Verizon Starts Charging $30 if You Want a FiOS ONT Battery Back in May, Verizon informed FiOS customers that replacing the back up batteries in their ONT would no longer be gratis, the telco charging users $44 for a battery available on Amazon for $18. Users grumbled (given they don't even technically own the unit) but either complied, or just let their batteries die and tolerated the occasional dead battery ONT beep most FiOS users know all too well. Fast forward a few months, and Verizon has decided to take things further by charging new users for the first battery in the ONT as well.

quote: The company said that as of early as December, new FiOS customers who want a backup battery will have to pay a one-time charge of $29.99, buy it elsewhere, or do without...“We will no longer provide the free 12-volt lead-acid battery. We’ll begin the policy later this month or early January,” said Verizon spokesman William Kula. New FiOS business customers will continue to receive a free battery, at least for the time being. Verizon management has repeatedly stated they're focused on milking more money from existing FiOS users with a series of rate hikes and fees. The ONT backup battery allows users to make voice calls (including, of course, 911) during a power outage for about eight hours. Consumer Reports notes that Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, CenturyLink, and Comcast all charge a fee for users who want a backup battery when they sign up for service (I'd like to see if this is confirmed by users in the comments), while AT&T and RCN (for now) do not. Users in our forums direct our attention to a Consumer Reports story that notes that if you want a backup battery in your ONT to begin with, you'll now need to pay Verizon a "one time" (at least until it goes bad in a few years) fee of $30:Verizon management has repeatedly stated they're focused on milking more money from existing FiOS users with a series of rate hikes and fees. The ONT backup battery allows users to make voice calls (including, of course, 911) during a power outage for about eight hours. Consumer Reports notes that Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, CenturyLink, and Comcast all charge a fee for users who want a backup battery when they sign up for service (I'd like to see if this is confirmed by users in the comments), while AT&T and RCN (for now) do not.







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linicx

Caveat Emptor

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join:2002-12-03

United State 5 recommendations linicx Premium Member A company Any company that is federally licensed as a telephone company must maintain a landline communication system for customers and business alike. Further they must keep, maintain and support a backup battery in their plants. Their backup will support vocal calls for x hours during an emergency such as a wide city outage. Sandy was a giant wake-up call for Verizon, NJ and NY. Day-by-day Verizon proves their worth by showing they do not want to be a recognized phone company in America, or be responsible for maintaining their equipment for anyone.



Verizon should be downgraded to cell phones only, and not allowed to sell any type of home product or bundled package for any reason. If Verizon cannot rebuild communications for less than a 1000 customers on a small island, why should we believe Verizon can maintain any type of communication for any person(s) living any where in America?



The answer is we shouldn't. Verizon is a irresponsible company that is as reliable as junk bonds and penny stock. Verizon should be required to carry insurance for natural disasters and floods where rogue weather is a factor. That is does not speaks volumes.