Poor Startup Service
OldProfessor
Newbie

When I switched to FIOS less than 90 days ago Verizon installed 6 new pieces of equipment [master control unit that separates fiber optic signal coming into the house into voice, internet, television, an internet router, a main control box for television and three additional television boxes that were linked wirelessly].

Since the installation I have spent countless hours on the phone with FIOS due to various problems. I have dealt with service agents in Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Tiajuana and India. All of them were pleasant but pretty much useless: take this unit off TV 'A' and install it on TV 'B' to test it. I have also had three service techs at my house to replace half the new equipment [router, main television control box and one of the sub-television boxes twice]. The equipment was so unreliable my wife wondered if Verizon uses old equipment.

When the original installation took place the three television sub-boxes were linked wirelessly to the main box. Subsequent service techs have converted all of them to wired connections. One of them asked me why the original service tech used a wireless connection to my kitchen television when there was a cable outlet within one foot of the tv. How do I know why that was done? 

Two of my televisions required installation of an inline modulator [powered aluminum tube about the size of a man's finger]. During one of the numerous times when I had television problems [one tv kept freezing up] the service agent in Pittsburgh asked me to describe the installation and I mentioned the modulator. He told me that was not Verizon equipment and must have been installed by my previous cable service provider. I assured him the two modulators were installed by Verizon. At that point he surmised the service tech must have bought them at a local retailer like Radio Shack because no technical rep he talked to in his office at Pittsburgh had ever heard of this modulator. The next service tech who showed up at my house told me she had checked my file so she brought a new modulator with her because that seemed to be the issue. I will say that the service techs who came to my house all seemed to be knowledgeable and were good to deal with. 

At one point a service agent in Syracuse promised to send me a new modulator I could self install. When nothing showed up within 5 days I called again and was told that the unit never went out because it couldn't be shipped as a no charge item but that service rep got approval to do so....meanwhile I had no signal to one tv for a week.

If I wasn't under contract with Verizon I would have cancelled out weeks ago. On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give Verizon a strong 2....only because of the service techs who came to my house. The service agents on the phone would get a I for being pleasant...0 for capability. 

At this point everything is stable and working well, but for me getting there was a huge waste of time and highly frustrating.  Actually I would gladly detail all of the above to a Verizon executive who can change things for the better but candidly I don't think anyone at the executive level really cares. Overall I would say the whole process was been pathetic. 

BTW I teach MBA courses at two universities Verizon's ineptness will be high on my list of examples of how big companies lose customers. 

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