How to avoid billing issues with set top box exchange.

[Aquilonian]

I've read about some issues other Verizon customers have had regarding billing errors, after they've exchanged set top boxes. More specifically, being charged for boxes that have been returned.

I fear that I may wind up in the same boat. I set up an exchange for 3 boxes, (2 HD + 1 HD DVR), which were received by me on 3/12. I promptly installed and activated the 3 new boxes, and packed up the old ones, which were sent out the next morning. I copied the UPS tracking numbers for reference, also so I'd be able to verify Verizon's receipt of the boxes. Verizon received them on 3/14, for a 2 day turn around. I checked my equipment online a bit earlier, lo and behold the new boxes are listed, as well as the old.

Is there any way to head off being charged for equipment that Verizon has back in their posession? I'd rather not have to start calling about this for any upcoming bills, and I'm sure other customers would be interested to hear about this too. Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

[walt178]

At UPS you can print a "proof of delivery" which includes the date and locaton of delivery as well as the name of the person who signed for it.  Save that with your records and you can send them a copy of it if there is a dispute.  I don't know how long it takes them to update their records when equipment is returned.  But you don't have any control over that, so if it was me, I would put off making any phone calls for a few weeks unless they billed me for the equipment.

[AnnieS1]

Hello Aquilonian,

While a Verizon employee may occasionally post here, this community is meant mainly for peer-to-peer support. If you need to talk to a Verizon representative, you should contact customer service directly.

Regards,

AnnieS

[armond_in_nj1]

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@Aquilonian wrote:

 ..I set up an exchange for 3 boxes, (2 HD + 1 HD DVR), which were received by me on 3/12. I promptly installed and activated the 3 new boxes, and packed up the old ones, which were sent out the next morning ... I checked my equipment online a bit earlier, lo and behold the new boxes are listed, as well as the old ... Is there any way to head off being charged for equipment that Verizon has back in their posession? ...

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I cannot give you an authorized answer, but I can tell you what I've experienced.

There is a definite and considerable lag when it comes to your actual status (concerning billing, equipment rentals and returns, credits, subscriptions, and so on), and the status shown online.  The reasons for this vary, but I'd guess they stem from a "percolation effect" during which various databases are updated and synchronized.  MyVerizon is a large collection of such databases and often the delays are pronounced.

The upside of this is that I have always been able to get my status and billing corrected, although on occasion it took some doing.  Usually a few patient words with the CSRs are sufficient (albeit time consuming).

[Aquilonian]

Thank you all for the replies. Since I don't as of yet have a real issue, I think I'll sit back for now, and see how this plays out. I don't really see a need to make any phone calls at this time. Basically, I was looking for a way to prevent the fire from starting, rather than have to put it out. It might turn out that I was worried over nothing. Thanks again for the responses.

[vangrav]

I, too, returned my set top boxes, but I made the mistake of sending them throught the post office. Verizon stated that I could return my boxes to UPS, Mail Boxes Etc, or The USPS, as in The Post Office. They gave me these options to choose from. I, unfortunately, did not write down the tracking number, as I should have to follow through on the delivery. My husband dropped the two set tops off January 9, 2013, and as of today, March 26, 2013, they are still charging me for the boxes. A very smarmy Verizon representative told me it was my duty to call the post office and track down my own package. My husband, got on the phone and told the lady that was clearly "her job" to track the packages. Whatever, I just wanted to get to the bottom of where our boxes ended up, if not at Verizon, where are they? We went to the post office to see if we could find out anything about the package, the lady at the post office said UPS comes and picks up the packages everyday and that Verizon should have the tracking information in their system. ALAS! They don'y and we are still being charged for boxed that were returned MONTHS AGO!

[Aquilonian]

vangrav, I feel your pain. Unfortunately, without the UPS tracking numbers, it will be tough to prove Verizon's received your boxes. Verizon probably issues hundreds of the RS labels every week, and they probably have stacks of these boxes sitting in the return center, unchecked. Keep your fingers crossed that they get to your boxes soon, I don't know what else you can do. My returns are still listed with my equipment as well, and I know they're there.

[oldfashioned]

I had to exchange my set top box a long time ago.  I didn't encounter any problems with that but I would suggest keeping print outs of the UPS tracking information in case you do ever run into a problem getting billed for a set top box that you already returned.  The clerk at the UPS store suggested that I keep it for at least 2 years and I would pass the same suggestion over to you.  It's always better to keep everything documented just in case.

[Aquilonian]

Believe me, I have print outs of the delivery confirmations ready to go. That's a great idea though, to hang on to them for a couple of years, thanks much for passing that on questioning.

[oldfashioned]

You've done all you can do and I think you're better off not worrying about it.  Why create more anxiety about something that's probably not even going to happen?  I sense that this is a concern that came up because of other people's horror stories that have been posted here.  A lot of venting gets posted here and you really don't know the whole story.  I don't believe everything I hear.

There is a lot that Verizon is doing right and I would never voluntarily trade Verizon for cable.  It's a very reliable and good quality service that gives me a lot more for my money than I would otherwise get from cable.  I haven't had that many problems with the service over the years and whenever I did, the problems always got resolved in the end.