Overcharged and Lied to
ben0718
Newbie

Since there is no email address for fios customer support and no one on the phone is able to help me, I guess I am going public.

When I signed up for fios (forced to because of our apartment building) I chose the most basic cable and internet package as we do not ever use cable. We were told that we had to either purchase a router for $150 or we could rent it for $10 a month and then once the router was paid for in a little over a year, that cost would drop off of our bill. He explained it to us as if we were making payments. I called fios a few months back as I was being charged for HBO all of a sudden (as I said before, we don't even use cable). The rep removed HBO and I asked him how much longer we would have to pay for our router because we were reaching a year (at the time I could not remember how much the router cost) he said that should drop off our bill in a few months.

So that brings us to today when my usual $70.88 bill went up to $86. I called to get an explanation and the woman said we no longer get our $15 discount, ok fine. So I asked HER when our router would be fully paid for as it has now been almost 15 months since we got the service. She told me it will never be paid for and I will be paying for it for as long as I have the service and whoever told me that was wrong. I am not stupid, why would I choose to pay $10 a month for as long as I have the service, knowing that I woul be in the apartment for at least 2 years instead of paying $150. I was apparently lied to by two separate people and no one is doing anything about it. She said I could purchase a $55 router and send the one we have back. I am wondering why I can't just pay the balance of the one I have been paying for? That should have been a solution that was offered, but it wasn't. I have now wasted $10 a month that I will never get back. As soon as we move out of our apartment, we will never be using fios again. I have not once spoken to or dealt with a competent person. No one has ever apologized. "I hope I have offered you a 5-star experience today" No, no, you definitely havent.

0 Likes
Reply
3 Replies
jonjones1
Legend

The choice of rental versus purchase is quite distinctive. $150 purchase or $10 a month in rent fees. It’s either or. Now you can purchase your own router from anywhere at a price you feel comfortable with and simply give the Verizon one back. There is no rent to own.

could you have been lied to? Possible. However as consumers we should investigate our services prior to going on line or calling for service. This way we choose what we want to do.

discounts are not normally forever so having $15 drop off is normal.

read both your plan and contract particulars that were initially emailed to you, and what it states on your monthly invoices.

0 Likes
Reply
ben0718
Newbie

You are missing the point completely. The fact of the matter is, every single person I have either talked to in person, over the phone or by chat has told me something different, even when I wasn’t asking for information. If I had a choice in which service provider I used of course I would have done research, but when all I want is the most basic package and internet and that is what they offered me, why would I do more research when that’s exactly what I needed and why would I not trust what the salesman was telling me. It’s pretty upsetting that we can’t. Also I’m not complaining that the discount dropped off. I stated that as the reason why I called that day, wondering what had happened. I understand that they don’t last forever. I am not going to argue with you because they know they are wrong and are currently listening to phone conversations I’ve had in the past. 

All I want is for people to be straight with me and not just make stuff up to get off the phone. I have dealt with amazing customer service lately and then there’s Verizon who completely blows my mind with how terrible they treat their customers. 

I am sure you as a consumer has dealt with bad customer service, so don’t go defending them when you don’t even know the whole story. 

0 Likes
Reply
jonjones1
Legend

Actually I was not in defense mode. I was pointing out why your invoice could have risen.

before I took Fios in my neighborhood, it was available for almost two years. My neighbors took the service and watched as their invoices increased. Like myself they are older and on pensions and social security so the two year teaser rate was great for them. However after going through what you went through they simply dropped the service and went back to Charter Spectrum (Time Warner) i then took the service for internet only. They gave me incentives that one dropped off in November of last year $15 and another $10 this November. However I retain a $60 discount that never expires it states it on my monthly invoices.

now if Verizon try’s and increases after the discount falls off I will take Charters gigabyte service for $80 I could do that now and save $35 but I like their service.

i normally research any or all the services I use. I used Verizon wireless way before they were Verizon (37+ years) very happy. Fios has been great, very happy. I looked at streaming services and looked at total cost and selected four services and it was an informed decision. When I say research that is what I mean.

0 Likes
Reply