Call Assistant - only for FIOS?

[BAnsl]

I recently received an email from Verizon inviting me to add Call Assistant to my home phone line.

So, as directed, I called the Business Office, and was transferred around to several people who had never heard of Call Assistant.

After spending 45 minutes on the call, I was eventually told that Call Assitant was only available for FIOS subscribers??!!  I didn't see this mentioned anywhere in the website blurb....

Is this correct?   I am certainly not going to spend another 45 minutes on another call to find out.

BTW - I am told that FIOS is still a year away in my area.

Bryan.

[HenryFarpolo]

Check out the user guide. It explains how to obtain this free feature and the system requirements;

https://www22.verizon.com/callassistant/documents/userguide.pdf

[BAnsl]

...well, I already read (and printed) the User Guide" - (see how entheusiastic I was) - but it begins by saying; "You must contact the Verizon Business Office to order VCA.", which is what I did and no-one had heard of it...and then they said I neede FIOS...and so we go, round and round....

Thanks,

Bryan.

[HenryFarpolo]

Call the Business Office again tomorrow. If the CSR is not familiar with Call Assistant, ask to speak to a supervisor.

[jat454]

It's ridiculous to have to call the buisiness office to get call assistant. You should just be able to go to the web site and sign in and activate it. I've been a Verizon Fios customer for 2 weeks now and I have to say the web site leaves a lot to be desired. A lot of the functions don't work and it is quite slow.

[DLJunkie]

I called no one - did it all on line - got an email when it was ready. Took about 18hrs NB!

Took me 2 weeks to get it working thou - That was my fault, but no one in tech support could help!

In fact one high tiered FIOS lady said it was only available in the 5 Bourghs of NYC! LOL

{please keep it relevant} 

Message Edited by KaLin on 12-14-2008 03:19 PM

[AppleHead]

How is Call Assistant ordered online?  I have searched and am unable to find it.  When I went my account it says my phone information is unavailable at this time.  It's always unavailable.  I recently added FIOS phone to my account, triple play.  What a big mistake!!!  I want to go back to plain old Verizon.  I spent 3 hours on the phone, after 30 minutes on hold, only to finally be transferred to the voice mail number to retrieve my messages!  All I wanted was my IOBI back.  It was on my bill, I love it, and now it is gone.  During one of my call transfers with 5 different people, I was told IOBI did not work with FIOS phone.  I don't understand why.  I have built voice mail and IVR systems.  I think I could get them to work.  They told me Call Assistant is the FIOS way.  I said okay, can I have that.  I have not received an email notification.  I don't know if it has truly been requested.  It was amazing at how many different people I spoke to in 3 hours with Verizon.  But I can no longer call regular Verizon.  My phone number is no longer listed there.  You have to call FIOS which I don't know there number, just happened to get transferred to that office at one point in time.

So, can I do this online??  I'd love to have Call Assistant if I can't have IOBI.

[Carl]

I have been able to order it thrice on line. I won't bore you with the details of why I had to re-order it for my primary line. 

I seem to recall this last time, I first tried to order it from the Call Assistant site, and it told me that it wasn't available for my line (even though I had it for a week). I then logged into to my verizon.com account and went to modify my services (Add/Change Service link), selected my primary line and lo and behold, it was there ready to be added. 

It then takes a day or 2 for it to be active.

p.s. I am in Southern California, you YMMV. 

Message Edited by Carl on 01-25-2009 06:24 PM