Verizon FIOS-sold Orbi--firmware replacement

I just wanted to provide a final update on this because I have (finally!) come to some sort of resolution. 

Verizon continued to bounce me around to other customer service reps and higher-tier reps, who all pretty much told me they had no solution and that it would be something I would have to deal with Netgear for. And Netgear had repeatedly told me there was no way to remove the special Verizon firmware (even through flashing the router). The whole thing ended with Verizon telling me there wasn't anything else they could do and they "would not be able to" issue a refund for the equipment. I made it clear to them that what I was asking for was extremely reasonable (basically allowing me to return the router for a refund, since I had bought it under the assumption that I could remove the firmware later and it was clear that wasn't possible) but Verizon basically just said tough luck. 

So I filed a complaint with the MD attorney-general office of consumer complaints, which started a mediation process. Basically a mediator called me and got some additional information and then sent a letter to Verizon corporate HQ explaining my complaint and asking Verizon to engage in mediation. I immediately started getting calls from Verizon's corporate relations team (which involved me going through all the stuff I had gone through before like trying different reset methods). At the end of the day, they ended up giving in and approving a refund (with the condition that I return the router to them, which is totally fair). 

So my issue got resolved, albeit with a lot of frustration and wasted time on my part!