VERIZON ARE A BUNCH OF CRIMINALS

Question

My complaint letter to Verizon Headquarters says it all:
I have Verizon FIOS bundle service at my place of residence, which includes TV, phone, and internet.  On September 27 during the night we experienced a power surge.  The Verizon wall unit with the large battery pack started sounding its alarm quite loudly.  It eventually stopped after about 45 minutes.  Several hours later the power came back on and the wall unit began sounding its alarm again.  After a few minutes I finally unplugged the battery, but not the wall unit.  I wasn’t sure what service I had or didn’t have at the time because it was the middle of the night, but I could see that the wifi on my phone was down.  When I got up in the morning, I discovered that FIOS TV, home phone and internet service was all disrupted.
I called Verizon customer service.  I explained how the alarm was sounding when the battery is plugged in and I had unplugged it because we couldn’t sleep.  (The wall unit is right outside my bedroom and can very much be heard throughout the entire house, very similarly to a smoke detector).  She asked me to try the “silence alarm” button, so I plugged the battery back in and it immediately started alarming again, which could be heard by the representative through the phone.  She understood right away how irritating and loud the sound was.  We tried to silence the alarm, but it would not work.  She did some remote trouble shooting and determined that a new battery needed to be sent out to us.  She explained that it would take 5 to 7 business days because the battery needed to be shipped by ground.  I asked the representative if unplugging the battery in the meantime meant that we would not have access to our Verizon FIOS TV, phone, and internet.  She said, “Unfortunately not”.  But then she explained that once I get the battery and install it, that I should call Verizon back and see to it that I am credited for each day I am without Verizon services.  I told her I would do that.  As of that morning of September 27, 2013 we had no legitimate access to our TV, internet, or home phone.  In addition, we utilize a service booster through our cell phone provider that operates on our home wifi network.  That was ALSO down because we did not have any wifi service through Verizon, therefore even our cell phone usage was extremely restricted as a result of this Verizon outage.
When I left for work that day, September 27, I left the Verizon wall unit plugged into the outlet, but I left the battery unplugged.  The alarm sounding off was absolutely unbearable.  I let everyone know that the internet, TV, and home phone would not be working until we were able to get our new battery.  When I got home from work the alarm was sounding at a constant incessant rate.  I hurried back there and quickly unplugged the Verizon wall unit and it stopped.  My whole family had to listen to that alarm the entire day because they had no idea what to do.  They thought I had taken care of it, and this was something we had to live with!! 
The battery arrived on the afternoon of October 8, 2013.  We had been so anxiously awaiting its arrival since it had now been 12 days since we were able to watch TV or use wifi.  I plugged the battery in and everything came back on!  We were very excited to have all of our services back for us to use.  We started watching TV and getting our wifi devices connected.  Suddenly at 9:30 p.m. that night, the alarm started sounding off again!!  We were all in bed and it jolted us all back awake again!  I ran out to the wall unit and spent 30 minutes trying to figure out why this alarm was going off again!  I tried the silence button, but it didn’t work.  I tried plugging the wall unit into different outlets, that didn’t work.  I tried uninstalling and reinstalling the battery.  Nothing.  I finally called Verizon again around 10 p.m. with the alarm chiming in the background, the representative could understand my frustration.  She arranged for a service technician to come out to the house to take a look at it on the morning of October 10.
The service technician came and replaced the entire Verizon wall unit for us.  We were finally legitimately connected without that horrendous alarm!   The representative did a great job and was brought our service back to us very quickly and efficiently.  After 13 days without TV and internet, (not to mention limited cellular service because of our service provider’s device) we were very excited to have everything back again and for good this time.
I decided to take the advice of the very first representative I spoke to and called Verizon on October 11 to verify that I would be credited for the days we were without service.  Since I was going to be billed for the battery, it would have helped offset that cost for us.  However, when I contacted Verizon, I was completely taken aback by the fact that VERIZON REFUSED TO CREDIT ME THE 13 DAYS I WAS WITHOUT VERIZON FIOS TV, INTERNET, AND HOME PHONE!!!!!  I WAS GIVEN A BARRAGE OF REASONS WHY I WAS NOT GOING TO BE CREDITED FOR THOSE DAYS.   FIRST, I WAS TOLD THAT THE WAY MY TROUBLE TICKET WAS WRITTEN, IT DID NOT INDICATE THAT I SAID MY SERVICE WAS “DOWN” BUT RATHER MY BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.  I WAS TOLD THAT MY SERVICE WAS NOT “AFFECTED” BY THE BATTERY, THAT THERE WAS NO INTERRUPTION OF MY SERVICE AND I WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CREDIT.  I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS WITHOUT ACCESS TO VERIZON FIOS SERVICES FOR 13 DAYS!!  I WAS TOLD THAT ACCORDING TO MY TROUBLE TICKET, MY SERVICE WASN’T DOWN, THAT A BATTERY REPLACEMENT DOESN’T AFFECT MY SERVICES AND I WASN’T GOING TO BE CREDITED!!  I BEGAN TO GET IRATE ON THE PHONE BECAUSE I AM TELLING THIS REPRESENTATIVE THAT I HAD NO SERVICE AND SHE IS TELLING ME THAT I DID!!!  I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I WAS HEARING.  SHE OFFERED TO GET ME A SUPERVISOR, BUT AT THIS POINT I WAS SO UPSET, I NEEDED TO HANG UP AND MAYBE TRY AGAIN LATER.
THE NEXT DAY I CALLED VERIZON AGAIN.  I GOT THE SAME STORY, BUT THIS TIME WITH AN OFFICAL DENIAL FROM SUPERVISORS TO NOT CREDIT MY ACCOUNT FOR THE DAYS THAT I WAS WITHOUT SERVICE.  I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT I ABSOLUTELY DID NOT AND COULD NOT USE ANY OF MY VERIZON SERVICES BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE WITH THE BATTERY, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE KEPT INSISITING THAT WASN’T TRUE!!  THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THAT THE FIRST PERSON WHO TOOK MY TROUBLE TICKET AND ORDERED THE NEW BATTERY WAS ERRONEOUS IN DIAGONSING WHAT I NEEDED AND THAT A SERVICE TECHNICIAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISPATCHED TO MY HOME THE FOLLOWING DAY TO FIX MY PROBLEM.  I WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD A NEW BATTERY SENT AND I DIDN’T NEED TO WAIT ALL THESE DAYS FOR A NEW ONE TO COME!  THEY TOLD ME THAT BY UNPLUGGING THE BATTERY DOESN’T AFFECT WHETHER OR NOT I CAN USE MY TV, PHONE OR INTERNET.  THEY TOLD ME THAT ALL OF THOSE THINGS WERE STILL WORKING.  I REPEATEDLY, OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT I ABSOLUTELY COULD NOT USE ANY OF MY SERVICES!!  EVEN WHEN THE OLD BATTERY WAS PLUGGED IN AND CHIMING ITS ALARM MY SERVICES WERE NOT WORKING!  BELIEVE ME, WE TRIED!  WE WERE WILLING TO PUT UP WITH THE ALARM DURING THE DAY IF IT MEANT WE DIDN’T HAVE TO SEEK OUT PUBLIC WIFI.  I WOULD HAVE FOUND A WAY TO ATTEMPT TO MUFFLE THE SOUND FOR THOSE 13 DAYS IF THAT MEANT WE COULD AT LEAST USE OUR SERVICES UNTIL THE NEW BATTERY CAME!  I INSISTED TO THEM, AS I AM INSITING TO YOU NOW THAT I DID NOT HAVE ANY KIND OF ACCESS TO VERIZON TV, INTERNET, OR PHONE FROM SEPTEMBER 27 THROUGH OCTOBER 10.  REGARDLESS OF THE REASONS WHY I DIDN’T HAVE SERVICE, WHETHER IT WAS THE BATTERY, THE WALL UNIT, THE ALARM SOUNDING, THE ERRORS IN THE INITIAL TROUBLESHOOTING, I WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCESS AND UTILIZE THE SERVICES I PAY FOR THROUGH VERIZON. 
I tried calling again a third time just to make sure I wasn’t losing my mind.  I had been in complete disbelief over what Verizon is doing to us!  Maybe I am being nitpicky and trivial over this whole thing.  Maybe one might think we are acting pretentious and spoiled because we couldn’t watch TV or use the internet.  But you know what?  We lived with it.  We made due.  We understand that these things happen.  When I asked the representative on the phone the first time I called regarding the power outage and the alarm sounding about whether or not we would be able to use Verizon services, she was very sympathetic and explained that I would not be able to until the battery arrived and I installed it.  I accepted that because, like I said – these things happen!  But for Verizon to have to audacity to refuse to credit us for the days we couldn’t use our services is incomprehensible.  I was in such shock and disbelief with all three of the representatives on the phone the days following the service technician’s visit, I could no longer be on the phone with these condescending phone representatives that could only tell me there was nothing they could do or sorry for the inconvenience or you’ve already been denied by our supervisors or let me put you on hold so we can deny you some more.  I had enough of hold on for more ridiculous nonsense from these phone people.
I am upset with Verizon for so many reasons and on so many levels.  This is where we, as normal everyday customers get screwed over by big companies like Verizon.  Verizon has bullied me out of 13 days of services I have to pay for and REFUSES, REFUSES, REFUSES to take what I am saying into consideration.  And I’m simply not going to accept that.
Verizon has in no uncertain terms deemed me a misguided customer and a liar.  I was told my service wasn’t down.  I’m telling Verizon I had no access to my services for almost two weeks.  Verizon tells me “that’s not what your service ticket says.”  And I’m yelling into the phone, “BUT I AM TELLING YOU THAT I DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO MY SERVICES.”  And all I get back from Verizon is a resounding denial because there was never any outage of my service.  I’m telling Verizon but it was.  Verizon’s telling me that it wasn’t.  So the customer is a liar.  And the customer is wrong.  And Verizon, a company ranked 15th on the Fortune 500, a company worth over $130 billion dollars can’t credit one customer?  A customer who has been on this same phone line for nearly 40 years long before Verizon ever came around?  These people on the phone, these Verizon phone representatives and they’re supervisors behave like I am asking them for money out of their pockets!  When all I am asking for is to be credited for something I am being charged for that I DID NOT RECEIVE!!!!!  I DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE CLEAR I NEED TO BE WITH VERIZON WHEN I SAY I DID NOT GET MY SERVICES THOSE DAYS.  I COULD NOT ACCESS MY SERVICES.  I COULD NOT USE MY INTERNET.  THE HOME PHONE DID NOT RING.  THE TV CABLE BOX WOULD NOT SHOW ANYTHING BUT THE ERROR MESSAGE SCREEN, THAT THERE THEY DETECTED A PROBLEM WITH MY SIGNAL!!  I TOLD VERIZON REPS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN BUT THEY REFUSED TO LISTEN TO WHAT I WAS SAYING.
I am upset with Verizon because the very first representative I spoke to on September 27 told me I wouldn’t be able to use my services, a condition I accepted.  A representative I spoke to on October 11 told me that person was wrong!!!!!  Okay, fine then why are you refusing to credit me???  Verizon tells me because my service was never disrupted.  And I’m telling you IT WAS!!!  The first representative not only acknowledged that it would be in our first conversation, she even went so far as to suggest that I call and CONFIRM THAT I AM CREDITED FOR LOSS OF SERVICES WHILE I’M WAITING FOR THE BATTERY TO ARRIVE!!!!!  VERIZON TOLD ME THAT!!  THIS WASN’T EVEN MY IDEA, IT WAS VERIZON’S!!!!!  I MIGHT NOT HAVE EVEN TRIED TO CALL FOR A CREDIT IF IT HADN’T BEEN SUGGESTED IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!! 
I am upset with Verizon because of the way I was treated on the phone.  The giddiness and pleasure that exuded from the phone representatives in issuing me denial and it was stomach churning.  When I called and my account was pulled up, they were at the ready with the denials and we’re sorry for the inconvenience.  Well, yes, it is inconvenient for our family to be forced into paying for something we didn’t receive.  It’s criminal and Verizon is the thief.
UNFORTUNATELY I’M BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY VERIZON THROUGH A CONTRACT THAT DOESN’T EXPIRE UNTIL 2015!!!  THERE IS NOTHING MORE I WOULD LOVE TO DO RIGHT NOW IS RIP ALL OF VERIZON’S EQUIPMENT OUT OF THIS HOUSE AND THROW IT IN THE GARBAGE, BUT I CAN’T.  WE ARE WORKING PEOPLE AND WE WORK HARD FOR WHAT WE HAVE.  HAVING VERIZON TV AND INTERNET IS A GUILTY PLEASURE, BUT WE WORK HARD TO HAVE THOSE THINGS WE ALL GET HOME IN THE EVENINGS.  I REFUSE TO PAY ANY MORE THAN I AM OBLIGATED TO AND I REFUSE TO PAY ANY KIND OF EARLY TERMINATION FEES.  I WILL NOT BE GIVING VERIZON ANY EXTRA MONEY FOR THEM TO POCKET BECAUSE I’M ANGRY OR EMOTIONAL.  I MIGHT HAVE TO PAY THIS BILL RIGHT NOW, AS VERIZON IS HARDLY WORTH RUINING ANYONE’S CREDIT OVER, BUT I WILL FIGHT VERIZON FOR WHAT IS DUE TO ME - 13 DAYS OF NON-SERVICE I AM BEING FORCED TO PAY FOR.  WE PAY $168.00 A MONTH.  THAT AMOUNTS TO $5.60 A DAY IN A 30 DAY MONTH, WHICH COMES TO A TOTAL OF $72.80 THAT I WILL BE OWED BY VERIZON COME MY NEXT BILLING CYCLE FOR DAYS I WAS WITHOUT VERIZON FIOS SERVICE. 
BECAUSE I WAS TOLD BY ONE OF THE PHONE REPRESENTATIVES THAT I SPOKE TO AFTER THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN CAME AND INSTALLED A NEW WALL UNIT THAT I DID NOT NEED A NEW BATTERY, THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SHIPPED ON, AND THAT A SERVICE TECH SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT OUT IMMEDIATELY, I ALSO EXPECT TO BE CREDITED $43 FOR THE BATTERY I WAS CHARGED FOR AS WELL.  I WAS ABSOLUTELY WILLING TO PAY FOR THE BATTERY, BUT AFTER I WAS TOLD THAT NOT ONLY DID I NOT NEED THE BATTERY, BUT I AM NOT BEING CREDITED FOR 13 DAYS I WAS WITH OUT SERVICE, I AM UNWILLING TO PAY FOR THE BATTERY AS WELL.  THAT BRINGS THE TOTAL I AM OWED $115.80.  FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, YOU MAY CONSIDER THIS A LETTER OF DEMAND OF PAYMENT TO ME FOR THIS AMOUNT I AM OWED.
I might have to pay this bill right now, but I intend to get my money back one way or another.  I may be stuck with Verizon for now, but I will no longer be a Verizon customer after my contract expires.  I will be reporting Verizon to the Better Business Bureau and anyone who will listen what an atrocious company Verizon is when it comes to customer service.  Verizon are no better than the common criminal and I intend to see to it that my family and I are not robbed by you.

Answer 1

That is a horrible story.  It is also a weird story. Our battery actually did die, but there was no alarm. But, since we have to have internet as we both do work from home every day, I asked them to send someone out the next day. This is the 21st century and when Verizon gives me that "someone cannot get out for a day or two" I do not accept it and just keep escalating until I can get someone who knows what is going on and can actually do something about it. They came out the next day and switched out the battery (which we were not charged for). 
But I too believe Verizon has horrible customer service, as every person you talk to tells you something different.  They quote you a price and then the bill is totally different and it is a mess to straighten it out. I also hate the way they give new customers fabulous deals, but if you have been with them for years, you have to pay outrageous prices for the same services.  I find their promotions similar to bait and switch. They always ask me if I want to get their wireless cell service also--are they kidding? AT&T has been a wonderful cell provider. Great customer service and they do reward customer loyalty.  Brighthouse had its issues but would always give long time customers the same promotions as new customers no matter how long you were with them.
Verizon is just too big, disorganized and possibly mismanaged.  I have also read recently that Verizon makes billions in profits and pays zero in federal income tax.  Probably because they do not hire very good customer service reps, give them little training and then charge customers outrageous prices. Another trick is that when your contract is up the cost increases, and if you want to lower your cost, you have to sign another 2-year contract.  Then all of your promotional rates expire after a year and the cost goes right back to where it jumped before you signed a new contract.  Some day, these providers will find themselves irrelevant as channels start streaming more.  Also the "packages" you are forced to take to get the few channels you want is also ridiculous.  We don't even watch sports, but I have to pay for a package loaded with them just to get the channels we do want.  I probably watch a third of the channels we have.  When channels can be ordered a la carte, it will be fair.  Until then they are acting like the insurance companies and hospitals forcing some to pay for what others want.
Every time you sign a contract they give you some discounts as incentive.  Unfortunately they do not make it onto the actual bill.  Then you spend the next 4 months spending hours straightening out your bill.  Verizon is so enamored of their fiber optics, they don't get that the actual customers are unhappy.  Can't wait till the contract is up--and I may not wait til then.