(Cayusa)
Marvin is experiencing a very modern problem, one that our great-grandparents would probably be unable to wrap their brains around. His new video baby monitor for his new baby doesn’t get along with his Verizon FiOS-issued wireless router. They use the same frequency. That means that when his baby goes to bed, so do his Internet speeds. There’s a potential solution to this issue: get a newer router that operates on a different frequency. Verizon has them in stock, but not for Marvin. They’re only for new customers, not for him. His best option right now: to pay $130 to upgrade to one of the new routers. Which he still won’t own.
I have been a FiOS customer for over 4 years. I am not a just a customer…I am a super customer. I have tons of additional boxes and services. I am even on their advisory board for new technologies and give feedback via surveys on new and exciting services. The service is usually great. Not ever a problem…until I had a baby…and that means I got a video baby monitor. It turns out most video baby monitors interfere with wireless routers because they are on the same 2GHz frequency. Basically that means after 7 pm in my house, my wireless network grinds to a halt. Speeds drop to near dial-up rates.
Of course, there is a simple solution to this problem. Upgrade to a newer 5 GHz router (802.11n). Only problem…I am an existing FiOS customer. You see, FiOS only offers modern equipment to new customers. Old customers, tough luck. No soup for us.
I have been working with Verizon on this issue since January. They have attempted to send me their dual band wireless N router 2 times. Unfortunately, both times they ended up sending me the same router I already had. When I pointed it out to them, they told me to try again in a month or two, and maybe then they will have the new router in stock to send out. Not so much.
Fast forward. 5 months, I still cannot get a new router from Verizon. I still cannot use the internet after 7pm. I have called, and called, and called some more. I have been bounced from tech support to customer service, to customer sales. Nobody can figure out how to help me. That was until tonight. Tonight I called FiOS support AGAIN. This time I had the pleasure of experiencing a conference call between 2 different departments and a supervisor (after 45 minutes on hold). They concluded the reason I am not able to get a new router to solve my issues is because I am current customer, and therefore not entitled to technology upgrades. WHAT! I couldn’t believe that could be true…so I kept pushing.
They did offer me the option of paying ~ $130 to buy a new 802.11n router. But get this, even if I pay that price, the router isn’t mine. That is an upgrade fee…but Verizon still owns the equipment. Seriously!! They stated I would still need to return the equipment I paid for should I terminate service….even though I paid full price for it!!
Anyhow, The only option to get new equipment from Verizon without being charged (according to the cryptically named Billing and Orders supervisor who also said he doubles as the customer retention supervisor – Mr. [redacted]) is for me to cancel my service and pay a $20 termination fee (yes, $20 – almost seems like a no brainer). Then, if I reconnect at a future time, I would be a new customer and be entitled to modern equipment. Wow…that is fantastic customer service. Bravo Verizon, bravo.
I didn’t really want to cancel my service – but this interaction brought me to the edge with Verizon. I just wanted a functional wireless Internet after 7pm without having to pay a “good customer” surcharge/penalty.
I hope someone from Verizon who has more sense, and more power than Mr. [redacted] will read this. I hope they review the tapes from my conversation with Mr. [redacted] from the evening of May 24, 2012 so they can hear the lunacy of the company policy.
I am sure it made sense in some boardroom…but in the real world, it just pisses off good paying customers and makes them investigate the competition.
So if Marvin wants to have functioning wireless access while his baby sleeps, he has to cancel his service, jump ship to a competitor, and then maybe come back later. Because after this experience, he surely will want to. Makes perfect sense, Verizon.
Other customers have learned that an EECB can be just the tool you need to find someone at Verizon capable of seeing logic. Good luck.
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Oh, come on! The problem is the baby monitor, not the router. Probably over 99% of routers deployed right now are at 2.4GHz (a, b, g). In fact, from the start of the wifi popularity up until a couple of years ago it was almost the only option. Don’t tell me that during the last decade whoever had wifi could not have a baby monitor? I can’t believe that “most” baby monitors interfere with wifi.
Wow. This doofus is on the Verizon Advisory Board that discusses new technology, yet he doesn’t understand that he can change the channel of either his router or the monitor? No wonder the corporate world is in such disarray….
Ya, can’t change the channel of my monitor. Talked to the manufacturer of it…but thanks for playing.
I don’t see how you wound up in this situation really, just call them up when your connectivity is down and say the router is not working properly. They can check it remotely and see that it is slower than what it should be and send you a replacement.
One day I noticed my 4-year old FiOS router was only getting 5Mbps downloads where I am supposed to be getting 20Mbps. Their tech support said they guarantee something like 70% of the speeds, so clearly there was a problem with the router. She ended up sending me a free replacement router that even had the N-spec wireless which was a great improvement over the older G-spec. No games with billing or anything, turns out I didn’t even need to send the old one back.
5GHz is not guaranteed within 802.11.N. Many clients (computers, printers, etc.) do not support 5 GHz. Most of them, I’d say.
Verizon should just give him what he asks for, a 5GHz router….then charge him up the butt to replace it when he finds out that none of his wireless clients actually support 5GHz.
Go find another baby monitor, or do what people did before there were baby monitors.
5GHz is not guaranteed within 802.11.N. Many clients (computers, printers, etc.) do not support 5 GHz. Most of them, I’d say.
Verizon should just give him what he asks for, a 5GHz router….then charge him up the butt to replace it when he finds out that none of his wireless clients actually support 5GHz.
Go find another baby monitor, or do what people did before there were baby monitors.
Tell VZ to put their router where the sun don’t shine. And just get one of your own.
Cox one replaced my 80 hour DVR, with a nice new 60 hour DVR, took 3 more replacements to get back to where I was before the first one broke. Typical.
Buy your own router or a baby monitor that uses a different frequency.
Also, the “newer equipment is for new customers” thing isn’t anything new. Satellite companies do this as well. Despite being a dish customer for years, if I want the newer boxes I have to sign a new contract AND pay a deposit.
I have FiOS. I use my own dual band router. I turned off the wireless portion of the FiOS provided router. It’s been working fine for 2 years.
Ok i too am going through this, with ipad connections. I have contacted Verizon many times, only to find out i too need the n-router, soon everyone will. last week when i searched on their website for router, it was $200.00. i told them i should not have to pay to update my router. and we should not. so then i was talked into upgrading my speed to quantum, and i love that, its been great,. but i was told i would receive the n-router in the mail, i did not. today i called, and they said there was nothing mentioned on my upgrade for the router. so back to square one. So today i looked again at the verizon site, now it is $79.99 for the same router. i belive it will not be long and they will be offering an exchange to all customers. oh and it also said next to the order Purchase Qualifies for replacement exchange program. sooo hang in there, keep bugging them, they will give.