US Telco Support > Frontier Communications > [FiOS] Billed for free installation

[FiOS] Billed for free installation

You can just cancel or are you in a term contract?
Are you happy with the service and want to keep it?
Did you go with Frontier because of an add you saw that offered free install?
I can help you but I need all the facts, also what city your in

When i signed up for frontiers dsl service 3 weeks ago they gave me a free install, so i dont know

reply to gozer
I am in a 2 year contract and I am really happy with the service. i am in an underground distribution area and Frontier is the only available provider, no Comcast. I just bought the house and a neighbor told me he has FIOS. I called Frontier for internet and TV service. I asked about installation charges and the agent said there were no fees other than the monthly subscription charges. I wish that Frontier used some sort of confirmation process when customers order service. The first bill was a shocker.

Did you see an add that states free install or go to Frontiers site and find an offer that says this and then call and ask for a CS manager and try again.

reply to Bothellbob
If customer service isn't doing it for you--and sometimes they don't, for whatever reason--I suggest two things:

1) Call the FiOS-specific number around 11AM Pacific time and see if you get someone from the Everett call center. They are ex-Verizon and have an excellent handle on how FiOS works.

2) Drop an e-mail to the General Manager for your area. When I had provisioning problems that tech support wasn't understanding, I contacted someone off of that page and was fixed within four days.

According to the details on the frontierforhome site, free installation is "fulfilled by bill credit," so you're supposed to be charged but you see an equivalent credit underneath. I have no idea why it's done like that, but there you go.

It seems to me that Frontier inherited Verizon: really good service, horrible billing (though I've never had a billing problem with either company, apparently several others have).

reply to Bothellbob
Frontier is famous for burying install fees and other such gotchas in tiny fine print, and often sales agents by phone "forget" to mention them altogether. Installation fees are very common with Frontier, and waiving them usually requires some sort of special offer. If you could dig up the offer, they will usually waive it even if the salesperson botched it by forgetting to notate the account.

A standard supervisor should be able to get these waived, so the "audit division" sounds like a cop out to get you off the phone.

If possible, if you don't have the original offer, at least scrutinize Frontier's ads to see if you can find a comparable one with install fees waived. That will strengthen your argument that Frontier doesn't find it too hard to pitch these kind of deals, so extending the same one to you won't hurt them a bit.

In general, however, Frontier does have fees in the fine print:

FiOS Triple Play: Limited-time offer to current Frontier customers who subscribe to a qualifying package of Frontier residential local service with features, long distance and new FiOS® High-Speed Internet with speeds up to 15/5Mbps. Actual speeds may vary. Internet installation and activation fees apply. Price guaranteed for 36 months. A $9.99 broadband processing fee upon disconnection of service applies. Taxes, governmental and other Frontier-imposed surcharges apply. New Frontier customers are subject to credit approval. Frontier reserves the right to withdraw this promotional offer at any time. WTAP Lifeline discounts not available on bundles. Other restrictions apply. A two-year signed agreement with a maximum $360 ETF applies to FiOS TV service. TV programming subject to change at any time. Minimum system requirements and other terms and conditions apply. Applicable taxes and surcharges apply. New Frontier customers are subject to credit approval. Some Frontier services are subject to availability. Actual High-Speed Internet speeds may vary. Installation and activation fees apply. Frontier reserves the right to withdraw this promotional offer at any time. Other restrictions may apply. WTAP Lifeline discounts not available on bundles. The FiOS® marks are owned by Verizon Trademark Services LLC and used under license. Other trademarks or service marks are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. ©2013 Frontier Communications Corporation. All rights reserved.

But if you can find a special promotion without install fees, I'd file complaints with:

State Attorney General
Better Business Bureau
State PUC

You will have a more compelling case if you state you were promised free installation. Read your complaint testimony carefully and make yourself a devil's advocate, closing any loopholes they can use to jump through. Then submit. All of these can be done online.

While none of these will actually compel Frontier to do what you want, when you file these complaints your case will go to an executive level customer service agent who is empowered to give you what you want to make you go away happy. Filing all three concurrently will make you the squeaky wheel that will get the grease first and fast.
--
Phillip M. Dampier
Editor, Stop the Cap!
»stopthecap.com

reply to Bothellbob
I had the same experience with the free install showing up as over $200 in various fees. I called customer support and it took 2 billing cycles to get straightened out, but they did remove the fees.