Opinions on Verizon FIOS...??

JimHare · #1 (**permalink**) 12-08-08, 08:35 PM

Oddly enough, Verizon claims to have spread FIOS down here in my neck of the S. Jersey boondocks, and their come-ons are somewhat tempting. I currently have Comcast Cable & HD/DVR tv, but I'm not overly impressed with the TV part of it - some of the HD channels are almost always "this channel will be available shortly", and it's getting to be a bit of a pain. I pay almost $200 a month for the HD/Digital Platinum/DVR package, with my 12MB internet.

Has anyone had any experience with FIOS? How's the picture quality? How's the reliability? What about the internet connection?

I'd appreciate any thoughts...

TIA
Jim

**Playdrv4me** · #2 (**permalink**) 12-08-08, 08:49 PM

Well, generally pretty much everyone who has Comcast hates it, and on the flipside of the coin, every report I have heard from FIOS owners is that they are absolutely in love with their FIOS service. Not one complaint yet from various co-workers and acquaintances with the service.

The problems with FIOS occurred in the system's infancy when green installers didn't know how or where to tap customer's home for electric power and such that the Fiberoptic box requires to run. Many small fires and such were a result of this, but they eventually got their act together and problems are few and far between now. ATT Uverse is a competitor to FIOS but they may not be in your area.

Me? I don't need all that DVR and 4000 bazillion MGBIT per second junk. 14.95 RoadRunner Lite, standard cable and my iPhone fit my needs just fine.

CIWS · #3 (**permalink**) 12-08-08, 09:55 PM

I've had Fios for two years. Works great. So far never seen a TV outage. Inet has dropped a couple of times but never longer than a few minutes each time.

thebigjimsho · #4 (**permalink**) 12-08-08, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimHare

Oddly enough, Verizon claims to have spread FIOS down here in my neck of the S. Jersey boondocks, and their come-ons are somewhat tempting. I currently have Comcast Cable & HD/DVR tv, but I'm not overly impressed with the TV part of it - some of the HD channels are almost always "this channel will be available shortly", and it's getting to be a bit of a pain. I pay almost $200 a month for the HD/Digital Platinum/DVR package, with my 12MB internet.

Has anyone had any experience with FIOS? How's the picture quality? How's the reliability? What about the internet connection?

I'd appreciate any thoughts...

TIA
Jim

$200?? Wow! DirecTV HD with 5 lines in the house and a ton of channels runs less than $100 a month. My Sprint broadband card I take everywhere and that's $60 a month.

I see bundle this and bundle that. I have friends who switched TO Comcast to bundle everything but the price isn't even great. If you're going to switch to 1 company for everything, they should be giving you the moon.

***Boombotz*** · #5 (**permalink**) 12-09-08, 04:30 AM

Verizon Fios is great. Internet is super fast, HD channels are great. I have 100+ HD channels hooked to a 61" 1080 P TV. Crystal clear,

Only complait about Verizon that I have and I heard this from others too in my area.
Is there customers service sucks and there billing sucks. We are locked into a 2 year contract for $150.00. It includes phone, internet, DVR boxes for 3 TV rooms and some movie channels like Showtime, Encore, TMC and some others.
I have had the service for a little over a year and every other month they send us a bill for $200.00. They blame a computer glich for the mistake always, but still want us to pay the $200.00 when it happens and then will correct it to $100.00 the next month. We fight with them on the phone all the time. I can't wait till I see what they try to do with our billing when our contract ends with them. Thats what seems to save us all the time when where argueing about the price becuase they also like to say the services have gone up too. Just watch your bill very closley with them. I am not the only one that they do this too.

Coma · #6 (**permalink**) 12-09-08, 10:02 AM

A few of my customers from out of state have the Verizon FIOS internet and I can say this: It's amazing. Super fast, awesome connection. I am waiting for it to come to Cleveland...

97DevilleBeige · #7 (**permalink**) 12-09-08, 11:50 AM

Before you sign up, ask them what the bill would be AFTER all taxes and fees. In Long Island, Cablevision and Verizon Fios both are competing head to head, and while Fios's tv service is a little better, cablevision's internet service is a little bit better. Over here, Fios is locking customers into 2 year commitments. Because of the different way cable companies and phone companies get taxed and have fees assessed, bills that start off at the same base price end up higher with fios. Fios also charges for little things that add up like 411, High definition cable boxes, etc.

**slk230mb** · #8 (**permalink**) 12-10-08, 08:32 PM

I was about to switch to Verizon FiOS, but they don't have NY1 (New York 1, local channel) and that was a deal breaker to my parents for now. If Time Warner Road Runner and HDTV go down for a week again, they might change their minds.

I've heard nothing but the best about FiOS.

JimHare · #9 (**permalink**) 12-25-08, 03:18 PM

Update :

On 12/23 the Verizon guy showed up, as scheduled. I signed up on line for the whole magillah - HD Extreme, and 20/10 inernet speed tier. I was at work, but the better half says he knew what he was doing. He connect all the devices up, set the TV up correctly, and left in about 4 hours.

Initial impressions - very pleased. TV picture seems better (could be subjective), all channels work, the cable speed hovers between 18 and 19.5K bps. The router/modem Verizon supplies let me disconnect my old Netgear that I had between the PCs and the Comcast modem. Everybody hooked up just fine.

So far, so good. I should save about $100 a month...