So, once again the designated day for phone hook-up passed without the phone actually getting hooked up. Needless to say, I am getting pretty frustrated with Verizon and their whole buggy process. If only there was some sort of choice of phone service providers... but there isn't. Here's a quick recap:
Dec 27: I call to set up new service at the new house. They have to actually send out a technician to connect the burried phone cable to the house wiring, so I realize it's going to take a little extra time, and I am prepared to wait. I go through every frickin' option, give them all my personal data, and all in all spend about 40 minutes getting everything set up. The CSR asks if I'd like to keep our old phone number. It seems like a good idea at the time... even though it will add a few more days of processing. January 17th is the date I'm told we'll be hooked up.
Jan 17: Nothing happens.
Jan 18: I call to find out why we still don't have a phone. I'm told it's because the switching of the old phone number from our old service provider (Qwest) to Verizon requires Independant Third Party Verification. (They've been trying to reach me... yeah, how? by phone?) So I get transferred to the Third Party Verification, and am recorded saying, essentially "I, Addie Pobst, being of sound mind and body, Do hereby want to transfer my phone number from Qwest to Verizon."
Later that same day: I call back to make SURE that everything is all set up, 100%, no more hang-ups, they'll come hook up the phone now. I am assured that everything is A-OK, and the technician will come the next day.
Jan 19: Nothing happens.
Jan 22: (the following monday - there's no cust service avail on the weekend) Call again to find out why we still have no phone. Am told that Some Paperwork required to switch the phone number from Qwest to Verizon hadn't yet been filed for our account. And it takes 5 days to process, no matter what. There is no answer as to why this wasn't done, or why it wasn't mentioned, say, the last time I called and specifically asked if there was anything that still needed to be done so I could get the phone hooked up. I am told that it will now be Jan 29th that our phone will be hooked up. (Incidentally, I asked how long it would be if we just scrapped the old phone number - and was told that a new number could be hooked up on Jan 26th. I decide that since I've waited this long, I might as well wait another weekend for the old number. I can be very stubborn.)
Jan 29: Nothing happens.
Jan 30: Cary calls to find out why we still have no phone, and is told that they are still, you know, processing stuff, and that the technician will come tomorrow and hook up the phone. You'll forgive me if I don't hold my breath...
Oh, and DSL? We can't even start the process of getting DSL hooked up until after the phone service is confirmed. Which means that once we actually get the phone, it'll be at least 10 MORE days before we have DSL. Apparently they aren't capable of running both processes through their system at the same time. Grrrrrrr.
2 comments:
Hello, I spotted your blog on houseblogs. You’re defiantly not alone in your experience with Verizon. If we had the choice we would never do any business with them again after our experience when we last moved.
We signed up for phone and DSL services. The phone was turned on after 2 missed hook up appointments, but only 1 socket in the back bedroom had a dial tone. We called in and we’re told other lines must belong to another company and unless we want to pay for a rewiring service visit, we’ll have to “live with it”.
We also had the ‘we’ve been trying to get a hold of you’ line. They were calling our future number that wasn’t hooked up yet!
Two weeks, then three went by and no DSL setup box in the mail. We called and they told us each time it is “in the mail”. (I work remotely 80-90% of the time so this was a huge problem for me.) Another week and half went by. Now it was a total of 4 weeks since the phones were turned on, 6 since we signed up. I called again livid and was put on hold for 25 minutes then passed to a manager who told me that in fact our area isn’t accepting new DSL clients until 2007, as there is no DSL service in our area yet!
He said it was a minor oversight and we could be on the waiting list when enrollment begins! This was back in the Summer of 2005 btw. I cursed, hung up and called Comcast. They came the next morning. Pricey yes, reliable very.
I hope you’re Verizon experience comes to a happier ending and soon.
Wow, I'm sorry to hear that you've been through this same thing with Verizon, Meg. Although I am also glad to hear that I'm not alone!
It sure does suck the way the phone companies "divide up" service areas. (I picture this happening in a dimly lit, smoke-filled room.) I didn't think to check who our phone service provider would be before we moved in - or bought the property for that matter - I just assumed it would still be Qwest (who I never thought was that great before, but in retrospect is looking pretty damn good). But it turns out we're about 1/2 mile north of the border between Qwest territory and Verizon country. Lucky thing for us there aren't any monopolies in America...
And while ranting on the Blog may not have done anything to get me a phone, but it sure did make me feel better. :)
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