A FiOS Support Agent has kindly written in to share some insider tips to getting the most out of your FiOS support experience. Of particular interest: Make sure you know (and approve of) where they’ve buried your cable so you know wherenot to dig in your lawn!

1) When possible, Verizon buries the “drop line” (single fiber that leads to your house) – smart, right? No. Usually they’re only buried 6 inches underground, and typically with no conduit or protection beyond the insulation around the fiber itself. Dig and break the fiber? Whoops, that might cost you a few thousand dollars to reconnect if the junction is too far away! Did we install your fiber connection over the top of the lid to your septic system and you can’t have it pumped out? Better call us and pay out the ass (ho ho!) to have it moved.

2) We are only supposed to support setting up a wireless router if it has line of sight to your computer. That’s right, within the same room. My trainer said their are exceptions you have to make, such as if your install tech stuck the thing up in a cupboard or strapped it to the optical box we install, but otherwise out of luck.

So, PRO TIP: if you want help with wireless, “yes, my router is in the same room as the computer” or “but the Verizon tech installed it that way” will be required verbiage for help from us if you’re a normal person that wants to use wireless IN OTHER ROOMS!

3) If we determine you have an in-house wiring fault causing your home phone to not work (only fiber up to our optical box, you still have copper wiring in your house) our repair techs cost $90 just to show up – just to roll up to your house! and then $180 an hour. So if we talk about calling “copper repair” and you don’t have a wiring service plan, hang the hell up and find a local guy.

4) One good thing is that FiOS agents have no barrier to the DRC, the people that control dispatches. In DSL, if your truck tech just up and left, or knocked and ran, you’re screwed. FiOS agents can call directly and find out if your tech left to do an off-premises repair or get a tool and when he’ll be back, or turn a “no access” dispatch around if a lazy tech didn’t knock hard enough.

(Photo: davidbivins )

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