Long time no blog. But couldn't help writing a post about Verizon DSL Customer Service. If you spot Alopecia Areata the next time we meet, blame it on my pulling-my-hair as I tried to upgrade my internet speed.
Oct 24, 2010
2100: Happily enjoying a 3-year old DSL connection with 3-Mbps speed.
2200: Submitted an online order to upgrade speed to 10-15Mbps.
2300: No confirmation email received. Decided to live-chat and find out if order is in place.
2310: Live chat confirmed order in place. Estimated service ready date Oct 27. Live-chat sent follow up email with blank content.
Oct 25, 2010
0508: Order confirmation email received. Message body empty. Blank. Nix. Nothing. Null.
0924: [17 min] - Verizon Support. Attempting to reach right department. Transfer-hold-transfer-hold-transfer-calldrop.
0943: [05 min] - Verizon Support. Attempting to reach right department. Reached MA instead of PA. Transfer-calldrop.
0948: [02 min] - Verizon Support. Attempting to reach right department. In vain.
0950: [36 min] - Verizon Support. Extremely helpful agent. "Sir I see here your service plan upgrade is scheduled for Oct 28. But we can expedite it. Hold. Hold more. Your service will be active by 5pm today. If not, give us a call."
1800: Service plan upgrade not in place. So, time to call again.
1903: [11 min] - Verizon Support. "Sir, there is no such thing as expedite upgrade. You will have to wait until Oct 27." (Note: somebody tells me 27. Somebody, 28. Somebody, 25 expedite)
2000: Previously working internet suddenly out of service.
2004: [14 min] - Verizon Support. "Sir, I see your plan upgrade is in process. Since it is pending, your internet is not working. It will be active once your upgrade is complete. It should be done on or before Oct 27 6pm."
(Why did you disconnect a working service if you weren't ready to upgrade until 2 days later?)
2019: [03 min] - Verizon Support. "Sir this is the wrong department"
2101: [18 min] - Verizon Support: "Sir you had called about your problem before. Is it about the same thing? Hmm yes. Because your service is being upgraded, you have no service. Wait until Oct 27 6pm and then call us if it doesn't work."
2200: Live Chat: "I am sorry for your inconvenience. I would have felt the same way. You should call us in the morning and we can conference you with Verizon central office, to know how soonest your internet will work again.". Live chat sent a blank followup email.
Oct 26, 2010
0804: [28 min] - Verizon Support. "Let me talk to Verizon central office. Hold. Hold. Yes, they are saying they started your upgrade, but there was an issue so you will have to wait until Oct 27 6pm before your internet is active. As for your current service, if you want it to be active until the upgrade is over, you will have to call sales and change your plan back to 3Mbps, but it's the same procedure all over again. Your service is out because they need to change some wires. The current wires don't support 10-15Mbps. If the internet doesn't work by 6pm tomorrow, give us a call. By the way, are you running Windows? Is your modem turned on? Is your modem connected to the wall jack? Is that the only jack in your house? Yes. then I am happy to say you are all set up for your service tomorrow." (Wait. I had a service from a few years ago until few hours ago. of course my modem is connected and ready.)
Oct 27, 2010
Yes, Good guess. They lied to me when they said it would be active today. Time to call them again.
0710: [09 min] - Hold music. Then Blank. I had to hang up.
0719: [14 min] - "I see that your modem is not receiving a signal from our central office. The network specialists are working on your connection. Please leave your modem switched on and keep your cell phone active. Our network specialists will call you to say 'hey! your internet is now active'. But please be advised, your service should be active tomorrow. Otherwise give us a call."
[Waiting]
Well, the internet outage is not a major issue. But I don't understand. Isn't speed upgrade a software flag they have to change? Even if they *do* require hardware change, shouldn't they start the upgrade process when the hardware is ready to go, so as to minimize downtime? I thought this was 2010!
