Verizon FIOS Battery Backup

Author	All Replies
vee130 join:2013-01-16 Dumont, NJ	Verizon FIOS Battery Backup I need to complain/vent about how Verizon is handling the replacement of their battery back up in their FIOS box. They want to charge me to replace a battery that is part of THEIR equipment of which i dont rent, and also i am paying for the service on my bill which allows me to have phone service for a certain amount of hours when there is a power outage and if the battery back up is dead then the service doesn't work HOWEVER I still pay for the service on my bill??!! So basically I am being charged 2x, once for the monthly service + once for a battery to provide the monthly service. When i did contact them I requested a copy of their service agreement or something in writing that states if something happens to their battery then i have to pay for a new one but if something happens to their box or service and the box needs to be replaced then they do so at no cost to me. I am still waiting for a copy of this agreement, because unfortunately I dont keep a copy of every service agreement that they send me, they are always changing and updating them and honestly who reads every word of those agreements anyway? I mean really, they make it so that when you are in these situations, they know that most people dont read word for word in their agreements until something happens, but what they fail to tell you up front is certain things or procedures that the company charges or is not responsible for that if were to happen it may make you hesitate to sign up with them. AND THAT'S UNFAIR! THESE CORPORATE COMPANY'S NEED TO STOP TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS.
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 11:10:29 ·
PoloDude Premium,VIP join:2006-03-29 Northport, NY kudos:3	Then go to your local cable supplier that does not EVEN supply a battery backup unless you pay extra for it. I don't have a link to the document but, VZ guarantees the battery for the first year. In most cases the battery will last you several years ( 4 - 5 it depends) . The replacement cost is around $32 dollars . If you get 5 years out of it ,that's about 53 cents a month. You don't have to replace the battery if don't want to. -- “My horse fights with me and fasts with me because if he is to carry me into battle, he must know my heart and I must know his or we shall never become brothers. -Plenty Coups, Chief of the Crow”
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 11:28:09 ·
stevek1949 We're not in Kansas anymore join:2002-11-13 Virginia Beach, VA	reply to vee130 The warranty is stated here: »www22.verizon.com/Support/Reside···1498.htm
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 11:34:03 ·

Mac973 join:2009-05-18 West Orange, NJ	reply to vee130 All the phones in my house are cordless so the battery backup is completely useless. I disconnected it to silence that annoying alarm.
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 11:54:11 ·
crgauth join:2004-05-18 Glen Burnie, MD	reply to vee130 How is this any different than the car warranty you get that says it won't cover tires, batteries, windshield wipers etc. Their documentation says it is covered for a year. After that, it is up to you.
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 14:15:17 ·
uresponsible join:2013-01-16 Pittsburgh, PA	reply to vee130 So...With that reasoning, I guess that Verizon should also replace the batteries in your remote when they go bad.
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 14:25:14 ·
matcarl Premium join:2007-03-09 Franklin Square, NY	The reason why it's so confusing is because Verizon has changed the policy on it a few times. They used to make service calls for it and still should. How can an elderly person who lives by themselves go looking through their basement to find it and take the panel off and disconnect the wires? That thing is a bit tricky I must admit. And what happens if they connect the battery to the wrong terminals? And that battery is pretty heavy for some older woman to be lifting above her head if that's where they located it, like they did in my basement. It's not easy to get to.
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 14:52:26 ·
PoloDude Premium,VIP join:2006-03-29 Northport, NY kudos:3	Minor point, It's impossible to hook up the battery wrong. The negative has a standard spade lug , but the positive has a fitted connector. Also the connector to the BBU is keyed.
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 15:08:35 ·
DGGSLF join:2007-04-14 Lynn, MA	reply to matcarl Matcarl. I agree with you and was just thinking about my own parents. I have to do the simpliest thing for them like tightening their glasses arms etc. They could not replace this battery if/when it dies and so a long time ago, I told them to stick with Comcast and resist the FiOS hard sell when the guys showed up just about every week, though I like the FiOS service myself. Verizon is now pushing fiber for the folks in NY/NJ area after Sandy. Are they gonna now expect all of the older folks in these areas that only wanted POTS, to do self maintenance on these batteries? If so, they should at least offer a service plan, like they do for inside wiring.
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 15:10:18 ·
PJL join:2008-07-24 Long Beach, CA kudos:2	Does anyone know what really happens when the battery dies? Once you've disabled the sound, doesn't everything else work just fine (except for the backup upon primary power failure)?
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 15:14:50 ·
uresponsible join:2013-01-16 Pittsburgh, PA	reply to matcarl Verizon has some 2 million customers, how are they supposed to pay for all the service calls to have batteries replaced and continue to grow the FiOS network? - Without increasing the bill?
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 15:25:18 ·
PoloDude Premium,VIP join:2006-03-29 Northport, NY kudos:3	reply to PJL said by PJL: Does anyone know what really happens when the battery dies? Once you've disabled the sound, doesn't everything else work just fine (except for the backup upon primary power failure)? Everything works just fine without the battery even connected. -- “My horse fights with me and fasts with me because if he is to carry me into battle, he must know my heart and I must know his or we shall never become brothers. -Plenty Coups, Chief of the Crow”
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 15:35:02 ·
Mac973 join:2009-05-18 West Orange, NJ	reply to PJL said by PJL: Does anyone know what really happens when the battery dies? Once you've disabled the sound, doesn't everything else work just fine (except for the backup upon primary power failure)? Yes it's fine. I disconnected my battery six months ago and never had a problem.
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 15:44:42 ·
PJL join:2008-07-24 Long Beach, CA kudos:2 Reviews: ·Verizon FiOS	reply to vee130 Then the solution for me is to not spend money on a new battery and forgo the battery backup period of phone service. Or borrow one from my home alarm system and use it when I need to. Or just buy a battery myself. Or use my cell phone when the power goes out. Not a tough set of options to me. A certainly not worth a rant, IMHO.
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 16:07:39 ·
rtcy FACTS only please Premium join:1999-10-16 Norwalk, CA	reply to PoloDude said by PoloDude: Minor point, It's impossible to hook up the battery wrong. The negative has a standard spade lug , but the positive has a fitted connector. Also the connector to the BBU is keyed. I have been a chill/shill ? police for a long time. so , you know they have to supply te power to pots phone. and this battery is a back up for the power so you can dial out in a ememrgency. this is their responsibility, and if our reps and senators were not bought and paid for they would have already extended the rugulations afforded to POTs to FIOS.save your rsponse that will go along the lines of "most people have cell phones etc.etc.etc" most of us are paying 150.00 minimum , so they can send most of us a 10.00 replacement battery, and NOT charge us, and do it for the elderly for FREE. AARP where are you ?
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 18:35:33 ·
PoloDude Premium,VIP join:2006-03-29 Northport, NY kudos:3	Again,why are the Cable Cos not held to the same standard?
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 18:53:09 ·
matcarl Premium join:2007-03-09 Franklin Square, NY	said by PoloDude: Again,why are the Cable Cos not held to the same standard? Because they don't have the same system as Fios. They don't install battery backups as standard equipment.
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 19:19:26 ·
crgauth join:2004-05-18 Glen Burnie, MD	So it is ok for them to provide no backup, versus a system that has a backup but it requires the customer to replace a battery every 4-5 years?
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 21:11:23 ·
PJL join:2008-07-24 Long Beach, CA kudos:2 Reviews: ·Verizon FiOS	reply to matcarl said by matcarl: said by PoloDude: Again,why are the Cable Cos not held to the same standard? Because they don't have the same system as Fios. They don't install battery backups as standard equipment. But their local neighborhood feeds do use power supplies, and when the electricity goes out so do the feeds, at lease until they hook up temporary power generators for their line amplifiers.
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 21:39:14 ·
mark_e join:2009-03-09 Columbia, MD	reply to vee130 4 batteries in b/u! When I added a 3rd phone line, my ONT was swapped and a GIANT (14" x 24") power supply installed. There are 4 batteries with space for 4 more. Which leads me to 2 questions: 1) Will I be responsible for replacing all 4 when time claims their life? (I would guess YES) 2) For the VZ techs, will installing 4 more batteries double the run time and/or keep the data service up? The only good news is that there's a switch to turn the audible alarm on and off!
	to forum · permalink · 2013-01-16 22:42:37 ·

US Telco Support > Verizon > Verizon FIOS TV > Verizon FIOS Battery Backup

4 batteries in b/u!