I have also received the worst customer service possible from Verizon in response to the FIOS Bundle Promotion and have still not received the promised 19" Sharp LCD TV, nearly 4 months after ordering the bundle.
Verizon does not send an email confirmation of anything that they discuss with you, which should have been a 'red flag' since they are an internet company. They, obviously, do not want a paper trail that would confirm what they put you through in the customer's efforts in trying to claim what they promote in their full page advertising.
I have been a Verizon customer for 25 year, and heard wonderful things about the FIOS internet product (Consumer Reports raves about it).in mid-December of the fiber optic lines were finally laid in my neighborhood and so I took advantage of the "Free Sharp 19" LCD TV newspaper ad, and signed up for the internet-TV-telephone promotion bundle that was offered.
At the time that I signed up, via telephone (no local verizon office would handle the promotion - this should have been a warning sign), the order taker did her best to cross-sell me to higher priced items. At the end of our conversation, I asked for a confirmation of what I had ordered and also requested a confirmation of when my TV would arrive. I was told that it would be 4-6 weeks, so that I would not cancel during the 30 day 'opt-out' portion of the agreement. I felt that was a reasonable statement, but still requested a confirmation that the promotional TV would indeed be forwarded. No such confirmation ever arrived.
I have now waited nearly 4 months and my wife and I have made nearly 20 phone call to various 800,888, 866, etc... Customer service numbers in an effort to arrange to receive the promised promotion item. These 20 phone call amounted to approximately 10 hours of lost time while on hold or listening to another apologist explain that the previous telephone conversation info is lost, or they feel our pain regarding our long delay, or a supervisor can not talk to you right now, but will be happy to research and call you back (which never happens)!
My next correspondence is to the FCC, to file a complaint and see if they can do anything to punish Verizon for their deceptive and apparently fraudulent advertising practices.
Please note that the FIOS product is excellent... Just do not fall for their free TV promotion. My suggestion would be to arrange, in lieu of the promotion, to receive a substantial discount in the monthly charges.
Another supervisor (no confirmation email is ever provided) is scheduled to contact me on 4/14/08 to update me on the progress of my TV voucher. I would be happy to provide follow up info, in the coming weeks, of my pursuit of the phantom TV.
Like a previous complaint stated, I believe that Verizon's business plan, regarding this promotion, is to wear the customer down and never forward the product. They should be punished by the Federal Commmunication Commision for this unfair practice.
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