Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
Big Pink, Fri Sep 25 2020, 01:04PM
I live in Forest Falls, and like many others in the three noted towns, have not had any real cell/internet service since the El Dorado Fire burned the lines along HWY 38.
Have not received any notification from Verizon about any efforts/schedule, even though I've called their support number 800.922.0204 twice (dropped both times) and tried their "chat line" (no response).
ATT already has had a mobile tower setup at the top of the HWY 38 straightaway before the Forest Falls turn-off and are taking care of their customers, even though I understand it might be due to a contractual obligation with the various first responder agencies.
I pay over $200/month for services that are not being fulfilled.
Is there a better way to contact Verizon to pressure them to take care of their customers (Facebook, Yelp, etc.)?
Otherwise I, and hopefully all other effected local Verizon customers, will take my money to their competition (ATT)...
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
ButlerPeakFire, Fri Sep 25 2020, 01:31PM
Call/Chat with Verizon. They will send you an internet based "mini tower" for free. It uses your internet to increase your service area. I went from 1 bar to 4 bars and incredibly consistent 4G.
Glad you are alright down there. Stay safe.
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
Big Pink, Fri Sep 25 2020, 02:16PM
I already tried to contact them (see above). I already have 2 MiFi devices (look like hockey pucks), but won't connect (same with my cell phone).
My wife told me that even though Verizon has a tower in Forest Falls, it is reportedly hard-wired to a landline that was strung along the SCE power poles because no straight-line air spaces from valley towers were possible. Like the SCE power poles/lines, this landline burned during the fire, effectively disconnecting the Verizon tower from their system.
This means that until they string new wiring up to Forest Falls, which is totally dependent on when SCE can re-install poles/wires up to Forest Falls first, the in-town tower likely won't work, even when SCE powers-up Forest Falls with generators, reportedly on Monday 20200928.
It would be nice to get feedback/comments directly from Verizon on this website...
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
Not Kidding, Fri Sep 25 2020, 02:25PM
BP, that is great information, we run into that problem frequently on the west end of Fawnskin near the dam, will be calling them Monday to get one of those, thanks!
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
ButlerPeakFire, Sun Sep 27 2020, 12:10AM
Oh you have MiFi....a mini tower won't work for you. Must be the reason they won't send you a mini tower. You need an actual wired internet connection to allow the mini tower to work.
My mistake.
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
ButlerPeakFire, Sun Sep 27 2020, 12:13AM
You're welcome! PM me with any questions.
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
SCM ALERT🚨, Sun Sep 27 2020, 11:15AM
Big Pink,
Sounds like their infrastructure is really compromised. I really don't know of any other secret contact methods. I am surprised they wouldn't have a COW (Cellular on wheels) there very quickly. I most certainly would not pay them for any outage periods. I can reach out to my corporate rep (we have a big contract with them at the ski resorts) but I highly doubt that will do anything. There must be some other Verizon customers in FF that can chime in? You could also try their other number 1-800-837-4966 for customer issues. Will be curious to know where this ends up going.
Take care BP and glad you are safe!
-Craig
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
Jellylorum, Sun Sep 27 2020, 03:46PM
Perhaps call your rep for the Board of Supervisors. County employees using employer-issued cell phones for work use Verizon. If SBCO employees working in the area (roads, CPS, Building and Safety, Environmental Health, Animal Care and Control, etc.) don't have cell service, perhaps the Board can get them to hurry up on repairs or getting a temp relay set up.
Roads and ACC also use radios, so it might not make much difference, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
Big Pink, Mon Sep 28 2020, 10:46AM
Hi Craig:
Thanks for the thoughts.
If you do contact Verizon, please see if they will respond directly to this post for all to see...
Best,
Big Pink
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
AB BikeHikeRun, Mon Sep 28 2020, 11:11AM
I intend to sign up for Starlink internet service (using SpaceX satellites) at the earliest opportunity, hopefully sometime in 2021. Even during long-ish (multi-hour) power outages in Arrowbear, our cable and cellular service cannot be relied upon.
Big Pink, Fri Sep 25 2020, 01:04PM
I live in Forest Falls, and like many others in the three noted towns, have not had any real cell/internet service since the El Dorado Fire burned the lines along HWY 38.
Have not received any notification from Verizon about any efforts/schedule, even though I've called their support number 800.922.0204 twice (dropped both times) and tried their "chat line" (no response).
ATT already has had a mobile tower setup at the top of the HWY 38 straightaway before the Forest Falls turn-off and are taking care of their customers, even though I understand it might be due to a contractual obligation with the various first responder agencies.
I pay over $200/month for services that are not being fulfilled.
Is there a better way to contact Verizon to pressure them to take care of their customers (Facebook, Yelp, etc.)?
Otherwise I, and hopefully all other effected local Verizon customers, will take my money to their competition (ATT)...
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
ButlerPeakFire, Fri Sep 25 2020, 01:31PM
Call/Chat with Verizon. They will send you an internet based "mini tower" for free. It uses your internet to increase your service area. I went from 1 bar to 4 bars and incredibly consistent 4G.
Glad you are alright down there. Stay safe.
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
Big Pink, Fri Sep 25 2020, 02:16PM
I already tried to contact them (see above). I already have 2 MiFi devices (look like hockey pucks), but won't connect (same with my cell phone).
My wife told me that even though Verizon has a tower in Forest Falls, it is reportedly hard-wired to a landline that was strung along the SCE power poles because no straight-line air spaces from valley towers were possible. Like the SCE power poles/lines, this landline burned during the fire, effectively disconnecting the Verizon tower from their system.
This means that until they string new wiring up to Forest Falls, which is totally dependent on when SCE can re-install poles/wires up to Forest Falls first, the in-town tower likely won't work, even when SCE powers-up Forest Falls with generators, reportedly on Monday 20200928.
It would be nice to get feedback/comments directly from Verizon on this website...
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
Not Kidding, Fri Sep 25 2020, 02:25PM
ButlerPeakFire wrote ...
Call/Chat with Verizon. They will send you an internet based "mini tower" for free. It uses your internet to increase your service area. I went from 1 bar to 4 bars and incredibly consistent 4G.
Glad you are alright down there. Stay safe.
Call/Chat with Verizon. They will send you an internet based "mini tower" for free. It uses your internet to increase your service area. I went from 1 bar to 4 bars and incredibly consistent 4G.
Glad you are alright down there. Stay safe.
BP, that is great information, we run into that problem frequently on the west end of Fawnskin near the dam, will be calling them Monday to get one of those, thanks!
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
ButlerPeakFire, Sun Sep 27 2020, 12:10AM
Oh you have MiFi....a mini tower won't work for you. Must be the reason they won't send you a mini tower. You need an actual wired internet connection to allow the mini tower to work.
My mistake.
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
ButlerPeakFire, Sun Sep 27 2020, 12:13AM
Not Kidding wrote ...
BP, that is great information, we run into that problem frequently on the west end of Fawnskin near the dam, will be calling them Monday to get one of those, thanks!
ButlerPeakFire wrote ...
Call/Chat with Verizon. They will send you an internet based "mini tower" for free. It uses your internet to increase your service area. I went from 1 bar to 4 bars and incredibly consistent 4G.
Glad you are alright down there. Stay safe.
Call/Chat with Verizon. They will send you an internet based "mini tower" for free. It uses your internet to increase your service area. I went from 1 bar to 4 bars and incredibly consistent 4G.
Glad you are alright down there. Stay safe.
BP, that is great information, we run into that problem frequently on the west end of Fawnskin near the dam, will be calling them Monday to get one of those, thanks!
You're welcome! PM me with any questions.
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
SCM ALERT🚨, Sun Sep 27 2020, 11:15AM
Big Pink,
Sounds like their infrastructure is really compromised. I really don't know of any other secret contact methods. I am surprised they wouldn't have a COW (Cellular on wheels) there very quickly. I most certainly would not pay them for any outage periods. I can reach out to my corporate rep (we have a big contract with them at the ski resorts) but I highly doubt that will do anything. There must be some other Verizon customers in FF that can chime in? You could also try their other number 1-800-837-4966 for customer issues. Will be curious to know where this ends up going.
Take care BP and glad you are safe!
-Craig
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
Jellylorum, Sun Sep 27 2020, 03:46PM
Perhaps call your rep for the Board of Supervisors. County employees using employer-issued cell phones for work use Verizon. If SBCO employees working in the area (roads, CPS, Building and Safety, Environmental Health, Animal Care and Control, etc.) don't have cell service, perhaps the Board can get them to hurry up on repairs or getting a temp relay set up.
Roads and ACC also use radios, so it might not make much difference, but it wouldn't hurt to ask.
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
Big Pink, Mon Sep 28 2020, 10:46AM
Hi Craig:
Thanks for the thoughts.
If you do contact Verizon, please see if they will respond directly to this post for all to see...
Best,
Big Pink
Re: Verizon Service - Forest Falls/Mountain Home Village/Angelus Oaks?
AB BikeHikeRun, Mon Sep 28 2020, 11:11AM
I intend to sign up for Starlink internet service (using SpaceX satellites) at the earliest opportunity, hopefully sometime in 2021. Even during long-ish (multi-hour) power outages in Arrowbear, our cable and cellular service cannot be relied upon.
