How do I get Verizon to fix my dsl?

May 26, 2009 6:22 PM

How do I get Verizon to fix my DSL?

I have had intermittent connection problems on my dsl line since it was installed. The problem went away for the winter and came back in the spring. So, it took me 4 calls to get a worker out to my house. The guy who came lowered the speed on my connection and said if this didn't work then it was a problem back at the office. Lowering the speed didn't work: how do I get them to fix this?

Calling dsl tech support i get caught it in a loop (don't even get me started on how they refused to talk to me if i admit i'm using linux) doing the same bullshit diagnostic flowchart. Escalating to the supervisor seems to have gotten a guy to come out last time, but that was very trying.... is there some magic word, or easter egg hidden in this nightmare of corporate tech support that will get them to actually make my dsl functional?

posted by geos to computers & internet (12 comments total)

is there some magic word, or easter egg hidden in this nightmare of corporate tech support that will get them to actually make my dsl functional?

No. They have very little incentive to provide quality service to you. As it is you're still hanging on and paying your bill despite the lousy service. They are betting that you'll keep hanging on, at least for a while longer, on the hope-alone that your service will improve.

Hence, they have designed an arcane and maddening maze of customer service dead-ends and blind alleys whereby customers like yourself are kept hanging on with the promise of resolution.

Ditch your service. Demand a refund. And try and find another provider.
posted by wfrgms at 6:26 PM on May 26 [1 favorite has favorites]

Threaten to switch to another provider. Then, when that doesn't get them to fix the problem, actually switch to another provider.
posted by decathecting at 6:27 PM on May 26 [1 favorite has favorites]

Are you absolutely sure that it's not an issue with either your internal wiring or the NID (the box all of the copper runs into form the street).

When I had Verizon DSL, I ran into intermittent connection issues only when it rained (or was very humid). It turned out that there was a torn cable. The line would short when moisture came in contact with it. I would test out all of your internal wiring to the NID just to make sure.
posted by zerokey at 6:29 PM on May 26

Note: that torn cable was part of the internal wiring. Verizon is only responsible for the cabling running to the NID (as well as the NID itself).
posted by zerokey at 6:30 PM on May 26

As someone who plays 'FIX IT' for a living .. intermittent issues are the ABSOLUTE worst.

That being said --

1. Document - If you can find a program that keeps a log of when your connection is up/down, this is fuel for the fire to get it fixed. A metric is important here.

2. Communication - It costs Verizon money to try and fix it. Keep calling them until its fixed. Back it up with (1). Eventually they will replace what is broken.

There are so many places it can go wrong -- you might even try posting to Craigslist for a "local geek" who can pull up your modem logs for a 6 pack of beer. For a 12 pack, he might even call Verizon when your DSL goes down. I know I would.
posted by SirStan at 6:49 PM on May 26

When I was working on my Verizon DSL problem last week and the week before, I ran across an askmefi response where someone said that their DSL went funny when the temperature went up -- something about the cable heating up.

My own problem ended up having to do with using a splitter on a phone jack -- and being far from the central office (the first part of the problem, the splitter is definitely true - I am not sure if I buy the "central office" stuff).

That having been said, I lost count of how many tech people I talked with and how many little fixes were suggested to me before one tech person mentioned the splitter.

Also, I got a small credit to my bill for all the time my DSL was down -- although my friends told me I should push for a whole month's credit -- maybe you'll manage to do that -- Good luck.
posted by nnk at 7:12 PM on May 26

is there some magic word, or easter egg hidden in this nightmare of corporate tech support that will get them to actually make my dsl functional?

I have to disagree with the first reply, as, in former GTE areas, there is: Do you have your DSL on the same set of wires as your telephone service? This is the most common setup, so if you have filters on your other phones, the answer is yes. If you do, call the telephone (not DSL) repair line and say: "I have intermittent static on my phone line and it affects my ability to dial 911." That is the secret incantation that has been replayed on DSLReports.com for years and it always seems to inspire Verizon to action.

That being said, here are some other things to try:

- Do you have filters on every telephone device in your house? If not (i.e. you have on some but not all, especially if you have a home security system), fix this. Common culprits are security systems, guest-room telephones, satellite/cable boxes.

- Find a local geek (not Geek Squad, plz) and ask them to come out and run a temporary wire from your NID (he or she will know what this is) directly to your DSL modem and place a filter the other leg that goes into your house to all your phones. If your connection remains stable at this point, the problem is with your internal wiring. Either make the temporary connection permanent, or pay said geek (or Verizon) to fix your internal wiring issues. This solution has fixed 95% of all DSL connection stability problems I've seen since DSL was rolled out.
posted by fireoyster at 7:25 PM on May 26

Take it to the fine folks at The Consumerist
posted by deezil at 7:41 PM on May 26

Because Verizon is regulated by the local PUCs they do have a tremendous incentive to fix problems. There have been some other Ask Metas on the same topics. Your best options are to:

1) Call your local PUC. They hate complaints to them, and you will get a pretty quick call back to try to resolve your problem.

2) Look for the number of the "Office of the President' on the internet. If you can find that, they will be very responsive.
posted by hazyspring at 8:38 PM on May 26

Talk to the regular phone people and have them check the copper outside your house. It sounds to me like that might be your problem.
posted by frecklefaerie at 10:12 AM on May 27

i was a phone call away from filing a complaint with the PUC, but verizon decided to act like they have technical support on the last call. still don't know whether they have fixed it but they are at least trying, latest attempt is to switch the pair that the dsl is running over. i don't have a phone, just dsl and the modem is connected directly to the outside box...

here is a magic word i learned to get verizon dsl to send out a technician instead of trying to diagnose user failure over the phone, get ready, it's really stupid:

"Hello, my dsl light is blinking and then my connection goes out"

apparently, the phone tech support isn't smart enough to ask whether the dsl light is blinking, but they are trained to know that if it is then it is likely a signal failure (as versus a connection failure) and thus happening outside of the house and thus their responsibility.
posted by geos at 9:12 AM on June 3

problem still not solved... Verizon is betting the house on fiber optic and hoping no one notices their copper network falling apart. uggg... PUC here i come...
posted by geos at 1:55 PM on August 19