Verizon's new Remote Diagnostics Tool: Thoughts?

[Bateluer]

http://www.droid-life.com/2012/03/19/verizons-new-remote-diagnostic-tool-what-you-need-to-know/

What is Verizon’s Remote Diagnostic Tool?

New customer care solution to improve device issue diagnosis during customer support calls. When a customer calls into Verizon Wireless Customer Care, this solution, with the customer’s permission, allows support personnel to remotely view the user’s device for troubleshooting and application demonstrations.

Is this service eventually going to roll out to all Verizon smartphones through updates?

“This is a new tool that we plan to bring to some phones this year as we continue to enhance the customer service experience.”

How does the tool work during a support call?

“Customers with a Revolution by LG who call customer service are not required to use the tool. The tool will not run unless a customer gives explicit permission during a call with customer support. If customer support suggests using the tool as a way to diagnose a problem the customer will see a notification on their device after customer support initiates the Verizon Remote Diagnostics tool. A customer will then see a permission request directly on their device along with “terms and conditions” and an “Accept” or “Reject” button. A customer will need to select “Accept” in order for the tool to run. Customers are free to select “Reject” and the tool will not run.

Customers will also be given a 4-digit PIN by customer support and that PIN must be entered in the device by the customer in order for this to work.”

Does it access contacts, passwords or other personal information?

”The tool never pulls contacts, account numbers, passwords and the like. And, it’s important to remember, it will run only when a customer calls customer support and gives permission to use the Verizon Remote Diagnostics tool.”

Can users opt-out of receiving the Remote Diagnostics tool? Can it be removed?

“It is a piece of the new software and cannot be removed, but it does not run in the background. It only runs when a customer calls support and gives permission to use it.”

So again, if you didn’t see it the third or 4th time, this Remote Diagnostics tool will not run in the background. It is however, a new piece of software that is installed in the background, but can only be activated when you give a customer service rep permission to use it.

Will be interesting to see if the developer community can locate this service and remove it without breaking the phone. I can imagine that most readers of sites like DL would rather not have it installed in the background whether it runs or not.

I see the necessity of a tool like this, having worked front line PC support before. But, I'd rather not have any additional software from the carrier/manufacturer installed on my phone. A web-based tool or app that could be downloaded/uninstalled from the Play Store would be a better route to go.

 

[Dulanic]

If it truly does not run in the background & it required user permission... it isn't a horrible idea. Problem is, why the hell would anyone trust what they say without proof of what it does? If it was open source maybe but as is... screw this.

 

[Bateluer]

Rolling out to the Droid Charge now too.

HTC's using a version of LogMeIn Rescue for theirs, apparently.

 

[JackOfHearts]

I give it 2 weeks before people hack it and use it to gain remote access to phones...

 

[masteryoda34]

open source it, otherwise I wouldn't trust it

 

[you2]

Allow users to delete it.

 

[lothar]

Verizon's version of CarrierIQ?
Well, at least it requires permission but that doesn't mean much to me because I'd still remove it from my phone if it ever came with such.

 

[Brian Stirling]

Verizon's version of CarrierIQ?
Well, at least it requires permission but that doesn't mean much to me because I'd still remove it from my phone if it ever came with such.

How is the permission granted and what form does it take. If your on the phone with them and they ask for your "verbal" permission and then they can remotely control your phone then ALL the controls are at there end and not yours. That would also open the door, literally, to hackers that figure out how to get the keys. As another poster indicated it will take only a short while before hackers use it to control your phone.


Brian

 

[T_Yamamoto]

thank god im rooted

 

[Duddy]

As a Verizon rep, I can say this is a god send. We as a company replace THOUSANDS of Android phones a day that never actually had any issues. It is generally user error or a malfunctioning app. Now that we can remotely log in and fix these issues for the customer, we can save all the money we lose replacing phones.

 

[Brian Stirling]

As a Verizon rep, I can say this is a god send. We as a company replace THOUSANDS of Android phones a day that never actually had any issues. It is generally user error or a malfunctioning app. Now that we can remotely log in and fix these issues for the customer, we can save all the money we lose replacing phones.

OK, as a Verizon rep you can answer the question ... how is permission granted and does the customer have to select any settings option to permit it? If the permission is just verbal then you (Verizon) do not need any confirming action from the customers phone -- tell me that is not how it works...


Brian

 

[WelshBloke]

OK, as a Verizon rep you can answer the question ... how is permission granted and does the customer have to select any settings option to permit it? If the permission is just verbal then you (Verizon) do not need any confirming action from the customers phone -- tell me that is not how it works...


Brian

It says in the Op that it's not verbal and that you get a an accept/reject box on your phone.

 

[Anubis]

As a Verizon rep, I can say this is a god send. We as a company replace THOUSANDS of Android phones a day that never actually had any issues. It is generally user error or a malfunctioning app. Now that we can remotely log in and fix these issues for the customer, we can save all the money we lose replacing phones.

riddle me this, my buddy has gotten 5 replacments for his Bionic (5 different bionics) 3 have been replaced because the phone randomally stopped vibrating when receiving txts and calls, factory reset did not fix the issue

the most recent replacement he got lasted all of 2 weeks before it started happening again

2 other replacements were for 1/2 the screen no longer responding to touch and headphone jack stopped working in the middle of playing music, phone was sitting on the desk when it happened

how would your tool fix any of those issues?

 

[WelshBloke]

riddle me this, my buddy has gotten 5 replacments for his Bionic (5 different bionics) 3 have been replaced because the phone randomally stopped vibrating when receiving txts and calls, factory reset did not fix the issue

the most recent replacement he got lasted all of 2 weeks before it started happening again

2 other replacements were for 1/2 the screen no longer responding to touch and headphone jack stopped working in the middle of playing music, phone was sitting on the desk when it happened

how would your tool fix any of those issues?

That's a bit unfair, it's not like he said all the problems would be solvable with this tool. I can well believe that it would fix a lot of them. Most people are pretty clueless about how their phone works.

 

[Duddy]

riddle me this, my buddy has gotten 5 replacments for his Bionic (5 different bionics) 3 have been replaced because the phone randomally stopped vibrating when receiving txts and calls, factory reset did not fix the issue

the most recent replacement he got lasted all of 2 weeks before it started happening again

2 other replacements were for 1/2 the screen no longer responding to touch and headphone jack stopped working in the middle of playing music, phone was sitting on the desk when it happened

how would your tool fix any of those issues?

These are issues related to the devices hardware and generally cannot be fixed through software.

 

[Brian Stirling]

It says in the Op that it's not verbal and that you get a an accept/reject box on your phone.

Saw that but there is some text before that that says "Customers with a Revolution by LG who call customer service are not required to use the tool". I don't know what that means and it suggests there is a more generic statement. Would like to see the overall statement from Verizon. If it is as suggested then it MAY be OK. However, if the carrier end calls up the program on your phone and prompts you for the go/nogo then they can also answer the prompt remotely as well.

So, I think I'll have to wait and see more before I would accept such an invitation...


Brian

 

[WelshBloke]

Saw that but there is some text before that that says "Customers with a Revolution by LG who call customer service are not required to use the tool". I don't know what that means and it suggests there is a more generic statement...

It means you can click no and use regular support, what else could it mean?

 

[dguy6789]

The way overboard paranoia of technology forum people never ceases to amaze me.

 

[lothar]

The way overboard paranoia of technology forum people never ceases to amaze me.

It's only a matter of time before it gets cracked by hackers.
I'm more worried about script kiddies like Anonymous and LulzSecs cracking it than a Verizon employee snooping on my phone.

Most software issues can be fixed with a factory reset. I don't see the point of this though.
If one is the average consumer that doesn't know where the "restore to factory default" pin hole is or the Android button combination, I can see how it makes sense then.

If it's anything like they do at the store, then it seems like a waste.
My friend took his Android phone to the store(either AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon store, I don't remember) and the reps there were busy wasting time installing "Task killer" apps. He brought the phone to me and I restored to factory settings. Problem solved.

It's like trying to fix people's malware/virus ridden Windows XP computers.
Either use the built-in "system restore" in Windows or use a restore disk. No use in wasting time trying to troubleshoot.

 

[gsaldivar]

Now that we can remotely log in and fix these issues for the customer, we can save all the money we lose replacing phones.

Somehow I highly doubt that customers will ever see a penny of those savings in the form of lower rates...

()

:awe:

 

[soccerballtux]

bwahahahahah just think of all the trolling of CS reps you could do with giant pictures of as your background