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Verizon's New 'Free' FiOS Speed Upgrades Not so Free For Some

Billing glitches for Verizon's new "free" symmetrical FiOS upgrades are resulting in rate hikes for some users. Verizon recently announced that the company would be bumping FiOS upstream speeds so they match the company's downstream speeds, effectively making all FiOS tiers symmetrical.

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Even though FiOS prices have jumped significantly in recent years, Verizon's move is a significant competitive jab at cable operators, who have lagged in delivering faster upstream speeds despite their recent round of DOCSIS 3.0 upgrades.

While the upstream speed boost is absolutely and undeniably welcome, users in our FiOS forum are noticing a few abnormalities in Verizon's billing process at sign up. While the upgrade is supposed to be free, a number of users have noted that signing up for the faster speeds has bumped their broadband bill, or has involved Verizon pushing them back onto long-term contracts. Notes one user:

quote:
I got my "free" speed upgrade by joining the rewards program yesterday. As I always do, I went online this morning to check my account for any changes. To my dismay, I find that my bundle price increased $10. I immediately contacted Verizon and was told my One Bill discount "somehow" dropped off my account. The rep sent the info onto their "offline" team for remediation and denoted my account. I'll keep my fingers crossed as to whether Verizon will keep to their word of fixing everything. If my next bill is incorrect, I will have to call back to get a manual discount applied -- a royal pain in the a$$.
States another:
quote:
Having 75/35, I just got off the phone with a CSR, who put through the upgrade, and assured me the price would remain the same. Not being satisfied, I kept grilling him, and as he dug deeper, he found my taxes increased by about $5, so I backed off.
Here's another:
quote:
I renewed my triple play (with symmetrical speeds) & was suppose to stay at $159.99, then saw $179.99 on my estimated 1st bill. This morning went into my verizon to see my services since order was to complete today and now it shows $198.99. Thankfully the rep is suppose to call me to go over my bill when it comes in the next few weeks, but I was ready to call when I saw the price jump yet again.
Accurate billing has never really been Verizon's forte, so this may be more incompetence and early billing glitches than malice (I've fired off an inquiry to Verizon). Just be aware that Verizon may erroneously bill you when you try to nab these new upgrades -- and you should try to get a rep to promise your price stays the same in writing if possible. I'll note many users don't appear to be seeing rate hikes, and in some instances have negotiated lower rates.

Update: Verizon had this to say about the higher rates some users are seeing:
quote:
When we say free, we mean free. This is an error in the system that is being corrected. We apologize to the customers who have experienced this problem but we will correct it and these customers will remain (at their current price points).
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SeattleMatt
Streaming Tech Director
Premium Member
join:2001-12-28
Seattle, WA

1 recommendation

SeattleMatt

Premium Member

A Bit Unfair

This is a bit of an unfair story-

There are also many (most) of the upgrades going through flawlessly - like mine. Yes, there were some issues - but as was noted in the post by a VZ employee - it's already known and they are working to fix the exceptions.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

11 recommendations

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: A Bit Unfair

I'm not trying to be "unfair." I'm urging users signing up for the tier (who may not read every thread in our forums) to be careful and pay attention to their new rates.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

2 recommendations

tshirt

Premium Member

Re: A Bit Unfair

said by Karl Bode:

... to be careful and pay attention to their new rates.

The devil is always in the details, and whenever a salesperson says "FREE" ....READ it twice!!!
rfrooney
join:2006-02-26
Antioch, TN

2 recommendations

rfrooney to SeattleMatt

Member

to SeattleMatt
Unfair? If the upgrade is "free" then it is incumbent on Verizon to fix their billing system before deploying the change. Not on the customer to point out the error.

cableties
Premium Member
join:2005-01-27

1 recommendation

cableties to SeattleMatt

Premium Member

to SeattleMatt
You don't rollout an upgrade "freemium" to millions of users and then find your customers getting stuck with "unexpected" increases (whether fees, taxes or rate increase).
Verizon billing has no clue what it's marketing arm is doing. I should know, I got a bill increase and no notice or justification.
Probitas
join:2014-06-05
Canada

1 recommendation

Probitas

Member

What would be a better title?

Verizon's speed increase comes with normal Verizon mistakes?

Verizon billing system can't handle the increased speeds?

He made a point of pointing out that it's not a plague of mistakes, but they are present. Mistakes happen, and they should be cleared up easily if they really are mistakes. But if this was done to get some customers to mistakenly change plans and force other price increases unrelated to this change, that's low. For ANY company.

I doubt this is going to have any effect on Netflix streaming anyway. What good is 75/75 is you can't manage an HD stream on the net?
sevenbelow
join:2014-03-21
Roslyn Heights, NY

sevenbelow

Member

Re: What would be a better title?

It's not easy for verizon to fix mistakes. There are usually several more before all is well.

The only times my fios customers lose service is when simple change or add on orders are placed. Or a move order. Nothing but disaster after disaster. Once the service is up, rarely have to call them for anything. TWC in NYC is another story.

Kingscup
join:2006-03-01

1 recommendation

Kingscup

Member

Re: What would be a better title?

What I find funny is that when there is a mistake, 99% of the time it is in Verizon's favor. When it is in Verizon's favor, it takes them weeks or months to fix it. When the mistake is in the customer's favor, it only takes them a few hours to correct. I generally like Verizon but the mistakes and the price increases are starting to wear thin.
sevenbelow
join:2014-03-21
Roslyn Heights, NY

sevenbelow

Member

Re: What would be a better title?

They are just so difficult to deal with. 1 in 5 people you speak to may go above and beyond. Although their ordering and billing system does not help things.

MPScan
Premium Member
join:2001-08-24
Boston, MA

MPScan

Premium Member

Huh?

 
This makes absolutely no sense.... (the graphic posted).
 

TWC_User
join:2013-07-31
Los Angeles

TWC_User

Member

Re: Huh?

Yep. I don't see a difference there.... Could it be those plans on old prices?

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

telcodad to MPScan

MVM

to MPScan
From the posts in the Verizon FiOS forum about this »Re: Symmetrical Speeds , it seems that HSI-only subscribers with a 15/5 speed got upgraded to 25/25, while subscribers with a TV + HSI 15/5 package (which had seen their rate recently go to 25/5) get upgraded now to the 15/15 speed.

So some of those TV + HSI 15/5 subscribers are complaining that while they were seeing 25/5 before this upgrade, they have now lost their downstream overprovisioned rate (or "Fluff") and are getting only 15 Mbps on the downstream now, with the symmetrical 15/15 speed: »Re: Symmetrical Speeds
vulgate
join:2012-01-27

vulgate

Member

Re: Huh?

Are there any examples of 15/5 Internet-only customers getting 25/25 after the upgrade? I really hope this is the case!

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536 to telcodad

Premium Member

to telcodad
they're still getting the 15mbps they were paying for.

FiosEmp
@173.79.179.x

FiosEmp to MPScan

Anon

to MPScan
Brand new customers, in quantum buildings, are going straight to 25/25, which is now the lowest tier for quantum. . Existing customers are moving from 15/5 to 15/15, unless they upgrade to 50/50. They cannot upgrade to 25/25
patt2k
join:2009-01-16

1 recommendation

patt2k

Member

One of them

I am one of those affected.

75/35 > 75/75 waiting since Sunday.

10$ price jump.
bigpapae35
join:2002-10-25
New York, NY

bigpapae35

Member

Re: One of them

I was also affected

went from 50/25 to 50/50 and bill went up $15

I called rep and she had to open a ticket with a back office team, and two days later my rate went back to normal.
patt2k
join:2009-01-16

patt2k

Member

Re: One of them

Lucky you.. Still waiting.

NYDude25
join:2007-08-23
Massapequa, NY

NYDude25

Member

Really?

quote:
As I always do, I went online this morning to check my account for any changes.
You check your Verizon account for changes every morning?
patt2k
join:2009-01-16

patt2k

Member

Re: Really?

Yep me too why? When we owe them , they will hunt us for that 1$.

When they screw up i do the same until billing is fixed.
vulgate
join:2012-01-27

vulgate to NYDude25

Member

to NYDude25
That's as bad as the guy on slickdeals who was remoting back into his home computer while on vacation just so he could be one of the first to get the upgrade.

»slickdeals.net/f/7075542 ··· 69372324
mgamer20o0
join:2003-12-01
Norwalk, CA

1 recommendation

mgamer20o0

Member

verizon impress us

really want to impress us verizon just give it to everyone with out having to call up or change anything. flip the switch and give it to everyone. that way there isnt a chance of a "glitch" over charge.
TazExprez
join:2002-04-27
Yonkers, NY

TazExprez

Member

I would have to pay $10 more, at a later date, and get a 2 year contract.

If I upgraded my 150/35 to 150/150 on Monday, it would have been $10 more right away, without a 2 year contract. If I upgrade today, it will be the same price I am paying now, but the price would be increased by $10 by month 18, and it would include a 2 year contract. I am currently under contract and have 17 months left on it. I have the Ultimate TV, 150/35 Internet, and Phone $164.99 bundle. I called Verizon yesterday and was told that there was a price mistake and that the price would not increase. I contacted customer service via chat today. They told me that I did not have to do anything and that everyone would be upgraded by July 31. I will probably just wait until the site is fixed.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

1 edit

tmc8080

Member

Re: I would have to pay $10 more, at a later date, and get a 2 year contract.

These deadline dates have a way of being pushed back. Cablevision had a delay of up to 6 weeks in their so-called "deadline" for the upgrades to 101mbits. Nevertheless, notice you can't really buy a decent broadband plan for under $50/mo these days (standalone). Prices have adjusted upward since 2011.

I'll keep checking my speeds to see though... and probably call/web chat before September if they don't get around to it..

BTW, it goes w/o saying that I'm not letting them re-up my contract for a measly 25 megabits upload. I'm on month 13/24 in the contract... and most likely will switch as Verizon is notorious for price increases and near zero retention deals.
Klownicle
join:2005-03-15
Sarasota, FL

Klownicle

Member

Hmm

I'm just going to wait for all this 'confusion' to blow off. I like to think Verizon does this on purpose to earn that extra bit that no one will notice. I look at it like this, having 35mbps upload already, its not going to mean jack to me going to 75mbps upload.

Now tell me their upgrading the download and then I'd be on that horse. I'm perfectly happy with my setup as it is now. In fact I recently renewed for a discount, not going to have them muck that up.

Rick4769
join:2012-11-21
Buffalo, NY

Rick4769

Member

Speed Increase

I was told that my 75/35 will become 75/75 no later than the end of this month, July, in the WNY area.

Noah Vail
Oh God please no.
Premium Member
join:2004-12-10
SouthAmerica

Noah Vail

Premium Member

Pleased so far

My orig contract was 75/35 for $65/mo 1-12 and $90/mo 13-24.

I committed to 75/75 for $70/mo 1-24.
That's cheaper over the term and I'll use the extra upload.

It took 2 days to get the provisioning worked out (½ my fault).
At the end of it I found my bill adjusted back to $65/mo but for all 24 months.

Vz's pricing really is a crap shoot. I'm glad the dice fell my way this time.

nycnetwork
join:2000-11-12
Brooklyn, NY

nycnetwork

Member

75Mbps Symmetrical

Upgraded using the website portal, "retained the contract" option checked, bill stayed completely unchanged. Oh, and never even opted in for MyRewards+.

Been rock solid:


Klownicle
join:2005-03-15
Sarasota, FL

Klownicle

Member

Re: 75Mbps Symmetrical

How long did it take for it to apply? I decided (from your post), to do it this way, and saw the exact same information.
treyatl2006
join:2012-01-26
Atlanta, GA

1 recommendation

treyatl2006

Member

Better than At&t

Even if these werent glitches... Atleast you can see major improvements with the price increases. At&t doesnt upgrade a damn thing and they cinstantly upgrade their prices.

rds24a
Teach Your Children
Premium Member
join:2000-12-13
Newton Upper Falls, MA

rds24a

Premium Member

$5 extra

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$132.99 to $137.99
The only thing I changed was to go from 50/25 to 50/50 according to the "free ugrade" notification at the top. There is a $10 one month credit, but after that my price would go up $5/month. I would have to downgrade to 25/25 in order to keep my price the same.
rds24a

rds24a

Premium Member

Re: $5 extra

Follow-up: My account was changed from 50/25 to 50/50 last week without requesting it and with no price increase.

epearce
join:2001-01-24
Temecula, CA

epearce

Member

No upgrades for FIOS Business Users!

I called Verizon and was told that the upgrade doesn't apply to business users at this time!