Verizon field techs keep a social distance on Fios installs due to COVID-19

Verizon's field technicians are now keeping their distance in regards to new installations of the company's Fios service. "Fios in a box" allows customers to self-install their services; Verizon's techs only enter a customer's home if the situation is critical. Fios in a box allows a service technician that is working outside of a subscriber's home to determine whether the fiber can be connected without needing to enter the house. If that's the case, the service tech rigs the cable from the nearest pole using crushable fiber that can be fed through a customer's window or door. The service tech also leaves a box on the customer's doorstep, which includes the equipment needed to provision Fios triple services. The box containers an optical network terminal (when one is needed), as well as power supply, router, set-top box, remote control, Ethernet cord, phone wire, HDMI cord and power strip. Once the customer has the fiber and box in a home, the service tech can use the TechSee app to help guide the installation in real time.