Title: Fios intermittent outages started immediately after account transfer — ONT replaced, issue persists. Looking for technical advice
Looking for advice from anyone familiar with Verizon Fios provisioning, ONTs, DHCP, or customer-owned routers.
Background:
- Fios internet was working reliably for about 2 years at this location with the same ONT, Ethernet cable, and TP-Link Archer AX21 router.
- Account was transferred to a new account holder (primary resident) with a service start date of 7/3/2026.
- Immediately after the transfer, internet became intermittent.
Troubleshooting done:
- Multiple calls/chats with Verizon.
- Verizon reprovisioned the account, which temporarily restored service.
- Issues returned afterward.
- Factory reset the TP-Link Archer AX21.
- Set WAN to Dynamic IP/DHCP (no special ISP settings).
- Released and renewed the WAN lease.
- Router would show WAN IP as 0.0.0.0 and fail to obtain an address.
- ONT system status light remained green.
Verizon escalation:
- I submitted a Better Business Bureau complaint due to the ongoing issue.
- I was contacted by Verizon Executive Relations (Sharlan).
- He stated that the ONT appears active and the connection appears active on their end, but I do not know whether this was based on actual diagnostics or notes from previous representatives.
- He also suggested the issue was likely the router and that the timing with the account transfer was simply a coincidence.
- I have requested that Verizon completely rebuild/recreate the account configuration from scratch to eliminate possible provisioning issues, but no one has been willing to pursue that option.
- At this point, I am wondering whether closing and opening an entirely new account would actually reset whatever may be wrong.
Verizon technician visit:
- I was not present for the technician visit. My mother was frustrated with the ongoing issue and just wanted Verizon to resolve it, so she handled the appointment.
- Technician replaced the ONT because he said it was old.
- Technician also replaced the Ethernet cable from the ONT/wall to the router.
- He told my mother the old cable only supported “300/5,” which does not appear to match normal Ethernet cable specifications.
- When asked if replacing the ONT would resolve the issue, the technician gave a vague response that Verizon likes to upgrade technology to make sure everything is “up to snuff.” He did not confirm whether the old ONT actually failed testing or whether it was the cause of the outages.
- Service continued to have outages after the ONT and cable replacement.
Current testing:
- I just purchased another TP-Link Archer AX21 (same model) as a diagnostic test.
- I will first test it on my apartment’s Xfinity connection to confirm it works normally, then test it on the Verizon connection where the issue is occurring.
Other account concerns:
- Verizon account information appears inconsistent. When contacting customer service under the new account, security PINs are sometimes sent to the previous account’s email address.
- I do not know if account authentication/provisioning issues could affect service connectivity.
- The Verizon website and mobile app show that I have a Verizon router, even though I use my own router. Verizon representatives say their backend shows it correctly as customer-owned equipment, but no one has explained or corrected the incorrect display.
Current symptoms:
- Router Wi-Fi remains active.
- Only the Internet/planet indicator turns orange.
- Multiple devices lose connectivity (TV, security camera app, etc.).
Questions:
Could an account transfer/provisioning issue cause an older ONT or customer-owned router setup to become unstable?
Could incorrect account/device information affect provisioning or DHCP?
Has anyone seen similar issues after a Fios account transfer?
Would rebuilding the account or creating a new account actually reset provisioning issues?
What would you check next?
Looking for technical feedback from anyone who has dealt with Fios, ONTs, provisioning, or customer-owned routers. Thanks.