Anybody here work for Verizon? Need help

margecat

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I could use some advice on how to deal with a Verizon (for my landline issues).  Not about actually repairing it, but how to get satisfaction and talk to live people...

1.  On June 6th, the police showed up at our door, saying they got a 911 call. We didn't place it.  We checked the phone, and found it was crackling. They said, when they called back, they got a busy signal. It's being doing this ever since, and we can't call in nor out. We haven't been able to use our home phone since 6/6/12.

2. On 6/7, I called for repairs. To make a long story short, they determined that the lines had to be dug up for repairs, etc. Tech told me to call him; I tried over the next 3 days--got a message that his inbox was full. Gave up on him.

3.  Two weeks later, after hearing nothing, thought I'd put in another service request, as every time I do that, a tech calls me back immediately--I was so desperate to get ahold of a real person. He called me, and told me to cancel the work order, and (again) was told it was "sent to the digging crew".

4.  A few days later, in order to get a real person, I called the complaint # in the phone book. The woman said it would take 30--60 days (yes, 30-60) for the digging crew to come out. This is why I waited so long to take the next step:

5.  On Monday, I called Billing, as I don't think I should pay for the time from 6/6-present for the landline bill. I was told that I had made calls then. No, I DID NOT--it was impossible. There are a string of 411 (directory assistance calls) at $1.50 each--and all to find the same phone #.  She said she could only give me a partial refund until a tech contacted them about the problem. She put me onto a tech. He seemed puzzled as to why I was talking to him. Wanted me to set up yet another appointment to have someone come inside my house (which meant a day off).  He then went to the main box in the development, and determined that the lines needed to be dug up.  He said he'd sent a ticket to the digging crew to dig...here we go AGAIN...then he remembered my phone #, and checked the service record: the digging crew had been instructed to come out on 6/8, but never bothered. He told me, if they don't come out within this week, to call them and yell at them. I guess it's time to yell at them, as it's Friday, and I've heard nothing (they are supposed to call my cell phone/email me).

6.  Meanwhile, my Verizon bill is due on the 26th. I refuse to pay the landline bill from June 6-present.  If I wait for a tech to dig then call Billing, it will be late. The woman in billing wasn't exactly friendly, never mind helpful.

7.  I tried calling the last tech at the # he called me from, only to get a message:"Sorry. You can't call this number from your area."

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get these people to do what they are supposed to do? I'm thinking about contacting the County Dept. of Consumer Affairs, which I've done with other places, successfully, and/or the Better Business Bureau.

And I see that a Verizon ad is displayed next to my post. Lovely.
 

subconsciousme

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Have you tried reaching out to their social media team? This seems odd, but I've had similar problems with both AT&T and Cox (cable/internet) and have had great success in finding resolutions with those employees.

If all else fails, try filing a complaint to the BBB?
 

bigperm20

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It's good to know that no matter where you live... No matter who you do business with... the oligopoly of phone/cable/internet is terrible everywhere.

If there is no real competition why would they need to worry about losing you?

I went through a similar battle with comcast about 2 years ago. Obviously the lines are not buried, but it was deeply frustrating as I could not watch tv for more than 5 minutes for about 2 months. This was right in the middle of football season, mind you.
 
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margecat

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It's good to know that no matter where you live... No matter who you do business with... the oligopoly of phone/cable/internet is terrible everywhere.
If there is no real competition why would they need to worry about losing you?
I went through a similar battle with comcast about 2 years ago. Obviously the lines are not buried, but it was deeply frustrating as I could not watch tv for more than 5 minutes for about 2 months. This was right in the middle of football season, mind you.
Exactly. I'm not saying that every Verizon area is this way; in fact I've never had a problem when asking for someone to come to my house to check things (which they won't do now, as they've proven that the problem is with the outside lines).  And the first tech said that he had 4 other tickets for my part of the develpment (we live in a 500-house development).

Not getting TV reception during football season would KILL me! I hope you were able to see the Super Bowl, at least?
 

Draco

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Have you tried using the live-chat on the verizon website? At least things will be written and you can print a log saying you've contacted them on the issue.

I've never had an issue with Verizon before. When I had bad land-line issue in the apartment complex, they came out the next day and fixed it all for me.
 
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margecat

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Thank yiou for the suggestions. I'll try the live chat thing.
 

catsallaround

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Do you or anyone one in your house or that is over very often have any serious medical issues?  Do you have kids in house?  That could be used to your advantage to get things handled possibly.

Until they fix it is it possible to have the line physically turned off? 
 
 
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margecat

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Do you or anyone one in your house or that is over very often have any serious medical issues?  Do you have kids in house?  That could be used to your advantage to get things handled possibly.

Until they fix it is it possible to have the line physically turned off? 
 
Great suggestions, but, alas, they wouldn't apply to us (I could try, but I don't think I could have a baby by Monday! :-)).

I don't think I could turn the line off.  The problem originates at the main box, up by the main road that passes by the development.

I will keep the first suggestions in mind for other things, though. I had never thought of those! Thanks!
 

catsallaround

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Shouldn't they be able to turn it off at office?  or block all numbers?

Yeah it helped in past Mom has asthma and was using nebulizer alot then and we had power issues to just our block.  They "fixed it" multiple times and it kept going off. 

babysit for a day?  lol.
 

cheshirecat

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If you are in a development served from a box (service area interface)  at the end of the street the quick answer is there is a wire crossed somewhere in that interface.  The problem is getting someone who has the time and patience to find it and fix it.

More than likely at one point they ran out of lines in the box and had to get creative.  In the past when an area was maxed out more lines were added.  But that can be expensive and in today's world Verizon is no longer making a ton of money on wire line services so they are not very willing to spend money on the system. 

This leaves the tech with a problem.  He has to make the customer happy but he has no lines left so he has to get creative and make it work with what is there.  If he can't do this his job is in jeopardy.  These days the techs and line guys are asked to do more and more with less and less. 

In the past ten years expenses have been cut to the bone.  This means less employees in all departments.  It could be that there are Inactive lines in the box but because the records have not been kept up it's hard to know what is actually in service.  So you have to pick and choose and hope it is correct. 

Two years ago Verizon sold off the land lines in 14 states because they were not profitable enough and would be too expensive to bring up to a state of profitability.  If you are in an area that is not seen as worth investing in the chances are they are doing only necessary repairs and no preventative maintenance or upgrades.   

What I would suggest is to contact the agency that governs utility and phone service in your state (here it is the PUC) and file a complaint with them.  If you can get them to rattle the right cage you will get some action. 

Forgot to mention that Verizon sold my state four years ago (the company that bought it went bankrupt)  and then shipped half of my job to another state.  The other half of my job was sent to another country. 
 
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margecat

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If you are in a development served from a box (service area interface)  at the end of the street the quick answer is there is a wire crossed somewhere in that interface.  The problem is getting someone who has the time and patience to find it and fix it.

More than likely at one point they ran out of lines in the box and had to get creative.  In the past when an area was maxed out more lines were added.  But that can be expensive and in today's world Verizon is no longer making a ton of money on wire line services so they are not very willing to spend money on the system. 

This leaves the tech with a problem.  He has to make the customer happy but he has no lines left so he has to get creative and make it work with what is there.  If he can't do this his job is in jeopardy.  These days the techs and line guys are asked to do more and more with less and less. 

In the past ten years expenses have been cut to the bone.  This means less employees in all departments.  It could be that there are Inactive lines in the box but because the records have not been kept up it's hard to know what is actually in service.  So you have to pick and choose and hope it is correct. 

Two years ago Verizon sold off the land lines in 14 states because they were not profitable enough and would be too expensive to bring up to a state of profitability.  If you are in an area that is not seen as worth investing in the chances are they are doing only necessary repairs and no preventative maintenance or upgrades.   

What I would suggest is to contact the agency that governs utility and phone service in your state (here it is the PUC) and file a complaint with them.  If you can get them to rattle the right cage you will get some action. 

Forgot to mention that Verizon sold my state four years ago (the company that bought it went bankrupt)  and then shipped half of my job to another state.  The other half of my job was sent to another country. 
Thanks, Cheshire. I understand what you said, but they shouldn't keep telling me they're going to send out a crew to dig, if they have no intention of doing so--and, if they don't want to have land lines, they shouldn't keep trying to charge me for a service I haven't been able to use.

I think it's the PUC here, as well. Maybe I'll look into that. Thanks.
 
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margecat

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Today, I called their complaint line again (and got a gentleman with such a sexy voice--I think he had an African or Haitian accent--such a deep, manly, smooth voice!). He said they'd have someone call me within 24 hours. They called within 3 hours. We have an appointment for tomorrow.  Keep your toes and fingers crossed, guys! (Though I'm secretly hoping I have another excuse to call Mr. Suave again...I could listen to that voice all day!  Just joking! LOL)
 

catsallaround

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Ok my house alone should bring luck.  that is alot of cat feet and 2 humans hoping this will be behind you tomorrow.
 
 
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margecat

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Ok my house alone should bring luck.  that is alot of cat feet and 2 humans hoping this will be behind you tomorrow.
 
LOL! Thank you! I'd like to see pix of the cats crossing their toes, though...
 
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margecat

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It's now fixed!!!!!!!! What a relief.
 

kookycats

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Today, I called their complaint line again (and got a gentleman with such a sexy voice--I think he had an African or Haitian accent--such a deep, manly, smooth voice!). He said they'd have someone call me within 24 hours. They called within 3 hours. We have an appointment for tomorrow.  Keep your toes and fingers crossed, guys! (Though I'm secretly hoping I have another excuse to call Mr. Suave again...I could listen to that voice all day!  Just joking! LOL)
 Your post made me laugh.    I used to work for a large graphic arts distribution co. in Ft. Lauderdale.  At one point we  had salesmen all over the country.  There was one sales rep (I think he lived in Chicago) whose name was Jim Harvey.  He also had the most beautiful, sexy voice on the phone and I always looked forward to talking to him.    Your post just brought back memories of my conversations with that sexy deep voice.
 
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