A positive Verizon experience

So we traded down from a DVR to a converter box that lets us use FIOS to watch our standard definition TV. Deciding to trade down wasn't too hard--the DVR came as a freebie when we signed up. Once we had to pay for it we quickly realized that watching 3 or 4 TV shows a month was not worth the $30 we were paying. Deciding what to trade down too was more of a challenge. I am sure Verizon is just trying to compete and thankfully the market drives them to give me my choice of cable boxes (5 models to choose from) and channel packages (?? how many to choose from). After a few visits to the website and a phone call (not too long a wait) I decided to trade down to a basic converter box.

This is where it actually got good. I was waiting for the customer service rep to offer me my choice of weekdays where I could skip work to let them in to the house so they could swap boxes. Instead she said, "Your new box will arrive in 5 to 7 business days. You'll then have 30 days to take your DVR to the UPS store."

But it got even more pleasant. I made the mistake of packaging the DVR and taking it to the UPS store. (I did walk all around the block in the snow carrying the DVR but I can't blame Verizon for me forgetting directions to the store now can I?). When I got there the woman behind the counter said, "Oh your a Verizon customer--just leave it with us. You can take the box if you want. We'll re-package it." I was dumb-struck. I didn't have to pay. I didn't have to package. I didn't have to do anything. (Well I should have asked for a receipt--I didn't think of that until I was half a block away so I had to go back for it but again that is hardly Verizon's fault.)

All-in-all I was quite pleased. If you're a Verizon TV customer and find yourself needing to change equipment ask if they have the self-install option.