a RT customer into a homerun to CO customer for CLEC DSL, Verizon has no obligation to provide a copper loop for unbundling.

Now of course, anyone can pay for the construction charges for a copper loop in an all FIOS area, its just going to cost as much as dark fiber or a T3 in construction costs.
patcat88

patcat88 to jmn1207

Member

to jmn1207

Re: Who's going to pay for it?

said by jmn1207:

That's a brilliant idea! Now get back in your box. Every corporation should have similar penalties imposed rather than paying fines. This is the only way to really punish them.
But what if a corporation fianances around it and pays the debt off by monthly payments after the punishment period expires by jacking up rates?
patcat88

patcat88 to majortom1029

Member

to majortom1029

Re: i beleive this.

said by majortom1029:

we had verizon landline service that had another line crossed with ours. verizons tech supp told me right out that they would not fix it and to either deal with it or go to their competitor.Guess what i went to their competitor cablevision and their voip and got better service.
Call back or state PUC. Verizon will pay miserably.
AVonGauss
Premium Member
join:2007-11-01
Boynton Beach, FL

AVonGauss to re_n30gh

Premium Member

to re_n30gh

Re: No doubt...

I agree that could be a motivation, but the other that comes to mind is no longer having to support an aging infrastructure.

SHABAZZ
join:2008-07-13
Seattle, WA

SHABAZZ to jmn1207

Member

to jmn1207

Re: Who's going to pay for it?

If they did that the tax payers would benefit and not the local governments. They won’t be able to use that fine money to build traffic violation cameras at stop lights so they can mail out tickets.

jmn1207
Premium Member
join:2000-07-19
Sterling, VA

jmn1207 to patcat88

Premium Member

to patcat88
said by patcat88:

But what if a corporation fianances around it and pays the debt off by monthly payments after the punishment period expires by jacking up rates?
Ok, how about any fines that are levied go DIRECTLY to the customers affected, tax-free. We are already paying for the government to monitor and enforce the rules, so there is absolutely no need to give them any more of our money.

alchav
join:2002-05-17
Saint George, UT

alchav to N3OGH

Member

to N3OGH

Re: No doubt...

said by N3OGH:

The day will come when Verizon abandons it's copper plant in favor of an all Fios network. It's just not worth maintaining 2 networks when the copper plant costs so much more to maintain than the fiber one.

All that copper will be sold off to some secondary provider, and Verizon will be happy to be rid of it.
You're right in thinking that Verizon doesn't want or have extra money to spend on a Copper Plant. It's not only the Copper that has to be replaced and maintained, but the equipment in the Central Office too. As for a Secondary Provider, if this was practical because you just can't swing all this Copper to a new building, and no Provider wants to install obsolete equipment. So people have to stop crying and accept the fact Fiber is the Future!
EPS4
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA

EPS4 to DarkLogix

Member

to DarkLogix

Re: Who's going to pay for it?

Hm, that could actually make sense- "If you're going to neglect the copper plant for the shiny new fiber-optic plant, you might as well give us the new shiny fiber-optic plant"
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