more on Verizon Fiber Optics Installation]

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [IP] Verizon Fiber Optics Installation
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2006 17:23:46 -0500
From: Fred C. Smith III <fcsmith3 () optonline net>
To: dave () farber net
References: <43FE19B6.3020402 () farber net>

We had Verizon landlines for both dial-up service and voice.  Our
problem was that the cables buried in our street were starting to
deteriorate and we had many lengthy service outages.  Verizon would not
spend the money to replace the failing copper.  Instead, they kept
falling back on the concept that Fiber Optic was "coming."  We knew we
had to do something.

We finally gave in and investigated Verizon Fiber Optic here on Long
Island.  Astonishingly, they could not tell us when it would be
installed in our neighborhood ... not even narrowing it down to what
year they expected to do it!  They apparently have no schedule in place.
 All of their service vans now tout the Fiber Optic product, but they
cannot deliver it any time soon.

We then asked about Verizon DSL.  It was not available in our
neighborhood.  Our lines would not support it.  Surprise!

Our solution was to drop our Verizon landlines entirely and switch our
computer service to a 15 mbps (2 mbps upload) broadband system offered
by our local cable company (Cablevision.)  For voice, we now rely
entirely on our two cell phones.

We, too, will lose our broadband connection in the event of a power
outage.  The chances of losing our cell service during same are small,
unless it is an entire regional grid failure.  In the big Northeast
blackout several years ago, we lost our cells for about four hours.  Our
main power was out for a day.

Our broadband speed has entirely lived up to the advertised claims (15/2).

Verizon continues to shoot itself in the foot, both with its lack of
disclosure of annoying details and its propensity for pushing products
that it is unable to deliver.

Fred Smith
Long Island, NY


  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Dave Farber
  To: ip () v2 listbox com
  Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2006 3:23 PM
  Subject: [IP] Verizon Fiber Optics Installation




  -------- Original Message --------
  Subject: [Fwd: Verizon Fiber Optics Installation]
  Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2006 14:56:44 -0500 (EST)
  From: sami aronson-unger <aronsos () amnh org>
  To: dave () farber net

  IP may be interested.
  Sami


  ---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
  Subject: Verizon Fiber Optics Installation
  From:    "Stephen Unger" <unger () cs columbia edu>
  Date:    Thu, February 23, 2006 14:41
  To:      faculty () cs columbia edu
  Cc:      "Sami, AMNH Unger" <aronsos () amnh org>
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------

  A couple of weeks ago we had Verizon install a fiber optics (FIOS)
  internet connection in our house.  A network router is included.
  There is one aspect of this that anybody else planning to have this done
  ought to be aware of at the outset.  The default is to have
  telephone service also on the FIOS.  This was not brought to our
  attention before we had the job done.  For ordinary telephone service over
  copper wire, power is supplied from the central office, so that if there
  is a local power outage, you don't lose telephone service. But FIOS
  requires that power be supplied by the subscriber.  Verizon supplies a
  battery backup system that will maintain telephone service (but NOT the
  data channel) in the event of a power outage.  It will give you a few
  hours of phone service.  Also, these batteries do fail after a few years
  and subscribers are responsible for replacing them. I don't know of any
  benefit to the subscriber of having the phone on FIOS.

  We realized this shortly after the job was completed and then it took a
  lot of agitating to get Verizon to restore the copper phone line
  connection.  I believe that there would have been no problem if we had
  asked for this at the outset, which is the reason for this message.

  The system is working very well so far and we very much enjoy the high
  speed service--claimed to be 5MbS  (or 625 KBS).


  Steve
  ............







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