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Verizon DSL

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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.

Elena of Ventura, CA May 6, 2009

Verizon Sales calms are unsubstantiated. I've been lied to and given the run around when it comes to Verizon DSL. I have spent over 12 hours on the phone with Verizon to establish my DSL line and in the end I'm only getting 1.5mb where they originally promised 5mb. Half way through the connection process they bumped thier promised speed down to 3mb. However, they guaranteed I would get 3mg and not to cancel my set-up because 3mg is almost as fast as 5mg (what?) . I waiting 4 weeks for connection to find out my service will only get a maximum of 1.5mb. Verizon's reply? Too bad. My service goes down for hours at a time and the technical dept. claims it isn't a problem with their lines. My Mac is running OSX 10.5.6 with 2.4 GHz, 2 GB memory, all software updates complete and I have no software or hardware issues. When the line goes down I take my laptop down the street and guess what? No connection problems. So how is a problem with my computer and not their lines? By the way, they don't run a line check when I call about this problem. They will run a line test in the day but not at night when the connection is lost. Why? They have no logical explanation. When they eventually agreed to run a test on the line they told me the line is slower than normal for a 1.5 mg and when I ask what I can do they say not much because I need to share with other people in the area (what?) Unfortunately, in my area I have no other options and they know this so they are not working at resolving any issues... I'm angry, frustrated and I hope someone while get around to setting these people straight one day... Don't look to me because my nerves are shot and I've lost all hope.

Glen of Hartford, WI April 29, 2009

I was looking for a cheaper phone plan and all the info at Verizon wireless said I could get the two phones for me and my girlfriend plus the five gig internet plan for as much as I'm paying for just the phone service I was paying for at US Cellular because US Cellular was still screwing me over by springing surprise bills on me whenever they felt like billing me for whatever reason. The internet service is terrible. I pretty much bought it for my girlfriend, who lives for the net. Well, I soon found out that 5 gig's is nowhere near the amount she needs in a one month billing cycle. All of a sudden a 60 dollar service turned into a 310 dollar service thanks to the extra 25 cent a megabyte after the 5 gigs are used. Wow. One month My bill was 860 bucks because we went over by 3 gigs. I just think that's ridiculous and I don't understand why anyone would keep that service. I got rid of it in a heartbeat but what do you know, They rape you with cancellation fees so between my canceling my US Cellular service and starting one with verizon and their internet, I've wasted about 3,000 bucks within a four month period on cell phone plan banther. Tell me, how is that fair?

Stephanie of East Aurora, NY April 20, 2009

Stephanie of East Aurora NY (04/20/09)
I ordered Verizon DSL service and bundled it with my existing phone service. The first agent with whom I placed my order somehow canceled my order which delayed my service delivery date and required me to return original group of hardware they sent. When we finally did install Verizon's DSL service we were inundated with malware and other special offers we did not want. It even had signed us up for pay services we did not ask for and was quite difficult to cancel.

We then found out that our printer was not working with their router. I called the technical support center and after about 7 minutes of menus, finally spoke to a human being. After many unhelpful suggestions (like plugging our network computer directly into one of our computers), he told me it was our printer's fault. My husband used to own a networking server company and we knew that was not the problem but the Verizon agent still connected to the Brother Company (and then hung up). The total call time was 1.5 hours and the Brother Company was able to determine it was the router that Verizon had forced us to purchase was sending invalid IP addresses.

I then called Verizon, waited through their menu, had to explain everything all over again and then was hung up on or disconnected (not sure which). I called back, waited through the menu, connected to someone who then transferred me to the wrong department who then transferred me to someone who FINALLY helped me. The person who helped me then connected me to billing as she said I should get a credit for my troubles.

The person I was connected with said he could not help with DSL credits and transferred me to the other billing department. After I was connected with the other department and had explained the issues, I was disconnected/ hung up on... again. I was on the phone a total of three hours with no resolution. I was furious. I then called customer support to recoup my time and effort. I was first misconnected to another caller who was calling in and then transferred out of the country to someone who told me I could receive a 15 day credit.

I stated that did not come close to compensating me for my time and effort she then immediately extended it to 30 days. I told her it was going in the right direction but wanted to talk to her supervisor. Her supervisor sa

id she could extend my credit to 45 days (about 45). I said to please apply the credit but I wanted to speak to her supervisor as I still did not think it was enough. She connected me to Mr. L? who then stated that because I was transferred to him that meant I was unwilling to accept the previous terms and said I would receive a 15 day credit (of those 15 days we did not have service for nine days they had the original install date still in the computer even though our original agent had cancelled our order). So basically for my time and effort, they were willing to credit me 6 of usable service.

Christine of Gilroy, CA April 19, 2009

Christine of Gilroy CA (04/19/09)
We have been getting charged 32.99 per month for several years for DSL for service that is only capable of at maximum 1gbps. We tried to get 3gbps and were told we could only to be told otherwise afterward. As a result of both of these problems Verizon's Customer Solution Center committed to allow us to have 6 months of free DSL. Four months into them NOT doing that on our bill they changed the offer to 6 months of 17.99 per month.

After another 3 months of not doing that they gave us 1 month free but took away our bundle discount to still steal 1.25 from us. This month yet again we are being charged, this time 31.99. All other Verizon customers get 1gps for no more than 21.99 but we continue to be overcharged every month and any and all offers or claims made by Verizon's Consumer Solution Center are not upheld.

We've been calling Verizon every month for almost a year now. We want retribution for all the over charges, on average 14.00/per month since the start of our service in April of 2005 plus the 6 months free which has never happened, and we should be paying no more than 17.99 a month for 1gbps DSL because it is Verizon's fault that the lines aren't being upgraded in our town, not ours. We have NO other available service provider in this area and we resent being ripped off by the one phone company here simply because they can.

Dorothy of Sewell, NJ April 16, 2009

Dorothy of Sewell NJ (04/16/09)
The trouble started with static on the line. We called for repair and a technician came and found no problem with inside wiring or equipment. They left and I received a text message that the problem had been fixed...but it wasn't. I called again. They came again. This time we lost telephone and DSL entirely for 4 days! After more calls to Repair, the phone started to work again, but DSL was still not working. We called DSL repair. They came and declared that there was no problem with the inside wiring or equipment. They left saying it would have to be fixed through the central office.

Afte some days with no repair, we called again. They sent someone out again. Again they said that there was not problem with the inside wiring or equipment and it would be fixed through the central office. A couple more days passed and I called to cancel the service. The rep was much more concerned than the repair reps and said she would escalate the repair. She transferred me to someone else who was more concerned sounding, and he scheduled another appointment for a technician to come to the apartment. They came...nothing wrong with the inside wiring or equipment...would have to be fixed from the central office. 24 hours later, I called to cancel all Verizon service, but that office was closed. I called the repair office again for a status update, and they scheduled another date for yet another technician to come out. Are you counting???

Each time, my 88 year old mother has to sit in her apartment for up to 10 hours because they will not give a more specific time. She is on a fixed income, so more expensive options are not manageable. Short of disconnecting and getting a cable service, what can be done to make Verizon repair and then compensate for all of this? Thank you!

Joseph of West Frankfort, IL April 8, 2009

Joseph of West Frankfort IL (04/08/09)
I am angry at Verizon. Back in early February, we informed Verizon of our intention of moving our business phone and DSL service to another location in another city some 10 miles away. Due to the uncertainties of contractors and their schedules, twice I had to move the date of the switch. When it came time to make the switch, almost absolutely nothing was done according to our requests. Trying to get it rectified required at least 10-15 phone calls in a four-day period, and I became so exasperated I wanted to smack somebody through the telephone lines.

Finally, one of our secretaries at another of our locations seemingly managed to accomplish the task. Or so we thought. Until today, 4/7/2009. Today, I discovered that the old telephone line with the DSL was never cancelled and that it is just sitting there racking up monthly charges, even though we have not used the line and have not even been at the listed location for that line for two months now and had requested the service to be cancelled at that location back in February. While trying once again to rectify the situation, I was put on hold, transferred, put on hold again, transferred again and finally was told that I would have to be transferred again and put on hold. A total of 45 minutes had already transpired and at this point, out of complete frustration, I hung up on the agents.

If this isn't enough, compound this with the fact that in January, I had ordered Verizon DSL for my home and had a similar experience, cancelled and went with Mediacom Cable internet instead. If I had a choice for landline service at our business location, I wouldn't even remotely consider Verizon anymore. The frustration factor with shoddy customer service is enough to drive me away for a lifetime. At this point, if it weren't for the fact that our phone and email with Verizon is well-established in the minds of our customers, I would call Mediacom and give them our internet business, and our phone business. Right now I am a customer, not loyal, and wishing I were anything but a Verizon customer.

Lost time, lost use of services

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