Re: Request for Internet Connection Evaluations
Lou
"Derald" <der...@invalid.net> wrote in message
news:96adnaKxRdxGhRTR...@earthlink.com...
>
> My Internet connection is provided by Bright House (was Time Warner); ISP
> is Earthlink, to the tune of 41.95/mo no tax. Recently, I've been
experiencing
> chronic, predictable connectivity "issues". I can set my watch by them and
have
> kept a log for ±60 days. Earthlink "support" offers recorded announcement
that
> customers in my county "may" be experiencing connectivity problems.
Apologies
> but no clue when it'll return to what passes for normality. Bright House
phone
> techrep reiterates problem to be Earthlink's and tries to upsell me
Roadrunner.
> Marginally faster advertised speed; six mo' dollars/month.
> My experience of a few years ago in Nearest City revealed Verizon FIOS
> undertcuts Earthlink, et al, by a couple of bux but nothing significant;
no tax.
> Earlier this year, Verizon minions buried fiber optics cable down my road.
A
> previous phone call elicited news that FIOS was not yet available and no
clue
> when except RSN. Today, neighbors received mailing pieces with "Good News"
that
> FIOS is _here_ so, naturally, I called about pricing only to be reassured
that
> FIOS still is _not_ available at my address but will be RSN. End of
> conversation. No prices. Suddenly, I was reminded why Verizon is my
_former_ ISP
> but the present situation is intolerable.
> A am fed up with Earthlink, period, and would consider waiting for FIOS --
> despite its Verizon-ness -- if it offers a significant advantage over
cable
> _and_ is in the same price range. Please bear in mind that I'm not looking
for
> some off-the-rack low balling ISP. I don't mind paying the price but will
not
> accept less than I'm paying for. Neither do I demand more, though, and
tend to
> be a loyal customer so it pretty much balances.
> On any (or all) of three computers, DW&I are likely to be receiving
> streaming video, streaming audio, downloading 50+ mbyte music files,
downloading
> 50+ mbyte weekly data and software updates,. Also, during business hours,
I'm
> connected to a realtime stock charting service AWA intermittently to a
stock
> technical analysis website. All of these activities may take place
concurrently.
> I'd be interested in reading evaluations of both Roadrunner cable and
> Verizon FIOs from those who actually have _used_, or presently do so,
either or
> both services. Reading about them or listening to ones neighbor complain
about
> either of them does not count as "experience". I know from the get-go that
> customer service is a pipe dream but, obviously, my first concern is
consistent
> and reliable connectivity. Any takers?
I live in southern New Jersey, about 20 miles east of Philadelphia. I had
cable for years, since it first became available in my neighborhood.
Initially, it was pretty good but gradually got worse - cable TV never went
out, but internet began going out. First occasionally, eventually just
about daily, sometimes several times in the course of an afternoon. Usually
only for a few seconds/minutes, but long enough to interrupt whatever was
going on.
A few years ago, my neighborhood was wired for FIOS. After about a year of
increasing frustration with cable, I made the switch, and now my internet,
phone, and TV are FIOS. I don't know exactly how long ago I made the
switch - it's been something on the order of 5+ years.
In that time, I've had no problems (knock wood). To my recollection,
there've been one or two times where I couldn't connect to the net, and both
were for a few seconds duration. I'm not as data-hungry as you seem to be.
Both my wife and I work from home from time to time, and at those times a
connection is absolutely necessary, but honestly a dial-up connection would
probably handle that pretty well - all email is text only, and for that
matter so is our work. Beyond that, we surf the web, occasionally watch
some video, and I peruse usenet. But 50 mbyte downloads are not something
we do.
my...@inter.net
my daughter has verizon fios in arlington va and when i set up her
network, i was astonished because the tech support [2 different
people] was knoweledgeble, courteous and helpful. this is not the
case in new york city where i have them for dsl. the fios needs a box
not just the phone line and splitter. she is happy with it, but is
definitely not a geek.
good luck,
elise
fyi
Dee
news:96adnaKxRdxGhRTR...@earthlink.com:
> I'd be interested in reading evaluations of both Roadrunner
> cable and
> Verizon FIOs from those who actually have _used_, or presently do
> so, either or both services. Reading about them or listening to
> ones neighbor complain about either of them does not count as
> "experience". I know from the get-go that customer service is a
> pipe dream but, obviously, my first concern is consistent and
> reliable connectivity. Any takers?
You're probably already familiar with this but I just thought I'd
mention www.dslreports.com
You can search on providers in your area and read reviews from other
users. http://www.dslreports.com/search
There are also forums where people can post about issues, ask
questions, etc, about each provider.
Dee
a real cheapskate
Never got FIOS tv by the time they rolled that out I hated them!
The internet part was rock solid at first but by the end of the 2 year
contract it had slowed and glitched.
The real problem was the near unusable phone incoming calls got
progressively noiser, and all tech support said was must be your
interior wiring.
even after all the 3 techs that visited noted problem reproduced with
house completely disconnected.
verizon held me to the contract for my phone that didnt work every
12th call or so had noise, so bad i couldnt hear he incoming caller.
after calling and complaing for months and every business day for 3
weeks, and esclating to the presidents office twice the noise was
traced to a noisey router in their central office.
i had begged them to put my phone back on copper, against company
policy.......
the fios backup battery failed after a few months, they tried to
charge me for a replacement the box beeped LOUD 24/7 no one knew there
was a silince alarm button on the box.
after 2 weeks of no replacement battery I finally lied and claimed the
pittsburgh paper was going to do a story if they didnt have a road
tech stip a battery out of a new install and put on my porch..
I asked nicely to be removed from all soliciation efforts
once fios is in your neighborhood marketing grows to near harasement
with constant calls, multiple mailers each week and worse salespeople
at my door at dinner time. they didnt have their solicitation permit
with them I had the police escort them off my property
I finally got off their soliciation list by calling from my business
line asking for the marketing guy who signed all the solicitations
claimed he was my long lost uncle....
the guys poor secretary got yelled at and no more solicitations they
skip my home completely
verizon also has a firm policy against trimming any tree even if it
endangers their main lines. they wait till a tree takes out a line and
bills the property owner for repairs.
one day a big storm will do serious damage and recovery will take
forever.....
verizon has earned my hatred......
Gordon
> I'd be interested in reading evaluations of both Roadrunner cable and
> Verizon FIOs from those who actually have _used_, or presently do so,
> either or both services.
I have been a Verizon customer for about 5 or 6 years. First with DSL,
(768K, $14.95/mo). Then I switched to fios. I'm fairly happy with it.
My chief complaint is the constant "price increases". When they first
rolled out fios, the service tiers were 5, 10 and 15Mbps. The two lowest
tiers are no longer available. So if I want service, I have to take the
15/2 service and pay the higer price for it. When I moved, the sales
man actually sold me the 25/25 service. Then I found out that cheaper
service was available and had it dropped down to the 15/2 tier. I would
have liked to drop it to 10/2 that I had at my prievious address.
But that is not available.
I can't complain about the service. Both DSL and fios have been
unbeatable.
The customer service people have been friendly and knowledgeable.
Dispite complaints that I hear from others.
But when ordering or changing service it seems like I'm dealing
with used car salesmen. They are constantly trying to upsell me,
or sell me add on packages, etc.
Gordon
news:DcqdnZ3Aa7ydPRbR...@earthlink.com:
> But when ordering or changing service it seems like I'm dealing
>>with used car salesmen. They are constantly trying to upsell me,
>>or sell me add on packages, etc.
> Well, at least, _that_ hasn't changed. As far as I can determine,
> the
> Verizon web site is silent on pricing. Because FIOS is "not available"
> to me, the Verizon phonetalker does not answer my directly but,
> instead, seques into a pitch for their "digital" combo of low-speed
> DSL and Direct-TV. I don't know for certain whether the low-speed
> product is all that's available or whether it's classic
> bait-and-switch. Because of the distances and line conditions (I live
> in the rapidly-disappearing "country"), cable was available here
> before DSL and I conclude the low-speed product to be all that's
> available because that's what they're constantly trying to sell me.
What Verizon is trying to do is get as many customers signed up
ahead of the fios light up. It's a hearts and minds campaign
to win customers. Around here, it took the form of $14.95/month
DSL service. Faster 3Mbps service was available. Interestingly,
Comcast only offered 3Mbps service too. Even though their system
could do better. Once fios was rolled out, they immiediatly
offered 6Mbps. Then 12. I don't know what their offering is now.
Since copper phone lines can't carry TV, Verizon has a reseller agreement
with Direct TV. Again, they want to pull customers away from
the local cable provider. Once fios gets rolled out Verizon
tries to convert everyone over to fios triple play bundle.