Verizon, round 2, FIGHT! (rant & need halp)

[Hyndis]

So I've been having issues with Verizon. AGAIN.

The wires outside have gone bad. Corroded or something. I can pick up the phone and hear static on the line. I have DSL, so phone and internet are on the same connection, and yes I have those phone filter thingies on the phone.

Worked perfectly up until the rainy winter, then it all went to hell.

Used to get about 185kb/s down, and 85kb/s up, and it was extremely reliable.

These days I'm getting 100kb/s down and 40kb/s up, on a good day, and also my connection is very erratic. Continuous disconnects depending on the weather. Gust of wind? Disconnected. Rain? Disconnected. Stuff like that.

I've called them out 3 times now, and each time I swear it gets worse. Each time someone tries to "fix" it, the connection becomes slower and less stable.

I'm paying for 3Gbps, I'm getting about 1Gbps, and that 1 I'm getting is highly erratic, which pisses me off. Getting ripped off and it doesn't even work properly.

Of course every time I call to complain they always blame it on my operating system, on my router, on my modem, on my LAN cables...

I have 4 machines hooked up to a router. So of course its all the router's fault, right? Or the modem? Even when it is fully and completely disconnected from the wall, I still hear static on the phone line. Audible static.



I always end up in tier 1 hell, where they keep demanding I reboot my machine elventy billion times, ruin all of my firewall and network router settings, and so forth.

THAT IS NOT THE FUCKING PROBLEM.

The problem is that the wires outside on the pole are rotted. They will not fix it.


At this point I've been dealing with this issue for about 5 months, and I'm beyond peeved off. I just want it to work, and to get what I'm paying for. I want it how it was before the rainy winter started and ruined the wires outside. Their wires. The ones on the telephone pole.

How should I go about this? I'm just going to go ballistic on them. I deal with SC's every day on the phone, often times being completely unreasonable. In my numerous dealing with Verizon, even after being on hold for 45+ minutes and having my call dropped (repeatedly, btw), I've been unfailingly polite.

Fuck that. I'm tired of getting screwed on this. I want them to fix the damn wires outside. I will not go through tier 1 hell in India again, for the umpteenth time. It is not my router or computer.




How do I do this? I know what I want. I know what the problem is. They need to replace that mass of rotting wires outside on the pole. I do NOT want to get jerked around again and again and again. I will not go by the stupid script any more. I do tech support myself, and this is something any retard should be able to figure out. There is static audible on the phone line? Static remains even when modem is physically unplugged? Static varies on weather?

Obviously its your operating system, please reformat and reinstall!

Ugh. I'm just soooo damn tired of this.

How do I get this fixed without coming off as a complete asshole on the phone? Because I feel like ripping someone a new one over there. I'm pissed, tired of being jerked around, lied to, ripped off. I'm tired of being polite and walked over.

I know what the problem is.

NOW FIX IT.

[Pedersen]

A few things first:

I'm paying for 3Gbps, I'm getting about 1Gbps, and that 1 I'm getting is highly erratic, which pisses me off. Getting ripped off and it doesn't even work properly.

I sincerely doubt that you are paying for a 3Gbps line. 3Mbps, quite likely, but I've never even heard of DSL capable of reaching those speeds. For it to be even remotely possible, your home would have to be inside the CO. With the other problems you're discussing, I sincerely doubt that this is the case.

Second:

I do tech support myself, and this is something any retard should be able to figure out.

Using this line will instantly destroy your credibility with the people on the other end. Since you do tech support yourself, you know how much the people who say "I do this for a living!" know, and you know what happens to your opinion of them as soon as they say the line. Don't mention it.

That having been said, to get this fixed is going to require you to put forth some noticeable effort. Take the following steps:

1. Find any local consumer action groups (local news stations of whatever variety). Get their names and contact information.
2. Assuming you have the standard NID on the outside of the house, you should be able to take any corded phone to it, plug it in, and make a phone call. Do so. Listen for static. If the static is audible, note that down. Restore normal configuration before going inside to the computer.
3. Connect computer directly into modem. Remove router from the equation. This also allows you to preserve your firewall settings. Confirm that the speed issue still exists. Ideally, do this while it's raining.
4. Get a pen and paper handy. Take copious notes throughout the call you are about to make.
5. Call DSL support. Get a list of tickets that have been opened on your behalf for this issue for the past however many months. You want actual ticket numbers to which you can refer later. Get the name and whatever ID number of the rep you are speaking with.
6. Inform the tech support rep that you are able to hear static on the line, and believe it is interfering with your DSL connection. Also inform that quality varies highly depending on what the weather is doing.
   [*[Now comes the hard part: Short of reformatting your computer, do everything the rep tells you to do. At some point in the call, the rep will either offer to send a tech, or ask to call you back. Decline any callback, request a tech to check everything, and take down a ticket number for this call.
7. Find out when the technician is on schedule to fix the problem.
8. Before hanging up from this call, inform the technician that you will be opening a second ticket with Verizon phone services regarding the static. Also inform the technician that you will be forwarding all notes from this call to the public utilities commission and the local consumer action groups in the event the problem is not resolved within one day of the scheduled time for the technician to fix the problem.
9. Call Verizon phone services support. Inform them that you have audible static on the line, and you were able to hear it at the NID. They will offer to send a tech out to fix it. Take down ticket numbers, rep name and ID, and any notes from the call.
10. Find out when the technician is scheduled to come out and fix the line.
11. Before hanging up from this call, inform the rep that you have a ticket open with DSL services regarding this issue, and give them the ticket number. Also inform them that you will be forwarding all of these notes to the public utilities commission and the local consumer action groups if the problem is not resolved within one day of the scheduled time to fix.

If that does not get your issues fixed promptly and correctly, I will be shocked. However, it could happen. In that case, follow through on the threats: Forward all information to the PUC and the local consumer action groups. Unwelcome attention from the PUC, along with negative publicity, will get the attention of someone higher up in the company, and your problem will be fixed.

[Hyndis]

Yeah, 3Mbps, typo on my part.

I think I just need to raise enough of a ruckuss to get up from tier 1 script monkey hell to someone who is allowed to think. I just need to not roll over and just demand that they fix it. Not ask, not go along with whatever the script says, but put my food down and actually make them fix the problem instead of making excuses for it.

I've also had better luck at the telephone angle. With the internet side of things they too easily blame it on other things. Telephone? No such things. No modem, no router. There is just static on the telephone line. Cut and dry.

Only problem is that the tech they sent out just poked at things for a few hours and then went home, didn't solve any issues.

[Ironclad Alibi]

How do I get this fixed without coming off as a complete asshole on the phone? Because I feel like ripping someone a new one over there. I'm pissed, tired of being jerked around, lied to, ripped off. I'm tired of being polite and walked over.

Pedersen has some good ideas, but you can kick it up another notch. Write a letter (snail mail type) to the FCC. Describe your problem and include the phrase "I petition you to investigate the problem I am having." In addition to the FCC, send copies to both senators, your representative, and the state utility commission. This should result in some very fast and effective action to resolve your problem.

[Bandit]

Call the voice support line (usually 611) and open a ticket for "Static on the line" - and preferably from the line in trouble.

Don't mention DSL.

This will get them to change the pair of wires that comes into your house up to the last pole.

They will ask about your home wires, and they will try to scare you off/sell you a service plan by quoting a $100+/hour fee if the problem turns out to be inside your house. They may ask you to test from the demark. This will usually be a grey box outside your house that when opened, has a test jack in it. Try a good 'ol wired phone there.

Mention DSL, and the voice guys will toss it to the data guys and you know where that will end up.

ALL telcos want to do as much as they can to avoid a truck roll. In your case, they'll have to send a tech. The catch is if you keep complaining about the data side, they don't have to as it's unregulated and thus, always a customer problem. Voice services, however, are regulated so when dealing with something like this, go down the voice side.

If they don't fix the problem the first time, mention your state PUC/FCC will be getting a complaint on the voice side.

I used to work for a telco - I've seen it in action.

B

[fma_fanatic]

Ask and ye shall receive:

Verizon FOIS Executive Customer Service

And if you really want to let them know how you feel, EECBs are nice:

14 Verizon Executive Contact Info

One way or another, you'll get someone's attention and get this fixed. You've done your part, make them do theirs.

[Stig]

Bandit beat me to it, simply call again and tell them you hear static. Don't let on that you even own a computer.

[Yfandes]

Yeah I had that too. With the slight advantage that Verizon was the DSL carrier AND the phone provider / owner of the phone lines. Plus we have the $3 a month insurance on the lines in side the house. So when the DSL help line said it was the phone lines, I had the advantage of saying "ok so fix it".

One word of power I was given was "Crosstalk". A friend recommended it, and the next time my line went unstable I called in and said "I think I have a crosstalk problem on my line" and BAM technician the next day. That helped for a while. But like you, the actual outside lines sucked.

Then the Verizon FIOS lines came in. And when the technician came out again to see if he could find the problem on my DSL and try a new box (the 3rd), he admitted that the phone lines were crap, and Verizon had no plans to fix the phone lines and were going to try to push people on to the FIOS.

We finally broke down, and got the FIOS for internet and phone. At least our internet is stable now.

[Andara Bledin]

Wow, yet another reason I'm glad I'm in AT&T territory and not Verizon (Verizon has a history of hating DSL users, for some reason).

Check your phone bill. There should be a separate number, somewhere for issues that you know are outside your house. Other than that, as mentioned, don't tell them about the DSL because the DSL is a symptom. The line is the problem, and that's all you need to tell them.

Sometimes, more info than is necessary is too much info.

Both times I had any issue with my line quality with AT&T, they came out without any hassle and tested the line at the drop, determined that the line was bad, and had it replaced within a week. (I didn't even call the 2nd time, a neighbor was quicker on it, so I just saw the truck when the line was replaced)

^-.-^

[underemployeed]

I should tell you about my house. When it rains the lines tend to get a lot of static. However, If I go out to the phone box with a phone and plug it in there, it cuts the phones in the house and allows me to determine that I have a perfect signal from pole to telephone box.

I ran a backup phone lane straight from the box to my room, and with some complicated wiring I can have a phone in my room, and cut the rest of the house off. It makes for no static on the line.

When I go into my basement I find the reason for my problem. There are many HORRIBLY done splices to the phone line in a daisy chain fashion. which greatly add to the problem when humidity gets high. Until I find a way to reach the phone for the kitchen that is blocked by a closet that got made in the basement, I can't rewire it.

So, it actually could be the wiring in your house that like mine only causes problems when it is humid.

[Imprl59]

Good luck to you. I had the same problem a few years ago and ended up moving to cable as I never could get them to realize it wasn't my problem. "Your computer is broken" is the last step in every script they have.

If the phone line is clear of every other line you could go cut it off the house then call and tell them your phone line is down. I'm kidding, but not by much.....

The only ones worse than Verizon is Dell. Luckily I know their scripts well enough now to "play along" or if you are really short on time just tell them there is smoke coming out of it and you are afraid it is going to catch on fire. Fire must raise the huge liability flag and you can get whatever you want wihout question.

Steve B.

[HYHYBT]

That, and it's nearly impossible to claim smoke is a software problem.

[Jetfire]

That, and it's nearly impossible to claim smoke is a software problem.

I'm not so sure about that... some messed up drivers have almost caused smoke occasionally. (Including some drivers NVidea released recently. )

[HYHYBT]

...which is why I said "nearly" impossible

[Hyndis]

So I called them again, this time was treating it entirely as a telephone problem. No mention of internet at all.

Out of curiosity, while I was on the phone I was poking at the box thingy on the side of the building that the wire from the pole leads into. I can't fix it, but hey, it felt good to poke at it!

Instantly I realized what the problem was.

When I touched that wire or moved it ever so slightly I got huge amounts of static on the line, and the DSL modem dropped connection. It even dropped my call! An analogue call.

I wiggled the wire around again and after just a few seconds of wiggling the static cleared up completely.

Now I can wiggle it all I like, but I get no static on the line anymore.



Also my call was successfull, took 10 minutes, got a repair guy out, he said he couldn't find any problems. I explained to him the exact same thing as in the post above. The problem is with the wire leading from the pole to the box, the box itself, or the splicing of the wire into the box. Something in that area.

But I guess I just wiggled all of the static out of the wire.

No idea how that works, but since I fixed the problem by poking aimlessly at it, he couldn't find any evidence of the problem and so was unable to do anything.

At least its working. For now. And I guess if I get static again I'll just go out there and poke it.