Complaint / Review
Verizon
FIOS Huge Ripoff—Bait and Switch Long Beach

Long Beach residents beware of Verizon FIOS. Here's what happened to me. A Verizon representative talked me into getting the Verizon Triple Play FIOS package which is advertised at $99.99 per month for phone, internet and cable TV. It sounds too good to be true because it isn't true. My bill is now over $400 a month.
Let me list the lies I was told.

1.)"You'll get all the cable channels you are currently enjoying." A BIG lie. When I tried to access HBO, the on-air screen told me that I need to pay an additional fee for HBO. When I tried to access the lowly Game Show Channel (GSN) I was told it's a separate subscription and an additional fee.
2.) I was promised big savings. I'm paying $150 more a month.
3.) You only need one DVR because you can access it from any other TV with a box in the house. When I tried to access a program from another TV I was told I need to subscribe to that service for an additional fee.
4.) Sales told me that installation would take three hours. Very important to me because I use my computer for work.installation took over NINE hours and is still incomplete because some of the wiring wasn't available.
5.) I was told that my internet connection would be at least twice as fast. There is absolutely no difference in Internet speed.
6.) I have more "pixilation" on my TV picture than I ever had with my previous Cable provider.
7.) When I called Verizon they acted like the Sales Department had vanished and the billing department knew absolutely nothing about the $99.99 offer that is even printed on my bill. A Verizon technician told me to go to the Verizon office in person and they might (might!) help me. A neighbor told me that they fell victim to the same "bait and switch" tactics and it was never resolved.

Now I have to take more time off from work at my expense to try to straighten this out. The more I talk to other victims, the more hopeless it seems. Terrible customer service. Outrageous "hold time" on the phone. Half the time, you get transferred to "other" departments and your call is dropped.