Old DVR given out to new customers
beffie48
Newbie

We just signed up with Verizon, have been Dish customers for many years but decided to switch to Verizon Fios to bundle our internet and tv and try to save a little money. 

We are very disapointed with the equipment we received from Verizon.  The DVR is the oldest unit and doesn't work well with the new software.  We thought we were going to received the new 7232  DVR that is pictured on the Verizon website.  I called and tried to get a hold of someone in customer service to complain and ask for the newer DVR to be sent out to us.  No one could help.  I called several times and was told the only way to get the newest DVR is to go online and enter my name and email address and wait.  Well, its been a week and I have entered my name and email address several times and still no response from Verizon.

I can't believe that Verizon gives these crappy old DVRs out to new customers. 

I am thinking I should go back to DISH, my DVR with them was wonderful, with a nice big hard drive and a great guide.

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Re: Old DVR given out to new customers
oldfashioned
Specialist - Level 2

Either Justin or Mark (prisaz) can explain this better than I can but I'm going to hazard a guess that the old DVR that was given to you was the 6416 series.  Is that right?  It's unfortunate too because I know you're not the first person this has happened to and I don't know why Verizon would continue giving old outdated DVRs to new customers.  That's the one that does not support the new TV Guide Display IMG 1.9 with the blue background.

I think the correct DVR that you need is the 7216.  I believe that the 7232 series is more advanced and you would have to pay $39.99 extra for that.  You were probably asked to enter your name and email address so that you could be notified when it becomes available in your area.  Did I get that right?  I just don't understand why you would be given an outdated DVR l because I've had the STB (set top box) QIP-7100 since my Fios was installed and it's been accommodating everything just fine.  I was never given outdated equipment.  That's crazy.

Here is what I would do if I were you:  Get on the phone and ask to speak to a supervisor and tell whoever you are speaking to that you need the 7216 because the 6416 series does not support the TV Guide software and Verizon knows that full well.  For the Verizon reps you dealt with to act like they don't know is absurd.  I would be peeved for the same reasons.  And tell that person that if you're not given the updated DVR, you're going to take your business elsewhere.  I've had Verizon Fios for 2 years knock on wood but you would have every right to go back to Dish Network if you still are not being given the proper equipment.

It sounds like somebody screwed up.  Good luck.

Re: Old DVR given out to new customers
briand805
Newbie

same thing happened to me earlier this month with our new install. it was a major pain in the **bleep** getting handled. after a few frustrating days of back and forth online and on the phone as well as a heated discussion with a rep at the verizon office one simple message to  Anthony_VZ on these boards and i  had a new 7 series dvr at my door in two days.

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Re: Old DVR given out to new customers
oldfashioned
Specialist - Level 2

Something isn't right with the customer service.  I definitely agree with that and I know I myself have been saying that consistently.  Whenever I run into a minor issue, I do what I can to resolve it on my own first without calling Verizon's customer service.  I've had some reps from there who have been very helpful for other things but I can definitely relate to the frustration, particularly when it's something so simple and when it becomes such a waste of time after a while.

And I'm sure you know the time and expense involved in switching providers.  It's a pain but you were persistent and at least now the problem is resolved.  What annoys me too at times is that I am very aware of how well Verizon employees are paid.  Nobody can ever dispute that. 

I have definitely learned a lot of good information just from following these stories.  I just wonder too if this particular problem is just happening in certain parts of the country of it's been happening everywhere.  It's weird. 

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Re: Old DVR given out to new customers
nukularpower1
Newbie

Having this same issue.  Anyone know the best way to resolve it?

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Re: Old DVR given out to new customers
BurtReynolds
Contributor - Level 1

@questioning wrote:

 Whenever I run into a minor issue, I do what I can to resolve it on my own first without calling Verizon's customer service.  I've had some reps from there who have been very helpful for other things but I can definitely relate to the frustration, particularly when it's something so simple and when it becomes such a waste of time after a while.



Running into this myself.  My 6416 was not playing back correctly, plus the IMG 1.9 was overwhelming it.  Time for a new box.  No 7232s in the DC Metro area, so I drove 40 minutes to the store to get a 7216.  The idea was to avoid calling phone support and just get a new box.  

Get the 7216 home and it won't activate.  Call Tech Support and they say the box is defective.  Now as I approach an hour on the phone, I am on hold with "customer service" who is just supposed to set up another in-store pickup for me, but is somehow confused by my request because there is an "order" on the account for a DVR from today.  I'm about to check the store's hours and make another 40 mile drive to the store with the bad box in hand.  I might get my situation fixed more efficiently that way.    

Now I am just praying there is no billing issue after this.  For some reason I see getting billed for 4 DVRs in my future, when I only have 2.  

Update:  After 1.5 hours on the phone, the DVR is finally working.  My call finally landed with someone who was determined to fix the problem and he stuck with me for a good 50 or so minutes, contacting people in other departments to straighten out the problems.   Now I am trying to find a way to contact management to let them know they got a good dude down in Texas.  It is increasingly rare to find someone working the phones who is willing to stick with you to solve the problem.   Hopefully nothing with my billing got screwed up, but we'll see.

Re: Old DVR given out to new customers
sleitner
Newbie

This is like an epidemic.  I have had FIOS in my home for almost a year and it is much better than Time Warner Cable, and a lot cheaper (win win).

But I noticed that the multi-room DVR was so slow and the widgets would take almost a minute to load, a minor inconvenience, but none the less...I decided to get on the phone with tech support.  They re-loaded the software on the box and it changed nothing.

Net net...the tech support person says to me, "your cable box has been discontinued 3 years ago".  I reply, "but I have had the service for less than a year."  He replies, "when they have supplies, they install them, the processor in your 6416-2 is too slow to run the newer software on the cable box." 

Then he advised me to call customer service and ask for a replacement.  They couldn't have been nicer or more accomodating, except that for almost a year, I was having these annoying issues.

So I say to the customer service guy, I would like one of the new boxes that you advertise, the black sleek looking one in the commercial.  He tells me that they will send the "newest box they have".

Today I received a 7216-1 with a label on the back saying it has the 1.8 version of the firmware.  This is not the box they show in the commercials, which I am assuming is the 7232 that you referred to, which kind of upsets me because that is what I was promised.

The question:  Do you know for the NYC area if the 7216-1 is the most modern box they have?  I already see that the firmware is old (which is already upsetting).  It would be stupid to have to call them every 3 months to make sure that I have what I am paying for, not some old version that I am settling for.

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Re: Old DVR given out to new customers
JustaGuy
Contributor - Level 2

@slite wrote:

...The question:  Do you know for the NYC area if the 7216-1 is the most modern box they have?  I already see that the firmware is old (which is already upsetting).  It would be stupid to have to call them every 3 months to make sure that I have what I am paying for, not some old version that I am settling for.


No it is not, I am in Yonkers and went to the local Walk in Center and picked up a 7232 at no cost.

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