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Verizon Settles With NJ Over Misleading FiOS Marketing
TVs that never arrived, prices that were higher than advertised.

Verizon has agreed to pay the state of New Jersey $795,000 and about $50 to each of roughly 1,100 customers in the state. Why? According to the office of New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram, Verizon failed to deliver promotional items promised to FiOS consumers in flyers (you might recall one promotion where Verizon promised free televisions, then failed to deliver them). According to Milgram, Verizon also frequently wound up charging FiOS customers more money than the prices promised in door-to-door promotional materials, violating the Consumer Fraud Act and other state consumer protections.


A statement demands a number of things from Verizon going forward, most of which are just basic customer satisfaction concepts. According to the AG's office, Verizon must provide greater transparency in promotions, more accurate billing, an up-front estimate of a customer's first FiOS bill (including all sneaky fees), and must have a "reasonable" amount of the free promotional item they're giving away actually in stock.

"Consumers want crystal clear television when they sign up for FiOS and they deserve a crystal clear explanation of service terms and conditions," said David Szuchman, Consumer Affairs Director. "This settlement ensures that consumers will get what they are promised when signing up for FiOS service."
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woody7
Premium Member
join:2000-10-13
Torrance, CA

1 edit

woody7

Premium Member

hmmm.....

Unless I missread, you get $50 for a TV you were promised and didn't get?What a deal

icemannyr1
join:2001-04-11
Township Of Washington, NJ

1 edit

icemannyr1

Member

Re: hmmm.....

Now how about getting Time Warner to stop running the misleading ad where the actor says "You get every game of all 9 NY area sports teams in HD, with FiOS you don't." That ad is totally false.
Only in very small print do they clarify on screen that only the games shown on HD channels will be HD.
There is no MSG2 HD or MSG+2 HD so Time Warner can't bring you all games in HD.

Tokidoki
Premium Member
join:2002-08-26
South Richmond Hill, NY

Tokidoki

Premium Member

Re: hmmm.....

said by icemannyr1:

Now how about getting Time Warner to stop running the misleading ad where the actor says "You get every game of all 9 NY area sports teams in HD, with FiOS you don't." That ad is totally false.
Only in very small print do they clarify on screen that only the games shown on HD channels will be HD.
There is no MSG2 HD or MSG+2 HD so Time Warner can't bring you all games in HD.
Interesting since there are HD channels for those stations. It's channel 747 (MSG+2 HD) and 727 (MSG2 HD) here in Manhattan.

It's okay though, NY1 obviously is the #1 reason to stay with TWC
bnceo
join:2007-10-11
Bel Air, MD

bnceo to icemannyr1

Member

to icemannyr1
It's misleading because Cablevision (who controls MSG HD) won't let FiOS use the feed. So it's not Verizon's fault. It's simply the cable providers who run the HD channels who are afraid to help the competition.

asd3
@comcast.net

asd3

Anon

Re: hmmm.....

verizon can get the channel but they dont want to pay the price cablevision wants for it.

Pathfinder5
Dazed Confused
Premium Member
join:2000-03-26
New York, NY

Pathfinder5

Premium Member

Re: hmmm.....

said by asd3 :

verizon can get the channel but they dont want to pay the price cablevision wants for it.
Wrong. If you do the search you will find the article on here where it clearly states that Cablevion will not offer it to Verizon.

battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000

battleop to bnceo

Member

to bnceo
"cable providers who run the HD channels who are afraid to help the competition"

It is Verizon's fault that they didn't cut the deals needed to carry the games. Should CBS provide a feed to ABC because CBS won the rights to the SEC Championship game?
bnceo
join:2007-10-11
Bel Air, MD

bnceo

Member

Re: hmmm.....

Bad comparison. Those are two networks and networks only. In this case, you have a network who also is a cable provider in direct competition with FiOS.

I'm simply saying that I find it hard to believe that FiOS won't pony up the $$ if they are given the same deal as a Comcast or Time Warner get. I wouldn't be shocked if CV is making FiOS pay much more than others for the right to carry MSG HD.

Reminds me of the way CV blocked FiOS from carrying MSNBC for a while.

Gbcue
Premium Member
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA

Gbcue to battleop

Premium Member

to battleop
said by battleop:

"cable providers who run the HD channels who are afraid to help the competition"

It is Verizon's fault that they didn't cut the deals needed to carry the games. Should CBS provide a feed to ABC because CBS won the rights to the SEC Championship game?
And this is why Comcast shouldn't be able to buy a big network like NBC/Universal.

N3OGH
Yo Soy Col. "Bat" Guano
Premium Member
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs

1 recommendation

N3OGH to woody7

Premium Member

to woody7
At least Jersey fought back.

Verizon (former Bell Atlantic) hosed PA for millions in tax breaks and didn't deliver a damn thing.

Good for you Jersey. Now all you need is a Neutron bomb for Trenton. Man the politics over there are bad.

Disclaimer. I have no intention of hurting anyone, especially anyone holding elective office. Heck, I don't even like swatting flies, and I really do adore my kittens. I was just trying to make the statement that there are too many entrenched politicians in office everywhere. Please, New Jersey please do not sic your Nazi Storm trooper Gestapo-esque paramilitary enforcement officers on me. I do not possess a Neutron bomb, or any other implement of destruction, never have, and never will! Thanks

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine

Member

Re: hmmm.....

I would just settle for a grand or two off my property taxes.

DannyZ
Gentoo Fanboy
Premium Member
join:2003-01-29
united state

DannyZ to N3OGH

Premium Member

to N3OGH
That would be Billions, not Millions »Did Verizon Scam Pennsylvania?

Verizon has not received a penny from me since I learned of the scam.
nowcharter
Charter HSI
join:2002-09-11
Uxbridge, MA

nowcharter

Member

NJ is happy

1100 customers * $50 = $55000 for customers.
$795000 / 1100 customers = $722 per customer for the state.
Go NJ.

woody7
Premium Member
join:2000-10-13
Torrance, CA

woody7

Premium Member

Re: NJ is happy

yea, shouldn't it be reversed?
nowcharter
Charter HSI
join:2002-09-11
Uxbridge, MA

1 recommendation

nowcharter

Member

Re: NJ is happy

Not as bad as the tobacco settlement, where the states get $206,000,000,000 over 25 years for the smoker's injury and the smokers get new taxes.

woody7
Premium Member
join:2000-10-13
Torrance, CA

woody7

Premium Member

Re: NJ is happy

second that, and they probably spent it already. go figure

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536 to nowcharter

Premium Member

to nowcharter
said by nowcharter:

Not as bad as the tobacco settlement, where the states get $206,000,000,000 over 25 years for the smoker's injury and the smokers get new taxes.
isn't business in america wonderful?

beerbum
Premium Member
join:2000-05-06
behind you..
Motorola MB8600
ARRIS TG862
Asus RT-AC5300

beerbum to nowcharter

Premium Member

to nowcharter
said by nowcharter:

1100 customers * $50 = $55000 for customers.
$795000 / 1100 customers = $722 per customer for the state.
Go NJ.
feh.. that 795K to the state + the $55K comes to a whopping $850K..

in other words, pocket change to Verizon. No I take that back, $850K dollars is sofa change to them..

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536

Premium Member

Re: NJ is happy

said by beerbum:
said by nowcharter:

1100 customers * $50 = $55000 for customers.
$795000 / 1100 customers = $722 per customer for the state.
Go NJ.
feh.. that 795K to the state + the $55K comes to a whopping $850K..

in other words, pocket change to Verizon. No I take that back, $850K dollars is sofa change to them..
Which will filter down to its subs as a line item fee on your bill. financially penalizing a big company never hurts it, it just makes for more BS fees for customers.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080 to nowcharter

Member

to nowcharter
said by nowcharter:

1100 customers * $50 = $55000 for customers.
$795000 / 1100 customers = $722 per customer for the state.
Go NJ.
I AGREE! Those figures should have been flip-flopped! $50 to NJ and $722 for each RIPPED OFF CUSTOMER! IMO, I'd refuse to be part of the class action & sue them myself! $722 would buy a NICE tv for getting ripped off thoughout the year (if a customer actually paid higher rates & were scammed out of any benefits).
soothsayer15
join:2002-03-01
Irving, TX

soothsayer15

Member

Promos

I wish they would do that with more businesses. I have a neighbor that works at a company (Parago) that processes rebates and promo offers for companies. The companies bank on customers not following up promotional offers.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

Re: Promos

said by soothsayer15:

I wish they would do that with more businesses. I have a neighbor that works at a company (Parago) that processes rebates and promo offers for companies. The companies bank on customers not following up promotional offers.
Made me think of this...

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· 0vquRcys

morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000

morbo

Member

Lie now, pay later...if ever

Verizon gained customers and business from their advertisements, and failed to live up to what was promised.

In cases like this where the company shows a disregard for what was promised and is not able to fix it within a reasonable time frame, the fine or punishment should equal the total amount received from consumers in that state plus an additional percentage for good measure. Say 20%. In other words, it should hurt them. This "fine" now is a drop in the bucket to what they've already made off of the lies.