rmckofke
join:2001-05-15
Staten Island, NY | reply to vee130
Re: Verizon FIOS Battery Backup I've had Fios for 4 1/2 years and only recently did I change the battery - for the very first time. I noticed that during hurricane Sandy, when the power went out the BBU would only last about an hour before beeping so I assumed that meant it was nearing its end-life anyway. Once the phone lines came back up and life got back to normal, I called them up for a new 2 year deal (which they gave me a great one, no increase in fees and more internet speed), they also offered to waive the charge on a replacement battery for me.
again, after 4+ years I don't see $32 to be an outrageous cost, you probably spend more on remote batteries if you could factor in amperage/size in relation to the BBU) and no on complains about not getting a Duracell discount. |
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 NOYBSt. John 3.16Premium
join:2005-12-15
Forest Grove, OR
kudos:1
1 edit | reply to vee130
Actually I believe the battery is the phone companies responsibility, because it is their responsibility to ensure phone service remains during a power outage, just as it is with POTS. The fact that the power is now supplied via CPE rather than down the copper line from CO does not change that.
They know however that most people don't know and will just take their word for it and buy the replacement battery. Long as nobody says anything about it and pushes back they will get away with it. And it is money in their pocket. And once it is done long enough everyone will forget about it being the phone companies responsibility and then they have successfully created a defacto standard.
If they refuse to replace it. Complain to your PUC and your State Attorney General.
They just continue to erode away what customers perceive to be their responsibly. Until they are no longer responsible for anything except collecting the money. That is the game they are playing with customers.
It may take a tragedy and a lawsuit for them to get the message though.
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Be a Good Netizen - Read, Know & Complain About Overly Restrictive Tyrannical ISP ToS & AUP »comcast.net/terms/ »verizon.net/policies/
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NOYBSt. John 3.16Premium
join:2005-12-15
Forest Grove, OR
kudos:1 | reply to uresponsible
said by uresponsible:So...With that reasoning, I guess that Verizon should also replace the batteries in your remote when they go bad.
No!!! Very bad analogy.
1) The STB/DVR is still operable via the buttons.
2) Remote is a convince not an emergency necessity for summoning help.
3) It is not considered the same level of emergency device as a phone for calling 911.
4) STB/DVR control is taken over by the emergency system when they want to send out alerts and info.
5) It is not under the same regulations as phone service and 911 access.
--
Be a Good Netizen - Read, Know & Complain About Overly Restrictive Tyrannical ISP ToS & AUP »comcast.net/terms/ »verizon.net/policies/
Say Thanks with a Tool Points Donation |
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NOYBSt. John 3.16Premium
join:2005-12-15
Forest Grove, OR
kudos:1 | reply to crgauth
It's different because it is regulated and 911 access requirements.
Automobile tires, batteries, wiper blades etc. is an extremely bad analogy.
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| Digital voice isn't regulated. |
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 matcarlPremium
join:2007-03-09
Franklin Square, NY | said by JackBauer:Digital voice isn't regulated.
Many people have Fios phone without it being digital voice. |
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Reviews:
 ·Verizon FiOS
| quote:
Many people have Fios phone without it being digital voice.
Not too many anymore, most people switched to Digital Voice to save on taxes and fee's, and the yearly savings are a lot more than the cost of a battery.
So basically, if you keep the regulated line on FiOS, you are terrible at Mathematics. |
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| Disagree on your mathematics comment.
I seriously was considering Freedom Essentials because its call quality would be superior to DV as it is not VOIP. |
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Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| reply to NOYB
quote:
Actually I believe the battery is the phone companies responsibility, because it is their responsibility to ensure phone service remains during a power outage, just as it is with POTS. The fact that the power is now supplied via CPE rather than down the copper line from CO does not change that.
...
If they refuse to replace it. Complain to your PUC and your State Attorney General.
Obviously you dont realize that the majority of FiOS customers are now classified as DIGITAL VOICE. A few still are categorized as POTS/regulated over FiOS, then you can complain, but keeping it that way for the sole cost of a battery is absurd.
If you believe that Digital Voice should be regulated, then all the cable co phone, Vonage, even magic jack should all supply BBUs as well. Little hint, the Verizon ONT is technically their cable modem. |
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Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
1 edit | reply to JackBauer
Its not superior. No wiring changes, it comes out of your ONT in the same manner. The only real difference is you have to dial area code for outgoing calls. Oh, and you lose the ability to receive collect calls. Have no inmates in my family.
So if you want to keep a regular line, go ahead, but youre just donating money. |
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| reply to JackBauer
Disagree of the mathematics?
If its $6 a month in tax savings, thats $72 a year. Over a 4 year span thats $288. Whats the cost of a replacement BBU battery again? |
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PJL
join:2008-07-24
Long Beach, CA
kudos:2 Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| reply to JackBauer
said by JackBauer:Disagree on your mathematics comment.
I seriously was considering Freedom Essentials because its call quality would be superior to DV as it is not VOIP.
Yesterday we switched to Digital Voice. We've been with FiOS for over five years, so we had no commitments (either way) obviously and the price kept creeping up. So I checked the website and the same bundle (except with Digital Voice and an increase to 50/25 from 25/15 Internet) saved use $25 per month after the rebates for two years, plus the taxes and fees for POTS (most notably the Interstate Subscriber Charge). And honestly, the sound quality is better than our POTS services. The changeover was flawless, we have improved service -- and love the many new calling features that come with digital voice, not the least of which is on-line feature management via an Internet browser, a tablet/smart phone app, or the STB itself. All of our local calls are in speed dial (on the phone, not the system) so dialing ten digits is not an issue -- I just reprogrammed the numbers.
Oh and the battery thing (to get back to the original topic): we had a battery with POTS, and have it now with Digital Voice, and nothing changed -- including who replaces the battery after 1 year. |
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| Talk to me in a year. You've had it one day.
I've had VOIP for probably ten years, and it's a love-hate relationship. Undoubtedly VZ would to a better job than 3rd party providers, and the features are an improvement (but still highly lacking with the 10 number block limit), but I'm very skeptical that DV actually will be better quality than FE.
Maybe I'm wrong - that does happen now and then.
And with respect to mathematics - I live in the lousy state of NY where they find the most insane ways to tax - just to waste it on some really insane programs... and I loathe it. My point is that paying a little bit more for assuring that I can use my fax machine, or that DTMF signals from my phone register properly with automated attendant systems, are worth a little bit of extra money. In NY it would probably be a lot more than $72/yr to be honest. |
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| Jack, youre wrong on this one. Ive had DV over FiOS for about 3 years, not a single hiccup. You call Verizon for the switch, a few keystrokes and youre done. You might even be able to get into a new triple play promotion while youre at it. |
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 PoloDudePremium,VIP
join:2006-03-29
Northport, NY
kudos:3 | reply to JackBauer
Fios DV is NOT a voio product like majicjack or others. Any comparison to the is strictly wrong. There have been enough discussions here on what the differences are. |
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PJL
join:2008-07-24
Long Beach, CA
kudos:2 Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| reply to JackBauer
said by JackBauer:Talk to me in a year. You've had it one day.
...
I just put a reminder on my Outlooks. Back in a year.
Oh and did I mention that for three days in late December my POTS line could not make calls to certain numbers? Or when they were made either I could not hear the other party or they could not hear me? Some numbers worked, and some didn't. It was the entire POTS switch -- my neighbor had the same issue. |
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| Um just so you know - I don't hate DV. Actually I hate a part of it, the 10 number block limit. Other than that - when I finally get FIOS shortly, I would move to DV. Yeah, that's right, I would dump my current VOIP provider and move to DV knowing that it would be better quality. I won't do that however because I have like 30+ phone numbers blocked. I loathe telemarketers.
But for everyone who says it's better than POTS, I'm sure there are people out there that say the opposite...
»forums.verizon.com/t5/Home-Phone···p/300501
And that's just one thread, I could have posted quite a few more. |
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Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| Is your house line on Verizon or another companies VoIP? Now things are getting confusing. I rarely get any telemarketers being on the do-not-call list.
»www.donotcall.gov/
I couldnt imagine having to block 10 numbers, let alone 30. |
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 Rattler
join:2001-04-13
Havertown, PA | reply to JackBauer
said by JackBauer:Disagree on your mathematics comment.
I seriously was considering Freedom Essentials because its call quality would be superior to DV as it is not VOIP.
When we were switched over from FiOS Freedom Essentials to DV, there was no change in quality but we certainly got more features w/ DV. Also, our monthly tax on phone service went down by ~$4.50 being offset by an increase of ~$1.00 for DV over FE. If you have FiOS, you can't get anything but DV when you change from an older package (at least that's what I've been told).
In response to NOYB's comment about V* being responsible for maintaining phone service through a power failure, IIRC, V* never guaranteed phone service, even with Copper/POTS. However, I feel that the BBU is V's equipment and it should be their responsibility to maintain all parts of it, including the battery. But that subject has been beaten to death here and it is in the TOS that the battery is the customer's resp after the 1-year warranty expires.
It used to be that if your FiOS TV remote went belly up, you'd call them and they'd send a new one free of charge (I've done it twice, in the distant past) - no more (unless you get a sympathetic CSR). Now, you have to purchase replacement remotes as well.
As an aside, I've often wondered if you could get a full-sized sealed vehicle battery (such as an OPTIMA AGM type), substitute it for the 7 AH battery in the BBU and get much longer than 8 hours of backup. I'm not talking about plugging it into the auxiliary battery port on the BBU (if one exists on your particular unit) but rather extending the normal connections for the internal battery. I'm just not sure if the charging circuitry in the BBU would handle the larger battery.
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Never raise your hands to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected. -- Red Buttons |
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Reviews:
·Verizon FiOS
| Ive wondered about the auxillary port on the BBU as well. Ive never seen a unit plugged into that thing, does something exist for it?
Back to the FioS DV Vs. FiOS POTS /regulated... in some states, Verizon may be mandated to supply a certain amount of battery backup. I dont think FiOS can circumvent that if its NOT FiOS Digital Voice. |
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