UPDATE: Make That 3 Months And 3 Techs Later And Your Verizon FiOS Might Get Installed

Thomas updates us:
When I pulled into my apartment complex last night I remember that I had a package waiting for me at my office. I passed a guy in a red coat who was exiting the office and didn’t think anything of it. I got my package (a great little xmas tree my mother sent my gf and I) and walked over to my building to see the man in the red coat standing at the door to the building. I approached and asked him if he needed to be let in and he said “Yeah, I can’t figure out how to call apartment 211 on this thing. I’m with Verizon, I need to fix her fiber line.”

At this point I just about needed a new pair of pants because I felt like dropping a steamer. I thought “no freakin’ way, they are here to fix the lady that lives two doors down and has not had it for TWO days?!” so I just responded “Do you want to fix mine too?” and he laughed. Then I said “No, I’m serious, mine has been broken for two months.” He then realized that I was serious and asked what apartment I was in. I told him and his co-workers a bit of my story and they were kind of shocked that they were there for my neighbor and not me. They told me if they had time they would come by my apartment and try to fix mine also.

I immediately ran into my apartment and called Verizon and spoke with an actual competent person named William. He actually cared about my situation and he made several calls and eventually got in touch with the local dispatch out here in Boston (Quincy) and confirmed my info and gave it to them. He then left a ‘help’ ticket open because he told me that the ‘trouble tickets’ are complete BS and 99% of the time they get lost in a void for a few months and then someone just closes them. With the open ‘help ticket’ whoever looked at my account next would see that first and have to close it out (or something along those lines). All of this took about 1.5 hours to complete. I thanked him for his help and began to patiently wait for my phone call from them.

Today I get into work and around 9am I get a phone call from Verizon and the man on the other line tells me that he wanted to get in touch with me to tell me someone else will get in touch with me… Yes, a phone call to tell me that someone will give me a phone call. It literally was that long.

About 15 minutes ago an account executive called me apologizing for the fiasco. She asked me if next Tuesday would be good for me to have the contractors and techs come out. I explained to her that I have already invested too much personal time and work time into this matter and that it must happen on a weekend. I then told her I would out of town from 12/22 – 1/2 and she said the next possible date was 1/5 for a weekend install. I then explained that I thought I should talk to someone about being compensated for all my time I have wasted on this issue. She said that I would “absolutely be compensated”. When I asked about the free LCD TV she said that was out of her power because I did not have a phone line with them (the triple play) and I just restated how I was upset by this whole ordeal and she then said “Well…. Tell you what, after the install goes I will call you back and we will discuss the promotional deals.” I figure even if that goes bad, I’ll at least get a few months of free service for all this garbage.

I called my better half and informed her of this and she was still pretty upset. She could not understand why they would not make us an absolute priority and come in the night after work. I just write it off as Verizon caring about an individual customer, but not caring that much.

So, here is to waiting ANOTHER month to get FiOS. If Comcast didn’t didn’t suck I would just keep them… But for the same price I am getting HD TV (FINALLY! My Sharp Aquos has been longing for it) and much faster Internet service.

Hopefully this will be the end of this hellish saga.

-Thomas

We still think you should cancel the install, and/or email the CEO. You could also file a complaint with the Massachuttsets Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation, Department of Department of Telecommunications and Cable, but it seems like you might just want to vent.

Let it all out. The internet is for catharsis.

(Photo:wsh1266)

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