WHY DID I SWITCH???!!!!!
bonandkids
Enthusiast - Level 2

Shame on me for not reading the forums more closely before I switched from Direct TV to FiOS!! Don't get me wrong, FiOS is great, but it's not as great as Verizon says....Good luck accessing all the features, especially online viewing of FiOS programming and basically getting access to your account at all online.... and if I have one more rep ask me for my Fios phone number I am going scream!! **bleep** is that. If I explain that I don't have one and don't know what they are talking about, I get serious attitude. They can find me via the order number issued for the install, only to tell me that there is no account number yet. HUH?? I should have learned from past experience in dealing with Verizon on the phone about my dsl internet account that it wouldn't be any better with Fios.

DIRECT TV IS #1 IN CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR A REASON, IT IS A COMPLETELY VALID CLAIM. Even though I love Fios I am stuck with the worst customer service system in the worldSmiley Sad

Re: WHY DID I SWITCH???!!!!!
ignatz713
Enthusiast - Level 1

It's absolutely NOT as advertised, it's just another cable company.

IF Cablevision weren't the worst cable company in the world, I would still be with them.

If FIOS keeps raising their prices, I may have no choice, and they are the satan spawn of the cable world.

0 Likes
Re: WHY DID I SWITCH???!!!!!
ssetta
Contributor - Level 1

I switched because I had Comcast and it appeared that a lot of people in my area were switching to FiOS because they said that it was supposed to be better than Comcast. When I looked at the list of HD channels, FiOS had a lot more. I was actually very happy with it at first, but it seems like Comcast has caught up with Verizon, and now has more HD channels than Verizon does. There are some disadvantages of Comcast, mainly the fact that they don't have the Multi-Room DVR. But I am seriously thinking of going back to Comcast once my contract with FiOS runs out.

0 Likes
Re: WHY DID I SWITCH???!!!!!
JD4x4
Enthusiast - Level 2

I haven't actually switched yet (in 2 days though) but I had to buy tv from someone after 40 years .. since we were all forced into the great (comms industry-backed) digital TV experience and uhf BITES because I'm in a low spot 6 miles from the D.C. OTA towers. That after buying $100+ of outside antenna that I never needed before.

But they needed the channel allocation for National Security, right? Remember that pitch? Wait.. didn't I just hear the excess was going to be auctioned off for 3G/4G use?? I must be mistaken. My hearing must have frozen or pixellated for a minute.

0 Likes
Re: WHY DID I SWITCH???!!!!!
MagicMan
Contributor - Level 1

If you rely on forums like this to determine your decisions, you'll never be satisfied.   Most of these forums are places for people to vent about the bad service they had or the problems they had.  I'd be willing to bet if you looked at the number of people on the forums, it is a small percentage of the total number of verizon customers, so you're getting the opinions of a vocal minority.  If that is what you want to base your opinions on....good luck.

Right or wrong, they ask you for your phone number because most of their support systems are built around that.   Remember, they were doing phone business for more than 100 years and TV service for less than 10.  Should they update their systems to handle non-phone customers?   ABSOLUTELY!

I'm happy with my verizon services...I can get to my account and pay my bills and have no problems with anything at the moment.  When I do, I go through the same frustrating service with reps but  I learn to realize the reps listen to people complain all day so I try to cut them some slack now.

As for pricing....it's competitive and what the market will bear.  You have to remember that cablevision, verizon are resellers...they buy shows from Food network or HBO and resell them to us with some profit. I can't get FiOS TV service where I live so I'm stuck with cablevision.   They raise their rates every 6 months.  When the Food networks or recently ABC wanted to charge more for their services, Cablevision said no and Food network/ABC pulled their shows off the air so I had to go without service and not get any compensation from cablevision for loss of service because they didn't want to negotiate.  

Customer Service - Cablevision isn't on my list of best support reps.  Customer service is tough.  THey have to figure out what is going on with your account/service/whatever, from their centralized location and diagnose your situation with a variety of PC's, operating system versions, browsers & browser version, TV types.  It's a thankless job and not one I would want.

We all make decisions based on what is right for us:  Verizon/cablevision/cable providers/satellite providers for it's stockholders, we for our pocketbooks.  If you want to go through changing whenever someone raises their prices  or asks you for a phone number, have fun.  Me I choose to look at the bigger picture.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Re: WHY DID I SWITCH???!!!!!
EEEEEE
Enthusiast - Level 3

If you don't have phone service, you need to get your account number.  Your order number is only retained in the system for access for a short period of time after your order is complete.  For the rep to  find your account using the order number, they have  to take a complicated series of steps to get to your account which will aggivate you for having to wait and them for having to take all the extra steps.  The best thing you can do is get your account number, write it down and keep it in a safe spot (near your TV, in your wallet, etc).  When you have to call and they ask you for your phone number, you simply say "I don't have phone, but here is my account number...." and I promise you, there will be no hostility!

Re: WHY DID I SWITCH???!!!!!
VZ_Frank
Contributor - Level 2

Your account could also be pulled up using the name on the account, your address, your Verizon.net email address, if you don't have a Verizon phone number you can use the phone number you gave when placing your Fios order.

Re: WHY DID I SWITCH???!!!!!
KpUrHdStr8
Enthusiast - Level 2

Coming from a 5 year Alltel customer/1 year Verizon customer I don't doubt we ALL have the worst customer service in the world. But that doesn't hold a candle to they're BILLING department....completely ridiculous!!! CRAM CRAM CRAM everything they THINK they can get by with!!!!

0 Likes
Re: WHY DID I SWITCH???!!!!!
Texascat2
Enthusiast - Level 2

Man, I thought Vios was all that! I'm glad I am still on DirectTV (10+years) My DSL is pretty fast, clocking 100mbps if directly connected via Ethernet, 54mbps on my wireless router.

0 Likes
Re: WHY DID I SWITCH???!!!!!
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader

@Texascat2 wrote:

My DSL is pretty fast, clocking 100mbps if directly connected via Ethernet, 54mbps on my wireless router.


I do not know what your DSL speed is, but what you posted is the LAN (local area network) speed.

My real DSL speed is 3MB down / 768 K up. The fastest DSL offered by Verizon is 7.1 MB down / 768 K up.