Verizon FIOS NJ Bell, NY Telephone, Verizon Verizon bill slams, provides substandard service, dunns you as delinquent 13 days into your billing cycle with suspension threats, New York City, New York Nationwide

 Verizon engages in abusive and unacceptable business practices, in my opinion.

A.  I had a contract for 2 years for $79, Verizon upped it to $99 after 1 year. I protested and they gave me a one time $10 discount.  After 2 years, they upped it to $130 a month, a year later to $150 a month, now a $170 a month. These prices are exclusive of an additional $18.xx in fees.  At the time I took it, my phone bill with Verizon had been $25, I used dial up modem at $15 a month, and had a free to air Television.  My $40 monthly amount was "accelerated" by Verizon from the $79 a month, to over $188 over the course of 4 years.

B.  I had been a Verizon customer for telephone since 1949.  My bill varied from about $12 a month to about $25 a month.  Today I barely use my land line, mainly I get ROBOCALLS at it, and it is part of the above. Nonethtless, since 1947 I have paid my bill RELIGIOUSLY, never delinquent.  One time two $175 charges from a nonexistent cellphone in Trinidad showed up and it took me six months and the BPU to get Verizon to take off a bill for cellular "incoming" charges for a phone that Trinidad and Tobago Telco insisted did not exist.  Nonetheless, I pay my bills on time and have done so for about 68 years.  Even so, a few months ago, 2 weeks after my Billing Statement Date, Verizon started dunning and collection proceedings on me for the immediate preceding bill, before it was past the 28 day (4 week) mandatory payment cycle dictated by NJ State Law. Instead, they started dunning me with Suspension Notices by eMail, threatening me with a $75 reconnection fee, and collection costs and court costs in what they claimed was a "Reminder Notice" but was actually a thinly disguised extortion letter PRIOR TO MY LAST PAYMENT DUE DATE. They emphasized it by adding on my current month bill and threaten me over the phone when I call to protest.  I have consulted with the AG's office and the BPU and they want me to lodge complaints, say it is not legal, it's called "Bill Slapping". I like that "BS".

C. I have several DTS Motorol Set Top Boxes from Verizon. I noticed that during Internet use they sometimes hang, and when a simple text comes in to my AT&T Cellphone, they stop altogether for from 15-45 Seconds. I miss whatever was on that channel as the entire TV system freezes for the duration.  I have complained until I'm blue in the face and Verizon replaced the set top boxes finally after months, but not the Router.  They then decided what was at fault was my AT&T Cellphone. The rep told me they'd take a complaint call again from me if AFTER I SWITCH OVER TO VERIZON WIRELESS CELLPHONE SERVICE, I then have the problem.  My neighbor with the same phone and FIOS does not have this problem. I suspoect it is just improperly installed but the techs refuse to come out unless I agree to a $500 payment if they find nothing. You can rest assured they will find nothing and I'll end up paying $500 if I agree to it.

D.  The TV Programming on FIOS TV has steadily worsened. Over half of the previous premium channels have been replaced by innumerable "Video on Demand" Channels which charge $5.99 and up for video content.  If I get On Demand to see a program I came in in the middle of, that costs extra.  The layout is an abomination, and the content is ridiculous. The Spanish Channels occupy part of the system but have NO ENGLISH AUDIO CHANNEL, so I can't use them.  Even though I have DTS TVs, the Set Top Box is incapable of transmitting HD in DTS format to my TVs, so the HD TV channels are inaccessible.  The remote controls break down constantly costing $15 to replace with no warranty after the first year of use.  The menu is poorly organized and hard to read, yet it has the audacity to play ADVERTISEMENTS at its bottom that are far brighter than the menu, causing immediate visual distraction.  Channels regularly stop and don't start again for minutes or longer.

Altogether, FIOS is NOT a servicd worth the $188 I'm charged for it. The telephone service is superfluous, the internet is surprisingly slow most of the time and the TV is terrible. The billing is terrible and the service is a monumental disaster. Even the Controllers are badly designed. It's circa 1980 tech in a 2015 wrapper.

They could do so much better a job. But the Bill Slapping and overbilling is an absurdity. To continue to offer $79 triple plays and bill $188 to long term customers is pretty consistent with Verizon's attitude.

I've been a good paying customer since 1949, Verizon could care less and still treats me like I'm the one who's always wrong. In Verizon's tiny little brain, the Customer is Always Wrontg!