Ordering and Activating a CableCard for Verizon FiOS

[Capricorn1]

There's been a couple questions about how to order a CableCard from Verizon. I remember it being a bit hard to find, so I thought I would track it down and post it here. Once you have a CableCard, it needs to be activated, too. That's another part of the web site, so I put that here, too. I haven't actually ordered one of these in years, so anyone who's memory is fresher, please feel free to comment and add detail.

Ordering a CableCard

1. A best first step is to login to your Verizon Residential account. I tried to to the next step without logging in first. That brought up a prompt to log in, which I expected, but I got some sort of server error when I put in my login information. It might have been a temporary thing, but logging in first and then doing the next step worked for me.
2. Hover your mouse over the Shop menu item, which pops up a second menu line. Hover over Plans to bring up a third menu line and choose Add or Change Services.
   
3. Click the Continue button on the next page to allow access to your Verizon account information.
   
4. You will see a "We are looking up your account information ...." dialog. When it's finished, the My Services Overview page is displayed.
   
5. Click the TV Equipment button, and your current equipment will be listed.
   
6. Click the Go button next to the line, "I want to add or return a box, or upgrade to Quantum TV, then keep shopping." That will open a dialog with the number of HD Set-Top Boxes, Digital Adapters, and Cable Cards you currently have.
   
   
7. Under the How many do you want? column, pull down the number menu and choose the number of Cable Cards you want when everything is over (not the number you want to order). My example shows that I have one now, and after this order has been placed, I will receive another one for a total of two.
8. Press the Continue button see the list of new equipment being added.
9. Under the Your equipment package title, any new equipment is listed. All existing equipment is under the Your current TV equipment title above that. (Click the + to expand the list as is shown.)
10. You may also click the View Details link to get more information about the new CableCard you are to receive. (Click the circled X to close the dialog.) Click the Add To Cart button (as shown above) to start the ordering process.
11. Review the items in your cart in the column to the right. If you have everything you need, click the Checkout button.
12. A Review and Submit Your Order dialog will open. (Note the non-recurring [i.e., one-time] shipping and handling charges of $24.99.) Click the Submit Order to finalize your order.

After that, I'm not sure what happens. I don't actually need two CableCards. There's likely a confirmation with an order number. You can always check the status of open orders using the Support then Get Help With then Order Status and entering your Order Number and Zip Code in the page displayed.

Activating a CableCard

1. As before, logging in first is probably a good idea. Click on Residential if not already in that section as indicated by the red line.
2. Click on the Support menu item
3. Scroll to the bottom of the Support home page and click on the TV link.
4. Click the Set-Top Box & DVR link from the left columns under Topics.
5. Click the Learn about CableCards link under the See also section.
6. On the CableCARDS page, click the plus sign to the right of the CableCARD Activation to expand that section.
7. The CableCARD Installation Instructions PDF (see the screen above) has steps for installing and activating your CableCARD. These are similar to the steps presented when clicking on the online activation steps link as shown above. In either case, you need the activation code (and your billing zip code).
8. The activation code should be on the customer receipt that was received with the CableCard.
9. The activation itself consists of gathering the information need for pairing the CableCard with your device (TiVo, Smart TV, etc.) during activation and then activating the CableCard online. The PDF outlines the process, but how you actually get the pairing information may vary. For TiVO, the process is outlined in this PDF. At the time of this posting, this looked like the following.

If everything goes well, you should be up an running with your new CableCard compatible device. For something like a TiVo, the programming guide will not come from Verizon. You'll need to sign up with TiVo for that service separately. Newer TiVo can apparently get their guide information over the MoCA data on the coax. Older TiVos may need a separate wireless or wired Internet connection to receive their guide.

[Capricorn1]

In Activating a CableCard, the screenshot describes a CableCard as "CableCARD modules have a size slightly larger than a credit card and look like a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card."

That's a blast from the past. I wonder how many people still remember what PCMCIA cards were? A growing percentage will likely never know.

[Dimm74]

Thank you for all the info. I'm planning on putting things together in the very near future, switching from satellite back to Fios with TiVo so this will come in handy. 🙂

[jonjones1]

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@Capricorn1wrote:

In Activating a CableCard, the screenshot describes a CableCard as "CableCARD modules have a size slightly larger than a credit card and look like a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card."

That's a blast from the past. I wonder how many people still remember what PCMCIA cards were? A growing percentage will likely never know.

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They were just like the old ISA cards (Industry Standard Architecture) I used when building computer systems.. I think my old IBM ThinkPad has a slot for the pcmcia. Which I still use today. Tho not much by today’s standards it was top of line in the early days of computing. 

[Capricorn1 · Accepted solution]

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@jonjoneswrote:

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@Capricorn1wrote:

In Activating a CableCard, the screenshot describes a CableCard as "CableCARD modules have a size slightly larger than a credit card and look like a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card."

That's a blast from the past. I wonder how many people still remember what PCMCIA cards were? A growing percentage will likely never know.

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They were just like the old ISA cards (Industry Standard Architecture) I used when building computer systems.. I think my old IBM ThinkPad has a slot for the pcmcia. Which I still use today. Tho not much by today’s standards it was top of line in the early days of computing. 

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The very first wireless card I used with my (Windows 2000) laptop was a PCMCIA card. I had to install a PCMCIA adapter in my Linux box in which I inserted the mate to that one. (That adapter may have been an ISA card given the time) I don't think those cards even supported any 802.11 anything standard. Strictly proprietary and topped out at 2 Mbps. It was still enough for me to get a good sense that wireless networking was going to be big.

[jonjones1]

Ha ha I hate to admit it but my first personal computer was a Packard Bell Legend Supreme with a 256 Mbps hard drive. (Dual 128 banded together) but I worked in government with the old Sherry Univacs (tubes) technology has leaped over the last 40+ years. 😀

[jimbealde]

2019 UPDATE.  Verizon has simplified and improved this process to the point that you will get totally exasperated and wonder why you even ever thought about getting a cableCARD.  Long and short... If you want to avoid a $25 shipping charge, they tell you to go pick it up at one of their authorized retailers;  they give you a list of "close" ones.  In my case, 40 miles, and one of them takes an $80 ferry ride to get to, unless you want to drive 250 miles.  Then the store does not have it, can't order it, and tells you to call Customer Support, who is glad to ship it to you for a $25.00.  Tell me again why I htought it was worth trading a $12 pert month STB which I rarely used for a $5 per month box, including a $25 shipping charge.  

[LawrenceC]

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