Area Residents Irate About Frontier Switchover Problems
By Brian Hews
The Hews Media Group-Community News switchboard has been inundated the past few weeks with messages from Cerritos residents who are irate about the Frontier Communications takeover of Verizon services in the area.
Frontier took over Verizon Fios, TV, and Internet a few weeks ago and residents have been experiencing outages in every category, sometimes for days.
Many residents called to say that the email system is not working correctly with one resident telling HMG-CN that “the email you (HMG-CN) sent out at seven in the morning, I didn’t get till 10 hours later.”
One of the problem areas seems to be Rancho Verde Park where long-time resident Jim McMahon told HMG-CN that he is still experiencing problems on all platforms. Residents are also irate about Frontier’s customer service, as many have told HMG-CN that customer service indicates that they will come out to their home tomorrow and they never show up.
If you have experienced problems, email, call, or write us so we can pass on to Frontier.
Editor@cerritosnews.net
562.407.3873
PO Box 788, Artesia CA 90702.
Some emails to LCCN:
I too have experienced service outage. I have 2 lines; one of which was repaired after 4 days. The other, to Frontier’s surprise, was also out. When I got a call from a technician stating that one line was repaired, and I asked about the second line, the tech was surprised and had no clue that there were 2 lines into my home. They also don’t seem to have ANY clue as to names, service location or when it might possibly be repaired.
Their hold times are abominable. As well as their online chat hold times.
Back in the old days, one could expect the CPUC to order the offending company to “toe the line” as far as repairs to the consumer. Today it looks as if there are no governing agencies that carry enough weight to help the consumer out. Someone did not do a like for like relative to equipment sustainability or technical expertise. So who suffers–the consumer. What recourse does the customer have? Looks like waiting is the only answer.
This was one of the most horrible transitions I have ever experienced with a utility. I hope never to experience a “take-over/buy-out/merger” like this again.
Hello Cerritos News,
Just read the article about other residents complaining about the Frontier takeover of Verizon FiOS. I couldn’t agree more. Here are the complaints the family has: 1) phone service has been out since the second week of April. My dad has the house security system wired through the landline and he’s worried of the security concerns. 2) The internet has been nonexistent. I cant even maintain a constant connection. Lets talk about streaming/VOD: the services doesn’t work, and when they expect us to pay this bill? 3) Customer Service: OMG don’t even get me started. So far I’ve been on the phone with 5 different reps for more than 6 hours talking about our problems; only to be told that its being investigated. It’s frustrating.
Well thanks for hearing this rant about my experiences with Frontier – Verizon FiOS.
Please if you can somehow pass the word Frontier, I’d much appreciate it.
Thank you for the frontier info from the community news.
I have same experience like email cannot be used for long time. FaceTime with family being disconnected / interrupted several times ( like 5 times) within 2-3 minutes session and all these situation were not happened under Verizon service.
Customer service was not able to help.
I donot know what to do next.
Please advice if there is way to improve it. We are thinking to cancel service and start to research which service is better in our area. If there is a service comparison in our los Cerritos area, it is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Regards,
Michelle F.
We have had trouble with this new communication system and it has gotten worse from the start of the the takeover.
My daughter finally spoke to a Michael -ticket # 002498681 @ 6:41 last night when we have a visitor at the gate to gain access. The visitor cant hear us and vice versa.
What happens if 911 needs to be called ?
A TECH IS SCHEDULED TO COME MAY 7TH BETWEEN 08-5P.This is a long wait ????
This morning is the same when I got a call from a repairman ,the conversation is cutting on and off and trying it again and again which is very frustrating.
I finally had to use my cell phone to call the repairman back, and told them to call me in my cell phone as well.What if I don’t have a cell phone.
The internet usage is not efficient as expected .I HAVE TO RE-BOOTH, RESTART REPEATEADLY ,after repeated REFERESH AND STILL NOT WORKING.
Did Cerritos leaders check the USERS of Frontier Comm.prior to its implementation IN OUR COMMUNITY.
Never had we encountered this problem from any previous systems.
Please expedite and provide action as most of the neigboorhood is very dissatisfied and plan to switch.
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NANI CRUZ
September 6, 2016 at 6:01 pm
My Verizon BUndle Package was renewed (not my choice) with FRONTIER and my home phone was inoperative for more than a week now (Sept. 1 through Sept. 6 on going). I keep on calling Frontier and everytime they connect me to service department we waited for more than 30 minutes and still no one is answering the telephone call. We have called more than 8 times and still nobody is answering my call. This is ridiculous.. we needed the house phone because of my wife health issue. If they cannot attend to our needs, they must inform us. We are paying for nothing? Very bad business ethics from Frontier!!! Dis-satisfied customer 562 404-9999…
Emerald Villas
May 10, 2016 at 11:15 am
Does anyone know how to stop these robocalls calling all day long requesting for construction work? Every phone call sounds the same; stating they know us from a year ago, and want to do some construction estimates. How can we stop this ? Is Verizon and Frontiers guilty of selling are phone numbers to contractors; even tho have non listed phone number ?
Dread Fall 2016, nearing presidential elections, will have double or triple the phone call banks.
P S
May 10, 2016 at 9:55 am
I’m very fortunate to not have any issues since the takeover. The only issues were very minor. I had to reset my STB in my bedroom and living room once by holding the power button for 15 seconds because they weren’t responding to the power button on my remote.
All the logos still say Verizon on the guide though…maybe my problem is going to come later?
Artesia
May 10, 2016 at 8:30 am
www.latimes.com/visuals/video/la-fi-vn-former-verizon-customer-says-he-s-caught-in-nightmare-after-frontier-took-over-20160505-embeddedvideo.html
Sundance HO
May 8, 2016 at 10:07 am
Frontiers consumers, if you are not eligible to get on Wi-Fi because of mismanagement from Frontiers, remember you can use your cellphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot, for your computer issues. Does cost some extra money, over and above your monthly cell phone bill, but it does work.
For all the newer General Motors car owners, your Wifi can broadcast from your car, will work to power up your computers . Many residents in this homeowners association have been using their cell phones as hotspots .
Some stores and food/beverage vendors, do have free hotspots on premise.
Verizon did not have a big hold in Cerritos, Verizon only a small portion of the Communications contract vendors.
Frontiers who purchased Verizon, you’re not going to put a lot of money into research and development into sm shareholders, as witnessed in Cer. We can thank the Chinese immigrants, for not wanting to develop Verizon markets, they are using their own Chinese dish networks.
Most of the 90703 affordable housing compounds, do not subscribe to Frontiers, subscribe to Chinese telecommunication networking.
Olde saying, why build a bank in the middle of the ocean, if there are no clients for banking. Same holds true in Cerritos, Chinese will not support Verizon, now Frontiers, so they have not built up this region.
……..Pure /simple…….Frontiers has sm. share of 90703-90701 market, so their feelings, hell w/ consumer service.
Murali Vasudevan
July 11, 2016 at 9:05 pm
Sundance very well said! However very unfortunate for those who doesn’t understand Chinese! I can’t believe that CPUC and City Of Cerritos is allowing Frontier to get away with such criminal behavior? This is as bad as it can get! Total disgrace to customer service!!!
Pixel
May 7, 2016 at 4:37 pm
A newwwwwww story merges. . Frontiers technician told us today, that when they purchased Verizon, they assume that they have –100%–purchased the PC numbers, but have failed to purchase the entire bundle, so this is why there is outages in various areas because the PC numbers were never purchased correctly, per bundle from Verizon. Frontiers said this is national problems, wherever the Frontiers-Verizon contracts were sold.
Carmenita
May 7, 2016 at 12:35 pm
Frontiers has not even updated their Network to our area code of 562/ 714, lot of times when hooked to the technicians, our computers are hooked up to 818 area code or 909 area codes. I’m surprised were not being tricked into 310/ 213/ 949 area codes.
General Telephone
May 7, 2016 at 12:29 pm
TO: Cerritos Council:
Your brag about diversity. Ha ha. Cerritos Library during the phone crisis is only broadcasting Wifi from city hall compounds, from 9am-9pm!!!!!!!. 12 hrs is non operational, what are residents to do, which can not get to the parking lot to use during this outage. Additionally, wifi is not for all, user of Library Wifi had to have Cerritos Library card to activate the free Wifi.
Frontiers premium technical support, paid subscription is pure waste of money. They don’t even know the terminology in the Philippines, what kind of computer softwares are being operated in USA.
How can Utilities Company operate out of the Philippines, when they are not even connected to the United States to do remote control access in to our computers?.
XX General Telephone.
Cell Phone Grannnie
May 7, 2016 at 10:05 am
These Advertised issues do not only stop with Verizon’s-Frontiers, but our cell phones have also been infected. Had to take my Verizon cell phone, to the Verizon Center, to have its memory cleared out, because there was a lot of Frontiers junk which landed in the cell phone , and had to be cleared out from a master computer. Verizon said the Frontiers Wi-Fi had infected many cell carriers. Could this possibly be Union issues with Verizon, possibly they have tainted a lot of the records being passed on from Verizon to Frontiers during the sale.
Gal
May 7, 2016 at 9:54 am
What is our Senator, congresswoman, assemblywoman, supervisor all doing to investigate this larger-than-life utilities issue. Never witnessed such chaos in all my life, and why hasn’t our elected officials, done anything to enforce that these utility companies, stop doing business out of the United States, instead of Frontiers using phone call centers out of the Philippines. This is just a disaster, and it has gone on for more than five weeks, and I hear no Investigations out of Sacramento or Washington DC.
Supervisor Knabe lives in the thick of this in Cerritos, please publish his investigations of this utility crisis.
How is the state of Texas and Florida handling the Verizon / Frontiers merge?
How many lives have been lost, by surfing in n out of 911 connections.
Murali Vasudevan
July 11, 2016 at 9:11 pm
Couldn’t agree more! Total anarchy! No controls, no accountability, looks like free for all? Where is CPUC and other govt officials? We should make this an issue in the upcoming elections (esecially for state positions) and ask for a resolution before November if they need our vote! Let us start a website (www.frontier_ripoff.com)!
Cerritos
May 5, 2016 at 8:33 am
City urges Frontier customers to contact CPUC and FCC regarding service issues (Press Release)
City of Cerritos Mayor George Ray letter to president of Frontier Communications (PDF)
City of Cerritos Mayor George Ray letter to president of California Public Utilities Commission (PDF)
City of Cerritos Mayor George Ray letter to chairman of Federal Communications Commission (PDF)
jm
May 2, 2016 at 3:55 pm
Thanks for informing readers about their Frontiers / Verizon’s contract.
End of Ap. 2016, was the first 24 hour day, we’ve had service since the beginning of April; take over by Frontiers from Verizon’s. It seems like the best go-to person is: Annie Hilton in Cerritos Communications- CCPA, or her assistant Pam, they are reporting outages to Frontiers. Sergio/ Frontiers employee has been the key personnel employee for Frontiers.
Approx. doz conversations w/ Frontiers, dialog was between Philippine and USA, very hard to understand language barriers, plus Philippine’s are not up to date on our internet toys and names of cities/ states and in home equipment, such as WiFi, alarms, etc. Some of my hood will not speak w/ Frontiers, as the techs are being broadcasted from Philippines, hard to understand………..
Cerritos shares many area codes, Frontier was putting us in 909 and 818 and not 714/562. Billing statements are all over the table. In home appointments were not kept by Frontiers and return calls never happened.
Second party communications vendor is Charter. Charter is so over booked, transferring Frontiers to Charter, booked out for installs, pass 10+ days.
Breached services by Frontier are: Internet, 911, Burglar alarms, TV cable and phone lines were down, during the month of Ap 16.
Verizon’s service was above average. Verizon’s paid (Premium Technical Service) COST $15 MTH. / was A++++, Frontiers is to date: F-..
My opine, city needs to provide us more communication vendors, Frontiers and Charter, are just not enough.
Garrett
May 2, 2016 at 3:34 pm
Former Verizon customers still grappling with service problems after Frontier takeover
Frontier Communications customers are still grappling with Internet outages and other equipment problems since the company took over Verizon’s landline-related assets on April 1.
A representative with the California Public Utilities Commission said the agency received 360 complaints between April 1 and April 22 that were related to Frontier’s takeover of Verizon’s landline-related assets in California.
Frontier’s $10.5 billion acquisition includes Verizon’s Internet, video, phone and FiOS networks across California, Florida and Texas.
William Betts was finally able to get his situation straightened out Monday. But the 70-year-old Redondo Beach resident said he’s had enough.
“I’ve already made the decision to switch to Time Warner,” he said. “But they won’t be able to do the installation until Wednesday.”
Betts’ problems with Frontier began on April 17 following a power outage.
“The TV would stop working every few seconds, so I checked our other TVs and they stopped working, too,” he said. “I tried rebooting the FiOS set-up boxes but that had no effect. My Internet wasn’t working, and I also found out that my landline phone wasn’t working.”
Betts said he called Frontier’s support number at 800-921-8101 and was instructed to unplug a battery in his garage. When that didn’t work, he called back and spoke with another Frontier representative, who said a support technician would come by at 8 a.m. the following Thursday — four days later.
Thursday came and went, but no one showed up.
“I had pretty much given up on them, but I finally got a call from Frontier on Monday and someone came out,” Betts said. “It was a simple problem with the backup supply for my FiOS. It was a 10-minute job to replace the box.”
“We’re still without Internet, and it’s been about eight days,” he said. “My wife was finally able to speak to someone from Frontier after hours of trying to reach them.”
Several options were tried, Maldonado said, but none worked.
“They’re telling us that our router isn’t configured to Frontier’s server,” he said. “They ran me through some basic hoops, like unplugging the computer, but I’m still getting no results. My wife can access the Internet on her phone, but that runs up charges. And I can’t get the Internet through my personal computer.”
“It’s frustrating,” he said. “You go through these meltdowns, and I have a heart condition. We don’t want to be dependent on our devices, but we apparently are.”
Frontier representative Les Kumagai said the company is working hard to address the problems.
“As you can imagine, the conversion of more than 1 million customers is very complex,” he said. “When you have a transition of this size and geographic scale, there will be issues that need to be addressed — which is what we’re doing.”
Kumagai said Frontier’s operational command center for the transition process is monitoring the network 24/7, tracking every customer escalation.
“We have nearly 1,000 highly trained and experienced technicians working extended hours in the field responding as quickly as possible to resolve every customer request as we receive them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Donna DePledge, 47, of Murrieta said she’s been without Internet service for a week. Attempts to have Frontier address the problem haven’t panned out.
“Honestly, it’s like a full-time job sitting on the phone with these people trying to get service,” she said. “They don’t really seem to care that much.”
DePledge said her experience with Frontier has been “horrible.”
“I’m trying to explain the situation (to a Frontier representative), and she’s telling me I’m wrong,” DePledge said. “It’s just amazing.”