FiOS, TiVo, and CableCards

[MrStylz]

Can someone please break down the prices Verizon charges if you have a TiVo HD that accepts an M cablecard?  Ie, truck roll is x amount and cablecard is x amount per month.

Thank you

[TimSykes · Accepted solution]

truck roll = free

per month = 3.99

[MrStylz]

Wow, thanks for being so fast!!

I just got off of the phone and they told me it would be $80...I'll call back shortly and get it straightened out with them.

Thanks again...

[TimSykes]

in the last 2 months I have had 2 of them installed 2 different times, at no cost. There use to be a cost to it, but they have removed the truck roll cost. I believe they did that because you can not opt out of a truck roll for a cablecard. I was told by the first rep when I get my first card installed, there is no way that they can even bill for a cablecard truck roll, and if somehow they could it would be removed from the bill.

[Kasi]

Can someone explain how you get them to come out with cablecards without charging the $80 truck roll fee?  I just got off the phone with both customer service and customer retention and was told that the only way I could get cablecards for my Tivos was if I paid the $80 truck roll fee.  I'd love to stay with Verizon FIOS but I'm not willing to pay that kind of fee just to get cablecards.  My next best option is to switch to Comcast, but before I give them a call I thought I should check here first.

How do you get Verizon to give you cablecards without charging the $80 truck roll fee?

[TheSanchez]

Last time I checked the truck roll for cable cards was free because verizon requires a technician to install them.  Their not offered to be mailed out like other STB for this particular reason.  I would recommend calling in to our sales department and escalating, then mention that fact.  Should help you along a bit. 

[JoeMahan]

I just experienced the same frustration atempting to order cable cards.  I was told I would be called back by a supervisor in 24-48 hours!  Can you provide some way to contact someone that will listen to reason?

$80 for a technician to arrive sometime between 8am-5pm (means I also lose a day's pay) to install a product that is going to provide additional recurring revenue to Verizon is too much to keep me subscribing.

[DonnaFiOS]

I wanted to update that a Verizon tech came out to install the cable card (one not two as I had been told over the phone).  He was scheduled to come between 12 and 4 and he arrived about 2:45pm.  There was no charge.  I'll have to wait for my next bill to see if they are charging me for one or two cards.

[mmoris5820]

I spoke with 2 different customer NO-service reps and both of them told me that the cable cards can be mailed to me with no charge.  After 5 days and no cable cards, I called customer NO-service again and they had no clue about me ordering the cable cards in their system.  I was told that a truck had to roll at an $80 charge.  No ifs, ands, or butts!

I spoke with a supervisor and she said that they could not wave the $80 truck roll fee, but she would give me a monthly credit for a year to compensate me for truck roll fee.   And now, I have to wait 3 weeks before they can get a tech out to bring me the cable cards.

I just hate the fact that these customer NO-service reps keep lying to me just to make a sale and extend my contract.  Verizon management must encourage them to say whatever it takes to make the sale.

This is customer service you can believe in.  NOT!

I recommend that you record any and all conversations with Verizon when changing your service!

[TimSykes]

The issue is that cable cards are very rarely ordered, and most CSR dont have the best info on them. They can not be mailed out, (I have tried), there needs to be a truck roll, but there is no charge. They use to charge up until 3 to 6 months ago. Most CSR think they still do. I have had 2 installed, 2 different times, and I know others have too, with no charges. I will see if I can get one of the verizon guys on the forums here to help you get it ordered.

[mmoris5820]

Tim,

It shouldn't matter how often they are ordered.  It should come up on the computer system stating to the CSR that a truck roll is required.  Also, when a supervisor gets on the phone and tells me the $80 charge is mandatory, I have to believe her even thought the other CSR reps lied to, or misled me out of ignorance.

I just hate that Verizon updated my account and extended my contract for another year and didn't even order the cable cards for me which is the reason I called them in the first place.

I do appreciate your help.  I am currently waiting on the supervisor I spoke to earlier to call me back to see if she can get someone out to install the cable cards this week, so I won't have to wait the 3 weeks that her computer system is telling her that it will take to get someone out.

If one of the Verizon guys on here can expedite my order, it would go along way to restoring my faith in their Customer Support.

Right now, I have little faith in anything I'm told by Verizon.

[TimSykes]

Trust me I know, I have had more issues with the Verizon CSR. But I am hoping one of the Verizon guys can get everything expedited to you and get you the correct answers you need.

[Techman28]

Mmoris5852,

Talk to me here pm me your order # and I'll have it taken care of when you want it

[Techman28]

Mmoris5852,

Will be out there today and I'll notify that sup you were speaking with to get it expedited.

[JoeMahan]

Well, two days later, the supervisor that was supposed to call never did.  So I called back and placed the order and was told that a tech had to come out (but no mention of a charge and I didn't ask).  I made the appointment and the tech showed up with two multi-stream cards. 

He "installed" the card in my TiVo-HD box and then logged onto some web site to activate the card.  Ten minutes or so later it was up and running, but the picture was tiling/pixelating and the sound was breaking up.  He started stacking attenuators on the cable feed until everything looked good (ended up with19db of attenuation!). 

He said he didn't know about a charge for the truck roll, but was suprised that they told me there would be one.  I'll have to wait for the next bill to see what happens.

FiOS TV and Internet are great products, but your customer service is uninformed and unhelpful.  They are as bad as or worse than Comcast ever was and I'm sure it  is costing your business.

[TimSykes]

If for some reason its on your bill, call up Verizon billing to get the charges reversed. I was told when I got my cablecards there is no way to even charge for a cable card install in their system.

[mmoris5820]

Techman28 and TimSykes,

Tim, Thanks for hooking me up with Techman28.  You facilitated our contact which allowed me to get my problems addressed.  Thanks for your help. 

I want to give a special thanks to Techman28 for arranging to have a tech come out today and install my cable cards.  This was after a supervisor told me that there was nothing she could do and that I had to wait until July 8th at the earliest to get any help.

Techman, you've restored my faith in Verizon customer support.  It's good to know that there are still some good ones out there.  I appreciate all of your help.  Verizon needs to give you a promotion and have you train all CSR(s) on how to treat customers.

Techman28 is a credit to Verizon and his actions today kept a long time customer from changing providers.

Three cheers for Techman28.

[MoopMeep]

I get an m-card installed last february. They told me there would be a charge for the truck roll but that never happened. To be honest, when I talked to people in sales they didn't seem to know too much.

The interesting part was when the tech came out. He had an m-card and understood that my tivo needed a single m-card. He calls on his cell phone to get the m-card activated and then had to argue with the tech on the other end t about not needing to install a second card 🙂

[TimSykes]

I am glad that Techman was able to get everything worked out for you. I personally think the only CSR people verizon has that are any good, are also on the forums here.

[dmsleech]

Techman28,

I have talked to quite of Verizon reps today to find out why there is a fee for cablecard installation.  One tech even said that I could install it myself without a charge!  Knowing that wasn't true, I jumped on it said that I would like to do that.  He "attempted' to transfer me back to Billing to set up getting cablecards but was unable to do the phone transfer.  I even mentioned this thread to another rep and she said it wasn't a Verizon website.

Any suggestions of what I should or who I should talk to to get a cablecard installation wihtout the fee?  What I really want to do is swap out a STB for an M card for a new Tivo and also swap out the two S cards in my existing Tivo for an M card. 

Thanks.

[sgip2000]

I just got a cablecard installed this past Friday and there was never any mention of an installation fee and If one does show up on my bill, I will NOT be paying it.