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story category FiOS Billing Headaches Continue
Phantom charges and no-show bundle discounts...
(old news - 02:28PM Tuesday Sep 04 2007)
tags: business · trouble · Verizon FIOS
Early last month, we mentioned that one of FiOS's major flaws is that the company's billing support is simply awful. Customers consistently report having to call repeatedly to get simple billing errors corrected, and many say the company has been painfully slow in applying discounts for bundled services. Verizon told us at the time that billing upgrades in mid-August should cure the problem.

September is here, and judging from ongoing discussion in our FiOS forum,
Click for full size
so far nothing has changed. Says one customer:
"Made my monthly phone call this morning. Of course last month they promised that my account was now "fixed". Well they certainly "fixed" something, because this morning when I called they said that there had been an order placed last month (and is still pending) which has locked the account so that they can't even issue the credit."
Says another:
"I have the triple play. Last month when the discount was not on the bill I called billing.
Click for full size
They gave me credit for the triple play and adjusted the amount due. Also said that they fixed it so it would not happen again. This month the triple play discount was not in the bill. I called again and they gave me the discount and said they would fix the problem. Will see next month."
Given that many customers say they go through the exact same thing with Verizon Wireless, billing headaches may just come with Verizon territory. Hopefully some of that $23 billion being spent by the company on FTTH upgrades is going toward their billing software and support training.

Related:
  1. The $58,000 FiOS Fire
  2. When FiOS Attacks!
  3. Point Out FiOS Security Flaw, Get Free FiOS
  4. FiOS Users Not Getting Promised Free TVs
  5. Tampa Tribune Highlights FiOS Billing Problems
  6. Verizon Insider Leaks Extent Of FiOS Billing Issues
  7. Your Own Personal FiOS Account Manager
  8. Verizon FiOS Internet Video Beta
Forums » FiOS Billing Headaches Continue
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Post a:
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HateVerizon

@rr.com

moderated:
September 4th, @06:23PM

On hold with them now

Spoke to 2 people that had difficulty speaking english, then a woman, now on hold another 33 minutes more waiting to find out why I was billed for services never installed.

JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE

We all know about this...

We all know about the billing issues - how about getting them to admit TO THE TECHNICAL ISSUES AS WELL!
--
"ONE team - ONE city - ONE dream!!"

JAAulde
yum yum yum yum yum
Premium,MVM
join:2001-05-09
Hagerstown, MD
·Verizon Online DSL


edit:
September 4th, @02:29PM

Re: We all know about this...

said by JeepMatt See Profile :

We all know about the billing issues - how about getting them to admit TO THE TECHNICAL ISSUES AS WELL!
I have had very few technical issues with VOL over the past few years (though admittedly, when I do, the tech support is generally a frustrating experience). But it is their billing systems which have caused me immense headaches and much lost time. My worst one took about 7 months of constant calling and emailing to get it straight.
bamabrad

join:2006-01-27
Port Orange, FL

Just wondering....

how many of these 'errors' are in the company's favor? Could this be a clue to why it takes so long to be corrected?-Just a thought....
lesopp

join:2001-06-27
Land O Lakes, FL

Re: Just wondering....

Probably all of them. While I don't have FIOS I do have their phone service and I've made my fair share of calls over their billing scams "errors". That's one of the reasons I won't use FIOS.

Just a couple of months ago a new charge appeared on my phone bill. A new plan that allegedly lowers your local toll calling costs. Something I never ordered.

They had charged me $1.60 for the plan ($1.00 for the current month and $.60 prorated for the previous month) They were polite but had to pass me off to another department where I had to again explain I didn't order the plan. Then I had to wait while they contacted a third department. The second person came back on the phone and said $1.15 had been removed from my bill. I had to actually speak to a supervisor and threaten to sign up for Bright House Networks phone service to receive full credit of $1.60.

Not that the $1.60 would break me but I don't believe in plans where there is a plan charge in addition to usage. I also have the aversion to paying for something which I never ordered.

They are shameless, I wonder how much they make since many people don't really pay close attention to their phone bills and let things like this pass.

TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Margate City, NJ
clubs:
·Comcast

Racist caption on pic

Do we really need racial stereotyping captions on the story pic?
»/r0/download/1···b200.jpg
--
--
Internet News
My BLOG
My Web Page

MemphisPCGuy
Senior Systems Engineer
Premium
join:2004-05-09
Memphis, TN
·Comcast


edit:
September 4th, @02:22PM

Re: Racist caption on pic

Actually I do believe it's a parady based on roflcats.com

»www.roflcat.com/im-in-your-pc-ea···urtz.php
--
»www.memphispcguy.com

hopeflicker
They all belong in the trash
Premium
join:2003-04-03
Long Beach, CA
racial stereotyping?
Rhanlav
Dook?

join:2005-01-28
Jacksonville, FL
Would this be a bad time to mention »icanhascheezburger.com/ ?

That site is full of stuff like that, but about cats. Why? Because cats are funny.

Lumberjack
Premium
join:2003-01-18
Newport News, VA

Re: Racist caption on pic

Or »www.engrish.com
--
»www.fairtax.org

Sh0rD
Premium
join:2002-09-17
Arlington, TN
Tired of people blaming that everything is racist. Ignore it if it bothers you.

JamesPC

join:2005-10-12
Orange, CA
Racial...LOL. GET A LIFE x544348

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
Where's the racism? Against what? Midwesterners?

ph03n1x

join:2003-02-15
Sanford, FL
·RoadRunner Cable

Someday people will learn that crying racism on minor and questionable instances like this is more likely to breed racism than fix it? People are way too easily offended anymore. Things that one person perceives to be racially motivated, especially something that's supposed to be humorous, are usually just misinterpreted. Racism will go away faster if people stop throwing that tired worn out card everytime they get their shorts in a bunch over a joke that they dont get.

morbo
Complete Your Transaction

join:2002-01-22
00000
clubs:

edit:
September 4th, @03:33PM

Re: Racist caption on pic

i agree.

you f'in racist.


N3OGH
They both suck, we're so screwed
Premium
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs
I take umbrage with your righteous indignation.

I know people of all racial backgrounds that speak like that.

They're all equally annoying..
--
Petty people are disproportionably corrupted by petty power…
Xizer

join:2004-02-05
Kenosha, WI
Dude I saw a black guy getting arrested the other day.

RACISM!!!!!!!!!!

TechieZero
Tools Are Using Me
Premium
join:2002-01-25
Wesley Chapel, FL

LOL! Gee...

Too bad they let go many of the programmers working on their "quality" billing system and dropped many of the decent *in-house* programming staff they had supporting billing and balancing --- outsourcing it all.

WTG Verizon! Penny smart and dollar stupid!!!
Dolgan
Premium
join:2005-10-01
Sun Prairie, WI
·Verizon Online DSL

Re: LOL! Gee...

I would agree that whomever they are currently using for their software programming are bumbling idiots. It is not only the FIOS billing system that is affected, but many systems used by various departments. It is just not in the budget to have quality people working on the tools needed for their employees to give quality service.
amejr999
Eric
Premium
join:2001-01-13
Fair Lawn, NJ
clubs:

$$$$

At a minimum, this is costing VZ a ton of money. They screwed up my last order so badly that after a BPU complaint, I asked for and they gave without hesitation 6 months credit for my entire triple play (about $800 or so worth)

Jeffrey
Bye George, 1937-2008
Premium
join:2002-12-24
Long Island
clubs:
·magicjack.com
·Verizon FIOS
·Vonage

I must be the only one

I have had Verizon Fios for 2.5 years, Verizon Wireless for 6+ years (since the Bell Atlantic Mobile days) and I have yet to have a billing issue at all with either of them.

Granted I don't bundle, but my VZW bills have been dead on accurate. Guess I'm the lucky one. Now if this luck could only translate to the winning lotto numbers...
majortom1029

join:2006-10-19
Lindenhurst, NY

Re: I must be the only one

has fios even been out here on long island for that long?

Jeffrey
Bye George, 1937-2008
Premium
join:2002-12-24
Long Island
clubs:
·magicjack.com
·Verizon FIOS
·Vonage

Re: I must be the only one

said by majortom1029 See Profile :

has fios even been out here on long island for that long?
Yes, in very late 2004 Fios Internet was offered in the Syosset/Woodbury/Jericho area.

FiosTV came over a year later.
--
"When you get lost in your imaginatory vagueness, your foresight becomes a nimble vagrant."

[Ramblings] [RIP Millie 1993-2006]

seaquake
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-23
Millersville, MD
clubs:

Sigh

On the phone with "Mr. Lee" right now trying to set up another 2-year contract to reduce my monthly fee. Now I'm on hold. I have no clue what the problem is. This is terrible.
amejr999
Eric
Premium
join:2001-01-13
Fair Lawn, NJ
clubs:

Re: Sigh

Anyone else notice that Verizon is the only company I've seen to have their CSR's call themselves Mr./Ms. XYX? It's kind of bizarre.
hottboiinnc
Kyle

join:2003-10-15
Toledo, OH
·Time Warner VOIP
·1and1

Re: Sigh

i've had TWC and Sprint do that. I don't call them Mr./Ms. I call them by what ever name they say after it LOL normally get corrected but I only do it because they don't call me by the right name. Also i've had it done with the former SBC Ohio before.

morbo
Complete Your Transaction

join:2002-01-22
00000
clubs:

no mo money

perhaps verizon spent all their money on fiber. now, no money for billing. theory.
nasadude

join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD
·Comcast

they sucked before, they suck now, will suck in the future

I'm afraid I had started thinking Verizon was no longer "evil" because they were deploying fios - it's obvious this is fallicious thinking.

deployment of fios doesn't change the fact Verizon is still part of a monopoly/duopoly market. It's clear they want to make a good impression with fios and have the service work well and have the installs go well. However, at the end of the day, all the things they suck at, because they don't care and they don't have to care, they are going to continue to suck at until they have meaningful competition. which I am thinking will be in 15 or 20 years (maybe).

masterwolfe
Resident Redneck

join:2001-03-07
Hiawassee, GA
·Windstream

Re: they sucked before, they suck now, will suck in the future

said by nasadude See Profile :

meaningful competition. which I am thinking will be in 15 or 20 years (maybe).
Nah, it'll be AT&T-izon by then
majortom1029

join:2006-10-19
Lindenhurst, NY
They have competition, here on long island cablevision is giving them a lot of competition.

NoVA_CoxUser
Stand back from the cage -- The RF bites
Premium
join:2004-07-06
Alexandria, VA


edit:
September 4th, @05:03PM

said by nasadude See Profile :

... deployment of fios doesn't change the fact Verizon is still part of a monopoly/duopoly market. ... However, at the end of the day, all the things they suck at, because they don't care and they don't have to care, they are going to continue to suck at until they have meaningful competition.
Well said!

It always amazes me how potential broadband customers -- usually looking for "greener grass across the fence" -- think that a new product (FIOS) will magically change a company's corporate culture and somehow insulate them from all of the maladies and customer dissatisfiers inherent in ILEC service.

Don't get me wrong, if FIOS was available to me I'd no doubt "take it out for a test drive" myself ... but I would also fully expect the same sorts of issues to arise which three years ago drove me from Verizon to my cableco for phone service. (a move I've never regretted)

tapeloop
Triceratops 130 bbl
Premium
join:2004-06-27
Airstrip One

just axe 'em

Simple! All Verizon has to do is be more like Sprint and axe those pesky customers calling in to get their bills fixed.

Billing problems solved, and more bandwidth for everyone else.
--
I cannot stand demagoguery. If you disagree with my stance, you're a blithering twit. You're not a twit, are you?
bobytt

join:2007-07-17
Miami Beach, FL
·Atlantic Broadband
·Atlantic Broadband
·CYBERONIC INTERNET..

Damn....

I wish i HAD this problems ... But I am stuck with ***** bellsouth/ATT and the freaking 100 years old lines in Miami Beach. maximum speed that i can get from ANY provider here is 4mbit. what i can say.... I WISH TO HAVE BILLING problems with Verizon FIOS...... Damn i am so so so upset here....
tmc8080

join:2004-04-24
Floral Park, NY

two word explanation:

telephone company

Yaco
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ
·Verizon FIOS

I may be a goner !

Hi,
I have had Fios TV for about 7 months. Every month I call and it takes about 1 hour each month to fix the discount.
If it happens again and I don't get what I want, their Equipment will be in a plastic tub on my Front Porch....waiting for pick up....VZ Do you here me now ????
THx
Lee
--
"I Don't feel Tardy"
"When Clinton Lied , All that was left was a stained dress.
When Bush lied ,all that was left was 3000 + less US Soldiers..
bobytt

join:2007-07-17
Miami Beach, FL

ill spend 2 hours per month

TRUST ME is worth to spend this 1 hour and to have those speeds....

tc1uscgret

@wideopenwest.com

But people still flock to'em SUCKERS

It's amazing what people will put up with. VZ has a low key stance with pissy customer service (about as bad if not worse then Sprint and Commcast) but people still flock like sheep to pay for the service. Maybe it's VZ's turn to get the bad press for pissing off it's customers but the idiots will cry about it but that's all. If people started dumping the service, they may wake up and plug the leaks.. Till then, pay your bill and shut up.

Yaco
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ

Re: But people still flock to'em SUCKERS

Ouch LOL

viperpa33s
Why Me?
Premium
join:2002-12-20
Bradenton, FL
·Bright House


edit:
September 4th, @10:20PM

Some worse than others

Any company is going to have bad customer service, some worse than others. It's also how much limelight the company gets from that bad customer service. Some companies will have bad customer service but it will never see the light of day in the news.

Ex: Even though Brighthouse is more like a reseller, it probably has it's share of problems but you will never hear about it cause the company is not as popular as Verizon.

cdru
Go Colts
Premium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
·Verizon FIOS

Weird billing issue

July was my first month on Fios TV and I was suppose to be getting HBO+the Movie Package for $20/month. At the beginning of August I receive my first bill and it doesn't have the combined price. So I call up and was informed that the combo package was no longer available but she would give me a one-time credit that would equate to 6-months of the discount. I wasn't happy, but it was obvious that arguing wasn't going to get anywhere.

Flash forward to this month. I receive a notice in the mail that I have a $14x.xx bill outstanding. Oops. The bill got put under some paperwork and I honestly forgot about it. But why is it $14x? I should have had nearly a $50 credit on it. Doesn't look like they applied the credit. I guess I'll just wait for the actual bill and check and see.

Except I never receive a bill. But I do notice a 14x.xx charge on my credit card, one I never setup for FiOS TV but use for my FiOS data line. While the money comes out of the same account as what I would have paid with, I'm not real happy with Verizon dipping into my account like that.
birdfeedr
Premium
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI
·Verizon FIOS

Re: Weird billing issue

said by cdru See Profile :

But I do notice a 14x.xx charge on my credit card, one I never setup for FiOS TV but use for my FiOS data line. While the money comes out of the same account as what I would have paid with, I'm not real happy with Verizon dipping into my account like that.
You want them to send you a bill for the TV, but put the HSI on your credit card?

Good luck.

Yaco
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ

Re: Weird billing issue

Hi,
Had similar problem .I had to cancel the credit card to get them to stop.
Lee

cdru
Go Colts
Premium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
They did the first month.

metro305

join:2002-05-31
Durham, NC

Similar issues in wholesale billing.

As far I am concerned this is no surprise. While working for an independent ISP we line-shared Verizon copper for DSL. Our company had a wholesale/reseller account with Verizon and we experienced 1-2 years of erroneous billing errors so much so that we had a PT employee that would review each bill to see if it needed adjustment. We did this every month and the from what I remember seeing on her desk this stack was about 5" thick maybe even more?!

Now this was 5-7 years ago I figured they have this all figured out now. I really hope Verizon gets their act together!!

Out of curiosity are these bills being generated in Temple Terrace, Florida (small city close to Tampa)?
--
"We drive into the future using only our rearview mirror." Marshall McLuhan
littlebird

join:2004-01-25
Carlisle, PA

Me Too

A few days ago, I thought I'd take 10 minutes and call Verizon billing to "renew" my FiOS agreement. I didn't want to get charged the monthly fee, when my 1-yr. agreement runs out next month. All seemed fine and I agreed to a 2-yr commitment. I'm all set. I'm happy.

Within seconds I got an email from Verizon saying I must log on to some Verizon link to "verify" the agreement or it would revert to the month-to-month charge. Here's where the problems started. Couldn't gain access to the site.

Long story, short.
I spent a total of approx 8 hours over a 3 day period with Verizon just so I could renew my billing commitment.

As it has evolved, they said to just leave things like they are for now and when I get my next bill, if it is wrong, call them back.

No one could tell me if my 2-yr commitment was in the system, or why I couldn't reach the verification link.

Just wait an see...

cyrano

@verizon.net

FIOS Verizon salespeople came to my door today

So desiring research before signing up, I sent them packing and I found this forum. The Verizon guys wouldn't give me a copy of the contract, so I'm relying on memory. Cost for a 'Freedom bundle' of base-tier internet along with phone would be $70/month if I sign a 2-year contract. On the back, it says additional charges and taxes apply. Anyone know what the real bottom line is? Do they jack it up after the contract is up?
Forums » FiOS Billing Headaches Continuepage: 1 · 2

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