Dishonest VZ? Triple Play Bundle includes HD but only comes with SD set top box?

[icerabbit]

I'm not familiar with FIOS really, other than that it is fiber, faster and more expensive then regular service, typically is a headache for a few weeks till it works fine. 

Anyhow. We seem to be forced to get new service by VZ for trying to move two streets over. VZ said on a couple occassions now that regular phone service and DSL are no longer available .... mandating service upgrades to FIOS at double the cost.

So, I am looking at the bundles.

It clearly says in the headlines that it has HD TV service, but then requires a $9.99 receiver rental for that ...

When I click through on placing an order it asks how many regular TVs or HDTVs you have and lists it only includes an SD receiver at no charge. The HD receiver is extra?!

How can you say your triple play offer includes HD service? Without including the hardware to actually have HD in the price? 

Do you need an HD Set Top Box to get HD?

Or can one use the Clear QAM tuner in the TV?

Thanks.

--- Ordering sub page ---

Set Top Box SD Only  
• "Free for Life"
• Limit of one SD Set Top Box per customer 
• Watch standard definition programming 
• Access to extensive Video On Demand library with SD content 
• Interactive Media GuideSee Details

Fee Waived

Set Top Box   
• Works on High Definition or Standard Definition TVs
• Watch HD and standard definition programming
• Access to extensive Video On Demand library with HD and SD content
• Interactive Media GuideSee Details

$9.99

--- Front page --- 

Get connected with these great bundles:

• Good

  FiOS Triple Play
  • FiOS TV Prime HD
    195+ Channels
  • FiOS Internet
    Up to 15/5 Mbps
  • Unlimited Calling

  • Online Exclusive Offer - Term Contract

    • $300 Verizon Visa® Prepaid Card†
    • 2-Year Price Guarantee includes $10/mo. online discount.
    • No startup costs: All activation and installation fees waived. Plus, a wireless router at no additional cost.

  FiOS is available at your address!

  Best Price Only Online 
  

  View Cart

  
  See bundle details

  

  $8999/month

  ---- Bundle details from above page --- 

  FiOS TV Prime HD

  Packed with entertainment punch, the FiOS TV Prime HD package includes our dynamic Interactive Media Guide that makes it a breeze to take control of your entertainment, cool widgets that give you on-screen access to your Facebook and Twitter accounts and:

  • 195+ channels with FiOS TV Prime HD including 50+ in HD
  • Must-have programming from ESPN, Discovery, TNT, USA, MTV, CNN and more
  • Extensive On Demand library with over 35,000 titles available each month, many free – including over 7,000 HD titles per month
  • 46 commercial-free music channels.

------ 

[tns]

The free bundles have been offering some a free HD DVR and  SD STB boxes.  But they are mostly recylcling older boxes they will not give out on normal new installs.

They were not even offereing the SD boxes for free until recently, you had to rent them as well.

[Keyboards]

AFAIK any provider will require an HD box (since virtually all the "cable channels" are encrypted) and I'm not aware of who (if anyone) provides an STB for HD free (other than the aforementioned free DVR from Verizon since they only have HD DVRs)..

[prisaz]

Also it is my understanding they are only offering the free SD boxes to new customers. If you are an existing customer they will not allow you to order one. So if you return an SD box for a HD box upgrade, never expect to get an SD box back in return. Those older Motorola SD STBs only operate at a barely acceptable speed for menu changes and guide viewing. IMO. The HD STBs will work great on an SD TV if you set the menu graphics to SD. The HD boxes also will provide access to the HD channels that are not available on the SD STB. Trade off for a free SD STB. Consider the SD boxes were only $5 a month at one time.

Now if you are in an area where Cisco STBs and DVRs are being used, they have never been available in SD, and are only HD.

[oldfashioned]

I'm not following any of this.  I have the Motorola QIP-7100 STB and it works at a very good speed.

[Keyboards]

---

@questioning wrote:

I'm not following any of this.  I have the Motorola QIP-7100 STB and it works at a very good speed.

---

The 7100 is an GD box.  The slowness is referring to the old 2500 model (SD only).

[oldfashioned]

(sorry, bad comment better left unsaid)

[prisaz]

---

@Keyboards wrote:

---

@questioning wrote:

I'm not following any of this.  I have the Motorola QIP-7100 STB and it works at a very good speed.

---

The 7100 is an GD box.  The slowness is referring to the old 2500 model (SD only).

---

Aslo the QIP-6xxx boxes under some conditions. Mainly the DVRs. I believe the 2500 and the 6xxx are the only STBs that are free for life on a new install. If you are lucky to get the newer boxes for that deal then it is great, lucky you.

Best Regards.

[oldfashioned]

I'm just confused regarding what this whole issue is about.

[Keyboards]

---

@questioning wrote:

I'm just confused regarding what this whole issue is about.

---

The OP was expecting to not have to pay for an HD box so he / she thinks Verizon is being dishonest in calling the service HD.  Like I said earlier, don't know of any service provider that gives out free HD boxes other than the new customer free for life DVR Verizon is currently offering.

[oldfashioned]

Oh yes, that's why I was confused.  lol...Seriously, that sounds like a non-issue to me as well.  I don't know of any service provider which would offer free boxes to existing customers either.  That sounds way too good to be true.

[LiamS1]

No, I'm with OP on this. Being used to getting screwed doesn't mean it's ok.

If Verizon offers HD service for a price, you should be able to GET HD service for that price. You can't. You have to rent additional equipment, which isn't disclosed until you're well into the checkout process - at an additional fee. Therefore, for example, the Triple Play Bundle on up to 3 TVs with 55+ HD Channels for $84.99/mo is untrue. It costs an additional $36/mo for HD on those three TVs. That's $121/mo. Not $85. That's false advertising. 

It's the industry standard to charge extra - I agree with that. But the messaging is intentionally misleading, and should be changed. 

[E-MD]

Look to the right of all prices. It says "Plus taxes and fees". The HD box is a fee.

[wickedfish1]

HA!

The equipment you need to receive HD is an additional hidden cost added on to their lowest HD package!

So you could buy that HD service.......and not get HD because you didn't agree to rent a HD capable set top box!

This is so very dishonest. I mean really.....how can you justify this kind of behavior?

[RebeccaH4]

I agree. Verizon is extremely misleading, and their customer service is horrible! For those who say, it shouldnt even be included, it must be nice to be rich and have extra money to pay for something that absolutely sounds like it is included. FALSE advertisment if you ask me.... And the representitive should have informed me that I would need an HD top box in my order..... Thanks Verizon for suckering me into a 2 year contract and having HORRIBLE customer service, who may I say everytime I call for help, they are NO help and are always trying to sell me more channels and faster internet. So frustrating.

[steffd]

You have no idea about cable company dishonesty and horrible customer service until you try Comcast!

[Public_Citizen]

Please explain how you can categorize equipment rental as a "fee", used in the context of "taxes and fees".

There is a "fee" charged for the rental of the HD box but that is not a "fee" as it is normally used by either accountants or lawyers when referring to "taxes and fees", it is a completely separate category, properly identified as "equipment rental" and it should be so stated on your statement each month.

[jackiegirrl]

I agree. It's deceiving. I thought the HD box was included in the price. Why call it HD if you have to pay extra to actually get HD?

[22Becca22]

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@jackiegirrl wrote:

I agree. It's deceiving. I thought the HD box was included in the price. Why call it HD if you have to pay extra to actually get HD?

---

Hello,

A few things:

Verizon presently has 4 different types of FiOS TV plans available (6 TV plans if you include TV Local and La Conexion):

Select, Prime, Extreme and Ultimate. 

Each of these 4 TV plans range from 140 channels to 385 channels with approximately 25% of these channels in high-definition (HD), plus 46 music channels.

These TV plans are available stand-alone (as a single service) or as part of a bundle (with FiOS Internet and/or Digital Voice). There are more promotions/savings offered with bundled services.

All three services (TV / Internet / Telephone) can be ordered with a 2-year agreement to guarantee the pricing for 24 months, or month-to-month with a price guarantee of 1 year.

Equipment for these services (TV / Internet / Telephone) is priced separately. For TV and/or Internet service, the wireless router is currently provided at no cost.  For telephone service, folks use their own personal equipment to connect to telephone jacks.  

For TV service, folks have their own television sets at home and then choose the FIOS TV equipment that will be connected to their TV (or none at all).  

FiOS TV equipment is leased via a monthly charge and pricing varies depending on the type of TV equipment ordered (regular set top box, DVR, digital adapter, cable card).  A regular set top box that is HD-capable has all TV features (on demand, recorded content sharing, widgets, searches, parental controls, etc). The DVR (single-room or multi-room) has added recording/pausing capabilities, while the adapter and cable card have limited features.  

One does not need a set top box with every TV at the house; this is one's choice.  Some televisions are equipped with a QAM tuner with access to local channels only.

In order to watch all digital TV channels in your chosen TV plan, though, FiOS TV equipment is required.

One can also get FIOS TV channels through other devices besides the TV.

Currently, one can stream about 75 live TV channels from the iPad, or Xbox 360 (as well as from an LG Smart TV or Samsung Smart TV).

And online, one can view full episodes of TV shows from 27 featured TV networks and 98 other networks via Verizon's entertainment site. On demand content (as a FiOS TV subscriber) is also available at some TV networks sites.

Flexview movies/TV shows can also be viewed on multiple devices (PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Xbox 360, Android devices, Kindle Fire, LG Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV).

Overall, the true HD experience for TV content is based on a combination of TV plan, FiOS TV equipment and/or one's own TV for viewing.

[avemaria92]

i have the same problem.. we've had Fios since its introduction to our area about 6 years ago.. we have the 2500 sd boxes still and the guide navigation is getting unbearable.. but also we now have bigger flat screens and are interested in taking advantage of the HD programming, which you can't do without a newer HD compatible box.. we already pay for the HD channels that are included in the bundle..  so our option is to pay more for HD boxes?  it's frustrating because the slow guide is my only motivation to change really.. i can live without HD right now..  but it appears the old boxes aren't responding to the newer software..  am i not paying for a working service here?  why do I have to pay more for better boxes because the new guide doesn't work on my SD box?  I already pay more as a long time customer at $155 with tax for phone/net/tv than new people taking advantage of the offer I get in the mail for $89 bundled...  and they get new equipment!..  what do i get for being a long time customer?  i have to pay more for my already more expensive service to work properly?  what is my motivation to stay with this company?  I have Brighthouse mailing me once a month for a bundle that is much cheaper and i'll bet their guide works correctly..  but yeah, i can do with an SD box, but only if it actually works...

[wickedfish1]

what do i get for being a long time customer?

You get to pay way more than new customers.........AND you get to be reminded that you are paying way more EVERYDAY as Verizon will send you junkmail with that cheap rates every single day.

Not to mention all the TV ads.........

We really need Google to swoop in and crush both Verizon and Comcast.