Fios or Optimum Online?

March 28, 2007 5:27 PM

Verizon Fios or Cablevision Optimum Online?

Verizon just ran fiber down the street, and I'm able to get fiber into the house for internet. I don't plan on using IP phone, and the TV is satellite.

I'm on Long Island, and currently have Cablevision for internet. It's faster than dialup, but still has a few problems. Occasionally it just stops, and after several tech visits and two replacement modems the problem remains. The other issue is the speed cap they put on usenet, which is a real pain.

Anyone here who has had both? Any service issues? The cost is the same. Does Fios have a speed and or D/L cap for usenet?

posted by Marky to computers & internet (13 comments total)

Fios is the better option, much faster, but you better hope you never have to call and speak to anyone there. Verizon has the worst customer service, full of complete morons. I've never in my life been more disgusted by service provided to me, and yes I've been to the DMV.
posted by wile e at 5:37 PM on March 28, 2007

I've had Cox Cable IP and now I have Verizon FiOS. I love's me FiOS. It's never 'stopped' working - and it is unabashedly, blazingly fast. We use it for internet (including gaming), TV, and voice. We've never even had a hiccup.

However - one of our SIX cable boxes (which, by the way, are all capable of playing shows recorded on the one PVR box) still shows the old time. It never updated after the time change. Meh - it still works just fine though.
posted by matty at 5:55 PM on March 28, 2007

I've had FiOS (purely for internet) for just about two years now, and I love it. No interruptions at all. They turned it on and it's been solid at 15 down and 2 up ever since.
posted by NortonDC at 6:03 PM on March 28, 2007

I cannot say enough good things about FiOS. In contrast to wile e, I've had awesome Verizon service. When the technicians came to install it, they spent 8 hours making sure they got it right.
posted by unexpected at 7:03 PM on March 28, 2007

I'm a cable-modem customer on TW and I would give my firstborn's right nut for FIOS.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:28 PM on March 28, 2007 [1 favorite]

nthing the recomendation for FiOS. Like everyone else, my experience has been that the connection is rock solid. The wireless router they gave me needs to be rebooted every month or so, though.

FWIW, I added the TV service in December, and after a few early hiccups, I've been happy with that as well.
posted by Eddie Mars at 8:36 AM on March 29, 2007

For various reasons, I despise Verizon. I am a current Verizon DSL customer who has had the misfortune to have to deal with customer support too often due to line issues.

That said, I've heard nothing but joy from FIOS users, and I -desperately- await the day that FIOS is available to me. Come on..15Mbps...at home...naked or in your underwear if you so choose? I'll happily suffer through V tech support for that ability. You can't do that at work!
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 9:08 AM on March 29, 2007

I hope this isn't a derail, but how is Verizon with dealing with access to your computer remotely? I have Speakeasy because it allows me to run webservers and they don't have any strict usage policies, but given their pending acquisition by Best Buy (yuck), I've been noodling the switch over to Verizon to get FiOS. Anyone have any experience with that?
posted by kdar at 9:14 AM on March 29, 2007

Thanks for asking this question. I've been contemplating switching from Optimum to Fios (I'm also on LI). From what I've heard, Fios costs less, is faster and more reliable. However, Verizon does some kind of "dynamic ISP" monkey business (forgive the technical terms), which would only effect you if you if you're running a web site from your home (that is my basic, very un-knowledgable understaning). But I plan on switching soon.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 11:07 AM on March 29, 2007

kdar, I may be misinformed but I've been told that Verizon Fios uses dynamic IP addressing and, more importantly, randomizes the IP lease time so you can't even know when your IP address is going to change. I suppose you could use something like DynDNS to get around that, but I'll admit that's why I've been sticking with AceDSL. Well that and their phenomenal up-time and customer service that is.
posted by JaredSeth at 11:12 AM on March 29, 2007

Civil_Disobedient wins.
posted by jeversol at 7:59 PM on March 29, 2007

Fios uses dynamic IP addressing and, more importantly, randomizes the IP lease time so you can't even know when your IP address is going to change. I suppose you could use something like DynDNS to get around that

That's exactly what you can do. In fact, it's so dead-simple as to be a non-issue. Just get a domain name from NAMECHEAP (or where ever), then get a dynamic DNS server subscription ($25 a year versus $25 a month for normal hosting). If you're using Windows, they have a little program that runs as a service that will update the DNS server when you get a new IP automatically.

If you're one of the cool kids, you can get yourself a Linksys Wireless router, replace the stock firmware with ddwrt or the like, and set up a little cron job to automagically transmit the new IP whenever the router detects a change. Easy-peasy.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 8:17 PM on March 29, 2007

Optimum has "Boost" service now. My friend got it and gets the same speed as my fios performance: 1000-1100 Kbps. If you're happy with OOL and just want better speeds, that's always an option. If you read my blog entry (self link), it might even be a better option. (It wouldn't have helped me, my speed always sucked with OOL.)

But I nth fios anyway, I'm in Jersey. Due to all the problems I had with Optimum I was on the waiting list and was one of the first to had it installed in the area. I love it, we get 20/5 in NJ. I got the TV as soon as they offered it (December), no problems with that either.

You can get rid of your Verizon landline, by the way, if you get fios - they don't require it for fios service (we use VOIP now). Also, you like CableVision IO, you can just keep that for the TV service. That's the nice thing about competition, we can finally pick and choose between providers for different services.
posted by exhilaration at 2:03 PM on March 30, 2007