Verizon FiOS Service

[Robert Fenster]

I just wanted to post my experience with Verizon FiOS service.

I recently had the service installed.

The service included local and long distance telephone, 5Mbit Internet and a Digitial Cable like TV service.

0) Background I moved into my house in 1999. Since then I have had Antenna, DirecTV, Digital Cable and Analog cable for TV Service. I moved to Cable modem in 2000 or so.

1) Install. Please allow an ENTIRE day for the install. The first tech arrived at my house at 9.30am. The last tech left my house at 7.30pm. That was a bit of a surprise. They had told me that install could take between 4-6 hours, but i did not expect 8. To add to that, when the video tech's left at 8, i still did not have TV service. They had to come back the next day to fix that. They blamed the video problem on third party (of course). The tech that came back the next day was able to get the video service up and running in about 30-45 minutes.

As a part of the install, they must first add an ONT (optical network termnial) to the outside of your house. From there, they must add another network terminal inside your house and then a battery backup to that network terminal. They have mounted both of these inside the house. They then add wireless firewall/router to your exisitng home network (even if you already have one).

The battery backup is required to keep the phone running in case of power outage. When there is power outage, you will lose internet and TV, regardless of whether or not you have their equipment plugged into your own UPS.

2) The Service The phone service is transparent. Nothing is different. The internet service seems faster than cable, but its hard to tell. I just ran DSL Reports speed test. It indicated that my download was only 481, but my upload was 1505. I may have to tweak.

The video service Pretty much the same as all the digital TV services. Video on Demand and all that. Picture is very clear. On screen guide is not as good was what i remember from my DirecTV, but that may be receiver dependedent. For VOD, there are no movies on VOD unless you subscribe to one of the movie packages (HBO/Showtime/Stars). And the Kids VOD has some interesting things, however unless they change regularly, my kids will probably get bored of them.

If you have addl TV's you can hook them up with out the converter box. You will get local channels. Very similar to Cable in my area. Much better than DirecTV.

The universal remote that comes with the Digital Box is pretty good. One problem is it can either run your DVD or your VCR, but not both.

3) The Cost I was told my bottom line would be about 105 + tax. (I only have one TV with Digital Box). I compare that to the 150 i was paying for all of these services prior the change.

4) Review Aside from the Install, i am happy so far. Mostly everything is transparent, so i do not notice much of a difference. It will take a while to get use to new channels, but that is the case with any new system.

[hallerb]

did they warn you the upgrade was a one way thing?

I am scheduled for the end of the month in pittsburgh, they said once you go fibre for DSL you CANT EVER go back!

are you using VOIP for phone?

[Bill Kearney]

They tried pulling this stunt initially. You DO NOT have to let them remove your copper lines. If you do then you'll have to pay to have new ones put back up again. DO NOT let them take down the copper lines, nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, requires the copper lines to be removed. This is all a scam by Verizon to trap you into using their unregulated fiber services. That is, the fiber plant is not under the same restrictions as copper wiring. Verizon doesn't have to abide by the same cooperative rules with the fiber as they do with the copper. With shared wiring there's competition. With Verizon having played this little game with the FCC they're effectively stifling innovation and competition. And by yanking down the copper they truly trap you.

DO NOT let them remove your copper lines.

Me personally, I'd rather sell children into slavery than give those bastards any money whatsoever. Thus I've got speakeasy DSL and DirecTV.

[Mark Lloyd]

It's faster, but from what I hear the latency is higher. This will cause problems with things like online games that require fast action. Cable is very good in this area (and may support even higher speeds in a few years).

Speed test sites are often unreliable at higher speeds. I have 4Mbps cable and DSL Reports has NEVER shown more than about 2.8Mbps. I's actually 4Mbps (see below).

It's best to install a speed-monitoring program like DUMeter, and see what it says during transfers of the kind you actually make. Note that servers can be slow, so you may need to do several.

And will be 2-way, so you have the same potential for invasion of privacy you do with digital cable. Satellite doesn't have that problem*.

&&&

• I have DirecTV. They tell you you need to keep the phoneline connected. That is often not the case. For my first receiver, there has been no phone connection to it in about 4 years. During that time, I added a second receiver, and NEVER connected a phoneline to it. Not using the phoneline, does mean you can't order PPV with the remote. Do that online. It's easy, and safer.

[Mark Lloyd]

That makes it sound dangerous. You shouldn't be getting any service that will actually prevent you from making changes.

[Robert Fenster]

Not using VOIP, (except for Skype, which i use frequently from the Computer).

As for "never going back to copper for land line phone". Not sure i really care. I could survive on wireless phone i believe.

I bet if most people add the 30+ or so they pay for landline and added it to what they are paying for wireless, they could survive on wireless too.

Maybe its a romantic attachement to land lines, but i believe we could do away with them quite easily.

[Mark Lloyd]

I seem to be in one of the areas where wireless doesn't work well (too far from a major highway or business area).

I have considered VoIP, which would save money if you make a lot of long-distance calls (unlimited VoIP service). Sometimes, I've wished I made a lot of long-distance calls.

[Thomas Horne]

There is one fairly good reason to retain a copper line if you can. Copper phone lines can be powered from the head end. Central offices are equipped with very large generators and banks of wet cell batteries that help guarantee continuity of service as long as the copper pair is intact. Even with no power at your home a simple telephone instrument will keep working for as long as the exchange does.

[hallerb]

< seem to be in one of the areas where wireless doesn&#39;t work well (too far from a major highway or business >

If you get any service at all its likey you can add a yagi antenna and have 5 bars perfect service. you connect your cell phone with a small adapter to a 20 ffot cable on the antenna that gets mounted outside, pointed at a good spot.

I have friends in a bad spot with alunmimum siding. previously they had no service at all indoors, and 1 bar tops outside.

with the antenna under 50 bucks they have 5 bars whioch is the max and have flawless service with that wire connection.

[Mark Lloyd]

Maybe I&#39;ll try that.

[Mark Lloyd]

I&#39;ve seen those in the Fort Worth central office. Most of the batteries there came from old submarines.