Reviews:
 ·DSL EXTREME
| Confirmed - Verizon is stealing my paid-for "free" router! When I signed up for FIOS nearly two years ago, part of the offer was a "free wireless router".
On my first FIOS bill, there was an itemized bill of like $189 (IIRC) for the wireless router, and then there was an itemized CREDIT for the same, making the router free.
In my opinion, that means that I paid for it (via a credit), and thus the router is mine.
Well, fast-forward two years. I decided to change my bundle, and increase my internet to 75/35.
On the order-confirmation page, there is a link, "view an estimate of your monthly bill".
Clicking that, gives an (estimated) bill summary.
But at the bottom, it contains this statement:
"Notes: Router remains the property of Verizon and must be returned when service is terminated. Your first bill may also include Unpaid Bill Charges and Account Adjustments."
How can the router remain the property of verizon, when I have a bill that shows that it was paid for!?!?!?
Verizon are thieves. Plain and simple. |
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| Re: Confirmed - Verizon is stealing my paid-for "free" This is no different than Verizon offering a $100 prepaid debit card for signing up, and then two years later, sending you a bill for an additional $100.
Can anything Verizon prints in their offer be taken at face value? |
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Markie
join:2003-07-26
Kalispell, MT | True, but the cost of a two year old wireless router is so minimal it's not worth fighting over, and the may not actually as for it back anyways. Why put up a fight over an old router probably not worth even using? |
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 ThinkdiffPremium,MVM
join:2001-08-07
Bronx, NY
kudos:6 | reply to VirtualLarry
Re: Confirmed - Verizon is stealing my paid-for "free" router! That's just standard fine print they put on all their order pages now because they no longer offer the router as you got it.
Verizon will not want the router back when you cancel - don't worry.
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University of Southern California - Fight On! |
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| reply to VirtualLarry
Re: Confirmed - Verizon is stealing my paid-for "free" They're going to tell you to keep or trash it.
Why get all incensed over something that hasn't even happened yet? |
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| reply to VirtualLarry
In this case, "free" means "free of any monthly charge". Verizon has always provided the modem or router free of charge for the DSL and FiOS services that I've had with them. (You'd rather they charge you $3 or $7 per month like Comcast and the other cable operators do?) However, "free" did not mean that they were giving the router to you such that it became your property; the credit was simply the accounting mechanism used to clear the charge. |
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McBane
join:2008-08-22
Plano, TX | I have like 3 of these things (Older actiontecs/westells) sitting in a closet. You get a new "free" router every few years. |
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 birdfeedrPremium,MVM
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI
kudos:8 | reply to VirtualLarry
Re: Confirmed - Verizon is stealing my paid-for "free" Two years ago, the TOS did not require return of router equipment at end of service. Since then, there is an equipment fee if not returned. I forget exactly the date of transition from old to new policy.
I'm not certain, but I think the TOS language specified date of installation as the trigger.
It's a gray area whether "date of installation" applies to original hookup, or if VZ thinks a new bundle contract starts *that* clock ticking again also. |
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| reply to VirtualLarry
Re: Confirmed - Verizon is stealing my paid-for "free" router! I returned mine and they gave me a nice Wireless-N router. I would say it was a great fair trade for the wireless-G one. |
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grecord
join:2002-01-06
Germantown, MD | reply to VirtualLarry
Re: Confirmed - Verizon is stealing my paid-for "free" The last time they sent me a 'replacement' they didn't want the old one back. I'm keeping the unit/box/paper that says no return just in case though  |
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Reviews:
 ·Optimum Online
 ·Callcentric
 ·Verizon FiOS
| reply to Thinkdiff
Re: Confirmed - Verizon is stealing my paid-for "free" router! said by Thinkdiff:That's just standard fine print they put on all their order pages now because they no longer offer the router as you got it.
Verizon will not want the router back when you cancel - don't worry.
Don't count on it - when I canceled FIOS about 4 months ago (2 years promotional rate has expired) I was asked to mail router back, which I did. |
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| you were asked for the router back, but did they demand it back or did you protest?
when I canceled cablevision they said they wanted their modem back which I had purchased.
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Email/MSN: Michael at hardwaregeeks.comAIM: MikeR35292 |
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Reviews:
·Optimum Online
·Callcentric
·Verizon FiOS
| Re: Confirmed - Verizon is stealing my paid-for "free" said by HardwareGeek:you were asked for the router back, but did they demand it back or did you protest?
when I canceled cablevision they said they wanted their modem back which I had purchased.
What do you mean by "demand" vs "ask"? When I was closing account I asked what equipment they want me to return (if any), they said just return the router and keep battery and ONT. I never paid for the router (I don't recall if I had a charge and credit on my original bill like OP but I definitely didn't pay for it), I had no use for the router anyway, why would I protest? If I wanted it they are available on eBay for $30. |
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Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
·TierOneNetworks
| reply to VirtualLarry
I moved in October and setup up a new account at a new address. When I walked into a local store to cancel the old account, I had everything minus the router. The rep would not cancel until their router was returned. I returned a couple days later with router and old acct was cancelled. |
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Reviews:
·Time Warner Cable
·Verizon FiOS
·voip.ms
| That happened to me two weeks ago. They sent a box in the mail for the actiontec and my cablecard. They want everything back now. Mine is over 2 years old too. They specifically said I could not cancel my service without returning, which is bs because if you look at their TOS you have 30 days to return old equipment after cancelling. I think this is just a ruse to make it harder to switch providers.
When I reinstated my service I just kept the old one. It works fine, but had to get a new cablecard. |
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othas3
join:2002-07-15
Los Angeles, CA | reply to VirtualLarry
When I cancelled U-Verse last week, the instructions they sent said return ONLY DVRs, their power supplies and the Remotes. You may keep your battery and RG.
While I was waiting at the UPS store to drop them off, the other clerk had a problem with a woman who WANTED to return her home RG but the clerk didn't know how to override the computer telling her, "No, I don't what that back." |
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 Rattler
join:2001-04-13
Havertown, PA | reply to elefante72
Anybody have a link to what they KNOW is the current TOS?
From the link I last received, this is what they said about equipment returns:
Return of Equipment upon Termination. If your HSI Service is terminated for any reason prior to the end of the first year of service and you received Equipment from Verizon, you must return the Equipment to Verizon or you will be charged for the Equipment. --
Never raise your hands to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected. -- Red Buttons |
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birdfeedrPremium,MVM
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI
kudos:8 | »www22.verizon.com/about/terms/
It appears the terms have been consolidated. HSI refers to DSL accounts. FiOS refers to fiber connections. Notice the 1-year service term for HSI, no such restriction for FiOS, although it is "as instructed by Verizon". You may or may not be asked for the equipment back. Rev.I, yes, Rev.C, no, or so I'd imagine.
9.3 Return of Equipment upon Termination. If your HSI Service is terminated for any reason prior to the end of the first year of service and you received Equipment from Verizon, you must return the Equipment to Verizon or you will be charged for the Equipment. If your FiOS Internet service is terminated for any reason and you received Equipment, you must return the Equipment to Verizon within 30 days, as instructed by Verizon, or you will be charged for the Equipment. Failure to return any Equipment you received from Verizon, or returning Equipment in a damaged condition (subject only to reasonable wear and tear), will result in the imposition of an Equipment fee that may be substantial. |
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Rattler
join:2001-04-13
Havertown, PA | I've had the A/T since Feb., 2007. I'm fairly sure, back then, there was a clause that said if you kept FiOS services (I have all three) for more than 2 years ( although it may have been 1) that (specifically) the router did not have to be returned.
Of course, there is also a clause in the TOS that says V* can unilaterally change the TOS without user recourse, other than to stop using it.
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Never raise your hands to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected. -- Red Buttons |
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