Is Verizon purposely making CableCards unobtainable?
JohnT
Enthusiast - Level 1

Despite significant personal effort, I can't seem to get CableCards for my TiVo.  Verizon simply won't provide them to me.

In mid-December, when I bought my TiVo, I wanted to get it up and running as soon as possible.  After a call to Verizon to verify that FiOS stores stocked CableCards, I spent the better part of a day driving to four stores across the state of New Jersey.  None had them in stock, and the last store I visited told me the representative was incorrect -- stores never stock them, so I've essentially wasted my day.  Strike 1.

So, I went home and called customer service.  The rep was very friendly, though not very knowledgeable.  I ordered two CableCards which the representative told me would be shipped to me.  Two weeks later, when the cards hadn't arrived, I called again, and was told that the order was entered incorrectly, and nothing had been done.  Strike 2.

The representative that I spoke with was very friendly and apologetic.  He scheduled a technician to come to my house to deliver the cards, and the appointment was set for today.  Unfortunately, he wasn't able to give me a specific appointment time, so I needed to have someone home at all times between 8am and 8pm today.  I had my wife take a half-day off work, and paid someone to sit here waiting for Verizon when she needed to get the kids from school.  I got a text message this morning saying the technician was on the way.  When they still weren't here by 5pm, I called to check on their status, and was told they were on their way, and would arrive within the next 3 hours.  It's now nearly 9pm, and they're not here.  I guess I've been stood up.  Strike 3.

So, I called Tech Support again.  The rep basically told me there's nothing he could do, and I need to call customer support (Strike 4), who isn't open (Strike 5).  He also told me that my ticket had been closed at 2:20 pm this afternoon, which tells me that if the rep I spoke to earlier today had bothered to read the ticket, he could have told me that nobody was coming, and saved me a huge amount of trouble.  Strike 6.

So, after 11 contacts with Verizon (7 phone calls, and 4 personal visits), I have no CableCards, and am no closer to getting them.  I've wasted 2 full days of my time, and have lost a half-day's pay, the cost of a house-sitter, and a tank of gas in the process.  I won't go into the billing problems I've spent way too much time trying unsuccessfully to fix.

I realize Verizon doesn't want to provide CableCards, but this type of treatment of customers is unacceptable.  I'm not certain whether to take the bus to Manhattan to visit Verizon headquarters tomorrow morning, or call the FCC and ask them to place my order for me.

I've seen other posts here from people that have CableCards, but do they really exist?  Is there a secret code-word I need to use to get one?

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Re: Is Verizon purposely making CableCards unobtainable?
Telcoguru
Master - Level 1
I just installed 3 the other day. We finally got M-Cards. I haven't seen an S-Card in a while.
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Re: Is Verizon purposely making CableCards unobtainable?
KenAF
Specialist - Level 2

Verizon will not ship CableCards under any circumstances.  Verizon will not allow customer pickup of Verizon CableCards under any circumstances.

Most of your trouble is related to those two facts.  Had you asked in any forum (here, TCF, AVS, DSLR), that's what you would have been told.

To customer service representatives, it looks like they can place an order to ship a CableCard to a customer.  In fact, they can submit an order.  But that order will never be processed.  All CableCard orders without a service appointment are cancelled automatically.   As far as the customer service rep can tell, the order was just fine.  But it will never complete and you will never get your cards without a service appointment.

Unfortunately, missed appointments happen from time to time.  When you get all-day appointment like that, it often means that the particular installer already has other scheduled appointments and will try to fit you in before, between, or after.    Not good.    I suspect in your case, the other install appointments took longer than expected, leaving no time for you.  Unfortunate, but not really their fault.

Imo, you should never take off work waiting for an installer.  I would call again and request the next available install time slot on a Saturday or Sunday.   Make sure you get a time slot; do not settle for an all-day appointment.   Do not sit around twiddling your thumbs while you wait for installer -- plan to doing something productive (chores, paying the bills, etc) or leisurely (watching a new DVD or Blu-ray disk, etc) while you wait.   I can't count how many times I've seen people complain about their cable or satellite installer being late and how that "wasted their day" or "ruined their weekend."   There's only one person who can waste your day and it's not the installer.   Multiple installs are done in a day, so if one customer has a troublesome or exhaustive installation (ex: lots of outlets all through the house), the people behind them get delayed. That's just the way the cable / satellite business works.

One other tip for your TivoHD installation (I have two of them):  ask the installer to attenuate the signal to -4 to -6dB (as reported by their signal meter) for the TiVo.  The TiVo is more sensitive than the Verizon STB/DVR, and if the signal is too strong, you will see pixelization.   In addition, ask them for a spare -6dB attenuator, just in case you need it later.

Message Edited by KenAF on 01-07-2009 05:01 AM
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Re: Is Verizon purposely making CableCards unobtainable?
JohnT
Enthusiast - Level 1

@KenAF wrote:

Verizon will not ship CableCards under any circumstances.  Verizon will not allow customer pickup of Verizon CableCards under any circumstances.

Most of your trouble is related to those two facts.  Had you asked in any forum (here, TCF, AVS, DSLR), that's what you would have been told.


Actually, I had seen posts in this forum and DSLR to that effect, so I specifically asked for an install appointment when I called.  The Verizon rep told me that Verizon's policy is to ship CableCards, and only schedule appointments for customers who request installation assistance.  Out of 11 Verizon reps that I spoke with, all 11 confirmed that shipping CableCards was the preferred method.  In fact, in my last call with Verizon, the rep told me that the notes in my ticket indicated my install appointment had been cancelled because CableCards should be shipped.

After this experience, I believe that your statement is correct.  However, how could it be possible that the only people who don't know Verizon's policy are Verizon's employees?


@KenAF wrote:

Unfortunately, missed appointments happen from time to time.  ... I suspect in your case, the other install appointments took longer than expected, leaving no time for you.  Unfortunate, but not really their fault.


I agree it's certainly not the fault of the individual installer.  However, it's clearly the fault of Verizon.  They need to staff and schedule appropriately so that missed appointments don't happen.  If another install appointment took longer than expected for one installer, then send somebody else.  If they can't handle their current volume of installs, then either schedule less of them, or hire more people.  In an absolute worst-case scenario, the least they could do is call me to tell me not to expect them to arrive.  I got a text message to tell me the tech was on his way, then nothing.


@KenAF wrote:

Imo, you should never take off work waiting for an installer.  I would call again and request the next available install time slot on a Saturday or Sunday.   Make sure you get a time slot; do not settle for an all-day appointment.   Do not sit around twiddling your thumbs while you wait for installer -- plan to doing something productive (chores, paying the bills, etc) or leisurely (watching a new DVD or Blu-ray disk, etc) while you wait.   I can't count how many times I've seen people complain about their cable or satellite installer being late and how that "wasted their day" or "ruined their weekend."   There's only one person who can waste your day and it's not the installer. 


For most families, your statement is probably exactly correct, but it doesn't fit everyone.  In my family, for instance, we have 2 full-time jobs, 2 part-time businesses, and 3 kids with school and activities.  There have only been 2 times in the last 6 months where we've had someone at home for more than an hour or two during the day (my initial Verizon install in November, and yesterday).  Weekends are much worse for us than weekdays.  Yesterday's missed appointment not only ruined our day, reschedules from yesterday have thrown our entire schedule into disarray until the middle of next week.


@KenAF wrote:

One other tip for your TivoHD installation (I have two of them):  ask the installer to attenuate the signal to -4 to -6dB (as reported by their signal meter) for the TiVo.  The TiVo is more sensitive than the Verizon STB/DVR, and if the signal is too strong, you will see pixelization.   In addition, ask them for a spare -6dB attenuator, just in case you need it later.


 Awesome tip, thanks!  This may have saved me a bunch of trouble down the road.

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Re: Is Verizon purposely making CableCards unobtainable?
JohnT
Enthusiast - Level 1

@Telcoguru wrote:
I just installed 3 the other day. We finally got M-Cards. I haven't seen an S-Card in a while.

Cool... I've been hoping for an M-Card, so I wouldn't have to pay for two cards.  Sounds like a positive development.

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Re: Is Verizon purposely making CableCards unobtainable?
JohnT
Enthusiast - Level 1

Here's where I am so far...

I called Executive Customer Relations in New York, and someone was assigned to handle my case.  The gentleman that was assigned was very helpful and friendly, although it's pretty clear that he's been having as much trouble as I have getting this order done.  As KenAF stated, Verizon's policy is to never ship CableCards.  Unfortunately, nobody within Verizon except the department that does the shipping seems to be aware of the policy (it took the customer relations guy two days to confirm this policy).

The technician on my last service call decided that since it was his understanding that CableCards should be shipped, and there were notes in my ticket to that effect, he would not be doing the install.  He just closed out my ticket without coming out.

Executive Customer Relations scheduled an appointment to send another tech out this morning between 8am and 10am.  I received two phone calls yesterday to confirm my appointment, and was told by the person in Customer Relations that he was in contact with a supervisor in the dispatch center to make sure that the tech was not late to this appointment.  Unfortunately, 10am has come and gone, and nobody showed up.

When I called tech support (my 19th call to Verizon trying to get a CableCard), I was told that the dispatch center does not have me on the schedule for today.  They'll try to get someone out, but no promises.  Even better, as I'm typing this, I just got an SMS message that said "Verizon has resolved your repair request".  I guess I need to place my 20th call to see what that means.

This could be a case study in how to never, ever, ever treat a customer.

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Re: Is Verizon purposely making CableCards unobtainable?
Techman28
Master - Level 1
good grief let me see what we can do for ya.
Re: Is Verizon purposely making CableCards unobtainable?
JohnT
Enthusiast - Level 1

Well, I finally have my CableCard, and my TiVo is working well.  Smiley Happy  It only took 3 weeks, 23 telephone calls, 5 visits to FiOS stores, and 2 days waiting for missed service appointments.

Techman, if it was your work that finally made this happen, I'm in awe of your powers.  This feat was no less impressive than the parting of the Red Sea.  Thank you!!!!

Once I finally got an installer out to my house with the card, I nearly bust a gut laughing when he suggested that if I ever need another CableCard in the future, it's usually easier to have them shipped, and self-install.  You can't make this stuff up.

Oh, and I can confirm that M-Cards are now standard for installs in Central New Jersey.

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Re: Is Verizon purposely making CableCards unobtainable?
Techman28
Master - Level 1
I must say that I can't take credit for this one. I am truly sorry that this took 3 weeks 23 calls and 5 visits to the fios stores. If you have any further issues please post them here and we can generally get stuff done a bit quicker 🙂 rather than dealing with 23 different people.
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Re: Is Verizon purposely making CableCards unobtainable?
squirrellydw2
Enthusiast - Level 2
what are the positives and negatives of using TiVo over the Verizons DVR?
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