[geeks] Why I hate Verizon Online

[James Rice]

Verizon FIOS has been rolled out in our neighborhood.  We are paying
$44.00 for 5/15mbps with no bandwidth cap.  Our subdivision is new so
FIOS was placed in service when all the other infrastructure was put
in place.

When the FIOS installer came out, he installed the FIOS terminator
box, did the POTS hookup, installed the UPS and then asked to see my
computer to complete his install.  I pointed him to my Sgi Octane.  He
sat down looked at the screen and said, "Look if you are using this
thing, you are far beyond where my skills will take you.  If it's not
Windows 2000 or XP, we don't touch it.  Here is the setup info and the
router we provide.  You are on your own.  My pager number is on the
back.  Call me if you run into problems and I'll try to get you in
contact with someone in support who speaks Unix."  He handed me a
three page printout of router, gateway and DNS info plus some
provisioning stuff I didn't have a clue about and a new D-Link
wireless router.  Then he got in his truck and left.

The FIOS service has been flawless.  I replaced the cheesy D-Link with
my own VPN router and every things been cool since.  They haven't said
a word about me running my own mail and ftp server at home.  There has
not been a single second of downtime since it went online  June 7th
and the speed is an honest 5/15.  We are considering switching our TV
from Direct TV to FIOS later in the spring when our DTV contract is
up.

James


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