Electronics

[focksie]

I'm also in the northeast and have not received a letter. What I can say is that Verizon has been using threatening tactics over the past 2 years or so to change our copper wiring to fiber-optics. This would require them to come into our home and install different equipment/wiring. They have claimed that copper wiring is outdated and causes problems. What they don't tell people is that their fiber-optic wiring is exclusive to Verizon, so once it's installed, you do not have a choice of carriers in the future. That is their ultimate m.o.

I have told them if they continue to harass me about changing my wiring, I will change my service. That shut them up pretty quick and I'm now on a "Do Not Call for Migration" list. (They call the changeover "migration")

[maryebrown_1]

We had Verizon for 11 years...our bills went from $30/mo. to $90 just for basic service (plus caller ID). The lines were awful in our area (rural) and the last 3 years we had them, the line constantly had a weird noise in the background. We purchased Samsung Tracfone Cell Phones (2 from the Q) in Nov. 2012, with 1400 minutes + 1 yr. service, and triple minutes for the life of the phone. DS transferred his number from his 10 yr. old cell, also a tracfone, no problem. I tried to transfer our Verizon home number to my new cell...it took 5 days for Verizon to "allow" it (they couldn't refuse, but they held it up).

That company is filled with spiteful control freaks...their customer service is non-existent and I think Focksie (post above me) describes them to a tee! My advice - get rid of Verizon as soon as you can dump them!

Edited to add: We spent about $200 for the 2 cellphones, the cost was what we would have paid for 2 months w/ Verizon...so we've SAVED $1400 by unloading them! Add in the savings from Verizon's long distance charges, it's closer to double that!

[circles]

my brother and sister-in-law live in Michigan and received that letter...they are not happy..but it sounds like there will be no choice when it happens...

[focksie]

Jordan, re-reading your OP, do I understand that your mom doesn't yet have fiber-optic wiring? If so, I have no doubt that this letter is yet another one of Verizon's threatening tactics. Don't let them scare your mom into changing her copper wiring. I'd call and tell them there are plenty of other carriers and if they don't want your business, it's fine by you. So many of my neighbors have fallen for their shpiel. Those people I know who have also switched their cable tv to Verizon Fios are sorry they did.

ETA: Just to further illustrate what low-lives they are, a rep. told me on the phone that our condo manager had given Verizon permission to access our apartments to change all the wiring to fiber-optics. When I checked with our manager, she said she never did any such thing. Other times when they called, they said, "We hear you've been having problems with your phone. You need to change your wiring to avoid further problems." I said I haven't been having problems and if they are going to try to intentionally give me problems, I will immediately terminate my service with them!

[Jordan2]

On 3/14/2014 focksie said:

Jordan, re-reading your OP, do I understand that your mom doesn't yet have fiber-optic wiring? If so, I have no doubt that this letter is yet another one of Verizon's threatening tactics. Don't let them scare your mom into changing her copper wiring. I'd call and tell them there are plenty of other carriers and if they don't want your business, it's fine by you. So many of my neighbors have fallen for their shpiel. Those people I know who have also switched their cable tv to Verizon Fios are sorry they did.

ETA: Just to further illustrate what low-lives they are, a rep. told me on the phone that our condo manager had given Verizon permission to access our apartments to change all the wiring to fiber-optics. When I checked with our manager, she said she never did any such thing. Other times when they called, they said, "We hear you've been having problems with your phone. You need to change your wiring to avoid further problems." I said I haven't been having problems and if they are going to try to intentionally give me problems, I will immediately terminate my service with them!

My mother does have fiber optics. Shortly after Sandy Verizon replaced the copper wiring, they said fiber optics was better. I'm going to call on Monday to see what all this is about. Sometimes my mother doesn't always fully understand the discusions at AARP.

[Nuttmeg]

On 3/15/2014 jordan2 said:

On 3/14/2014 focksie said:

Jordan, re-reading your OP, do I understand that your mom doesn't yet have fiber-optic wiring? If so, I have no doubt that this letter is yet another one of Verizon's threatening tactics. Don't let them scare your mom into changing her copper wiring. I'd call and tell them there are plenty of other carriers and if they don't want your business, it's fine by you. So many of my neighbors have fallen for their shpiel. Those people I know who have also switched their cable tv to Verizon Fios are sorry they did.

ETA: Just to further illustrate what low-lives they are, a rep. told me on the phone that our condo manager had given Verizon permission to access our apartments to change all the wiring to fiber-optics. When I checked with our manager, she said she never did any such thing. Other times when they called, they said, "We hear you've been having problems with your phone. You need to change your wiring to avoid further problems." I said I haven't been having problems and if they are going to try to intentionally give me problems, I will immediately terminate my service with them!

My mother does have fiber optics. Shortly after Sandy Verizon replaced the copper wiring, they said fiber optics was better. I'm going to call on Monday to see what all this is about. Sometimes my mother doesn't always fully understand the discusions at AARP.

You may want to ask them about the cost of replacing or service for the backup battery in your Mother's phone system.