A man had his situation with his bill all settled, until he tried to turn on his TV. Dennis Coleman's bill pretty much sums it up. He made a payment of $196 to Direct TV. The problem is he should have sent it to Verizon.
"It's my fault. I told them that in the beginning. I said, 'Yeah, this is my fault,'" said Novato resident Dennis Coleman.
The mistake happened when he electronically paid his bill to the wrong company. Coleman bundles his services under Verizon's Triple Play. That gives him internet and phone service from Verizon and television from Direct TV.
"Well Verizon said I hadn't paid them. So when I talked to Direct TV, Direct TV told me they sent the money to Verizon," says Coleman.
So the problem was solved, so he thought. Then one day he tried to turn on his TV.
"We turned it on one morning and there was nothing there. I was just shut off," says Coleman.
His Direct TV subscription had been cut off. The same thing happened to his Internet service and some of his phone features like caller ID. Verizon had no record of him making a payment. So he got back on the phone.
"I had one conference call the first time with Direct TV and Verizon and the woman at Verizon kept telling me, 'It isn't in our books,'" says Coleman.
That's when he decided to call 7 On Your Side. We contacted Verizon and it took care of everything. His services are now restored and his payment correctly credited to the right accounts.
"I'm glad you're around. I mean I've watched your program, I've listened to you on the radio, and when I get so frustrated, that's the first thing I thought of," says Coleman.
Verizon says it has apologized to Dennis and has given him a $25 credit on his next bill. Direct TV says it did what it could to help Dennis correct the situation.
