Experience with Verizon FIOS? at DVinfo.net

Boyd Ostroff · November 3rd, 2005, 04:00 PM

Well the Verizon trucks were all over my area last month running cables, and yesterday I got a notice that FIOS is now available in my area. They are offering 15mbs down/2mbs up service for $45/month including free installation and a router. I currently use Comcast which I think is 4mbs down/512kbs up and costs $46/mo including the modem rental. Real world Comcast download speeds usually clock in between 2 and 3 mbs in my experience.

So I'm just curious as to whether anyone else is using the new Verizon FIOS and if so then how do you like it?

Yi Fong Yu · November 7th, 2005, 02:30 PM

if it's the same price, why not switch?

i don't have it yet but the general consensus is that not a lot of servers on the internet can d/l at such a high rate, therefore, it is kinda useless. it's only useful if you're a power hungry user and download several things@once (like "educational" videos and such).

so unless you consumer an inordinate amount of bandwidth, it's not that useful, BUT, the price is right.

Emre Safak · November 7th, 2005, 02:56 PM

I echo Boyd's experience: in practice, Comcast cable is slower than Verizon DSL. They have not upgraded their service in years. What better way to let them know how you feel than to jump ship?

Yi Fong Yu · November 7th, 2005, 10:06 PM

like i said, it's not really comcast's fault. i have 6mpbs, but i rarely get that. it'll depend on which servers on the internet you're downloading from. i get good connections from .edu (since they cut out music sharing) but most commercial sites are poo-poo.

Dennis Khaye · November 8th, 2005, 12:34 AM

Your ISP results will vary depending on where you are. Cable will vary with how many others you have to share with. Expect peak hours to suck when you have a cable connection.

Just because someone says "this ISP sucks" doesn't mean it will suck for you bandwidth wise. Customer/technical service is another matter. My neighbor hates Comcast, he switched to ADSL. A friend of mine across town loves Comcast so he dumped his ADSL. When you compare what they logged for speed using the same ISPs, it's amazing.

Bottom line, try them all, pick what's best for you. JMHO though.

Boyd Ostroff · November 8th, 2005, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emre Safak

in practice, Comcast cable is slower than Verizon DSL.

Well that is certainly not MY experience. Comcast is much faster than Verizon around here which only offers about 768k down/256k up. I'm happy enough with Comcast, but faster is better :-)

People at broadbandreports seem to be very impressed with FIOS:

http://www.broadbandreports.com/comment/2568/53237

Yi Fong Yu · November 8th, 2005, 08:51 AM

yeah, it definitely depends on where you are. i've asked my neighbors and none of them have any broadband... so... i was the only one with the comcast cable. i had dsl for 6 years before that.

i'm soooo waiting for FIOS =).

Raza Ahmad · November 18th, 2005, 06:38 PM

Verizon only charges $45 for their DSL line, but you have to own a phone line (from them) in order to use it... that willl inevitably add additional costs.

Comcast charges extra ($60 vs. $40ish) if you elect only cable internet without the $40-basic tv cable package.

I had Verizon DSL and (not FO) switched to Comcast mainly because of the phone line costs.

-Raza

November 3rd, 2005, 04:00 PM	#1
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	Experience with Verizon FIOS? Well the Verizon trucks were all over my area last month running cables, and yesterday I got a notice that FIOS is now available in my area. They are offering 15mbs down/2mbs up service for $45/month including free installation and a router. I currently use Comcast which I think is 4mbs down/512kbs up and costs $46/mo including the modem rental. Real world Comcast download speeds usually clock in between 2 and 3 mbs in my experience. So I'm just curious as to whether anyone else is using the new Verizon FIOS and if so then how do you like it?

November 7th, 2005, 02:30 PM	#2
Yi Fong Yu Trustee Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vulcan Posts: 1,564	if it's the same price, why not switch? i don't have it yet but the general consensus is that not a lot of servers on the internet can d/l at such a high rate, therefore, it is kinda useless. it's only useful if you're a power hungry user and download several things@once (like "educational" videos and such). so unless you consumer an inordinate amount of bandwidth, it's not that useful, BUT, the price is right. __________________ bow wow wow

November 7th, 2005, 10:06 PM	#4
Yi Fong Yu Trustee Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vulcan Posts: 1,564	like i said, it's not really comcast's fault. i have 6mpbs, but i rarely get that. it'll depend on which servers on the internet you're downloading from. i get good connections from .edu (since they cut out music sharing) but most commercial sites are poo-poo. __________________ bow wow wow

November 8th, 2005, 08:51 AM	#7
Yi Fong Yu Trustee Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vulcan Posts: 1,564	yeah, it definitely depends on where you are. i've asked my neighbors and none of them have any broadband... so... i was the only one with the comcast cable. i had dsl for 6 years before that. i'm soooo waiting for FIOS =). __________________ bow wow wow

November 18th, 2005, 06:38 PM	#8
Raza Ahmad Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: los angeles, ca Posts: 61	verizon's hidden costs Verizon only charges $45 for their DSL line, but you have to own a phone line (from them) in order to use it... that willl inevitably add additional costs. Comcast charges extra ($60 vs. $40ish) if you elect only cable internet without the $40-basic tv cable package. I had Verizon DSL and (not FO) switched to Comcast mainly because of the phone line costs. -Raza

November 7th, 2005, 02:56 PM	#3
Emre Safak Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brookline, MA Posts: 1,447	I echo Boyd's experience: in practice, Comcast cable is slower than Verizon DSL. They have not upgraded their service in years. What better way to let them know how you feel than to jump ship?

November 8th, 2005, 12:34 AM	#5
Dennis Khaye Major Player Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 255	Your ISP results will vary depending on where you are. Cable will vary with how many others you have to share with. Expect peak hours to suck when you have a cable connection. Just because someone says "this ISP sucks" doesn't mean it will suck for you bandwidth wise. Customer/technical service is another matter. My neighbor hates Comcast, he switched to ADSL. A friend of mine across town loves Comcast so he dumped his ADSL. When you compare what they logged for speed using the same ISPs, it's amazing. Bottom line, try them all, pick what's best for you. JMHO though.