Community Corner

Verizon Fios Battery Failures Surprising Area Customers

Customers are responsible for the cost of new, back-up batteries

Verizon's motto says they "can save you a bundle." But more and more customers with Verizon FIOS service say they are experiencing trouble with the batteries in their control boxes, and having to buy replacements, according to KDKA.

Verizon customer Bob Gaertner told KDKA he noticed the replace battery light on his FIOS control box beeping, which meant his backup battery was dead.

Lee Gierczynski of Verizon says the backup battery is crucial because it provides up to 8-hours of backup power to voice service in case there is a commercial power outage, KDKA reports.

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But when Gaertner called Verizon to get a replacement battery, KDKA says he was told his warranty was just for one year and that he was solely responsible for the battery.

Verizon FIOS is available to about 450,000 households in western Pennsylvania.

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Its website states that customers are responsible for maintaining their battery. Verizon says that asking the company to make battery replacements would be the same as asking Duquesne Light to replace your flashlight batteries.

Verizon’s replacement 7-amp battery costs about $44 before taxes and the company recommends that customers not buy their batteries from anyone other than Verizon.

“Batteries Plus” on McKnight Road averages about 10 customers wanting to replace their battery per day.

“Every time we see someone coming in with that battery, 98% of the time it’s FIOS,” a store clerk told KDKA.


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