Anybody know where to find a Verizon list online of known outages or problems? Is there one?

I'm thinking there must be a place to find known Verizon/FiOS outages or system problems and status, but I haven't been able to find one. Anybody know?

(my current issue is that I'm wanting to know status of an upgrade that I was told was preventing setup of dvr - that way I can quit just trying it over and over to see if it works)

Accepted answers

lacticacidtrip1

Unfortunately despite repeated requests for an outage map, Verizon chooses not to release this information. They prefer that you contact them directly where a CSR can run you through all of the normal list of fixes before checking to see whether or not there is an outage in your area. If an outage is large enough or expected to be lengthy, Verizon is supposed to list it at http://newscenter.verizon.com/. I've never seen a listing there either. At the two sites above you can report an outage or contact Verizon.

All comments

prisaz

http://www22.verizon.com/support/residential/service_outage_information.htm?CMP=DMC-CVZ_ZZ_ZZ_Z_ZZ_N_Z131

http://www22.verizon.com/support/residential/contact-us/index.htm

lacticacidtrip1

djb5

@lacticacidtrip wrote:
Unfortunately despite repeated requests for an outage map, Verizon chooses not to release this information. They prefer that you contact them directly where a CSR can run you through all of the normal list of fixes before checking to see whether or not there is an outage in your area. If an outage is large enough or expected to be lengthy, Verizon is supposed to list it at http://newscenter.verizon.com/. I've never seen a listing there either. At the two sites above you can report an outage or contact Verizon.

Well thanks to those who tried to help. Bottom line so farseems to be that there actually is no such place to find known problems.

I was aware of the sites to report problems, also did find the newscenter site - but I also have not actually found service disruption or known issues listed there.

Obviously Verizon does not value time people are wasting trying to resolve problems (time spent by customers and employees as well). Sorry to deteriorate into ranting here, I'm just so frustrated. I'll stop now (I promise).

prisaz

@lacticacidtrip wrote:
Unfortunately despite repeated requests for an outage map, Verizon chooses not to release this information. They prefer that you contact them directly where a CSR can run you through all of the normal list of fixes before checking to see whether or not there is an outage in your area. If an outage is large enough or expected to be lengthy, Verizon is supposed to list it at http://newscenter.verizon.com/. I've never seen a listing there either. At the two sites above you can report an outage or contact Verizon.

I agree, but it seems Verizon would rather not advertise the problems. It seems to me and to others, that it would make more since to keep the support lines open for issues that are unknown.

djb5

@prisaz wrote:
@lacticacidtrip wrote:
Unfortunately despite repeated requests for an outage map, Verizon chooses not to release this information. They prefer that you contact them directly where a CSR can run you through all of the normal list of fixes before checking to see whether or not there is an outage in your area. If an outage is large enough or expected to be lengthy, Verizon is supposed to list it at http://newscenter.verizon.com/. I've never seen a listing there either. At the two sites above you can report an outage or contact Verizon.
I agree, but it seems Verizon would rather not advertise the problems. It seems to me and to others, that it would make more since to keep the support lines open for issues that are unknown.

re: It seems to me and to others, that it would make more since to keep the support lines open for issues that are unknown.

Well, the flip side of that (keeping lines open for unknown issues) is that a lot of time is wasted for customers and Verizon staff trying to solve problems that already known and being worked.

For instance - the other night when I was trying to setup a replacement dvr and it kept failing -- first I spent time trying to figure it out myself (including checking Verizon online website and the forum here), then phoned Verizon support. After the usual recorded messages and time spent on hold -- Agent put me through ridiculous hoops (unplug router, et. al ... never mind that it would have been much easier to verify router was not the problem by turning on a different TV and verifying it would work ... seems like there are steps you must go through whether it makes sense or not) ... then put me on hold, more hoops. Finally agent told me there was a known problem preventing setup of stb's and the problem was expected to be resolved by 5AM the next morning.

Wouldn't it have just been so much better for everyone if that known issue had been posted on Verizon website? Not to mention that even their agent had the information readily available. Of course, that's just my opinion, surely there are some reasons for a company to not publicize problems. For me, I really resent the frustration and time waste.

Hubrisnxs

closest things you will find to an outage is through their in home agent software.

on the set top box click menu>customer support>in home agent>network diagnostic. one of the first checks are for outages. OR the actual software www.verizon.com/inhomeagent

they do have an outage page but it doesn't seem to ever be updated and it's at www.verizon.com/outage

djb5

Well, it seems I have to mark one of the helpful replies as a Solution and consider this thread as Resolved. In mind there is no real resolution because it seems we have all pretty much agreed that, although there is a place for serious outages, it isn't often updated and does not include known system problems (which was actually my major concern, that we have to go through hoops just to get to the point where there is a known problem that we and the technical support folks could have easily read in the first place).

So -- back to why I have to mark this thread as Resolved -- I have received emails from Verizon marking my thread as ABUSE because I haven't selected a reply as a solution. Here's the text in the email, it's pretty rude (IMHO):

Hello djb,

Your topic recently received a reply.

Topic: [ABUSE] By: djb / Board: FiOS_TV (44717) Date: Wed Jul 03 09:37:58 PDT 2013

Did it solve your problem?

Click here to view the reply and mark one as an Accepted Solution.

This helps others find helpful answers in the community too!

And then, to add insult to injury, when I click as indicated to review the reply, I get this nice message:

Sorry, you do not have sufficient privileges for that action.

Please click the Back button on your browser.

Return to my original page

Sorry, I didn't realize I was an abusive poster. In any case I selected the first to point out the newscenter as a partial solution as a solution. Whatever!

prisaz

@Hubrisnxs wrote:
closest things you will find to an outage is through their in home agent software.

on the set top box click menu>customer support>in home agent>network diagnostic. one of the first checks are for outages. OR the actual software www.verizon.com/inhomeagent

they do have an outage page but it doesn't seem to ever be updated and it's at www.verizon.com/outage

Yes I had forgotten the network diagnostics test will show you if there are servers down. Once I spent close to two hours trying to activate a STB, online and on the phone, when I found the diags, and had to tell the CSR their server was down! The response was "you are correct, try back in the morning, sorry". Smiley Frustrated

After that I should have remembered. But then again I have been running Microsoft Media Center, eight tuners on two PCIe cards, and five extenders for the last six months. Smiley Tongue

Ernie8

Late at night after 11pm - my hbo channels blurr and pixalate - the digital signal degenerates and becomes boxes and then goes black - this does not happen on the other cable channels - that is, I can get NBC clearly then I change back to the pay for movie channels - Sundance - and the picture is black - what is the PROBLEM. I'm about to change to Commast - I'm outside of Washington, DC in Arlington, Virginia.

djb5

@Ernie8 wrote:
Late at night after 11pm - my hbo channels blurr and pixalate - the digital signal degenerates and becomes boxes and then goes black - this does not happen on the other cable channels - that is, I can get NBC clearly then I change back to the pay for movie channels - Sundance - and the picture is black - what is the PROBLEM. I'm about to change to Commast - I'm outside of Washington, DC in Arlington, Virginia.

Ernie - I suggest you start a separate thread for your problem so people will see it (buried here within a more general topic). Maybe a title something like "late night problems with HBO/Sundance reception". There are a lot of knowledgeable and helpful people here but they do need to see your question. Hope you get your problem resolved, sounds frustrating. (and sorry I can't help)