Verizon says 412 is not a Pennsyvania area code??

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Kevin G. Barkes" <kgbarkes () gmail com>
Date: December 1, 2005 10:26:01 AM EST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Verizon says 412 is not a Pennsyvania area code??

I was on the Verizon website the other day attempting to get  
information about some of their advanced services. To get to the  
FAQs, you're presented with a screen in which you select the state,  
then enter your area code and local exchange.

If you enter 412, you get a message that it's not a valid  
Pennsylvania area code, and you're stopped dead in your tracks.  
There's no way to proceed. The information you need is inaccessible.

Despite the obvious problem- Verizon has cut off access to one third  
of its Pennsylvania customers to web-based information about its  
services- it's also embarrassingly bad web design. I had logged in to  
pay my bill online. The site already knew my phone number. For that  
matter, it had access to all my account information. Why force me to  
re-enter data that leads me to a defective function?

Of course, there are no links on any pages to report problems with  
the site. I eventually went through several screens, dutifully filled  
out a contact form on the most closely-related subject I could find  
(again, re-entering information the site should already know about  
me), and clicked the button to send them my message. I was presented  
with an error screen- and was told to contact Verizon either by phone  
or snail mail.

Of course, it was 1 am when I was doing this, and their call center  
was closed.

So I call first thing Monday morning, and after going through several  
menu choices and transfers, I get a recording that says all of their  
operators are busy and that I should call back or *go to their  
website for additional information*!

Nothing like a nice recursive plunge on a Monday morning.

In addition to paying my bill, I was on the website to sign up for  
Verizon's Iobi service. It went live last on my account last night-  
sort of. It forwards voice mail messages to me on my PC, but none of  
the other functions work.

Unlike Verizon's main portal, Verizon Iobi has a prominently  
positioned toll-free number on its support page. So I called the  
Verizon Iobi phone number this morning, was promptly connected to  
someone who reviewed the problem, gave me a trouble ticket number,  
and said the situation should be resolved within 24 hours.

While I was on the phone, I asked for the number to report website  
problems. I called that number, and related my experiences to a  
sympathetic customer support rep who, of course, has no real way of  
reporting my problem, since she admitted they have no mechanism to  
directly contact the people who are responsible for maintaining  
Verizon's website.

She also said that they've been aware of the 412 area code problem  
for three weeks.

Three weeks?!

I think it's time to start calling television stations. This is the  
kind of corporate stupidity story that the media just love. Verizon  
doesn't know that 412 is a valid Pennsylvania area code?

I'm certain hilarity will ensue.

Regards,

KGB

-----
Kevin G. Barkes
Email: kgb () kgb com | Web: www.kgb.com
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