Verizon Outage

[GWguy]

Got home last night, both my DSL and phone were out. Wunderful. So I head up to Panera to get some dinner and web access figuring I'll hit the Verizon page and report my problem.

What a pain their on line reporting system is. You can report a phone outage or a network outage, but not both at once. If you report a phone outage, it runs remote diagnostics. Kept telling me the problem was in the house even tho I tried a phone at the network interface outside and it still doesn't work. Ok, continue with reporting to scheduling. 1st available date was 2 weeks from now. Seriously!??!?! And I had to be there. REALLY!?!??!

Ok, killed that process, went home and called then directly from my cell. You get a recorded voice version of the web page. "Ok, let me run some tests...." great... Comes back and says the problem is in my house. I don't think so..... I've been installing phone systems for years. Anyway, get to the part where I have to schedule. 1st available is Friday from 0700 to 1900. I say 'unacceptable", get a recorded voice back "I don't understand that.." and listed off a bunch of options. One was "Agent". I used that and actually spoke to a real person. Told her both DSL and phone were out, and she understood. Of course, she had to run remote diagnostics for the 3rd time..... came back as "it's a Verizon problem". Finally. Told her I had checked it at the network interface, and she put that in the notes which reconfirmed it was their issue. Ok, now to schedule... Friday 0700 to 1900. I said I can't be there before 12:30. "No problem, customer available from 12:30 to 1900."

It just shouldn't be this freakin' hard! There are some processes that can and should be automated, but this isn't one of them. So, no phone or DSL at the house for a few days.

 

[mv_princess]

Not that I don't feel your pain.

But if there is one thing that I really like about metrocast, if your phone is hooked up to the internet (package deal) and it goes out. You are automatically put to the top of the list as emergency work. Since you could have to dial 911.

I am surprised Verizon doesn't follow this same pratice

 

[GWguy]

Not that I don't feel your pain.

But if there is one thing that I really like about metrocast, if your phone is hooked up to the internet (package deal) and it goes out. You are automatically put to the top of the list as emergency work. Since you could have to dial 911.

I am surprised Verizon doesn't follow this same pratice

They do, if you tell them there is a critical need for emergency calls, like you have elderly in the house, or something like that. Otherwise it's just treated as a normal repair call. I live alone, don't have special needs, hardly ever use the land line, so no big deal. Just a little odd not having instant access to the net and my email....

 

[mv_princess]

They do, if you tell them there is a critical need for emergency calls, like you have elderly in the house, or something like that. Otherwise it's just treated as a normal repair call. I live alone, don't have special needs, hardly ever use the land line, so no big deal. Just a little odd not having instant access to the net and my email....

I wonder sometimes if they get low on calls and just switch off peoples internets for a few days just so the techs can "do something"

I called to get it fixed one night everyone else worked in the neighborhood, I couldn't be home for the tech but suddenly everything worked again.

 

[GWguy]

I wonder sometimes if they get low on calls and just switch off peoples internets for a few days just so the techs can "do something"

I called to get it fixed one night everyone else worked in the neighborhood, I couldn't be home for the tech but suddenly everything worked again.

Sometimes just running the remote diagnostics clears the problem. I've seen that many times.

Used to have a friend who was a lineman. If he got a call for a noisy or intermittent line, he'd fire 600 volts down the wire. It either fixed it or broke it so it could be found... Can't do that with today's digital systems.

 

[mv_princess]

Sometimes just running the remote diagnostics clears the problem. I've seen that many times.

Used to have a friend who was a lineman. If he got a call for a noisy or intermittent line, he'd fire 600 volts down the wire. It either fixed it or broke it so it could be found... Can't do that with today's digital systems.

Yeah but they probably still get paid for those phone calls. Can't have phone calls if everything is working just fine.

And I do love the auto response "Well lets turn it off and back on.." Yes because I am total retard and hadn't thought of that!

 

[GWguy]

Yeah but they probably still get paid for those phone calls. Can't have phone calls if everything is working just fine.

And I do love the auto response "Well lets turn it off and back on.." Yes because I am total retard and hadn't thought of that!

I'd have to say they haven't been messing with the lines on purpose, at least not in this case. First off, they are busy. Always busy. I get to talk with a bunch of the guys when they service our corporate lines and they say it never stops.

And if it were me? NO WAY would I mess with the lines so I had to to fix it knowing the outside temps are sky high!!!!

 

[mv_princess]

I'd have to say they haven't been messing with the lines on purpose, at least not in this case. First off, they are busy. Always busy. I get to talk with a bunch of the guys when they service our corporate lines and they say it never stops.

And if it were me? NO WAY would I mess with the lines so I had to to fix it knowing the outside temps are sky high!!!!

But the ones messing with it would be in an air cooled office that wouldn't care if it was 9000 degrees out side.

 

[mv_princess]

Yes, you are. That is the only accurate contribution you have made to this thread.

I'm glad your comment made the thread that much more exciting!!

 

[mv_princess]

Deleted as it was rude, I appologize.



They do, as does every communications provider by law. Verizon’s Medical and Senior Repair Prioritization policy

Verizon’s Medical and Senior Repair Prioritization program allows residential voice customers in Maryland, who do not have alternative access to Emergency-911 service (example – do not have a cell phone or another telephone line in the household), to pre-certify that a member of their household:

(a) is age 65 years or older or (b) has a medical condition (temporary or permanent) that warrants repair priority.

Program participants who are properly pre-certified, and who then contact Verizon to report a voice service outage, will be given repair priority.




If they did get "low on calls", which they don't- this is what Verizon, per the CEO (since retired), has this to say about landlines:

Speaking to a Goldman Sachs investor conference, Mr. Seidenberg said Verizon was simply no longer concerned with telephones that are connected with wires.

Verizon Boss Hangs Up on Landline Phone Business - NYTimes.com

If they got low on calls, which they don't, copper doesn't give the techs any more to do (of any importance any way, per above CEO statement).




Have you ever been charged for calling Verizon? If not, wouldn't that mean it cost Verizon money to have one answer your calls?

Verizon? Every thing work fine? Funny.



Accessing an account without a vaild business reason leads to termination. I don't know many people willing to lose their job over "messing with it".

Relax homie, it was a joke.

I understand it's hot out and people are grumpy, but I was just kidding. I do understand that they don't really mess with the phone lines.

 

[GWguy]

If they did get "low on calls", which they don't- this is what Verizon, per the CEO (since retired), has this to say about landlines:

Speaking to a Goldman Sachs investor conference, Mr. Seidenberg said Verizon was simply no longer concerned with telephones that are connected with wires.

Verizon Boss Hangs Up on Landline Phone Business - NYTimes.com

I find this statement a bit puzzling. I've read this before, and thought ok, I understand this, diminishing business base, expensive to maintain, etc....

But recently they made it very difficult to drop your land line if you have DSL, can't go DSL only anymore. Seems contradictory.

 

[mv_princess]

I'm in an air cooled office and don't care that it is 9000 degrees outside.

Then you might need a drink

 

[getbent]

Anyone having verizon internet issues today? Its been out at our office for a couple hours and very spotty this a.m.

 

[GWguy]

Anyone having verizon internet issues today? Its been out at our office for a couple hours and very spotty this a.m.

I've been running on Verizon DSL all day, no issues (of course, other than my own home DSL issue....)

 

[GWguy]

The dialtone equipment is sitting idle, they are just trying to make a little bit more money on it buy forcing you to use it if you want DSL. Your bill goes up and they are out $0 extra because the dialtone equipment is already in place.

Think of it like this. I have 10 burgers sitting here, already paid for and cooked. You want fries and just fries.

Why sell you fries for $2.99 when I can sell you fries and a burger for $8.99?

You want the fries bad enough, you will buy the fries and burger even if you don't want the burger. You get your fries, I sell my burgers (and make more money doing so) and every one is happy.

Uh, no. I don't want the burger, I only want and need the fries and only want to spend $2.99 and not $8.99. In that light, it's called coercion.

Anyway, my DSL and phone were working when I got home. Trying to cancel the ticket.

 

[EmptyTimCup]

Used to have a friend who was a lineman. If he got a call for a noisy or intermittent line, he'd fire 600 volts down the wire. It either fixed it or broke it so it could be found... Can't do that with today's digital systems.

we were just talking about this at work Sat. how Ma Bell used to feed high voltage in a phone circuit and look for the smoke