Frustrated - Multiple issues with Fios TV/DVR - need advice on dealing with tech support

[farmerzgrl]

I have been a Verizon Fios customer since Feb. 20th (all of two and a half weeks).  I signed up for my bundle on-line around 11am on the 20th, and had a technician out for install within a few hours on the SAME day.  I thought that was impressive - and I was looking forward to having a more reliable and fast internet connection than I had been experiencing with Brighthouse.

The technician who installed was very friendly, and although he had some issues (apparently, there was a Verizon box in this house before us, but someone ripped it off the wall, so they had to run new wire all the way out to the street) the install went pretty quickly and smoothly.

The first few days went along without a problem, and the internet was great.  Some of the functionality of the DVR was less than I'd hoped for, but some of the other features were great.  I had a glitch trying to set up my online account, but I used the online chat feature to work with tech support and she was able to correct the issue.  We noticed a couple times in the evenings that the TV would pixelate - but it only happened a few times and was very brief.

On Sunday the 26th, our real issues started.  The live TV started freezing, then having a liquid-like pixelation problem, sometimes no sound.  We tried to watch a recorded show from our DVR list and received error messages stating that we didn't have DVR.  We called Verizon tech support and a very rude person reset the box several times and apparently even reinitialized the box and the result was that the box wouldn't even turn on anymore.  He said that he'd have a new box shipped out to us and that it would arrive by Tuesday or Wednesday.  My husband got on the phone at that point and suggested to him that since we were brand new customers (less than a week) and that since we had service installed on the very same day that we ordered it online, that certainly they could have someone bring us a new box on Monday morning.  The technician told us that he would transfer us to the billing department because we could probably just cancel the service.  We were both dumbfounded.  Especially considering that he had been rude from the minute he took our call, and while we were obviously frustrated, we were never rude.  We were eventually transferred to someone in billing who said she had never heard of such a thing and that she could not help us unless we wanted to cancel.  While this was going on, I had unplugged the box again, let it sit for several minutes, then plugged it back in - and the tv worked.  And the DVR worked. We assumed that maybe something the tech support guy did had worked after all.  Well, it worked until the next morning.  We had error messages saying we had no DVR.  A reboot of the box worked again.  After work, in the evening, it turned out that scheduled shows didn't record.  So, we called tech support again and asked for our new box.  We were told we'd have it by Thursday.

New box arrived Thursday and we set it up that evening.  Went through trying to get all of our recordings set up again and finally sat down to watch tv.  I switched to Showtime (which we are subscribed to in our package) and received an error that the channel was not available, press B to troubleshoot or call tech support with this code.  Pressed B, went through the steps and the channel came back.  Then, proceeded on to HBO, also part of our subscription - and we received the same error.  We pressed B and this time going through the steps did NOT correct - so we called tech support.  After working with the girl for over an hour, she finally determined that we needed to be switched to billing to have them remove our HBO package and then put it back on and that should correct the problem.  So, while we were waiting for billing to come on the line, we started flipping channels again.  Now, channels that had previously worked were now showing the error that the channel was unavailable - even non HD, non premium channels.  When the billing girl got on the phone, she said there was really nothing she could do with that being the case and that downgrading our package and re-upgrading it would do nothing - that we needed technical support.  She got us on the line with a different tech support person who said that we were obviously having signal related issues and that we needed a tech to come out to look at the wiring.  He scheduled an appointment for us for Friday.  That call took over 2 hours.

On Friday, the tech came out and spent time checking all of the wires coming in to the house - he said we had multiple splitters on lines that didn't need splitters and that this was likely causing a signal disruption and was probably the cause of the failure on both boxes.  He removed some of the splitters and apparently streamlined some of the wiring.  We still had the original box and the new box.  He hooked up each box and they both worked - all of our premium channels worked, DVR was good, etc. We boxed up the old box to send back, kept the new box and had tv that worked just fine for a few hours... then we started having the channel not available issues again.  And, now - we were also getting messages saying that we weren't subscribed to a channel - and this would range from HBO all the way to a non HD standard tv channel.  A reboot will work and restore function - for a while.  However - scheduled shows aren't recording - or record for 7 seconds and stop.  Or record for a while, then have a 20 minute gap in the middle where it's frozen, etc.  This has been going on since a few hours after the technician left Friday evening.  And, I have to say - when the tech left Friday - everhything seemed fine.  He had tested the signal strength - seemed completely thorough and was very nice.  I don't think he could have known, at that time, that the problem wasn't fixed.

We have not called back to tech support yet.  We're busy with our work and our lives and we're also frustrated.  I know it will take another several hours and don't have much faith that there is any resolution.  It seems to me that we probably need the whole house completely rewired - brand new - start over.  I'm thinking there's a bad wire in there somewhere.

This morning with my coffee before work, I tried to watch a tv show in my DVR list that apparently didn't record properly - no surprise (it froze and skipped over half the show).  So, I went to On Demand and found the show. (Without Bay News 9, I'm kind of lost with morning coffee, so I need a show of some kind)  It started to play and was going along just fine, till I received a CableCARD  (tm) Pairing Information is not available message.  I tried the auto fix in the menu, rebooted, etc.  It worked for a few minutes, then stopped again.  At one point, I got an error saying the set top box lost video due to a network connection failure.  Great, does that mean my internet is going bad too?? While looking around in the menu function, I clicked on the self diagnostics feature.  It filled in all the information, as I'd seen it do before - except when it got to the package description.  This time, instead of Ultimate HD, HBO, VOD, etc., etc (like I'd seen before). it told me that my package is: Arabic, Armenian, ART (Arabic), Extreme HD, HBO, Prime & Ultimate HD, Prime HD, RA, RAI (Italian), etc., etc.  Huh???  Really???

So, I'm not sure now what the deal is - would a signal issue cause my subscription package to change?  Do I get on the phone with someone at tech support for another few hours?  Are they going to send yet another box?  Are they going to come re-wire the whole house?  Is it worth it?  This is really ridiculous.  Do I cancel and go back to Brighthouse with my tail between my legs?  At least with them, I knew that my internet connection would be wicked slow at certain times of the day, but at least I knew it was coming and could expect it - and I could at least count on my tv and dvr recording my shows.

When I logged into verizon to vent on this forum, my account said that it was unable to access my DVR.  When I clicked on manage my DVR, it just says Bad Gateway.  Not a great start to our relationship, Verizon.

I really need some advice.  Should I stay or should I go?  And, if I stay - what is the best way for me to explain this to tech support so they will do the right thing and fix this?  And, what is "this" anyway?  Bad box, bad wiring?  

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Anthony_VZ]

There is definitely a signal issue problem going on. That explains the skipping, freezing, and loss of sound. Also the "This channel is currently unavailable" is where there is no signal at all for that channel. I have sent you a private message to get more information.

[farmerzgrl]

Thanks, Anthony - form submitted.  Looking forward to hearing from the team.

[Anthony_VZ]

We got the form, but there was digits missing in the phone field so we couldn't locate the account. Please put the phone number, name, and address in the text section where you describe the problem. Thanks!

[farmerzgrl]

Replied to private message with all information including name, address, phone number and account number.  Thank you.

[Bigdaddydisney]

I have been having exactly the same problems, I switch from Directv (which I had for 12 years with no issues) to fios because the bundle deal was much cheaper.  It was installed on December 28, 2011 and since then I've had another dvr sent out to me 5 techs to my home and it still does the same thing.  Freezing and pixelating on live Tv and programs are not recording properly it is  very frustrating. 

The last time I called customer support the rep I talked to told me he would follow up with me and would talked to the business department with me in order to get some credits or compensation for all of the time I've spent dealing with this issue, that was over a week ago and no follow up but still having the same issues(so much for the business department).

I feel like the customer service rep and techs that come out to my home are either just blowing smoke up my **bleep** or they don't know what they are doing.    I would like to go back to Directv but I am in a 2 year contract now with verizon; all verizon has done is make me regret my decision to switch everyday.

Please help me this is getting ridiculous

[thomasaz]

Is there anyone having a problem with the sound being garbled and going out until you change the channel. I just got FIOS just a little over a month. Had 2 repairmen out to fix the problem they changed the DVR and the main box with no success. 

Spoiler

{edited for privacy}

[Stombreeze]

I'm having the same problem.  Got the new 500 GB DVR and since then, live TV freezes and flickers sometimes.  Same thing on DVR playback.  Never had this problem in previous years with the smaller DVR. 

Have switched box and had techs out to house -- still can't watch a complete hockey game without some pixels and chops...

[peebee1]

Having the same problem, my audio cuts out, I change the channel back one, then forward one back to program, and it's OK for about 10 mins.

[Anthony_VZ]

Are you using an HDMI connection between your box and the TV? If so, try switching to a component cable. This will tell us if its an HDMI sync failure or an actual problem with the signal.