The Day I Have Waited For: Goodbye Comcast!
That's right boys and girls, I am writing to you on my new FiOS connection. Here's my in-depth review:
This blows Comcast away completely. Really, Comcast....you can suck it.
Everything is better:
--20mbs downstream confirmed and supposed to be nearly 100% consistent on speed.
--Picture on TV is noticeably better with greater HD selection. Standard def looks better too.
--More responsive DVR operating system.
--I even have a converter for my TV in my "man cave." It looks better too.
--No hassle setup. Everything just works.
Right now I am using their router with no complaints. Haven't messed integrating it into my home network yet, but I will. I disconnect my airport extreme and I haven't determined what I will do with it yet. Right now there is no reason to use it.
Other FiOS customers out there?
This blows Comcast away completely. Really, Comcast....you can suck it.
Everything is better:
--20mbs downstream confirmed and supposed to be nearly 100% consistent on speed.
--Picture on TV is noticeably better with greater HD selection. Standard def looks better too.
--More responsive DVR operating system.
--I even have a converter for my TV in my "man cave." It looks better too.
--No hassle setup. Everything just works.
Right now I am using their router with no complaints. Haven't messed integrating it into my home network yet, but I will. I disconnect my airport extreme and I haven't determined what I will do with it yet. Right now there is no reason to use it.
Other FiOS customers out there?
Comments
That's right boys and girls, I am writing to you on my new FiOS connection. Here's my in-depth review:
This blows Comcast away completely. Really, Comcast....you can suck it.
Right now I am using their router with no complaints. Haven't messed integrating it into my home network yet, but I will. I disconnect my airport extreme and I haven't determined what I will do with it yet. Right now there is no reason to use it.
Other FiOS customers out there?
10Mb customer here with FiosTV.
Never had any downtown that I can recollect.
Upstream is good.
Stability is fantastic and that was a breath of fresh air considering Verizon DSL was so bad.
TV looks good ..some broadcasters piss me off though with cropped HD (NBC I'm talking to you here) on some broadcasts. DVR UI is nice though they gave me a pitiful 160GB hard drive. I hope you got larger.
Actiontec router is solid and rarely needs reboot though I'm not sure it's wireless is all that good. I don't get the strongest signal and I'm renting the lower half of an avg sized house.
I'd kick Comcast to the curb 99.9 % of the time if I had a Fios option.
I can hardly wait!
I've got 6 Mb down and 1 Mb up DSL service with the small potatoes telco in my area (Windstream).
Downloaded the Terminator Salvation HD trailer at Apple earlier this evening and it took forever (30 MINUTES OR MORE). As it downloaded I checked iStat pro to see how much of a data stream I was getting. Initially I was getting about 380 kilobits/sec. It then deteriorated to the point were it ranged from 30 (yes 30!) to 120 kbts.
I pay from Broadband but really only have fast dial-up service.
another thing is fios doesnt recompress incoming video like comcast,and directv and most others do so your standard def and hi-def pictuers will be clearer and better. I had to 20/20 package, but changed it to the 20/5 package since I wasnt uploading as much and saved a few $$. where I am I can actually get 50 Mbs down, but thats $150, dont need that much speed, but the 20 flies good enough for now.
I'm so friggin jealous I can't stand it.
I've got 6 Mb down and 1 Mb up DSL service with the small potatoes telco in my area (Windstream).
Downloaded the Terminator Salvation HD trailer at Apple earlier this evening and it took forever (30 MINUTES OR MORE). As it downloaded I checked iStat pro to see how much of a data stream I was getting. Initially I was getting about 380 kilobits/sec. It then deteriorated to the point were it ranged from 30 (yes 30!) to 120 kbts.
I pay from Broadband but really only have fast dial-up service.
I suppose Comcast was better than DSL, but not all the time. My real world download speed rarely exceeded 5mbs. Even that made me happy because typical speeds were in the 500K-1MB range, depending on the site .
Now, an update: I had an AEBS, which I disconnected for the actiontec router. I also had an AE (express) used as a wireless print hub. I couldn't get my Mac to recognize the AE at all after the switch. I thought maybe I could just join the new router's network, but no luck.
So, I did some research and after some playing around, I did this:
1. Logged into my modem online with the provided IP address.
2. Disabled the wireless router feature.
3. Plugged in my AEBS via Ethernet (modem LAN to AEBS WAN)
4. Configured it to act as a bridge via the Airport Utility.
All is well now. My network is back up. Speed is the same. At first I thought I lose 50% because the first speed test showed only 10.5mbs. I panicked as I had heard of this problem before. Then I figured it was probably just the speed test server. As soon as I selected another location to ping, it was back to normal.
On another subject, I wonder how seriously Comcast is taking Verizon's threat. VZ's service is about the same price with much better performance, features and reliability. I also have a two year price guarantee, free NFL Network and other sports channels, multi-room DVR, etc. The only thing keeping Comcast from really watching their ass, I think, is that their coverage area is still "10 years" ahead of FiOS. It will take Verizon that long to really go head to head.
On another subject, I wonder how seriously Comcast is taking Verizon's threat. VZ's service is about the same price with much better performance, features and reliability.
Comcast is focusing on the socialist markets, like Northern California, where it seems to be able to block Verizon from addressing via bureaucratic means. We have been waiting for residential fiber for years now, which is a bit ironic given that this is Silicon Valley, the undisputed capital of internet development.
Other FiOS customers out there?
LUCKY BASTARD
I am stuck in ATT land, so it is Comcast or UVERSE, so I am limited to 18MbPS you can get 50...fuck you! LOL
Comcast is focusing on the socialist markets, like Northern California, where it seems to be able to block Verizon from addressing via bureaucratic means. We have been waiting for residential fiber for years now, which is a bit ironic given that this is Silicon Valley, the undisputed capital of internet development.
For now, but there is a thriving community of biotechs in the midwest, and many small software outfits...not to mention verizon, att , comcast and anybody else with a few 100,000,000s can build a fiber network...there is one company that is wiring the southern half of Indiana now and will be going live with 100MbPs network connections to each residence this summer, and with the capacity to go to gig or higher as the network grows, because with fiber, you just plug a new box into each end every few years and get 10, 100, or 1000x the data rate... I say let silicon valley rot on the vine, let the innovation happen here so I don't have to move to SanFrancisco... Bring those cool jobs to Indy, we have race cars!
756K DSL here...
For now ... innovation happen here so I don't have to move to SanFrancisco... Bring those cool jobs to Indy, we have race cars!
The fact that it's the capital of internet development is not something I'm trying to claim to get anyone to move here. I would be happy to leave (although I don't really work in the internet field to begin with). That said, the next silicon valley isn't going to be in America. I have no idea where it will be, but government in the USA is becoming less and less friendly to business.
BTW, we have race tracks here ... real race tracks, not dumb ovals