What's the deal with Verizon NYC, sending out letter's ( RE: Discontinuation of Intra-State Local and Special Access Private Lines DSO Services in NYC.) Telling Customer's, That all Copper lines will be disconnected, and replaced with Fiber, and their Phone system will no longer work after 12/15/17, But they have a New Cloud Base System that you can purchase ???
Some call it "Marketing"....I call it "Fraud"...
Nothing new there. That been on there plate since Sandy
The problem is, they're telling the customer that their Phone System will no longer work, that they have an option to buy their Cloud Base Phone System, I'm telling the customer, that they don't have a problem with the Phone System not working, when they cutover, But Verizon keeps telling them they will,
There have been rumblings that Verizon would be eliminating legacy services in some markets. First, the services would no longer be made available for new installs. Later, existing customers would no longer be able to keep the services in the event of a move. Lastly, the copper based services are discontinued.
POTS and T1 services can be migrated to fiber.
Not sure why Verizon is telling users that their phone systems won't work with the new delivery medium. POTS are delivered via fiber...FiOS. T1s can easily be handled by fiber as well.
Been installing Fios for a few years now, Always had copper break out blocks/ports on install, I think they're just trying to sell this new Cloud Base System Unless this is a vendor that works with Verizon on this because I haven't Herd of Verizon selling system for years ??
I haven't heard of it. I'm running my (1A2) KSU on Fios. Works fine.
Sam
Of course these customers are being scared into buying hosted IP services from someone. Every Tom, Dick and Harry who knows how to turn on a computer is now in the hosted services business. They are destroying this industry in a rapid manner. Only those of us who are able to survive the few years that it will take for this to crash and burn will be able to tell the story. Sadly, much of what these people are telling the customers are lies, but who are they going to believe? The multi-billion dollar corporation, or the simple honest businessman?
I don't believe that this is really Verizon (the telco) sending these notices. If this really is Verizon making these threats, they can't do this without forfeiting their franchise rights for the region. That's a LOT of recurring revenue. A LOT.
I'll bet you a dollar that it is Verizon's subsidiary, VeriZon Business, (formerly MCI) doing this. Yep, they operate under the VeriZon brand name, but in reality, they are the CLEC formerly known as MCI. They have snowed many of our customers over with that naming trickery in the DC market lately. Guess where their marketing office is? Yep, right there in the 212.
How much do you want to bet that this is just a marketing scam? Who's going to question which VeriZon division it is? Your customer is going to go into panic mode and sign on the dotted line without even checking with you. This is your time to be proactive with your customer base.
I'm no fan of Verizon the telco at all, but even they aren't this shady.
The REAL Verizon, the telco, is a regulated utility in NY. Until the state's public utilities commission allows Verizon to completely exit the state, they can't just stop doing business with select existing customers. Besides, even if they did that (and they have in other states), another service provider would surely take over their territory. They can't just give a customer less than 30, 60 or even 90 days to just up and replace their system.
But VeriZon Business, the CLEC, sure can trick the customers into it since they aren't a regulated utility. They are MCI in disguise.
What's next? ConEdison decides to change the power voltage from 120 to 167.3 volts?
I call total BS on this one. Mark my words. While you're being proactive with your customers on this subject, feel free to share my words as well.
Up here when they created a new area code for south of Montreal, Bell pulled this crap as well, stating that you wouldn't be able to call into or get call from the new area code. I personally had several business clients call me about it. At the time my brother-in-law was the business I&R foreman for Sherbrooke. When I complained to him about it he stated that it was good "Marketing". I replied that it was pure "Fraud". He didn't reply....
We have had several customers that got the dreaded "letter" from Verizon informing them that their copper services will no longer work after a certain date. They offer FiOS to resolve the problem. The very first time this happened, I was told I had to attend a conference call with Verizon service and several other Verizon people before this was going to cut. So, I joined the conference. The initial contact with Verizon was useless. All she was tasked to do was get the owner and whoever else on the conference call. So the call started off with a "network services engineer" saying Verizon is abandoning all copper services and will provide FiOS to replace the service. This particular customer had several FGA lines and two PRI circuits. The PRI circuits are with MASS Communications.
So, I'm listening to all this and then another person chimes in and says "We can provide you with a cloud based service so you can get all your services back and not have to deal with "hardware."
I cut him off. I said, "I thought this was a call about migrating services from copper to FiOS. The customer is absolutely not interested in your cloud services. In fact, if this is the reason you made all of us attend this conference call, I will have the customer port all of the affected numbers to their existing PRI circuits that they have with MASS Communications. Furthermore, if this was a sales pitch disguised as a service change notice, I, for one, take exception to that. You have wasted my time and the customer's on pitching something they neither need or want. How about you all give me the name of your first level supervisors so I can lodge a formal complaint regarding what looks to me like a "bait and switch" game.
A few seconds of silence passed and someone else said, we will call the customer to let them know when the FiOS tech will be there to switch over the circuits.
I never got the names of their first level supervisors. Bottom line, stand your ground and call their bluff. This is SO beneath the Bell Telephone code of standards that the company has used for over 100 years. I am really disappointed with Verizon.
A few weeks later, all the FGA lines were migrated to FiOS. We had no service issues.
Rcaman
FGA
I remember those old analog lines from my days at Allnet Communication Services. Our access telephone number was (617) 357-5420. Then along came FGB and FGD. The A's were dropped later on. When Global Crossing went with VoIP switches, the FGB trunks were disconnected and it was FGD from there on out.
Verizon (business) contacted a customer of mine with the same story. They took the opportunity to switch to the cable company instead thereby cutting off Verizon altogether. That cable cutover was one of the longest I've ever done. The end result Verizon lost everything, customer is happy and saves a little bit of money.
I've also had a couple customers fall for Verizon (business) without contacting us. When we get involved and mention their alarm, the whole thing gets cancelled and whatever channel bank they installed gets left behind.
I've had Verizon Business even go as far as to have the customer's service ride on the cable company's facilities instead. Verizon Business isn't Verizon, they are a CLEC and nothing else. Just as shady as they come.
I actually feel sorry for the real Verizon, with such a sleazy example of a stepchild.
I see the new scam from Verizon is they send you an email, IMPORTANT INFORMATION, We recently received a request to connect new Verizon service(s) at your current location, Are you moving? If you're moving and need to disconnect your service(s) or request new service(s) at your new location, please call us at 1.866. VZMoves ( 1.866.896.6837), Monday to Friday 8AM-5PM. You may also visit us at verizon.com, to place your order for new service(s). Your timing is right; we have some great promotional offers that you may qualify for in your new location. If you aren't moving, please call us at the number listed above to clarify this recent request and avoid any interruptions to your service(s). Thanks for choosing Verizon After scaring the hell out of people, that think someone else has got their information and is ordering stuff, They calm you down, and tell you about this great package they can give you, and save you a lot of money ??? There has to be a law against this, especially when they target old people ????
Verizon is now notifying POTS accounts that copper phaseout is in progress and (I forget the date) end of 2018 all copper POTS support will be discontinued. I used to manage telcom services for the local Fire Dept where there are 22 POTS circuits involved with various dispatch and call taking services.
My Son now holds my position and has been in contact with Verizon Engineering and it is in fact true that POTS is going away in the 516 area code real soon. They tell him they will install 2 fiber terminals to convert Fios to POTS in their building and will phase the cutover to prevent any down time in public access to FD Dispatch.
I know most or all will say why not a PRI, It's because of the FD requirement for dual redundant phone systems for dispatch and some external caller ID boxes that drive the CAD system. They currently have IP office as the primary system and a Comdial as a backup. Both are bridged on the POTS lines as are the Caller ID boxes so the PRI is a no go.
Anyone have any thoughts on the "Terminals" they are going to install, are they POTS reliable ? What do you guys think ??
Arthur Bloom used to have great insight on all things relating to Public Safety but I have not seen him here in a while.
I have FIOS at home and have it running on a 1A2 system. It required some minor tweaks to run (mostly changing line cards because of the ringing voltage), but then i was a very early adapter. Verizon may have resolved the issues I had.
It works very well and is very reliable. Service (VERY rarely required) is fast and good (at least in Brooklyn). My only advice is TEST, TEST, TEST.
I had/have an oddball issue where a Tone dial pad (that works fine on ICM) sporadically does not work on the FIOS DT. I was pretty sure it was a bad DTMF Tone Receiver at the CO. Now I'm not sure; it may be a (partial) incompatibility.
Test all stations, all features and all configurations. it's the Fire House for heaven's sake! If there's something not working, make sure they fix it!
I wonder what the Regulatory Agencies are going to do. They usually require POTS lines for Fire Alarms, Elevators and the like.
Good luck.
Sam
Yes Sam, I to have Fios at home and it has been as reiable as POTS delivered on copper. I am still wondering about the "Terminals" they are going to install at the FD to provide service, Hope they are as trouble free as the Fios ONT I have at home.
They are aware that they must provide reliable power to the terminals and can do this via the large UPS that powers the Dispatch Equipment with backup generator to keep it going.
On the power side the FD can do better than Verizon who after Sandy let the Battery's in their remote concentraters go dead so 8 hours after the electric failed the phone service failed. It took them 3 days to fix it and the FD had to rely on the 2 lines that still worked, it later turns out that the 2 lines were Copper POTS direct from the CO.
A complaint to the PSC got all the important lines moved to direct copper by 1 unhappy Verizon but at least it worked
It's not my job anymore but I still feel uneasy about it
I feel your pain. I did a lot of Hospital work in my time - they also had a tremendous need for “no-fail†circuits. I also was the foreman at the NYC FD headquarters when they moved to downtown Brooklyn in....’82 maybe. Fun job. Nice people.
Sam