Battery backup
sclowry
Enthusiast - Level 2

My battery needs replacing, and I see that I am going to have to pay to replace it. Why in the world should I have to pay to replace a battery required as a backup? Seems like something Verizon should cover.

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Re: Battery backup
zorkbirder
Newbie

I had the same complaint, its Verizon's equipment, I pay >$100 a month to "rent it" so they should fix anything that needs replacing/fixing

For me, it turned out the battery went bad because the power fluctuations caused by Sandy.  So I had to do a bunch of checks in my basement after removing the battery to prove there electronics were bad, but then a Verizon tech came out and replaced all the electronics including the battery for free

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Re: Battery backup
Hokiedad2
Contributor - Level 1

When FIOS was installed, this was explained to you. This question comes up ALL THE TIME. A new battery is <$30 and they last for years.

Re: Battery backup
Hubrisnxs
Legend

www.verizon.com/battery

check it out, and also i found them at amazon for 12-15 bucks. 12v 8ah sealed lead acid battery  f2 connector. 

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Re: Battery backup
sclowry
Enthusiast - Level 2

If it comes up ALL THE TIME, Verizon should cover the cost.  It's the little things that **bleep** people off. I would think they could cover the $30. Oh well. I did what the earlier poster recommended...I simply pulled the battery.

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Re: Battery backup
JDoe5
Specialist - Level 1

Batteries do not last forever.  That's a fact.  That's whether it is the batteries in your remote controls, cellphone, your automobile or your portable computing platform.

When I bought my Dell Latitude it had a three year warranty but the Lithium Ion battery only had a 1 year warranty.

It is an unrealistic expectation to believe that Verizon (or any other company with a subscription) will replace the batteries for free for the life of the subscription.

When I had Comcast and they supplied the remote control it came with el-cheapo AA batteries and when they went it was my responsibility, not Comcast's, to replace them (I use AA or AAA Lithium batteries in all my remotes).  The sealed lead-acid battery for the ONT power supply is no different and its written in the contract one signs when they get their FiOS subscription.

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Re: Battery backup
sclowry
Enthusiast - Level 2

Believe me. I understand. I simply feel there is a difference between the batteries I can purchase at a grocery checkout line, and one that I have to research and pay $30 for. It's also in my basement, in some obscure piece of equipment that  I  have not looked at for over three years.  It's just my opinion that it would be in Verizon's interest from a customer service perspective to replace it as part of their overhead costs. I wonder if I will need to open up the DVR and see if there is a battery inside that unit that I might have to replace. I bet if I did that Verizon would charge me for tampering with that piece of equipment. In my mind both pieces of equipmnet should be maintained by Verizon.  Just my opinion, and one that is going to assist in my decision to move to Comcast.

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Re: Battery backup
JDoe5
Specialist - Level 1

When one buys equipment or subscribes to a service that includes equipment it is the buyer or subscriber's responsibility to know the equipment well enough to maintain it. 

Take my apartment.  It has AC powered Smoke Detectors.  I did not know that they also had 9vdc backup batteries.  When My power was out well over a week due to Sandy and Athena, I then learned that fact and I purchased 2 x 9vdc Lithium batteries to replace the failed 9vdc Alkaline batteries.  My excuse is that I was not appraised of the fact that they had backup batteries at the time I signed for the rental property but it was still my responsibility to replace the batteries even though it is equipment required to be provided by the landlord in my rental.  It should not be expected that my landlord provide the batteries for my;  Smoke Detectors, CO Detector and the Digital Thermostat.  However it it his responsibility to replace them if the go bad.

Some items do have batteries that you may or may not expect such as an Answering Machines, Alarm Clocks or even your computer.  All desktop and notebook computers use a battery to maintain BIOS configuration information in what's called "CMOS memory."  In notebooks it is a separate battery from the main power battery.  Some are rechargeable, others are not and have to be replaced.

In short, know the equipment you buy or obtain through a subscription/lease and maintain them as required.  In the case of a subscription or lease, know your responsibilities and that of the entity who you obtain the subscription or lease from at the time you get into contract and before you sign it.

Re: Battery backup
weedeater1
Contributor - Level 3

If you buy or lease a car from GM/Ford/Chrysler/Honda/VW/Volvo/whoever and the battery goes dead in 3 years, do you expect them to come and replace it?

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Re: Battery backup
sclowry
Enthusiast - Level 2

If the car was electric, and I purchased a warranty as part of the automobile purchase, then yes, I would expect the dealer to replace the battery.

Also, I am not a lawyer, but I would bet there might be a case where a tenant successfully sued a landlord for not keeping the smoke detector supplied with with adequate battery backup.

but come on, we are not going to agree here. Fortunately for me, I am at the end of my service agreement, so before I buy a battery for a piece of equipment that apparently works fine without a battery, I will simply cancel and go back to Comcast.

Maybe now that I am battery savvy, I will try to negotiate unlimited battery's as part of my new customer agreement when I come back to FIOS in two years.

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