When is thing going to work?
Ahoydave
Newbie

I bought a HD TV and wanted a HD box. I check the verizon web site for the nearest store and after driving around the area for an hour where the web site said it was, I went to a a different part of town to look for another on the list. This should have been a clue. After a lengthy form filling session with the clerk, she retreats to the back with me assuming I would get the HD box. After some time, she comes out to inform me that store does not stock the box but there is another store near by that does but it doesn't have retail hours. I agree to pick it up the next day. After some misdirection to the second store (3rd?) they inform me the first clerk screwed up the order and the box would be delivered in a week but they could fix the order and get me a box. They would have to do the fixing by phone. This clerk made a call but was put on hold. After about 10 minutes, the clerk was still waiting and handed the phone to a lower level clerk to wait for him. The first clerk went to watch a soccer game with the other employees in the store lobby. After another ten minutes, it was clear the week delivery would be faster than these people so I told the flunky I would wait for delivery.

After the week of waiting, the box arrived. I hooked it all up, programmed the remote and started the initialization. About an hour later, it finally said initialization had failed. I tried the phone number given for this and it would not even ring. I tried the web site listed and it started another long initialization that eventually gave me the same result. I tried the online chat but the person there could only refer me to the same number that didn't work.

What is clear is that somewhere in the verizon chain, the initialization for this box was not set up properly in the server systems. I believe employees when they say they can't fix it. So far, all the other employees that are supposed to help this paying customer have been at best incompetent but often lazy and/or dishonest.

Verizon has the information I have put this post. I hope this channel can reach someone who is both capable of fixing a verizon screwup and actually interested in doing so. The other channels to get help have all failed.

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Re: When is thing going to work?
Hubrisnxs
Legend

hi, sorry about your trouble,  this is a peer to peer forum, and while verizon may poke their head in from time to time, the forum isn't actively monitored.   I've never had a problem calling 888-553-1555 for set top box activations and troubleshooting.

is that the number you can't call?    

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Re: When is thing going to work?
Ahoydave
Newbie

That is the number. I realize this is peer to peer but Verizon doesn't leave many options. If the help number doesn't work and the technical chat can't help, I'm kind of stuck. I can't fix a problem in their server database, that is up to them.

Some put the definition of fool as someone who keeps doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. So far, that has been the only suggestion Verizon has had. I would hope there is actually some employee at verizon who actually cares and is empowered to do something but unless I find a communication channel to that appearantly very rare person, I'm playing the fool. At least here, there is a small degree of exposure to other verizon customers to perhaps create some pressure.

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Re: When is thing going to work?
Lamort
Newbie

What is the exact error you are getting?

TV screen, codes on box, what someone has told you via phone...

What model # of HD box?

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Re: When is thing going to work?
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

I would advise trying to place the call from a different phone number ...  the number everyone keeps citing here works for me, and I would venture, most all of the rest of the world.   Perhaps you have a cell phone you could try from?

If that doesn't work, select the contact us link at the bottom of the page and try one of the other 800-numbers listed for contact numbers.  While they may not be the "right" number, I'm sure they can transfer you into the right queue.

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Re: When is thing going to work?
Lamort
Newbie

888 553-1555 will get you to tech support, and that number's been valid for years

I think the issue is something to do with the STB activation, which if the OP responds, I can probably lead him in the correct direction

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Re: When is thing going to work?
Ahoydave
Newbie

Tried another help number and after a VERY long wait, the technition was quite helpful. The problem had changed from no service to some channels. He restored the other channels but now I can can only watch a few minutes at a time before the screen goes blank and the box goes through a random period of clicks and displays for about 5 minutes stopping with video feed again but in the idle mode. I am watching now and its doing the random thing without turning the program back on. The online automated help eventually sent me to the chat help except its "not available at this time". Another entire evening wasted. I need to get to bed earlier than last night to make up for the long hours wasted on this junk so another long wait on the phone is not reasonable. Tomorrow I have a volunteer commitment and will not be able to enjoy the verizon circus. I guess they plan on taking my weekend.

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Re: When is thing going to work?
Hubrisnxs
Legend
Are you getting the correct time of day?
When you hit a channel that doesn't display, what message are you seeing? (currently unavailable, not subscribed etc...)
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Re: When is thing going to work?
Ahoydave
Newbie

I get the correct time of day sometimes. I am not paying this much for a clock as I have a very good but very cheap watch.

When the box goes off doing it's thing, there are a variety of display "features" it goes through but all video out is shut off. Now that the server data base issues seems to be cleared up, it would appear I also have a thermal or software bug in the box that times-out in some way to a self test mode. If I could just syncronize it with commercials! Normally a pure thermal problem would stop a system until powered off and cooled but this thing keeps on going. During its "performance", it appears to be following a set program I would expect from a factory test routine. At times as the video appears to be working OK, it missinterprets keys from the remote control but everything seems to work fine most of the time when the video is enabled.

To paraphrase Churchill, Verizon may have seen this as the end of the problem or the beginning of the end of the problems but experience has told me this is probably just the end of the beginning as I will probably need a new box. What kind of future misdirections, paperwork foulups, screwed up data base, and very long wait times am I in for to go back to square one to get a new box?

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Re: When is thing going to work?
mike91163
Enthusiast - Level 2

OK, maybe it's just me, or maybe it's a different policy where the OP lives, but here in NJ, you CANNOT just walk into a "Verizon Store" and order a HD set-top box, period.  The OP states they bought an HD tv-fine...but they do not indicate whether they have FIOS service or not PRIOR to buying this TV!

This thread has me thoroughly confused...the OP spews a lot of tech talk (server database?  thermal mode?  WTF?), yet has some serious spelling issues.  Having been a Verizon home phone customer since the days of New Jersey Bell, and a VZ Wireless customer back when it was Bell Atlantic, in 30+ years, I have NEVER encountered the number of "rude/incompetent" employees this person claims to have endured...and EVERY post is chock-full of misinformation.

Personally, I think the OP is a "plant" from a competitor...be it Comcast, TWC, Cablevision, whomever-as every one of their 4 posts bashes VZ to no end.  Further, the one time I had an issue with my VZ-supplied router (Actiontec MI424WR), I called at 3pm on a Monday-the new router was delivered OVERNIGHT, and was in my possession at 11am on the next day.

This cynic ain't buying a word of this blather...