Verizon Fios

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Samdari

I live in Cicero and they've signed an agreement too. No actual FIOS tv in sight though. Clay was the first to sign a franchise agreement and they don't have it yet either.

Where have they been saying they'd have most of the SU games? I cannot find where they have said anything. If they don't have TW sports, they won't have most of the SU games.

Front page article in yesterday's paper (still probably up on syracuse.com)

Central New York to get FiOS TV in early fall - syracuse.com
Verizon to bring TV to Central New York in early fall - syracuse.com

The bigger article from yesterday's paper was online yesterday but I can't find it online now...

not sure on how the SU sports thing will play out but I'm not too worried, most of the games have been on ESPNU but blacked out because TW Sports had them too and they got 1st dibs.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Chubby

most of the games have been on ESPNU but blacked out because TW Sports had them too and they got 1st dibs.

But if they're on TW sports, they will be blacked out on every other provider (satellites, FIOS).

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Samdari

But if they're on TW sports, they will be blacked out on every other provider (satellites, FIOS).

Only if you can get it (which you had to as TW was your only option at this point).

If you have TW and TW Sports has a game on channel 26, they will black it out on ESPNU.

If you FIOS you can see it on ESPNU as you don't have TW Sports.

I'm pretty sure this is how it works, I plan on asking at the FIOS tent at the Fair anyways.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Chubby

Only if you can get it (which you had to as TW was your only option at this point).

If you have TW and TW Sports has a game on channel 26, they will black it out on ESPNU.

If you FIOS you can see it on ESPNU as you don't have TW Sports.

I'm pretty sure this is how it works, I plan on asking at the FIOS tent at the Fair anyways.

Its blacked out if TW cable is available to you. Always has been on directv and dish, so I assume the same would apply to FIOS.

In fact, its blacked out on ESPNU if TW is available in your zip code. My parents have dish, largely because TW has not run cables to them, but since its available somewhere in their zip code, everything on TW sports is blacked out. Same happened last year with me on DirecTV.

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Samdari

Its blacked out if TW cable is available to you. Always has been on directv and dish, so I assume the same would apply to FIOS.

In fact, its blacked out on ESPNU if TW is available in your zip code. My parents have dish, largely because TW has not run cables to them, but since its available somewhere in their zip code, everything on TW sports is blacked out. Same happened last year with me on DirecTV.

hmm I'll ask at the Fair then how they plan on showing most of the games (hoops/football) like they said in the newspaper article then.

[Chubby]

So we signed up and are switcing away from Time Warner (YAY!)

At the NY State Fair (for samdari and any other locals) both FIOS and TW are running the same basic package: all 3 for $110 (which is the same as FIOS online, TW is cheaper at the Fair than online). Except FIOS is 15/5 while TW is 10/? (I don't care about upload speed). To go up to 25/15 is another $10/month if we want to at anytime.

So we get internet/phone now, with no installation or activation fees (waived) PLUS a $50 Wegmans gift card now PLUS $100 Target gift card after a month of service PLUS we get 1st dibs on TV when it comes out Q4. Getting the house wired and phone/internet setup next wed at which point we'll shut off TW phone/internet and keep tv/security (until FIOS tv comes out and we drop TW cable). Oh yeah, when TV comes out and we Triple Play bundle we get the special they are running at the time too (right now it's your choice of 3 services for the price of 2, a notebook thing, or a camcorder).

SU Sports - If the game is on an ESPN channel you'll see it. TW only blacks out the ESPN version when TW Sports has it. Whether TW Sports has a game won't affect ESPN channels on FIOS. We won't get games that were only on TW Sports (which are usually shitty ones). Whether this is how it ultimately works I guess we won't know for sure until we get FIOS tv.
NFL Network = YAY!!!!!!!!!

Any ?s letter rip

[Chubby]

Sure beats the $170 something we're paying right now for TW all 3 + security...

[Chubby]

WOOT!

Installation took about an hour, the 3 main boxes were already installed in the basement as the previous owner had FIOS phone/internet so that shaved about 3 hours off the installation time.

speedtest.net results = 17.48 MB/s download and 5.66 MB/s upload

not bad for 15/5 service

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Chubby

WOOT!

Installation took about an hour, the 3 main boxes were already installed in the basement as the previous owner had FIOS phone/internet so that shaved about 3 hours off the installation time.

speedtest.net results = 17.48 MB/s download and 5.66 MB/s upload

not bad for 15/5 service

Nice, I wish my service was that high on the upload. I only get 15/2.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

Nice, I wish my service was that high on the upload. I only get 15/2.

I get 25/25 with Verizion Fios. It seems to constantly be near peak for me as well.

[Pyser]

i couldnt wait anymore for fios to hit la. i am having directv installed today. congrats though chubby, im jealous.

dan, if i keep twc internet, what will that run me a month alone? no phone service

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Pyser

i couldnt wait anymore for fios to hit la. i am having directv installed today. congrats though chubby, im jealous.

dan, if i keep twc internet, what will that run me a month alone? no phone service

I think we are $46.99 a month, and supposed to be 10/1 or something eventually soon for standard Road Runner (at least that is what they keep saying).

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Alan T

I get 25/25 with Verizion Fios. It seems to constantly be near peak for me as well.

I'm jealous. I can't wait for DOCSIS 3.0...

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

I think we are $46.99 a month, and supposed to be 10/1 or something eventually soon for standard Road Runner (at least that is what they keep saying).

vs $49.99 standalone 15/5 thru FIOS

I'm not going to TWC bash because I'm sure FIOS will do this too but we were paying $160/month for all 3 then at the NY State Fair both sides are running offers of $110/month for all 3 (tho FIOS had the gift cards I mentioned) with 2 year price guarantees (FIOS waived all setup/installation, TWC would have been $30 if we were new). At the same price point FIOS is 50% faster on DLs than RR. The only reason we hadn't switched til now is because I like getting all 3 with one company for the "savings". Normally I wouldn't have a landline but with a security system we have to have one (thru TW which we are keeping).

As I said, I'm sure the price will go up after 2 years just like it has from TWC after our initial year deal ran out with them a few years back. It's frustrating to have to call and threaten to switch companies to get the price knocked down which still wouldn't match the "new" customer...

If push comes to shove, we'll drop service in 2 years , go to the fair again and get another "new" customer deal.

[Alan T]

Chubby,

I'm not sure how far upstate it goes, but I know for a good deal of the NYC metro area as well as other parts of New York/New Jersey, the offers that are available from FIOS for those customers are different then anywhere else in the country. I know at one point in New York you could get 50/30 Internet for the same price I pay for 25/25.

This is because New York is marked as a "competition" area for Verizon from what I was told.

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Alan T

Chubby,

I'm not sure how far upstate it goes, but I know for a good deal of the NYC metro area as well as other parts of New York/New Jersey, the offers that are available from FIOS for those customers are different then anywhere else in the country. I know at one point in New York you could get 50/30 Internet for the same price I pay for 25/25.

This is because New York is marked as a "competition" area for Verizon from what I was told.

It doesn't reach us, we get the same national deals as everyone else.

[gstelmack]

I'd love a reasonable upload speed. I'm fine with my current download, but these upload speeds (with TWC RoadRunner) really need to go up.

[Chubby]

oh yeah, TV is coming next month according to the tech that installed (for Samdari)

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Chubby

oh yeah, TV is coming next month according to the tech that installed (for Samdari)

The tech who installed my FIOS internet/phone last October said January of 2009. The salesman in the mall running specials last Christmas shopping season said July 2009. Neither the techs nor the salesmen really know anything - as evidenced by the statement, "Whether TW Sports has a game won't affect ESPN channels on FIOS." which is patently false.

[SteveMax58]

Originally Posted by Alan T

This is because New York is marked as a "competition" area for Verizon from what I was told.

Yes...NYC for sure. That's Vz's backyard as well as TWC & RCN's...so definitely they will all be competing aggressivelythere.

Philly will likely be a good battle as well due to being Comcast's backyard.

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Samdari

The tech who installed my FIOS internet/phone last October said January of 2009. The salesman in the mall running specials last Christmas shopping season said July 2009. Neither the techs nor the salesmen really know anything - as evidenced by the statement, "Whether TW Sports has a game won't affect ESPN channels on FIOS." which is patently false.

heh, we'll see on the rollout date. regardless, we'll be saving money with the current setup of FIOS phone/internet and TW cable/security.

We'll see on the games, it doesn't make any sense to me why they'd be blacked out on FIOS (or DTV/DISH) just because TW Sports has coverage.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Chubby

it doesn't make any sense to me why they'd be blacked out on FIOS (or DTV/DISH) just because TW Sports has coverage.

Oh, I think FIOS tv is coming soon. I just don't think they tell the installers anything but, "go here, do this," and the salesmen, "you need to sign up this many people to keep your job"

I can assure you, if they were on ESPNU (or full court) last season, TWS also had the game, and the ESPNU/FC feed was blacked out on all of TWC/Dish/DirecTV. If ESPN/2/CBS had the game TWS did not, so you could watch it on all systems.

It does make sense, if you think about it. Blackouts are by zip code, not by individual provider - that's the way tv rights are sold. Something would be blacked out because TWS has the local broadcast rights, not because they decided people should watch their feed. In fact, if ESPNU had dual rights, it would be illegal for TWC to block that feed and make people watch TWS.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Alan T

I get 25/25 with Verizion Fios. It seems to constantly be near peak for me as well.

Hey, have I talked to you about doing the RWBL html lately?

[stevew]

I'd love to get Fios, but we'll probably be the last area in the country to get it.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by stevew

Hey, have I talked to you about doing the RWBL html lately?

Even for me uploading html in ootp is pretty unwieldy because it is 15,000 small files. When you are dealing with tons of small files, bandwidth doesn't matter a whole hill of beans and latency is more important.

Now uploading the league file I can do pretty much instantly in many cases which is nice.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by stevew

I'd love to get Fios, but we'll probably be the last area in the country to get it.

It will take forever here as well. City infrastructure is not very conducive to getting FIOS

[path12]

I just got the FIOS 3 for 2 offer in the mail. I think I'm going for it, looks like it'll save over Comcast but I need to crunch the numbers more.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by path12

I just got the FIOS 3 for 2 offer in the mail. I think I'm going for it, looks like it'll save over Comcast but I need to crunch the numbers more.

Regardless of which you decide, both comcast and fios usually are very willing to give you incentives to switch/stay. Make use of that regardless of which you decide, you usually can get several months free for premium channels, or free multi-room DVR for several months or other perks. If you choose to not switch, you often can call Comcast and say you received the fios offer and are considering switching, but were curious if they had any incentive programs to stay.

It is a very competitive market and usually the phone sales people are auto-authorized to make certain deals in these situations, so take advantage of them.

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by path12

I just got the FIOS 3 for 2 offer in the mail. I think I'm going for it, looks like it'll save over Comcast but I need to crunch the numbers more.

When tv rolls out here we get to take advantage of whatever deal they are running at the time which i hope is still the 3 for 2 deal

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Chubby

When tv rolls out here we get to take advantage of whatever deal they are running at the time which i hope is still the 3 for 2 deal

Supposedly it is now available.

Does not seem like that great a deal to me. In order to take advantage of the triple play deal, I need to raise the price of the services I am currently getting by $40 a month - in order to get a $53 discount. Very lame.

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Samdari

Supposedly it is now available.

Does not seem like that great a deal to me. In order to take advantage of the triple play deal, I need to raise the price of the services I am currently getting by $40 a month - in order to get a $53 discount. Very lame.

???

TW all the best is 133.50 vs 110 for FIOS (well 120 if you add the HD package to make it apples vs apples) with a 15 MB DL speed for FIOS vs 10 for TW.

I don't know what services you have but for me it's a no braininer to switch (along with the court fight to get local sportson FIOS)

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Chubby

???

TW all the best is 133.50 vs 110 for FIOS (well 120 if you add the HD package to make it apples vs apples) with a 15 MB DL speed for FIOS vs 10 for TW.

I don't know what services you have but for me it's a no braininer to switch (along with the court fight to get local sportson FIOS)

and this is assuming everyone is paying regular pricing (so it's apples v apples)

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Chubby

???

TW all the best is 133.50 vs 110 for FIOS (well 120 if you add the HD package to make it apples vs apples) with a 15 MB DL speed for FIOS vs 10 for TW.

I don't know what services you have but for me it's a no braininer to switch (along with the court fight to get local sportson FIOS)

I am currently paying 42.99 for FIOS internet, 29.99 for phone. For me to get the triple play (with the good tv package) those costs go up $40, then add the tv price (plus equipment rental), then I get the $53 discount. Ends up being more than keeping the current plan and getting TW cable.

I REALLY want to go with FIOS, but they're making it hard to justify.

I saw someone make a comment yesterday on the syracuse.com website about FIOS suing TW to force them to sell TW sports to them. But, searching the internet, there is nothing about them suing TW (about that). Do you have a link about it?

There was, in fact, a recent case in San Diego where someone sued a cable company trying to force them to sell exclusive programming of a local sports team. The company with the exclusive won, due to some "terrestrial exception" meaning if the programming was being distributed solely by cable, they did not have to make it available to other providers.

[SteveMax58]

Originally Posted by Samdari

There was, in fact, a recent case in San Diego where someone sued a cable company trying to force them to sell exclusive programming of a local sports team. The company with the exclusive won, due to some "terrestrial exception" meaning if the programming was being distributed solely by cable, they did not have to make it available to other providers.

Yes, this is absolutely how it works. If the company (i.e. CATV, Telco, etc.) originates and distributes the content via their own private terrestrial means (fiber, coaxial, etc.) they are not obligated to allow access to other companies. Satellite distribution & OTA would be the distribution methods required to allow access.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by SteveMax58

Yes, this is absolutely how it works. If the company (i.e. CATV, Telco, etc.) originates and distributes the content via their own private terrestrial means (fiber, coaxial, etc.) they are not obligated to allow access to other companies. Satellite distribution & OTA would be the distribution methods required to allow access.

Yeah, in reading about the San Diego case, the judge pretty much disagreed with the exception, but said that the legislature, not the courts, were the place to fix it. Given that court decision, it would seem pointless to sue.

[Chubby]

FIOS TV install set for monday along with an upgrade to 25/15 and HD Extreme!

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Chubby

FIOS TV install set for monday along with an upgrade to 25/15 and HD Extreme!

As an update, many of the SU hoops games on TW are also on SNY, broadcast in the NY area, but blacked out on FIOS in this area.

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Samdari

As an update, many of the SU hoops games on TW are also on SNY, broadcast in the NY area, but blacked out on FIOS in this area.

I'll find out soon since FIOS TV is up and running. Especially with Big East games, more are on ESPN/2/U which I'll get. Saving a good chunk of chnage with FIOS and since we wanted the HD package anyways we get 25/15 internet with it as well WOOT!

[Bearcat729]

Verizon winds down expensive FiOS expansion - Yahoo! News


Verizon winds down expensive FiOS expansion

By PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology Writer– 23 mins ago

NEW YORK – If Verizon Communications Inc. hasn't already started wiring your city or town with its FiOS fiber-optic TV and broadband service, chances are you won't get it.

Where it's available, FiOS usually provides the only competition for cable TV apart from satellite service. Studies have shown that its entry into an area leads to lower cable prices, though FiOS itself has not been undercutting cable TV prices substantially.

But Verizon is nearing the end of its program to replace copper phone lines with optical fibers that provide much higher Internet speeds and TV service. Its focus is now on completing the network in the communities where it's already secured "franchises," the rights to sell TV service that rivals cable, said spokeswoman Heather Wilner.

That means Verizon will continue to pull fiber to homes in Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia — projects that will take years to complete — but leaves such major cities as Baltimore and downtown Boston without FiOS.

Verizon is still negotiating for franchises in some smaller communities, mainly in New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, but it is not working on securing franchises for any major urban areas, Wilner said. For instance, it's halted negotiations for the Washington suburb of Alexandria, Va.

Verizon never committed to bringing FiOS to its entire local-phone service area. It has introduced FiOS in 16 states, but the deployment is concentrated on the East Coast, and Verizon is selling off most of its service areas in the Midwest and on the West Coast. Its stated goal was to make FiOS available to 18 million households by the end of 2010, and it's on track to reach or exceed that.

That will still leave a third of its service area (excluding the territories it is selling) without fiber. And as Verizon has signaled this month that it's focusing on communities where it already has franchises, it's now becoming clear which ones are in and which are out.

The New York-based company hinted in 2008 that it might continue expansion of FiOS beyond this year, but the recession seems to have crimped that possibility. The company has pulled back on promotions for new subscribers, like the 19-inch TVs it gave away under one campaign. That in turn has led to lower recruitment figures.

CEO Ivan Seidenberg told investors in January that FiOS itself has been doing well, but Verizon's sales of services to large businesses have suffered in the downturn, and it needed to offset that by not being too "aggressive" in marketing FiOS.

Verizon doesn't appear to have ruled out further FiOS expansion, but doesn't have any plans, either. The economics apparently are not attractive enough: TV service carries fairly low margins compared to Verizon's phone business, according to analyst Craig Moffett at Sanford Bernstein.

Moffett believes the end of FiOS expansion means that cable companies will lose fewer subscribers, starting next year.

The recruitment of new FiOS TV subscribers slowed last year. In the fourth quarter, it added 153,000 subscribers, little more than half of the number it added in the same period the year before.

At the end of last year, Verizon had 2.86 million FiOS TV subscribers and 3.43 million FiOS Internet subscribers (most households take both).

It costs Verizon thousands of dollars to connect a home to FiOS, and it has faced skepticism from investors over the project. The cost from its 2004 introduction to 2010 was put at $23 billion in 2007. But it's allowed Verizon to mount an effective resistance to cable companies, which are siphoning off landline phone customers and can offer higher broadband speeds than phone companies without fiber straight to homes can.

Verizon is the only major U.S. phone company to draw fiber all the way to homes and the only one to offer broadband speeds approaching those available in Japan and South Korea. The halt to further expansion comes as the Federal Communications Commission has sent Congress the country's first "national broadband plan," aimed at making Internet access faster, more affordable and more widely available.

AT&T Inc. and Qwest Communications International Inc. are laying fiber into neighborhoods, but still use copper phone lines to take the signal the last stretch of the way, into homes. That's a less costly strategy that has drawn less scrutiny from Wall Street, but it also limits top broadband speeds. Meanwhile, cable companies are upgrading modems this year to offer higher speeds, a relatively inexpensive move.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Bearcat729

Meanwhile, cable companies are upgrading modems this year to offer higher speeds, a relatively inexpensive move.

If RoadRunner wants to keep me, they better get DOCSIS 3 here fast, or I'll be on U-Verse enjoying 18 or 24 Mbps downloads, and also faster uploads, pretty soon.

[rjolley]

Does anyone know of a number to call to get the latest info on getting UVerse in an area? I've seen maps with UVerse in my area, but not down to a street level.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by rjolley

Does anyone know of a number to call to get the latest info on getting UVerse in an area? I've seen maps with UVerse in my area, but not down to a street level.

You can sign up to be notified, but I don't know how to get an ETA. I'm watching them dig in my neighborhood, but I have no clue if I'm a week or 6 months away from being able to order it.

[rjolley]

Bah, I want superfast speeds today.

Between U-Verse being close but not here and being right on the borderline for WiMAX (I can go about 4 houses down and get a 1-2 bars of a WiMax signal, but none at home), I'm feeling a bit neglected for better broadband speeds.

[I. J. Reilly]

I guess this is the right thread to bump, basically I'm looking for any input on Fios versus U-Verse. I guess I'm leaning towards Fios for the better internet speed, and also I read over in the U-Verse thread that there are problems with freezing and stuttering on the TV feed. Anything like that with Fios, or is that even still an issue with U-Verse? Thanks for any input.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by I. J. Reilly

I guess this is the right thread to bump, basically I'm looking for any input on Fios versus U-Verse. I guess I'm leaning towards Fios for the better internet speed, and also I read over in the U-Verse thread that there are problems with freezing and stuttering on the TV feed. Anything like that with Fios, or is that even still an issue with U-Verse? Thanks for any input.

I'm sure it's different, depending on locality. I had FIOS in Richmond and it was blazing fast with no problems And that's in a state where nothing else worked. In Houston, we have UVerse at an apartment and the speed is slower, but I expect that in an apartment, and we haven't had any "stuttering" issues.

SI

[Subby]

The best gets even better:

Verizon FiOS Expands Mobile TV Support To Android & iPhone, Now Lets You Watch Live TV Outside The Home | TechCrunch

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Subby

The best gets even better:

Verizon FiOS Expands Mobile TV Support To Android & iPhone, Now Lets You Watch Live TV Outside The Home | TechCrunch

Really!?!? Outside the home?!!?! SWEET

[QuikSand]

I just want to watch my DVR on my iPad. I don't feel like this is break-the-bank stuff, but I am presumably naive about this.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

I just want to watch my DVR on my iPad. I don't feel like this is break-the-bank stuff, but I am presumably naive about this.

This too. Hoping this is a step in that direction.

[Eaglesfan27]

I just noticed that FIOS is finally available where I live. Is the high speed internet service living up to the advertised speeds? I've got high speed comcast and they are at least 50% below the advertised speeds whenever I run a test, so I'm considering upgrading.