Seven

Seven reasons to be unhappy with the installation and phone service for Verizon FIOS

1. We were told the technician would arrive at 1pm and the installation would take 4 hours. We took time off from work. At 2pm, we called to find out the job had not been dispatched and the technician would arrive between 1pm and 5 pm for an installation that would take 4 to 6 hours.

2. A call at 5pm said the technician would be on his way. The technician, two helpers and 3 Verizon trucks with cherry pickers arrived at 6:50pm. The lead technician was surly. I was too. They couldn't get things up and going so left close to 9pm with a promise they would arrive the next day at 3pm.

3. The next day, Charter, our previous cable company, yanked service to phone, Internet, and television. At 3pm, using my cellphone I called Verizon and waited on hold for a half an hour while the Customer Service Rep. tried to get in touch with the dispatcher and technician. The technician called a half hour later to say he would arrive in an hour. He kept good his word, was in a better mood and set about getting phone service, Internet service on my computer, the television in the bedroom up and running, and the local network stations on the television in the sunroom.

4. When asked for documentation for the telephone options such as setting up voice mail, he said Verizon would be mailing the booklet in 3 to 5 business days. There was a help section online. The technician left close to 9pm. By the way, what is the proper etiquette when dealing with technicians who arrive during dinner and the family hour? Are they invited to dinner? Given clean linen and shown to the guest room?

5. The online phone help was as useful as a teat on a bull. Though it told me in a general vague way how to set up the voice mail, it did not provide access numbers or temporary passwords. I had to call Customer Service to obtain this information.

6. Through online help I found the access codes for Call Forwarding to another telephone. A feature I use quite frequently. When I went to attempt to forward calls to the home phone to my cellphone, I received a call can't be completed as dialed message. A call to Customer Service revealed that this service is not available as part of my package. I would have to pay $5 per month for this feature. Seems that all of the features the cable company included in our cable bundled package, Verizon charges!

7. The installation began on Monday and was completed Wednesday night. I have not received documentation for the telephone features.

The whole experience left me more with an OMG! feeling instead of the WOW from the Verizon media blitz. If it sounds too good to be true, it generally is. I'm not inspired to recommend Verizon FIOS to anyone without adding caveat emptor, buyer beware. Verizon, do you hear me now?

I had no trouble with Charter, the cable company. The technicians arrived on time, were never surly, completed installations in a timely fashion, and left us up and completely running. Maybe we should have paid attention to the adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it.