 Review by KoolMoe 
UPDATED: 170 days ago
member for 8.7 years, 3994 visits, last login: a few hours ago
 Annapolis,Anne Arundel,MD
 $130 per month (24 month contract)
 about 4 days
 "Delivers what it should"
 "It's Verizon"
 "Good enough to make me sell-out"
| Pre Sales Information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
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Had SE DSL, varies versions of for past few years. Was expensive but always generally happy with it.
Then VZ put fiber in my 'hood. For the cost of bundling TV, phone, and 'net (about $130/month incl taxes/fees), I get faster service (5/2 instead of 5/768) and save about $90/month over SE, Comcast, and VZ POTS.
Installers were a great pair and did the house as requested. Spent a solid 5 or 6 hours here. Totally competent process.
'Net speed is consistent and a little over-provisioned as opposed to SE's under-provisioning. The router is ridiculous and seems to need rebooting once a week to fix routing or something (house computers get timeouts to the net - though TV still works), but a mild hassle. I don't like VZ's DNS redirect page either. Tried OpenDNS but had spotty results.
TV reception is great on SD and HD TVs. The guide still kinda sucks and I can't believe they still don't do 'cool' things like caller ID on the TV...but for TV, it's great (VOD could have more of a free movie selection).
No worries on the phone - all seems to work fine. Nice to have Caller ID, etc included.
The battery backup barely lasted 8 hours on a recent outage with minimal phone usage, no net usage. Lame. If a concern, have other battery backups.
Overall, totally worth it. Too bad the advent of FIOS really hasn't brought down prices overall - when my two year contract is up, I think prices will go up to where I was before...And I hate that I'm giving all money to Verizon (argh).
But no regrets so far overall. Way to go VZ on delivering a solid product.
Update: 5/21/09
Got the router swapped for a newer model of that same huge Actiontech a couple months ago. Definitely seemed to help the daily drops. It still happens, seems to be related to lots of net activity from the various computers in the house (NAT/routing table?) but only once every couple weeks, definitely a lot less than before.
Also a couple months ago, heard VZ had bumped the standard connection in my area to 10/2. I called to upgrade, which required adding a year to my contract. Since I've never seen prices actually come down since I've had broadband, more than happy to 'lock in' my current pricing for another year. I'd like to see that happen again - another standard boost to, say, 15/5, I upgrade, and add another year at the same cost.
I'm finding it harder and harder to dislike Verizon.
Absolutely no issues with the phone, though we still use an answering machine and not the voicemail (old habits). TV is still pretty good. More occasional pixelation, likely as more users in the 'hood hook-up, and the guide STILL sucks and is inaccurate, and still a rather lame VOD (well, lame free VOD). But, still, definitely pleased with the service overall.
Followup comments:  
birdfeedr
Premium,MVM
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI
 ·Verizon FIOS
1 edit | Re: VZ's redirect page for DNS In the router, change the DNS from automatic DHCP to Use This Address. Use the same DNS address VZ assigned by default except change the last octet to .14 instead of .12 to fix the DNS redirection feature. 
Also, I'd be looking for speeds of 10/2. The 5/2 service was upgraded a little while ago to 10/2 minimum for new customers. If there's some parts of Verizon's footprint that didn't get it yet, well, that might explain your speed.
Otherwise, make sure you've optimized your PC for the higher speed. Lower RWIN settings that are good for 5/2 will not give 10/2 performance. | |
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KoolMoe
Aw Man
Premium
join:2001-02-14
Annapolis, MD
clubs:
·Verizon FIOS
 ·Speakeasy
| Re: VZ's redirect page for DNS Thanks for the reply. I couldn't find anywhere in the router mgmt to do what you suggest with the 'Use This Address'. Can you give more specific instructions?
I websearched about the speed upgrade and saw many who said it cost them $3 more. Totally worthwhile but disappointing when I'm already paying as much as I am!
So tried to ask via online help, the results were totally worthless (no live response just canned replies) so called. Very helpful gal ultimately got me the speed increase, no extra fees, for a 1 year contract extension.
Frankly, with the way VZ's prices have been going up, I had No Problem doing that.
Testing today, speedtest.net to DC show 9840/1840, close enough to 10mb down. This is the fastest line I've ever had to the net. Sweet.
Were it not for VZ's totally lame online/email support, this would have been a platinum experience...but still gold for a bump for free.
I may check the RWINs, etc but, frankly, I'm cool with what I have.
Thanks for the reply, bird!
KM | |
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birdfeedr
Premium,MVM
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI
·Verizon FIOS
| Re: VZ's redirect page for DNS said by KoolMoe :Thanks for the reply. I couldn't find anywhere in the router mgmt to do what you suggest with the 'Use This Address'. Can you give more specific instructions? Log in to the Actiontec, click on My Network icon, click on Network Connections menu item.
Depending on which one is active for you, click on Broadband Connection (Ethernet) or (Coax).
Properties page will show current DNS servers. Write down the addresses displayed there. If you are getting the VZ redirected DNS, you will see the addresses ending in .12
Click on Settings button at bottom. In DNS Server, select from the drop-down "Use the Following DNS Server Addresses". Page will then show where you can enter primary and secondary DNS addresses just below.
Enter the addresses you wrote down a minute ago, except make the last octet .14
Click Apply at the bottom, and maybe again if asked. Your router will reconfigure.
You know the settings are right if you go back in and the Broadband properties page shows the DNS ending in .14
Your speedtest results are consistent for 10/2, so it looks like you're good to go. Yay! | |
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