Verizon vs Time Warner

[Sasquatch Jones]

> In a FIOS SERVED AREA the only reps you can call are fios reps, who

spend all their time trying to upgrade you from copper to fios.

> theres been news coverage that verizon would like to end all

remainging copper phone lnes and convert everyone to fios.

> fios costs less to maintain, plu verizon sold off major parts of its

copper only phone and DSL areas,

> customer service wise the no longer verizon customers are probably way better off....

I finally had to bite the bullet and switch from Verizon. Time Warner is coming next week to install their $20/month 1-3MB and $10 phone. If it works OK for a week, I'll disconnect Verizon. Hopefully I don't have to wait a week longer to get the $150 in credits for poor service that Verizon has promised.

FWIW, this has been exactly my experience for the last 2 months.

I have Verizon DSL on copper cable. Speed dropped way off a few months ago until I couldn't even view low res youtube videos. Not a big deal, as long as email and small file transfers worked. Last month the voice line got bad static.

It was VERY time consuming to get a tech out because all I got was Verizon offshore operators. I checked my cell phone log and I have spend over 8 hours on the phone, mostly on hold, with Verizon in the past 2 weeks.

The first one was in India, and set up an appointment but didn't show up so I called again at 5:30pm. They had told him to call me first on the line that didn't work, so when no one answered, he didn't show up. They set up another appointment for 2 days later telling him to call my cell phone (non-Verizon).

That guy fixed the problem and checked the speed -- 70Kbps. Verizon's claim was 1-3 Mbps but 70k is fine. I asked why - and he said the boxes were all full of corroded connections and crumbling insulation. I ask if it could be fixed and he said yes, but "we just spent millions of dollars installing FIOS and aren't going to replace any copper."

So I thanked him and the reported that to Verizon. They gave me $$ credit (promised, not yet received). They wouldn't admit that the speed was low, but did send out a "DSL specialist" this time in a couple more days. He found the same low speed and again tried to sell me on FIOS. "Can I check your inside connection?" "Hell no, just get the speed up here at the box and I'll handle the inside." "It's the copper cable." "It worked fine up until last spring." He couldn't do anything so that was the end of that call.

Then it rained last Sunday and the line went dead completely. It took 3 more days and 3 technician trips before I got the dial tone again.

Voice is clear now, but the highest download speed is still under

30Kbps. Static came back again and another tech came to check it out 2 days later but said "it should clear up when it dries out". I could tell he was not a pole climber, so sent him one his way. Reported this to Verizon again.

So far Verizon has "promised" to apply $150 in credits to my account on this month's bill.

I just signed up with Time Warner for their $20/month 1-3MB line installed next week. They also are offering a phone for additions $10. I told them my Verizon story and pressed for the "typical" speed. They said between 512K and 1MB, but should be more reliable than DSL because it's "broadband". Will be interesting to see how much the speed drops off on football nights.

Once those are up and running, I will cut Verizon services.

Out of 6 technicians: 1 spent much time trying to sell FIOS (young guy, loaded down with gang style tattoos), 1 was good but worked strictly on the ground checking signals (desk type), 2 were fine (good all around) and 1 was well above average (near retirement age, explained in details & didn't hesitate to climb a pole in pouring down rain). The oldest one was the last one who finally fixed the connection problems.

I have to say again that the quality of all their techs except the tatooed guy was very good. The area manager was a good guy also, and said 'management' had cut their budget and staff and did not understand how long a service call takes. Sounds like typical corporate upper management crap, eh?

[Steve Stone]

I've had Time Warner internet service for about 1 year. The 15/1 MB service drops to as low as 3/.5 MB from 7PM thru 11PM, when everyone is home streaming video and whatever. The is no backup power for their network. If the electricity goes out anywhere along the cable line between their office and your home I loose my internet and phone feed.

Steve

[Art Todesco]

Here is western NC, Verizon had the wired lines 5 years ago. They knew they were selling off the copper business, so they didn't maintain anything, unless it was a real emergency. So, when there was a power failure effecting the remote site that serves me, the batteries lasted only a few minutes and the phones went down for the whole day. I think because that remote site serves the small industrial park, some of the companies must have read Vzn the riot act and at about 11PM they were out there cobbling together a generator to run the site. Funny side effect, the DSL cabinet never went down ... we has no dial tone, but we did have DSL. Apparently those batteries were newer. VZN also didn't have enough bandwidth to serve DSL, so at about 6 or 7 PM, speeds dropped down to slower than dialup. When I called (to India) I was told that my modem must be powered directly from the wall outlet and not from an outlet strip. The person didn't understand much of what I was telling him, as he just kept repeating the same thing over and over ... must have been in a loop on his script. Once Frontier took over, things changed, but it took some time. Not that Frontier is the greatest company around, but there were major improvements; speeds went up, batteries now last, etc. But I still can't get an answer to a question, which I've been asking for a little over a year now. I simply want to know how much it will cost to put another customer interface on my line, in another area of my property (4 acres). The area is right next to a Frontier pedestal, which, BTW, is also on my property. But, they do answer all their calls in the US, which is a plus.

[Frank]

I've got both Comcast cable and FIOS phones in the house. Loss of power for a couple hours last week, the FIOS phone with back-up battery remained active with an old phone plugged in. I use cable for TV and internet and there is a back-up battery in the modem but I think only internet and TV will still work.

FIOS was on my street underground and phones had been on copper which was badly deteriorated and Verizon asked permission to bring to house. Of course they continue bugging me to take full service and I always tell them I will accept it if I can get the initial offer for life.

Both Comcast and Verizon are a PITA to deal with but I've always felt Verizon is worse with their old telephone company mentality when they were the only game in town.

Both will jack-up costs when initial offers expire and both will often let you go back to cheaper offers when your time expires. Verizon according to neighbors is harder to renegotiate and two neighbors dropped FIOS to go back to Comcast because of this.

[dadiOH]

I rather miss the old days when they were regulated. Monopolies, yes, but at least stuff worked and you didn't have to "negotiate", same price for everybody.

[nestork]

I'm still on dial-up internet service.

I'm presuming that FIOS means Fiber Internet Optic Service.

Shouldn't that be FOIS for Fiber Optic Internet Service?

Does anyone know what the typical download speed for Fiber Optic Internet Service would normally be on a normal night, and on a night when the SuperBowl is on TV?

[Frank]

I guess this as good as any:

[Dan Espen]

FIOS is a trademark. FIber Optic Services. More important, it's FTTP (Fiber To The Premises). That means the Optical cable comes right to your house.

There are various packages with different speeds. All of them super fast compared dial-up.

You get the speed you pay for. Day, night, rain, or shine.

In fact, speed tests show I get more speed than the advertised speed.

I pay for 75/25. A test right now shows 84/31 Mbps.

[Arnie Goetchius]

I pay for 50/50 and just tested and got 61/59