New Customers - Be Aware Of This Improper FIOS Practice
nova_family
Enthusiast - Level 1

I want to make others new customers aware of what I experienced and have learned, so that you too can avoid overpaying for FIOS services.  We ordered FIOS with one Multi-Room DVR, three regular STBs, high-speed internet, phone line and with HBO plus the movie package.  The cost of HBO plus the movie package was quoted at $25 per month.  In going through the FIOS channels available to us I noticed that we seemed to have more premium subscription channels (eg Cinemax) than I had ordered.  I called FIOS customer service to find out if our order had actually been setup the way we had ordered it.  I learned that the answer was no - without our consent they had changed the order to give us the movie package for $15, and HBO and Cinemax for "free."  They claimed that they did this to "save us money."  The hitch is that the free HBO and Cinemax ends after 3 months, at which time the HBO+Cinemax part begins to cost $22, bringing our total movie bill to $37 monthly. 

I told them that this practice is fraudulent.  They have an obligation to setup the service the way the customer orders it.  They claimed again that "their job" was to help the customer "save money" and they were saving me $10 a month.  They said the bill would notify me that the new charges would take effect.  But I'm sure everyone reading this can see the obvious con job here - they're hoping you'll get used to the greater variety of channels and won't really notice the extra billing. 

I made them change my service to the way I ordered it.  They protested with mutterings of "OK, but it's going to cost you more..." and similar.

Next day I try to watch HBO - the screen says I don't subscribe to this service.  I call back to customer service and the rep tells that it looks like the service was inadvertently shut off in the change over.  So I get the rep to set it up correctly and then ask to speak with a supervisor so I can complain about this business practice.  The supervisor again doesn't even deny that they deliberately set it up differently than I ordered it.  He tells me again that they do this to "save you money." 

It's obvious that this practice is deep-coded in their DNA and thus I am sure it did not just happen to me, but is in fact happening to all customers with package orders similar to mine.

All customers need to be aware of the need to check on their order configuration and make sure that it was setup as ordered.

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Re: New Customers - Be Aware Of This Improper FIOS Practice
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

Your surprised by this???

EVERY company out there is running a free HBO/Cinemax promotion right now. Every single one of them will turn it on (regardless of if you ordered it or not) at time of install. And yes this is to get the bill as LOW as possible so that when you get the first couple of bills it will show that you are paying less than you had at the previous provider.

And yes, they are hoping you will get used to the other channels and decide to keep them. This is not a secrete. EVERY company does this.

Nothing that you said surprised me, except for the fact that you were surprised by this. This is not "Verizon". This is EVERY cable company out there. And if push comes to shove, technically, they were "correct" in setting it up the way they did. Most people would complain about having to pay for a service that is currently free to everyone else. So they set it up so that your not paying for it either. Why would they take a chance on a complaint about being charged for a free service. I mean how many people actually complain about getting something for free so they are trying to keep from getting a complaint. If they had done it the way you ordered it, the chances of a complaint would have been much higher. Granted you dont want the Cinemax part but the HBO is free for two months. Why would you pay the extra $10 for two months?  Take the free service save $20 and then call back at the end of the time and drop the Cinemas portion. Simple as that.

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Re: New Customers - Be Aware Of This Improper FIOS Practice
nova_family
Enthusiast - Level 1

{please keep your posts courteous}

Dude, don't tell me what I ought to know.  Readers of this forum will find my information much more helpful

\{please keep your posts courteous}

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Re: New Customers - Be Aware Of This Improper FIOS Practice
gerio
Specialist - Level 2

Comcast tried this very thing on me and all I did was get a cable box that "wasn't supposed to cost any extra" It wouldn't have, if they had set it up as I requested (NO movie channels of any kind at all). When I get home, I have HBO and a couple of others. when I call, I get the same spiel you got about saving me money. It took three requests, the the last one had me showing my impatience, to get the service back how I wanted it.

I must admit, though, that while it was agravating, it didn't wreck my life enough to run to the Internet and post warnings about it . Caveat Emptor, period.

Geri O

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Re: New Customers - Be Aware Of This Improper FIOS Practice
Z06PSI
Enthusiast - Level 2

They did the same too me but they made me aware of it at least.  I canceled the other subscriptions at day 89.

Re: New Customers - Be Aware Of This Improper FIOS Practice
ggma11261
Contributor - Level 3

basically had same problem here - I had cancelled HBO and they offered free 3 months - I said NO then lo and behold they shut off HBOo and also my On Demand for the movie package- had to call spent 1 hour on phone with 5 different people - they get my on demand back on (thanks to vzz-brett) but also turned backon HBO - at that point when straight to verizon direct forum and reported it.  Even got a call from executive customer service and let them know that this problem is happening to other people ( turning Hbo one without customer consent)   they apologized and gave me a 20 credit on my bill for my problems

Re: New Customers - Be Aware Of This Improper FIOS Practice
Justin46
Legend

@nova_family wrote:

{please keep your posts courteous}

Dude, don't tell me what I ought to know.  Readers of this forum will find my information much more helpful

\{please keep your posts courteous}


FWIW, I don't find your information helpful at all.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.7C, Build 09.83
Keller, TX 76248

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Re: New Customers - Be Aware Of This Improper FIOS Practice
nova_family
Enthusiast - Level 1

Of course YOU don't Justin {please keep it relevant}.  But thanks for posting your opinion!

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Re: New Customers - Be Aware Of This Improper FIOS Practice
Justin46
Legend

@nova_family wrote:

Of course YOU don't Justin {please keep it relevant}.  But thanks for posting your opinion!


{please keep it relevant} I am just a 30-year Verizon (and before that GTE) customer.

I simply expressed my opinion as a FiOS customer, as did you.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.7C, Build 09.83
Keller, TX 76248

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Re: New Customers - Be Aware Of This Improper FIOS Practice
nova_family
Enthusiast - Level 1

FWIW, I don't find your opinion useful at all.

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