It's not as though Verizon doesn't have enough trouble keeping its own DSL circuits working. Now they've knocked out someone else's, as Jim of New York, NY, reports:
Verizon, while installing a phone for my neighbor, disconnected my digital subscriber line (DSL, a data line). My DSL provider, XO, is in the process of having Verizon repair the line. Verizon has not responded promptly to restore the service.
I partially work from home over the DSL line. My job is to maintain Internet applications and web sites. Since the DSL line was disconnected by Verizon (five days ago as of now) I have been unable to work from home. Frequently my job requires me to work late nights and early mornings, which I can no longer do. Essentially I can no longer perform the duties of my job, and as a consequence my effectiveness and standing in the eyes of my clients and coworkers has diminished.
John of Wantagh, NY November 21, 2008
John of Wantagh NY (11/21/08) At the end of June 2008, I cancelled my services with Verizon to switch to Cablevision. I then waited for someone to come and pick-up my cable boxes. In July, I received a Verizon bill, which I paid in full, thinking it was the final bill. In August, I received yet another bill for cable and internet. Only the telephone was cancelled. Now I make another phone call to Verizon to straighten this mistake out. Another representative I spoke to, told me that my cancellation from June 2008 was never finalized. The representaive told me not to worry, it will be processed.
In September, I received yet another bill from Verizon. Still my account is not cancelled! In September, I call Verizon for the 12th time to cancel the cable and internet. On September 29, 2008 a Verizon pick-up person came and collected my Verizon cable boxes. It is now November and I am still getting billed from Verizon for cable and internet. This is very aggravating to say the least, especially when the cable boxes are not in my home and I am still continuing to be billed. Please HELP!
Kathryn of Morganton, NC November 19, 2008
Kathryn of Morganton NC (11/19/08) on 2/4/008 I puchased the Verizon Broadband Unlimited service with a two year agreement with the understanding that it was Unlimited. I did not recieve an agreement stating anything about there being a limit. I did recieve a 2 page agreement, that signed that stated that the service was unlimited. During my use my connection got very slow and I called and they helped my update it. It seemed to help a little till I got off the phone then in continued to be slow for some time. I again incurred this problem and I called and the tech helped me check my settings and such. This also did not seem to help much.
I later got a call back from this tech stating that in my file it says that my account was under investigation and that my service would be slowed till 12/2/08. She gave me a number to call to find out why. I called and they told me this is the second time I have gone over my 5gb allowance. I told them I thought it was unlimited and found that it really wasnt. I asked why I had not been notified in either event and she could not give me an awnser. they just slow your service and dont tell you why and this left me puzzeld. Both times I had called, the reps had not mentioned this untill finnaly this one called me back with the number to call for the account investigation.
I never recieved any agrement that showed my Unlimited service was acctually limited to 5 GB. I asked how I could keep an eye on my usage and she said my Verizon software shows it. I looked it up and it shows it in Kb's. this did not help. After some research I found that 5Gb= 5,242,880Kb so now I do the math so I try not to go over because the connection they have left me with after being secretly pennalized is so slow I can hardly pay my bills online.
I went several days without the use of my internet. I had to drive into town to pay my bills online. I also act and was unable to use it to find jobs. Now I fear to use it to send out my acting reels because it may use to much of my limited 5 GB
Gloria of Davenport,, FL November 11, 2008
Gloria of Davenport, FL (11/11/08) I had my house phone, internet and cell phone with Verizon. Desperate to save money I asked them to also give me their cable instead of the Bright House that I had, for the special of #99.99 per month. There was nothing but problems. They wouldn't let me have my user name which I'd had for years;left boxes they said I'd need for receptions, and never told me there'd be any charge for them. They installed all these wierd things on Oct. 14 I am still waiting for them to get at least the big boxes out of here which I cannot figure out,(they sent smaller ones by mail that I am to install myself) In the meantime they sent me a bill for 294.17 with a deduction of somet sort which brings it down to only 230.61 -- a far cry from 99.99 which I ordered.
They say I didn't pay last month's bill which I sent79.91 on 10/15 for the house phone and internet and 48.57 for the cell phone, also on the 15th --both of which have cleared my bank. Never in my life could I afford premium movie channels yet Verizon is now charging me 48.84 for all of them. Every time I passed by those channels, trying to get acclimated to the new ones, they would say: You are not subscribed. Since my only income is a pitiful social security check I am afraid I'm going to have a stroke over this. My daughter has tried to talk to them and straighten it out but they have driven her crazy, too when she finally reaches a human. Can anyone at your station please just get me my order for 99.99 + plus/month? PLEASE?
I cannot talk to them (after waiting interminable times on hold) without crying. They always promise that everything will be taken care of ad then I get a bill for 294.17 when all I asked for was their special for 99.99 plus tax. I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THIS !!!!
Ben of Davidson, NC November 10, 2008
Ben of Davidson NC (11/10/08) In July 2008, I canceled my Verizon service since I was moving out of the country. Right before I left the country, I received my final Verizon bill. Whereas I'd received a small credit for my telephone service (which billed me in advance), I was charged for a full month of DSL service, even though I'd used less than half the month. I tried to contact Verizon through its email service four times (not wanting to incur the costs of a 30-minute international phone call, based on previous wait times) inquiring about the charge for a full month of service. Only one of the four emails received a response, and that was a Verizon email informing me that my email had been passed on to the appropriate department and I would receive an email from that department within one day. I never heard anything else.
On August 15, 2008, despite not having heard anything from Verizon, I decided to pay my bill in full (30.14) because I did not want to incur a late charge. I still held out hope that Verizon might respond, but I filed a complaint with the Maryland Consumer Protection Division that month. Later that month, furious at Verizon's continued unresponsiveness, I asked my credit card company to cancel the charge. It investigated the matter and issued me a credit in early September.
Lo and behold, Verizon then issued a credit in the amount of 18.13 for the part of the month that I had not used. Once I received it, I informed my credit card company to rebill me for the full 30.14, which it did on October 5, 2008. I paid off my credit card bill on Oct. 12. A few days later, I received an email from Verizon that I still owed 30.14. When I contacted them to explain that I'd already paid, I was told that my account had been sent to a pre-collections agency. Despite repeated contacts with Verizon's customer service department, they still have not located my payment. I submitted my credit card billing statement as proof of payment on Oct. 31 and my credit card company has confirmed on two separate occasions that the payment has been made to Verizon's bank.
Besides the stress of having to deal with this from abroad and the approximately 20 hours of my life this has consumed, I'm worried about the effects on my credit rating.
Lewis of Grafton, WV November 9, 2008
Lewis of Grafton WV (11/09/08) My daughte got a lap top for graduation. She waas setting it up and she filled out information and didn't realixe it was to purchace verizon service. We recieved a kit from Verizon wrote a letter and immediately sent it back saying it was a mistake and we did NOT want their service. We had several phone calls stating they noticed we had not activated their service where we expl;ained again what happened. Their service has never been activated yet we have been billd for it.
Verizon has now shut off our phone for non payment of services we never had. We have been without a phone for 2 months now. Verizon refuses to talk with us on the phone. They refuse to answer e-mail we have sent in regards to this matter. This month our bill was anouther hundred dollars more than last month 400.00. What can we do about Verizon and this bill we do not owe?
I am a diabetic and have heart trouble. A land lind phone is necessary in our home. My wife works in county school and cannot reciece messages on the early warning system the county now uses which may result in her driving to Harrison county in bad weather when school may be cancelled putting her in danger driving unnessaryly on bad roads in the winter. We have had to pay additional for our cell phone bill because we have to use it during the day. causing us to pay 200.00 more than what is on our plan.
I also have missed calls about work that may have given me an opportunity to work for some overtime if my cell phone isn't charged. Also my wife's cell phone was broken for a few days and she had noway of reaching anyone while I was at work. Damage to us is to our credit which we have been struggling to fix ever since our bankrupcy 6 years ago. Anything you can do to resolve this is appreciated. Once again we are willing to pay the phone bill [50] but not the DSL we NEVER activated or had.
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