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Cable TV/internet vs. FiOS TV/internet?

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,931
13,129
Portland, OR
I've had cable for the longest time and overall I've been happy. I use Vonage for phone service, but Comcast for basic cable/internet.

I just got a flyer for Verizon FiOS TV/internet for $10 a month less. The deal is also 1st month free, 20% off months 2-7 and a free dvr.

Now I don't have tivo, but I have been considering a dvr for a while now. Considering FiOS tv has about 200 more channels than I will ever watch for $10 less PLUS a free dvr, it's tempting. Vonage works with FiOS or so it seems (not recommended with dsl) and I will be getting an HDTV at some point this year, so the added channels could kill osme serious brain sells.

Anybody have FiOS to compare to? 5M up/2M down sounds a hell of a lot better than my current cable throughput. I will run tests tonight and see what I am clocking currently.
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
I have FiOS. I had it every since it was available in my area - about 2 years I'd say. I don't watch much TV but from what I've read right now DirectTV has way more HDTV channels than FiOS or cable (of course DirectTV sucks in bad weather - heavy rain/precip/etc). FtH has the most capacity though so its just a matter of them getting their channel lineup paid for and dialed.

The Internet access has been great I almost always can get 20 down/ 4.5 Mb up to the closest: http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/ - I pay for 20/5 Mb. I almost always get 20 Mb/s download from large website like Apple.com for their numerous software updates (buggy software)

They also have plenty of bandwidth there and are doing 100 Mb in some test markets.

When you get your installation see if you can get the equipment installed in your basement (if you have one). Most of the time they just put the equipment right out side your house
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,931
13,129
Portland, OR
What speed package do you have? They were talking $45 a month for 5/2. I haven't run a test on my setup in a while, so it would be interesting to see what it pegs out at tonight.

I was just going to go with the base package.
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
What speed package do you have? They were talking $45 a month for 5/2. I haven't run a test on my setup in a while, so it would be interesting to see what it pegs out at tonight.

I was just going to go with the base package.
Thats probably fine. We have the mid level plan I think its $40 or $45 month 20/5 but we have 3 HDTV boxes too. I don't pay the TV bill and rarely watch TV or movies.
 

reflux

Turbo Monkey
Mar 18, 2002
4,617
2
G14 Classified
DSL reports is way better for communications providers:

http://www.dslreports.com/
That may very well be the case, but I've found consumerist to be a great avenue for getting problems fixed. I have Cox Comm at home, which has been problem-free so far, but I have heard countless stories of installations and setups gone awry with Comcast and Verizon. If JD finds himself in setup pergatory, consumerist might help to point him in the right direction.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,931
13,129
Portland, OR
Speakeasy seems to think I'm pulling 20M down/1.5M up. I wish I could see that kind of throughput from various sites.
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
Speakeasy seems to think I'm pulling 20M down/1.5M up. I wish I could see that kind of throughput from various sites.
Try downloading itunes or quicktime from apple.com - like I said - I usually get 20 Mb/s from apple.com
 

goofy

Monkey
Mar 20, 2004
472
0
olney md.
i have Fios at my place and it works great. I've had some issues with Verizon customer service but not as bad as the ones that I had with Comcast.
 

splat

Nam I am
I have Fios , and I have been very happy with. I havethe 5/2 and even though comcast used to say I had 6/3 I noticed HUGE improvments in the speed.
as far as teh Internet I have only found 2 things that Bug , But I have found work arounds.

1) my IP addresses changes every day , But I use a CLient with automaticlly updates my IP adrress with DDNS

2) the Block Port 80 , so I had to port redirect on my router to get to my webserver

And verizon out NO software on my Computer, Comcast was always telling me I had to install all sorts of "Client" that were Windows/Mac only and I tell them I was Linux and they would tell Me I was not allowed to run that . and I even caught Comcast trying to break through My firewall once so I have no love for Comcast. They ever demanded at one point that I attach a Windows Box directly to the cable modem , with Firewall and Virus protection turned off! ( any one who knows anything about the interenet knows that a windows comupter unprotected on the interent will be useless in less then 5 minutes )

as for the TV , I don't watch much but I must say the channel section with just Basic has been "overwhelming "

and the Phone , well it acts just like a Phone.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,931
13,129
Portland, OR
...I was Linux and they would tell Me I was not allowed to run that .
Linux FTW. That's all i needed to know.

Whenever I had to talk to Comcast in the past, I didn't mention what I was running because you could hear the confusion tin their voice. I will look at swapping out this month as soon as I find the best "sign up now deal".

Thanks all.
 

syadasti

i heart mac
Apr 15, 2002
12,690
290
VT
Sounds like the Comcast people in Boston are just crazy. A ton home internet routers run some flavor of linux that serve the connection to user's windows boxes....