Aggravated customer - annoyed by bill, thinking about alternatives

[NoahsMyBro]

1. I WANT TO EMAIL CUSTOMER SERVICE - If any VZ agents are monitoring these boards - the fact that I cannot EMAIL someone, and must instead resort to a public forum, chat with an AI bot, or phone someone is Strike One against my continuing with FIOS.
2. VIDEO FRANCHISE FEE??? I've just looked at the details of my bill to see what options I have to reduce my monthly expenses. I see the Video Franchise Fee. After reading about this online it appears to me that VZ is simply adding a cost of providing service on to my bill, in addition to the charges I already pay. It would appear much more honest to me if VZ just raised their rates. If I run a business and my electricity costs increase, I don't think I could get away with tacking on a line item to my invoices for that. It's just part of the cost of doing business.

Now that you have a sense of my aggravation, to the specifics:

* Is there any way for me to avoid the VFF? If I don't rent any movies from On-Demand, will that eliminate the Video Franchise Fee?

* The Regional Sports Fee - How can I avoid that? The only sports we watch in my house is the NFL, and even that we don't watch often. 

Thanks.

[ElizabethS]

Just a friendly reminder, this is a forum where users help other users. It looks like your issue may require a Verizon representative to review your account details. Please visit our Support page for a variety of ways to contact Verizon, including customer support phone numbers.

[CRobGauth]

Video franchise fee is to recoup the cost Verizon has to pay your local government for the privilidge of providing TV service to you and  others.

Regional sports fee is to recoup costs that local sports channel (like Comcast sports net) charges Verizon. Only way to eliminate that is to pick a video package that doesn't have sports channels.

Most cable providers charge these fees.

So unless you cut the cord you will pay some of them.

[jeannielynn]

  I am also annoyed about the sports fee. We do not watch the sports either. We also have our own tivo box. Why would we have to pay the other fee you mentioned?

  My 2 years are also now up. Icalled and spoke with 1 customer rep. He told me I need to see if we can afford to keep you as a customer!!! Then I called back later that evening and got a very nice man. I asked for a 2 year rate lock. I told him I would do an agreement for 2 years if he would lock my rate. He went off the phone for quite awhile and came back and said the supervisor said they could do this for me. I am ALREADY a customer. He said my newer channels would take 10 to 15 minutes to show up. He also told me that the new rate reflecting my lock would take 3 to 4 days to kick in. I asked if he would email me this info he said ok. The next day I wake up and he had emailed me the exact rate the plan is and my new channels still are not showing up. I called back yesterday and the rep said she DID see the new lock in place. I asked her to email it to me. She said she WOULD. Guess what? NO email.She also put me on the phone with a tech and he couldnt get my channels to show up. Today I call back again. I finally get a lady who sent me a solid contract. The problem is shes stating they cant do a loylaty discount for 2 years. Then why do we have to be loyal and lock in 2 years. I asked about the recordings they always state they do when you call. One up the reps told me they couldnt do anything about that as they get thousands of calls. The customer rep I just got a few hours ago gave me a rate lock but instead of me having services Sunday now I wont have the new services till Monday. I had to agree to get the in writing rate. This is quite upsetting as just yesterday a rep sais she was able to see the 2 year lock but then did NOT email me it as she said she would. I was also told by the latest rep that her manager would be calling me back regarding all these issues. Still NO call.

  I wanted to add I did get a price lock of 2 years its just something called a loyality discount. I still want them to turn me on today though. I have LOVED Verizon Fios for the most part. Its just that when you are gettint new service or updating different reps say different things.