Verizon FiOS Sucks

Still 9 days without a working phone number. After finally being contacted by Verizon last Friday, I tried calling back on Christmas Eve morning. The customer service representative that initially called me was out for the holidays but left the name of a co-worker on her answering machine. I called her and the following summarizes how our interactions went:

• I briefly explain everything that has happened including how:
  • Verizon FiOS lost my Triple Play Order.
  • Verizon Installers dug up my yard and then tried to Install FiOS Triple Play inside the house without an appointment.
  • Verizon FiOS Phone Service Slammed Me.
  • Verizon FiOS Disconnects my Phone.
  • Vonage tried to get my phone number back but ultimately tells me that I need to get Verizon to create a new phone account.
• She agrees with Vonage that the best way to get my phone number back is for Verizon to create a new phone order. She seems confident that she can get the number back for me quickly. She says that she needs to figure out which system it would be best to create the order in (POTS Telephone, FiOS, etc.) but that she will call me back once the order is created. Additionally, she states that all fees will be waived for the order! I am glad because she seems confident that she knows what to do and that she can get an order placed quickly.
• 4 hours later she calls back clearly discouraged. She says that every time she tries to associate my phone number with the order it tells her the number is not available to be used. She is concerned that the number is “in limbo” between Vonage and Verizon but confirms that the carrier code that Vonage quoted me is a Verizon code.
• Given that the Verizon systems are not allowing her to place an order that recaptures my phone number, she can’t tell me when or even if I will ever be able to get get my number back.  She promises to follow back up with me when she knows more (but doesn’t know when that will be). Clearly I am not getting my number back working for Christmas.

Christmas Day is a great day other than my wife and I spend at least five minutes explaining why our phone number is disconnected to about a dozen different relatives. I also had three relatives that called around to each other trying to find out why my phone number was disconnected before settling on calling our cell numbers or just waiting for us to call them. Most of the relatives I talk to understand that the majority of the frustration lies not in the fact that the number is lost but in the time and effort needed to deal with Customer Service to try and correct Verizon’s own mistakes.

I am grateful that I am getting some help but it has now been 9 days with a disconnected phone number. If you are from Verizon and think you can help then please email me.