Verizon Equipment = Cash Drain

In general it doesn't seem like Verizon values long time customers. My wife and I have had FiOS ever since it was introduced to Howard County Maryland circa 2006. We've been using the same DVR since then. Over the past year its perfromance has declined to where it takes 10 seconds for the guide to come up when you hit the button on the remote and regularly locks up. I've gone through the tech support channels with resets/diagnostics etc to no avail. Now we need to pay a $40 upgrade fee for the better box. If I've paid roughly $15 a month for DVR rental over 6 years thats $1,080 I've paid Verizon to rent the same box that probably cost them $100 to procure. Really disappointed so we're going DVR free for a while.
Do new FiOS customers get the higher capacity DVR or do they get an older model?
Also found out our battery backup failed last week and since its out of warranty that's another thing we'll have to go buy on our own. Thanks Verizon, you're making Comcast and DirecTV look awfully attractive.

Sorry to hear about the problems with your DVR box. New customers are given whatever equipment is in stock at the local garage. There is no guarantee as to which box they receive. We would like to help with the problems with your box frequently locking up. So we can get more information from you, I have copied your post to our private support board. Please refer all correspondences to there from here on out. You can easily get to the private support one of two ways. In the email you signed up for the forums with, you will receive a link to click on. Make sure you are already signed into the forums before clicking on this link. Another way of getting there is by clicking on your username anywhere you see it in the forums. This brings you to your account profile. Scroll down to the section labeled "My Support Cases" . In there you will see the link to your case.
Anthony_VZ
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Similar Messages

AppleCare vs Verizon Equipment Coverage

I purchased AppleCare when I purchased my iPhone, but I didn't purchase Verizon's Equipment Coverage. Verizon's offering me another chance to signup for it.
My question is, what would Verizon's Equipment Coverage give me that I don't have with AppleCare now? I'm just wondering if it's worth justifying the close to $10/month charge it'd be on my bill.
Thanks!

AppleCare does not cover lost or stolen equipment, nor does it cover accidental damage (water damage for example or you dropping the phone and shattering the screen). As far as it being worth it...depends on the individual. If the prospect of having to pay full retail if you do something to your phone that isn't covered under AppleCare is something that would be a problem for you then yes, it might be worth it to get the VZ coverage and pay the deductible. If you don't tend to have trouble with your devices being lost or stolen...and you are pretty careful with it then paying for insurance may prove to be money down the drain. It's a safety net. Only you know if you really need it to feel secure.

Anyone else notice a Verizon induced battery drain?

Last Tue/Wed I noticed that my Tour battery was draining MUCH faster than normal... when i restarted my blackberry the next day, i saw that it had a new VCAST icon... last time i had a major battery drain, it was when verizon pushed some other icon to my blackberry... quite annoying.

Hi,
I have not noticed any differency in battery drain, and I did notice that new icon, which I hid on my device.
Doc

Trying to do verizon a favor and give back equipment that is not mine

I have spent the last hour on the phone being transferred 4 different times.
I just moved into an apartment/condo. On our balcony was a verizon box (it has been sitting there since we have been coming to look at the place)
Today i decided to throw it out. and lo and behold it is full of verizon equipment (boxes, router, etc.) Also as luck would have it two more boxes came shipped to my address. All three boxes are addressed to someone else (i imagine it was the person that lived here before)
As i mentioned i called verizon in order to return the equipment and save the company a large chunk of money, I was told i can drop it off at the nearest usps or verizon store, but with my work hours that will be very difficult.
I also want to point out that the person that came to install our equipment a few days ago called me 15 minutes before his window was up and told me that he was 'running late' and that he will be taking his lunch before coming to install our equipment. So instead of the 11-1 window he came at 2 and completely ruined my fiance's day as she had made plans to go see her mother.
I don't mind doing helping out but i think it would be nice if Verizon did something for us for spending an hour on the phone trying to return their equipment instead of throwing it out or selling it.

there are pieces of verizon equipment that should be returned and there is equipment that doesn't get returned.
so a router, or a modem or set top box (cable boxes) should be returned to local verizon stores or any UPS they will package and send it.
things that should not be returned, are cables, remote controls and battery back up units or ONT/Nids (interface devices)
pictures found at links for things that should not be returned.
those things you want to think of as electric meters or water meters, you wouldn't return a water meter, and you wouldn't return an optical network terminal or network interface device, regardless if you are using it or not. you won't be in the apartment forever so it will go to the next customer that orders that service.
also with usps they will come pick it up, so you can pack it and take it to your work, and they will pick up
USPS.com® - Schedule a Pickup
Images for fios ont
Images for fios bbu

I just took back my LG optimus b/c verizon forces me into ONE plan

Verizon I hope you're listening because you just lost a paying customer who had already bought one of your phones and was all set to give you more money. I wanted to get another prepaid phone for a relative (I currently have a basic verizon phone that we barely use), and I didn't realize until I got the LG optimus home from the store today that you "let" people "choose" ONE stinking plan (some "choice"). THAT is the so called "choice." One plan. One option. Verizon = North Korea when it comes to the LG optimus phone.
I called to activate the phone and got told by the automated setup robot quote "you qualify for the 'allset' plan" and it gave me NO OTHER OPTIONS. I never wanted the stupid "allset" plan because it's WAY too much money per month. I wanted the same plan as is on my other prepaid verizon phone, which is the 99 cent daily usage fee then I add a $15 fill up card once a month or so. We're like about half the population because we don't yack endlessly on stupid cell phones, we just wanted our basic one for emergencies, and another one so we could communicate, but if verizon can't drain your bank account every month, they don't want you as a customer.
Since there is ZERO CHOICE allowed on the communist verizon lg optimus phone, I took it back to the store and got 100% of my money back. You lost a paying customer AND you now have to process a returned phone. See verizon, this is what you get when you treat customers like garbage and allow no choice whatsoever. People walk away and keep their money when they're given no choices.
Believe it or not verizon, we're not all made of money. Furthermore, not all of us want to talk endlessly on a stupid phone. MANY of us only want a decent phone for emergencies or near emergencies, and to take pictures, and don't use very much cell service in a month. QUIT PUSHING EVERYONE INTO THE SAME EXPENSIVE BOX OF OVERUSE OF CELL PHONES, because many of us just won't stand for it. Verizon, you need to recognize that there is more than one type of cell phone user out there. Some people are constantly on their phones and apparently have endless money, but the majority of the population isn't like that.
Telling me I "qualify" for your ONE measly "choice", the "allset" plan, is an insult to me the consumer and all potential customers. Don't give me one "choice" and then tell me I "qualify" for your one measly "choice" which isn't a choice at all because there's no other option. Verizon didn't give the courtesy of telling me clearly UP FRONT that there was only one "choice" allowed for that phone.

No I haven't synced my iPhone with the computer I'm currently using. The computer that I normally sync my iPhone with is being repaired.
I read a nearly identical question to mine (in which you answered) and I found my the answer. Thanks!
Now I have a few more questions: If I mail my broken iPhone to Asurion, will I be able to get my data off of my iPhone once Asurion has it? And what will happen to my old iPhone and the data on it if I activate my replacement iPhone? Will my broken iPhone just become de-activated and will the data be erased or lost or something? Could I still sync it (with the computer ir originally synced with) and back up the data?
Thanks.

Why Can't Verizon Come out to Help Me?

I've had FiOS TV for quite some time. When the technician came he quickly ran to the door when I asked him to help me program my DVD player and told me it was not compatible and not his priority.
Now (almost 3 years later not being able to use my DVD player), I bought a new BLu-Ray and cannot for the life of me figure out how to hook it up.
I AM WILLING TO PAY FOR VERIZON FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO COME OUT AND HOOK IT UP FOR ME and they refuse and continue to say it is not their responsibiity.
I don't have any friends who know how to do it and it's going on 3 years + that I've had to use my laptop to watch a DVD.
Why can't Verizon come out if I pay and hook it up for me????
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Verizon does not install / set up non-Verizon equipment.
If you are willing to pay to have it configured, then try Geek Squad at Best Buy (but don't expect it to be cheap).
If a forum member gives an answer you like, give them the Kudos they deserve. If a member gives you the answer to your question, mark the answer as Accepted Solution so others can see the solution to the problem.

What does Verizon offer in the way of wireless modem/routers?

My stepson currently has verizon DSL service and right now has a single port, Westell 6100 modem/router for a wired connection only. He's getting a new laptop and wants to continue to connect his desktop machine directly to the modem/router but wants to connect the laptop using it's built-in wireless "N" NIC.
The issue is that my stepson is VERY non-technical and I feel very stongly that the best direction for him is to go with a wireless modem/router that is provided by and supported by Verizon. Can anyone tell me what make/model of wireless modem/routers Verizon is offering and whether any of them are supporting wireless "N" vs. the older wireless "G" standard?

Hello there,
You are on the right track!
I just traveled this road myself. You're right if you don't use verizon equipment nothing else will work.
Contact verizon DSL support tell them based on your application you want a VersaLink Model 7500 by Westell
It's a 4 port plus wireless combo modem/router.
It will address all your application wishes. Tech support will assist you with the set up.
Trust me you are going to love this Westell hardware.
Hope this helps Good luck!

Can you add an external DVR if your using a Verizon box without the DVR built in.

Can you add an external DVR if your using a Verizon box without the DVR built in?
Or you can only add an external DVR ir you Verizon box has the DVR build in?
Thanks

You can connect an external DVR to the verizon equipment, but it will be limited as far as what it can do. You will not have the full functionality as you would by using a Verizon DVR. To get more information as far as what will and will not work, please contact the tech support group of the external DVR company.
Anthony_VZ
**If someones post has helped you, please acknowledge their assistance by clicking the red thumbs up button to give them Kudos. If you are the original poster and any response gave you your answer, please mark the post that had the answer as the solution**
Notice: Content posted by Verizon employees is meant to be informational and does not supersede or change the Verizon Forums User Guidelines or Terms or Service, or your Customer Agreement Terms and Conditions or plan

Verizon won't honor bundle offer AND probably caused my house fire

We had a Verizon Fios salesman come around door to door with a bundle package offer. One of the attractive parts to the offer was a "Free 30 day trial". When I questioned where that offer was on the paper work he wrote it in along with the number of boxes, the date of installation, the special price offer and other details. Before I had the installation done I called Verizon to verify the free 30 day trial. I was told it is only "free" if you cancel within 30 days of installation. That made sense so I allowed the installation. It took them a full week to get one of the phone lines working! I was told my "trial" started from that date. With in weeks I had a fire in my garage. The fire started where the Verizon equipment was plugged in. The fire inspector from my fire department showed me the place the fire started and told me he believed it was from the Verizon equipment. We have been in the house 25 years. All electrical the electrical plugs had been in place for 20 + years were installed by professional electricians, been inspected by the city building inspector and had city issued building permits. Our garage was burned beyond repair. It must be torn down and rebuilt. It was an attached 3 car garage. It was only because of excellent building codes and a wonderful lady jogger who woke us up at 7 AM on a Sunday that the fire did not burn the house down completely with us in it. We could have all died before we awoke. The house has smoke damage through out. We have had to move out until repairs can be completed. We lost 8 six week old Springer Spaniel puppies who died in their pen of smoke inhalation. The day after the fire (within the 30 day free trial offer) I cancelled the service. When I canceled the service they told me they did not and could not offer a 30 day "free" trial. I told them their salesman did offer it and put it in writing. They continued to tell me that it was not so. I have it on the contract but they don't want to believe me. I told them I wanted to "dispute" the charges but so far I have not even been able to get the information on how to do that. I had already paid the first months bill. I can't get them to give me a credit. They continue to bill me for service I am not receiving and have "interrupted" the phone service. Since the fire burned all the wiring to the house we couldn't answer a phone that couldn't ring anyway. No one at Verizon seems to give a concern or care about the problems or my request to dispute the bill. I haven't asked them to take responsibility for the fire, just credit me for the free trial period and not charge me for their equipment that burned. They are ignoring that request. No one from Verizon cares about the problems!
No I would like to see if they allow this post or remove it.

My parent's live in southern CA and their home burned due to the FiOS modem. My mom asked me to search the web about it to see if this had happened to anyone else. I was surprised to see it has happened to a lot of people. Some during instillation and some after it had been running. What, if anything, is Verizon doing about this problem. Be it an instillation issue or an equipment issue, it deserves attention and either way, Verizon is at fault. My parents have just started their investigation and it is all in the beginning stages. I was curious what has happened since your fire and if there has been any resolution in your case.

Newbie with question about the $400 Deposit for FIOS TV Service

Okay, i was real happy when i found Fios is finally available in my area after years of waiting. I call to order and theysay i need to post a 400 dollar deposit for fios tv. I ask why and they say combination of poor credit and also the fact that the TV equipment as in the DVR boxes are very expensive and they just want security. Its fullt refundable after 1 year. However, to my suprise i was approved for FIOS Internet And Phone Service or Double freedom plan 20/5 internet and Freedom Phone plan both for $64 Dollars monthly 2 year guarantee. Also get the 100 dollars cash back in for of the debit card. My problem is that i dont need any verizon equipment for the Televisions as all my tvs in the home have tivo. All i need is the cablecard decoder which i am sure are considerably less expensive than the Home media dvr or regular dvr. Is there a way to get around this or am i stuck without fios tv until i put up the 400 dollars? Is there a higher power i can appeal to??

Thanks for the many previous replies..... I solved my problem by calling verizon and using my wifes maiden name. Now i will have all 3 fios services with no $400 dollar deposit.

Why doesn't text message automatically fall back to SMS instead of options

I have text messages set to iMessage ok and SMS okay.
When a text message fails initially why isn't there a setting that the text will 'automatically' rollover to SMS instead of wasting time coming up with 3 options at the bottom of the screen, including sending as SMS?
Mark

Markg2 wrote:
The problem could be due to the second reply but I'm suspicious since whenever the problem occurs, the message always goes through when I click the 'option' send as text.
I believe that's because your forcing it to go as an SMS.
One associated question. When a text is sent SMS is it solely routed through the carrier's (in this instance Verizon) equipment an lines and when sent as an iMessage is it routed/handled somehow significantly differently other than not charging the apple customer(s)?
Yes, SMS is solely routed through the carrier's SMS system (does not require a data connection). iMessages are sent by either the carrier's data service or by WiFi to Apple's iMessage servers. Overall, SMS is more reliable. SMSs will go through when even voice calls may not. They can also be sent and received by "dumb" phones. But, they can't be sent/received by devices without cellular voice service. iMessages can be sent/received by iPads, iPod Touches, Mac computers. If the iMessages are sent or received using cellular data, they are charged against the user's data allowance.

External Hard Drive Installation to Extend DVR capacity

I recently purchased one of the recommended Western Digital 1TB SATA hard drives to extend our DVR capacity. When trying to install it, the DVR wouldn't recognize the drive. I worked through diagnostic steps with the Verizon Tech. Ultimately, they decided to send another DVR assuming my current unit was defective. When the new DVR arrived, we had the same problem. After spending more than an hour with a Tech on the phone again trying to get the DVR to recognize the drive, she said I'd need to contact Western Digital for support. I went to their website and found a very simple step in the process had been overlooked, and the Verizon Tech's appear not to be aware of it.
When you install an external drive, you start the steps through the DVR menu options to add storage. Have the new external drive plugged in to the AC power but DO NOT plug the eSATA cable into the back of the DVR until you are promoted on the TV screen through the setup menu to add the drive. If the eSATA cable is plugged in before you are prompted for that step on the TV screen, the DVR will not recognize the drive. It will let you go through the rest of the installation set-up and will reboot the DVR, but the external drive isn't recognized.

msilagy wrote:
I recently purchased one of the recommended Western Digital 1TB SATA hard drives to extend our DVR capacity. When trying to install it, the DVR wouldn't recognize the drive. I worked through diagnostic steps with the Verizon Tech. Ultimately, they decided to send another DVR assuming my current unit was defective. When the new DVR arrived, we had the same problem. After spending more than an hour with a Tech on the phone again trying to get the DVR to recognize the drive, she said I'd need to contact Western Digital for support. I went to their website and found a very simple step in the process had been overlooked, and the Verizon Tech's appear not to be aware of it.
When you install an external drive, you start the steps through the DVR menu options to add storage. Have the new external drive plugged in to the AC power but DO NOT plug the eSATA cable into the back of the DVR until you are promoted on the TV screen through the setup menu to add the drive. If the eSATA cable is plugged in before you are prompted for that step on the TV screen, the DVR will not recognize the drive. It will let you go through the rest of the installation set-up and will reboot the DVR, but the external drive isn't recognized.
I have the same external drive and it works flawlessly. Seems reasonable that Verizon is responsible for Verizon equipment, and Western Digital is responsible for Western digital equipment, so when I hooked the drive up, I simply did whatever the Western digital documentation told me to do.
Not surprising at all to me that the average Verizon phone tech is not current on Western Digital instruction manuals.

Can I use Airport Express's Airtunes with a non-Apple modem/router?

I am about to set up a network in our second home, so I am trying to do it as economically as possible. I will have a Verizon modem/router. The Verizon rep says the Verizon equipment is all I need for a computer network (no Airport Extreme Base Station needed). But I would also like to play music on Internet radio stations through iTunes on my Cambridge Soundworks system in a room that is different from the one where the Verizon modem/router will be. Can I purchase an Airport Express with Airtunes to plug in near the music system without also getting an Airport Extreme Base Station to which the Airport Express would be linked? If it is possible to go with just the AE, is it foolish to avoid getting the base station if I would also like to have wireless printing on my network? (I believe I would need the Airport Extreme Base Station for printing because it has the USB port.)

The Airport Express will do what you want in addition to printing if your printer is compatible as it does have a USB port. Just configure the Express to "join" the wireless network that the Verizon router is creating.
You will be able to stream AirTunes to the AirPort Express, which in turn will furnish an audio signal to your stereo system.
If you want to be able to stream any audio source from your computer to the AirPort Express...not just iTunes audio sources...you might want to take a look at Airfoil.

Is there a way of knowing about these IMG upgrades ahead of time?

Seriously, I did not receive any notification about this 1.9.1 upgrade in a Verizon Spotlight magazine and I have looked through each of them before throwing them out. It could have been in the message box on my TV. Is that how I would know about any future upgrades?
Is there a website I can go to in the future so if I need to upgrade any of my Verizon equipment, I'll know what to do?

That's odd but not surprising really in the scheme of other things that have been communicated poorly or not communicated at all to customers. The main thing is the product and the deal I am getting on it. Surprises are so often a way of life when the technology changes over the years.
Personally, I was getting used to and enjoying the lighter blue background when the 1.9 came out this past October and now we have switched to the darker background. Nothing stays the same.

STB jumps up one channel after Tivo recording starts

Motorola QIP2500-3 with Standard Def Tivo box.
Program is set to record on channel 50 at 9:00 PM.
Both the STB and the Tivo banner change to channel 50 and start recording, as expected.
Almost immediately the STB changes to channel 51 while the Tivo banner continues to show Channel 50 info.
Therefore the wrong program gets recorded.
If you catch it in time you can use your Verizon remote to change the channel back.
The expected Tivo message: Currently Recording with the 2 options-Do not change channel, continue recording OR Change the channel, stop recording, does not appear so somehow there's a disconnect with FIOS.
I've seen this with other channels, 2 or 3 digits only, not 4-9. It also occurs with channel changing not during recording.
Others have posted this on TiVo msg boards however the solution to change from the Serial cable to IR emitters doesn't always work.
Because it's the FIOS STB that's changing channels incorrectly, I thought I would post here. This has been occuring for about 2 months now.
http://forums.tivo.com/pe/action/forums/displaythread?postID=10453313&ie=x#e10453313
Anyone else seeing this? Found a solution?
Thanks,
Patty

I've begun getting this same problem around the same time period. I assume it is a Verizon issue as it appears to be a problem with the STB. I am getting sufficiently tired of problems with the Verizon equipment (a DVR that mostly leaves me stunned anyone could offer such a piece of junk for sale, or rental as it were) that I'm either going to get new Tivos and use them with cards or shift to another provider. Right now I am using one of their DVRs and a Tivo/STB combo.

Verizon Equipment = Cash Drain

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