Installation NIGHTMARE!!! Still not ready for prime-time!

[pockets78]

So far, my FIOS install has been one of the worst install experiences of my life.  Even worse than my original Voom satellite service install (back in April 2004).

Last Wednesday (5/17/06) was my FIOS install. Installer showed up around 9:30am. Immediately noticed there was no buried cable. He spent about 30-45 min's on the phone and finally got everything straightened out, and got the authorization to bury the wire.  Then he hooked up the new stuff (outside box, inside box, battery pack, modem, network cable run, etc) including replacing my 1970's wire terminals with a modern plastic phone line connector thingie.  He then ran a 400' fiber patch cable around my house, the neighbors house and into the FIOS block on the street.  At this point, no phone or internet, but there is signal on the fiber. Go figure. During this time period, if you were to call my house, there is some message like not a valid phone number.

Anyways, after a while of being on the phone he left around 4:30pm (7 HOURS LATER!!!), promising to be back later.

Eventually he calls back saying he's going to the CO and called in the "fiber expert" because they believe there is a problem at the CO now. (Originally they thought it was a cut fiber down the street, but that has been since fixed).

On 5/18, still no success. Waiting on "engineering" to fix a bad port setting at the CO. (ie: my FIOS ONT is linked to someone elses CO port!). No ETA on when this will be fixed. However, they did successfully forward our home phone to the cell phone.

Then on 5/19, Still no success. They did bury the cable to my house, tho. They claim its a computer problem that the computers wont accept the change to the CO, so my entire CO if F-d up! Supposedly, someone in Texas is working on it now.

Then Saturday 5/20, Still nothing new. The tech said they probably don't work weekends, so not to expect anything until Monday at the earliest.

Today, 5/22, Still no phone or internet. Engineering team in Texas couldn't fix the problem! I'm not sure whats happening now.  And our phone doesn't seem to be forwarded anymore.  You call, get a ring, then white noise, and then it hangs up on you about 3 seconds later.

This is a horrible install.  I haven't read anything bad about FIOS at all up until my install.  Is it possible that I'm the only one with a bad install?  What's worse is that there is not ETA to fix the problem.  I'll probably be without service for weeks! 

This sucks.

-John

BTW, I'm in Columbia (Howard County, MD).

[pockets78]

Well, as of the evening of 5/24, my FIOS install is finally working!!!  Woo-hoo.  Pretty good speeds too.  About 15.1 down and 1.4 up.  A little slower on the up side than I thought I would get, but its still ok.

-John

[CSOS]

WOW man, that was one  f'd up install.
Glad they ggot it going.....i berrlieve, they are overextended to the max with the damnd alone for this technology.
My instal wwent  flalwess

[PETRO14]

Pockets,

Did you ever get your service up and running?  This is suprising to hear, sounds like there was an issue with the buried fiber or something.  Let us know what the outcome was.

Petro

[tonymtn]

Amen.