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John Terefenko
11-12-2016, 3:41 PM
Does anyone here use Fios for computer, phone, and TV. My cable company last year did away with the Yes network and I am a huge Yankee fan so I suffered some what. I do not want to go another year without. I am thinking of switching. This is the fiber optics cable stuff.

If you do what are some of the advantages and disadvantages?? What does it take to get installed. Are there options I should be aware of and would want that you got and now like?? I am sure this maybe called other things in different parts of the country. I am in NJ. My old cable company is Comcast the ripoff artists. Thanks in advance.

William Adams
11-12-2016, 3:45 PM
We've used it for broadband network access for a while, when they couldn't get DSL to work (too far from the closest access point) and they've since forced us to use it for voice.

It works, and was simply a matter of calling and having them do the install --- there's a box they had to add outside, and they had to tap into a box on a nearby telephone pole and run a fiber optic wire.

Not wild about the audio quality on the phone --- sometimes it echoes, but I mislike using the phone anyway --- just have it for messages &c.

John Terefenko
11-12-2016, 3:53 PM
William thank you and this is exactly what I am looking for. The good and bad of it. I am not being forced but as I said my cable company is not broadcasting yes network any more. The big problem there was the Yankees were not good and the Nets are no good so there is no demand or push to get it back.

Matt Schroeder
11-12-2016, 4:17 PM
I have had it in Maryland for about 5 years. I found no real difference from Comcast, other than one point. We have frequent power outages, so have a whole house generator. With Comcast we would lose cable/internet after about 4 hours when the backup battery in the repeater station at the end of our street ran out. With FiOS we keep all services as long as our generator is running. I really like that aspect. I don't know if that is the case in all areas or if it something that just happens to work for us (if there are powered booster stations on the FiOS network maybe we are close to one that has its own generator, instead of being at the end of a Comcast line that has battery power only?). I didn't realize that would be the case when we switched, but it sure is nice. We switched to take advantage of a good 2 year introductory deal, but it would be difficult to get me to switch again now.

Matt

Jim Becker
11-12-2016, 8:27 PM
I've been on FiOS for years now and I'm also in the telecom business for a couple decades, too. FTTH (Fiber To The Home) is far superior technology wise than other currently available technologies and the fiber, itself, will never be "obsolete"...change out the electronics in the central office and at the home and whatever speeds or types of technology and media are available at that point can be supported. FiOS also provides symmetrical speed for Internet service...it's the same speed "up" as it is for "down". For some folks that doesn't matter since they are largely consumers of content, but for anyone who's sending content, working from home, etc., it's big advantage over cable providers.

Your installation will consist of VZ dropping a fiber cable to your home, installing an ONT (Optical Network Terminal) either on the outside of your house or inside in an appropriate area. Most installs these days are inside. You will need to have an electrical outlet nearby for the OTN's power supply to be connected to. From there, a connection is made to a VZ-provided router that acts as your firewall and hands out addresses to your internal devices. The router also provides a coax interface that gets guide and VOD information to your STBs (settop boxes) for the TV service. Your phones connect to the OTN in the same way they currently connect to whatever phone service you've been using today by plugging into an RJ11 jack on the ONT.

The Triple Play can be bundled with flexibility relative to Internet speed and various tiers of TV service. You'll want to pick what works best for you in that respect and be sure that the TV tier you pick has the sports channel(s) you want/need. As a new subscriber, you should get some good incentives on the service. Do remember that the cost you see when picking your triple play doesn't include the STBs...the number of TVs you plan to support affects that cost. Nor does it include taxes, etc. (That's no different than Comcast... ;) ) The Quantum service is nice...one "full size" device which is your primary and the rest of your TVs get a very small box that gets everything from the primary.

John Terefenko
11-13-2016, 12:21 AM
I've been on FiOS for years now and I'm also in the telecom business for a couple decades, too. FTTH (Fiber To The Home) is far superior technology wise than other currently available technologies and the fiber, itself, will never be "obsolete"...change out the electronics in the central office and at the home and whatever speeds or types of technology and media are available at that point can be supported. FiOS also provides symmetrical speed for Internet service...it's the same speed "up" as it is for "down". For some folks that doesn't matter since they are largely consumers of content, but for anyone who's sending content, working from home, etc., it's big advantage over cable providers.

Your installation will consist of VZ dropping a fiber cable to your home, installing an ONT (Optical Network Terminal) either on the outside of your house or inside in an appropriate area. Most installs these days are inside. You will need to have an electrical outlet nearby for the OTN's power supply to be connected to. From there, a connection is made to a VZ-provided router that acts as your firewall and hands out addresses to your internal devices. The router also provides a coax interface that gets guide and VOD information to your STBs (settop boxes) for the TV service. Your phones connect to the OTN in the same way they currently connect to whatever phone service you've been using today by plugging into an RJ11 jack on the ONT.

The Triple Play can be bundled with flexibility relative to Internet speed and various tiers of TV service. You'll want to pick what works best for you in that respect and be sure that the TV tier you pick has the sports channel(s) you want/need. As a new subscriber, you should get some good incentives on the service. Do remember that the cost you see when picking your triple play doesn't include the STBs...the number of TVs you plan to support affects that cost. Nor does it include taxes, etc. (That's no different than Comcast... ;) ) The Quantum service is nice...one "full size" device which is your primary and the rest of your TVs get a very small box that gets everything from the primary.


Jim thank you for that. You would be the person to ask this then. Can I install the cable in a 1" pvc underground pipe. ??? I have tried to take everything off my house as far as from the pole to the house service drops. Have the power and phone right now. Was going to do the Comcast cable but they want to charge me for another install so I put it off and now this come up so hoping I can do this. Thanks.

Jim Becker
11-13-2016, 9:04 AM
VZ or their contractors will run the fiber from the pole to your home, either in existing communications conduit, new conduit or direct burial if you have underground utilities.

Curt Harms
11-13-2016, 9:08 AM
We've had FiOS for a number of years and are happy with it. SWMBO is not a fan of Comcast at all - I think there may be a Comcast voodoo doll full of pins around here someplace :D. We started out with 15/15 internet but were upgraded first to 25/25 then50/50 no charge and those speeds are a bit low - openspeedtest shows closer to 60. An aspect of the FiOS service I appreciate is their use of MoCA. They use it for channel guide and video on demand but it also provides ethernet networking wherever there's a coax (cable TV) outlet and an adapter. Used routers off Ebay work well as adapters. The speed is somewhat limited - I think it's around 100-200 mb./sec. but will actually do that. WiFi actual throughput is less than advertized, I've seen actual wifi speed averages about 25% of advertized. Here is some reading if you're somewhat knowledgeable about tech stuff.

https://www.dslreports.com/forum/vzfiber

https://www.dslreports.com/faq/verizonfios/3.1_General_Networking

If you want the fastest ethernet speeds you'd use ethernet from the ONT(optical network terminal) but you'd need ethernet cable in the building. Most houses these days have coax already in place.

dennis thompson
11-13-2016, 10:29 AM
I am in NJ too & when we moved in August we had FIOS installed, we also had it in our previous location. They ran the wires above ground through my yard and simply laid it on the ground (source is in the backyard). A week later they had a pipe installed below ground and about a week after that reran the wiring through the pipe. Why they didn't install the pipe first and then the wiring I'll never be able to figure out but it works fine.
I have found the Verizon technicians to be excellent if you have a problem, but getting them on the phone is very frustrating. Overall I am very happy with FIOS.

roger wiegand
11-13-2016, 10:43 AM
Switched from Comcast to FIOS about four years ago, phone, TV and internet. Comcast used to drop its connection about twice a week, we've lost the FIOS connection perhaps once in four years. All of our wires are overhead. Both are fast. I don't pay much attention to the TV offerings, my primary interest is a fast, stable network connection.

Brian Henderson
11-13-2016, 4:10 PM
I have FiOS, it works great, but I only use it for Internet. I dropped landline and TV a long time ago and don't miss it at all. I can't remember the last time I had to have someone out to service it either.

Jim Becker
11-13-2016, 5:00 PM
They ran the wires above ground through my yard and simply laid it on the ground (source is in the backyard). A week later they had a pipe installed below ground and about a week after that reran the wiring through the pipe. Why they didn't install the pipe first and then the wiring I'll never be able to figure out but it works fine.
VZ uses subcontractors for conduit/burial so there was likely a scheduling issue with the subcontractor and they didn't want to hold up your install. It happens sometimes...

John Terefenko
11-14-2016, 1:45 AM
I want to thank everyone especially Jim Becker for the info. If Comcast does not bring the Yes network back this spring I will be switching to Fios. Seems easy enough. I have the underground pipe in already so I will pull a drag line for them and easy pull. There is only 2 TVs and 1 computer plus house phone so it should not be an all day affair as I have seen some houses. I will be able to assist too.