Unreliable FIOS TV service

Few complaints for a long time, but over the past few months we've had to reboot fios TV boxes (up to 3) often multiple times per week. Phone & Internet not affected, but varied TV problems that can't be corrected without rebooting, often multiple times: screen freezes, picure w/out sound, sound w/out picture. Also seeing more and more pixelation, brief freezes that do eventually correct. Then there are the genuine FIOS outages that we'd not seen before. This service seems to be losing the quality and reliability we've seen in the past. What's up? (oops, sorry, my stupid. this is verizon, so it must be my fault)

Accepted answers

PJL

@hughesla wrote:
again, i'm lost. what is ONT? since you mention battery pack, i'm guessing you mean the box in the basement. i will try calling, but it's not a repair request since it's intermittant, tho it seems to happen to all boxes at the same time, and i must admit in the past i have had zero success trying to resolve any problem with any part of Verizon. after hours back and forth, it's always my problem, not theirs. must try to have a more positive attitude!

The ONT is the optical network terminal. It's the piece of equipment that converts light signals carried over fiber optic cables to your house to electrical signals that are carried on the coax cables connected to the set top boxes and router (and phone cables for phone). The ONT has electronics in it that handle TV signals differently from Internet or phone. I've seen some posting on a couple of forums that describe a problem like yours, and the posters indicated that their ONT had to be replaced.

If you use the contact us link on MyVerizon, assuming it's available when you try, you can do a chat session with technical support. This is the way I alwasy contact Verizon for technical help -- the phone system is a challenge.

When you contact Verizon, try to impress on them that this seems to be a TV only problem that impacts all of your set top boxes. But try the ONT reset first -- it might help. There's a page that describes the process: Reset ONT. Hope you can get this solved. It sounds very frustrating.

All comments

PJL

Have you auto corrected the box? Reported the issues to Verizon? You might need a replacement STB.

hughesla

you'll have to translate. no idea what you're talking about. this has been happening with 3 different boxes, 2 DVR, one plain vanilla.

PJL

@hughesla wrote:
you'll have to translate. no idea what you're talking about. this has been happening with 3 different boxes, 2 DVR, one plain vanilla.

Your response has more information. It sound like an ONT issue. Note that video and phone/internet are handled differently through the ONT. It may be a problem with it. You might try to reset the ONT by unplugging the power to it and disconnecting the batttery backup.

Otherwise, have you called and reported this to Verizon?

hughesla

again, i'm lost. what is ONT? since you mention battery pack, i'm guessing you mean the box in the basement. i will try calling, but it's not a repair request since it's intermittant, tho it seems to happen to all boxes at the same time, and i must admit in the past i have had zero success trying to resolve any problem with any part of Verizon. after hours back and forth, it's always my problem, not theirs. must try to have a more positive attitude!

LOUSYSERVICE2

FIOS customer service is the worst in the universe . I have TRIED to GET an answer to my TV problem for the last two hours. NO human actually works at Verizon. Automated attendant hell. BUt I have a solution.

I am going back to COMCAST. Their service is not nivania, but you can at least get a human., and it is much much better than verizon.

FortunATELY I was not so foolish as to sign a long term contract with Verizon. I HAVE NO CONTRACT. It is obvious Verizon doesn't acre about FIOS anymore, just the wireless. I have been away from Comast about 40 days now. If I can stand another 50 days of FIOS, I can get a great two year deal from Comcast. Verizon spent about $2200 wiring my house. They will never ever get their money back from me.

if any human from verizon EXISTS,AND READS THIS , I IWOULD LOVE TO AN EMAIL. YOU SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE EMAIL BEHIND THIS SCREEN NAME. I REFUSE TO SPEND ANOTHER 40 MINUTES ON HOLD LISTENING TO YOUR INSIPD IRRLEVANT AUTOMATED ATTENDANT, WHILE I WAIT FOR A HUMAN BEING. I SUSPECT THE ODDS OF MY EVER BEING CONTACTED ARE ZERO BECASUE VERIZON DOES NOT CARE ABOUT ITS CUSTOMERS.

[Deleted User]

Hi LOUSYSERVICE,

What is the issue you are having with your TV service?