Verizon FIOS-Anyone Have it? (Sarasota, Englewood: credit, new house, transfer)

[MrTudo]

We're looking into Verizon FIOS at the new house in Englewood. Does anyone have this service for internet? We ordered the 20 Meg FIOS which if it works even near that it would blow comcast away. Does it?

Thank you in advance

[CNYJAKE]

I just got off the phone with a guy from Verizon about lining up cable, internet, and phone service at a house I bought recently in the IBSS neighborhood in the North part of Sarasota. And then I saw your post. The way he described the FIOS product/service (buried fiber optics) made it sound like it was far superior to the standard copper cable line service that Comcast would provide. And the price was a little less. If the FIOS is available in the neighborhood, and it operates at anything close to the 20 Meg, then, yes, it must blow away the competition.
Would this be the best service for someone who will not be a year-round resident?
I am trying to compare to determine the best plan for all 3 services, and still allow flexibility of part-time or seasonal use.
Are there other providers anyone would recommend checking out?
Thank you.

[MrTudo]

We've had comcast for years and it works well for us. We do most of our business online so a fast and consistent internet connection is essential. Anything else would be the equivilent of going back to fishing with a spear while wearing a loincloth.

[CNYJAKE]

Hey, I'm stepping out of the Dark Ages, as it is. I just bought my first laptop computer. I might as well GO BIG, and chuck the spear and loincloth while I'm in PROGRESS mode. As I spend more time working away from my home office, on the road, or while working on this Sarasota house, I am looking to have a fast, reliable, and consistent internet service.
Do you have FIOS for TV and phone also?
If so, how is it? Worth going that route?
Thanks

[dmccauley]

Originally Posted by MrTudo

We're looking into Verizon FIOS at the new house in Englewood. Does anyone have this service for internet? We ordered the 20 Meg FIOS which if it works even near that it would blow comcast away. Does it?

Thank you in advance

I have had fios since Jan 2008. To be honest I don't see any difference in the reception of the tv. The channels are so confusing. I would say here in Sarasota the first 5 are useless then you have abc, nbc, cbs tons of spanish stations then blank again. You have to pay for a converter box in each room (you don't with comcast), you also have to pay for the remote. If you don't have the converter box you can't watch tv in that room. When they told me $99.00 for tv, internet and phone service I thought I would save money. With all the taxes added in I don't see any savings. I pay close to $140.00 when all is said and done. When they installed the cable in my yard they only buried it about 1 foot. When my neighbor installed a fence they cut the line and I was out of all three services until they could repair it. The cables are on the outside of your house then they drilled a hole thru my bedroom closet and attached the back up box. It looks like crap. The wires they ran from my attic to my computer was also done the same. A huge hole with channel molding to cover the wires. As far as the internet it is all hooked up thru a router. Your computer will only be as fast as its processor.

[MrTudo]

CNY Jake, why do you have upstate NY and Cape Cod as your location?

I don't have FIOS, I asked if anyone else does and asked for feedback with regards to the net speed and any comparisons to cable. I have zero interest in tv.

broadband reports ( similar) had some interesting reviews. Thankfully the reviews are specific to the net question. We're going for it

Update though, engineering from comcast called me again and this time advised that they WILL in fact add an extender to the line and WILL connect the house to Comcast. We'll buy the house now and hook up both.

If that doesn't work we'll bite the bullet and look into a direct connection. I saw that that can be had in the $400/month range but I think either the FIOS or Comcast will do the trick .

This was a majot issue when we looked at purchasing property in western North Carolina. That place is still in the dark ages. We spent a lot of money going back and forth listening to the nonsense from realtors. Finally shed the denial and realized that they're potentially years away from having technology that's comparable to Fla.

[CNYJAKE]

MrTudo,

Sorry, I misread your previous post. You stated you have "had Comcast for years", while I misread it as you having FIOS (at your previous location), and inquiring about the quality of service and internet connection with FIOS in the Sarasota area. My mistake.

In Upstate NY, Syracuse area, we subscribe to Time Warner Cable, probably comparable to Comcast, and there are times of the day when the system seems bogged down, making the internet very slow, while lower-demand times of the day are fine, so I am looking for a service which is consistently fast. I am thinking FIOS might provide that.

Regarding Upstate NY and Cape Cod, at the time I signed on with this C-D Forum, I was looking for a house in Sarasota, but had no connection to FL. Recently, I bought a house in Sarasota which needs some attention, so I will renovate it and split my time between Upstate NY, Cape Cod, and now, Sarasota. For me, owning places in these areas, and splitting my time among them has a been a goal. I haven't spent a Summer in Florida, but I think it would be a little too hot for me. Personal preference.

Good luck with your decision on an internet provider. I think I will go with FIOS. It is also available in our neighborhood in NY, so if it works well for me in Sarasota, I will probably switch over to FIOS in NY.

Sorry for the mistake. Take care.

[dntw8up]

I've had FIOS since August and I have no complaints; the speed is outstanding!

[angelfish]

Originally Posted by dmccauley

I have had fios since Jan 2008. To be honest I don't see any difference in the reception of the tv. The channels are so confusing. I would say here in Sarasota the first 5 are useless then you have abc, nbc, cbs tons of spanish stations then blank again. You have to pay for a converter box in each room (you don't with comcast), you also have to pay for the remote. If you don't have the converter box you can't watch tv in that room. When they told me $99.00 for tv, internet and phone service I thought I would save money. With all the taxes added in I don't see any savings. I pay close to $140.00 when all is said and done. When they installed the cable in my yard they only buried it about 1 foot. When my neighbor installed a fence they cut the line and I was out of all three services until they could repair it. The cables are on the outside of your house then they drilled a hole thru my bedroom closet and attached the back up box. It looks like crap. The wires they ran from my attic to my computer was also done the same. A huge hole with channel molding to cover the wires. As far as the internet it is all hooked up thru a router. Your computer will only be as fast as its processor.

I am in complete agreement with this as far as installation, they made a huge mess on the side of my home, thank goodness it's on the side. My 70 year old Mother-in-Law lives in Prestancia, and did not know better than to say anything, and now has a box that they installed eye level in the entry way to her home. Yes you heard that correctly, right next her front door. It looks like hell. My best friend didn't have her wire buried either, and she has called Verizon multiple times to come out and bury it.

We have everything bundled with HD, DVR, 3 converters & 3 remotes, internet, & phone for $180 a month. The internet is noticeably faster, which we needed for working out of the home office. And yes the first 5 channels are usless. If you decide to go with Verizon, be there, right over there shoulder when they install. And be on the lookout for Verizon promotions, because they are always out there.

[planthappy]

Originally Posted by CNYJAKE

MrTudo,
Recently, I bought a house in Sarasota which needs some attention, so I will renovate it and split my time between Upstate NY, Cape Cod, and now, Sarasota.

Have you considered getting a wireless card from your cell provider for your laptop? When you compare the price it's not much more and you can use your laptop nationwide. I also know some snowbirds who have direct tv who have it at both homes and when they come south they bring their boxes and have it turned on here and turned off up north. I have FIOS now and am getting ready to make some changes. I have TV and internet and cannot complain about the service but the customer service is what drove me away. I was promised my bill would never go up because I signed a 2 yr contract, it's gone up close to $30.00 in 16 months. I was promised a $100.00 referral fee 13 months ago I never recieved. When I tried to get these problems straightened out it was such a hassle being put on hold (for at least 30 minutes) and transferred I just gave up and pay the bill because I don't want to hurt my credit. They give you 3 months to cancel but the billing problems do not start until after 3 months. And remember it's a 2 year contract. If you question any of my complaints you can see many of the same complaints if you check out consumer complaints on many other forums. Feel free to direct message me if you have any questions. Good Luck.