Re: how to get copper phone line with FIOS internet
thetrain1
Enthusiast - Level 2

People travel ... pretty quick closure on the post.  Plus I left several messages and gave Verizon employees every chance to respond.  And ... crickets.

No response from anyone at Verizon.  I have now been without a dial done for over 3 weeks.  Help me cancel the service, I'm going to get an IP phone.  And file a complaint with the PUC or whatever the the appropriate body is.

0 Likes
Re: how to get copper phone line with FIOS internet
thetrain1
Enthusiast - Level 2

From 12/27:

I am having the same experience now and it is an absolute nightmare. I've talked to over 20 people at V erizon so far without resolution. I am in earthquake country and, like the users above, had an experience where copper worked when nothing else did. It's a safety issue. And when I got 15/5 Fios internet, multiple agents told me I could keep copper. Of course they disconnected it.

Now, I want to rollback to what I had - I am in my cancellation period - but they wont give me the copper back. Hours and hours of time on the phone, I am reaching my wits end - but I am going to keep fighting. 30 more minutes tto write a letter to the state boards, CEO of Verizon, Governor of CA and anyone else I can think of. Again this is simply about Verizon delivering what they promised - not what is convenient or cost effective for THEM.

If I dont get the copper back, then there's no point in being with Verizon, I never want to speak to them again. We'll cancel everything and stick with exisitng interent connection, and get IP phones.

0 Likes
Re: how to get copper phone line with FIOS internet
thetrain1
Enthusiast - Level 2

I am posting here to open another support case.  It will be one month without a dial tone the end of this week.  No one is returning any calls.  If I can't have the copper returned then I want to cancel all my service.  Please respond.

0 Likes
Re: how to get copper phone line with FIOS internet
LawrenceC
Moderator Emeritus

Hi thetrain,

We have reopened your private support case.  Please follow the instructions posted earlier in this thread to access your case.  Please keep all correspondence concerning your issue in the private support area.  Thanks.

0 Likes
Re: how to get copper phone line with FIOS internet
ramsey76
Contributor - Level 1

Have you contacted the state PUC

If no, please contact them and file a complaint

Also let your local state reps know

Last I checked Verizon local service was regulated

Re: how to get copper phone line with FIOS internet
thetrain1
Enthusiast - Level 2

I have filed a complaint.  Will further escalate to state reps later this week if nothing changes.  Thanks.

0 Likes
Re: how to get copper phone line with FIOS internet
Verizon_Support
Customer Service Rep

thetrain,

Glad we were able to get the correct party involved to look into your request. Due to you no longer responding, we have closed your private support thread. Feel free to make a new post anytime you need some help.

- Jose_VZ

0 Likes
Re: how to get copper phone line with FIOS internet
VZpain
Enthusiast - Level 1

Sorry that you had to deal with this issue also.   As I am a seasoned veteran of dealing with this problem with Verizon,  I will share  my experience with you.  Where virtually all the problem stems from is Verizon's "System".  When any change is attempted to an existing copper-based account and Fios has been installed,  the "System" auto-configures a change for all services to Fios.  Most customer service reps cannot over-ride anything that the "System" auto-configures.

I spent over 3 weeks and over 200 man-hours  dealing with 12 (yes 12) Verizon personnel to restore copper based phone service and Fios internet service.  It actually required me to form two separate accounts so that they would not interact within Verizon's "System".   It was a battle of historic levels to resolve.

As people have noted,  yes Verizon does want to phase out copper based service as does ATT and they do the best they can to make it difficult  to keep it.    Eventually it will go away but it will be in the distant future  as permission to do so across the board also requires FCC involvement.

I did want to comment that I did install a Fios digital voice line on the Fios account in addition to my copper-based line to evaluate it's performance.   It has actually performed quite well and better that the first generation Fios FTTP phone service.  The only drawbacks so far are the required 10 digit dialing and 8 hour battery backup for power failures.  Although I have a work-around for the power failure issue and have unlimited power for my Fios in the event of a commercial power failure.

Hope things get sorted out for you.

Re: how to get copper phone line with FIOS internet
thetrain1
Enthusiast - Level 2

By the time it was over I dealt with about 30 Verizon personnel.

Various of them acknowledged, understood and validated what I wanted to happen.

As you mentioned it is indeed their terrible system.  If you change your service its a one way street, water down the drain.  On this one I did put the toothpaste back in the tube.  

The only reason anything happend is because I filed a complaint with the State of CA,  and that was immediately kicked to the president of Verizon CA.  That one pushed it down to a manger - but interestingly, classified as a "PR" task or something like that - they actually had a term for it.  In other words, right to the bitter end, it was still all about Verizon - this got (mostly) resolved because I was a PR problem for THEM.  Not because they mirepresented, and then couldn't restore service when I cancelled withing the allotted period. Not because they were merely honoring any of what they set forth.  It ony happend because there was something in it for them.

The irony is - aparently there is a crapload of copper in this area tha still makes much money for them because of all the T1 and T3 lines running through companies around here.  The government should really force them to live up to the terms of the license and presumably the required maintenance on existing copper.  We had a 3.2 here last night that startled me a lot more than some of the past shakers, I must have been sitting on top of it.

Learnings - if you want to keep copper, simply don't go down the FIOS road no matter what anyone tells you.  And, if you do anyway and want to go back - don't try to work through the company in good faith.  It ain't gonna happen.  You'll meet some employees that truly do want to help you but can't, and even they'll end up making sideways cracks about how screwed up Verizon is.  Just skip the 5+ weeks of that and the immense frustration and substantial inconvenience - file a complaint.

0 Likes
Re: how to get copper phone line with FIOS internet
mobery
Newbie

I can say that I successfully got analog copper service with a FIOS video/internet account, but it took about 70 calls to them.  Yes, I spoke to 70 different people, some of which actually tried to help, but most of which transferred me, read me a script which was untrue (I was told that Fios phone is neither analog nor digital, among other silliness), sympathized, or lied to me, saying they would transfer me to someone who could help, but all i got is people trying to sell new orders for FIOS phone.  All this occurred probably 3-4 years ago, and I did get the copper service back, by a near miracle.  It took months.

Last week, however, things changed.  I switched my video service to another provider which offered the SEC network.  I was told repeatedly I could keep my internet and my analog copper phone service. I was told it would not affect my service.  I was told that several times.

Within an hour, my copper analog phone service went down, and i still do not have it back 2 days later.  Verizon turned it off, and the technician who came to my house said he could not reinstall it.  Customer service said I had received mailings which said I would be "forced" to get off the copper product, also untrue.  I was told the FCC allowed this.  Untrue.  They said it would not be restored.

So I am escalating this issue.  It will be interesting to see what it takes to get this service restored, which worked flawlessly all the time i had it, until I changed video providers.

0 Likes