What about FIOS?

We finally have FIOS available! That's the good news.

The bad news is, it costs more (why am I not surprised?)

So...has anyone out there recently switched from DSL or cable modem to FIOS? If so, how has it improved your SL experience? If it has.

I went to FIOS last year. It rocks. Just keep an eye on your bill, Verizon can get a little creative. Keep copies of your agreement, everything promised and how long promotional offers are supposed to last. I went with the Phone/Internet/TV package since the cost came within $10 of what I was already paying for those three together. The speed increase is noticeable.

Noo, FIOS BAD! I was forced to get it after my verizon free 6 months ran out. When I started paying the $19.99 I could not watch films in SL or use voice. I was forced to double that price to get FIOS so I could engage in basic funcntons I used to do anyway. I resent that scam. But it is the same (if not less) effective as cable).

Verizon tends to want to cut the copper to your house when they install FIOS. It's an anticompetitive move. Tell hem not to do it. Someday, someone may want/need regular phone service or DSL in your house.
.

I wanted FIOS too until I found out that cable speeds are comparable in many areas. I have cable and my speeds right now are.... ... usually the download on this particular test is 24.1 and the upload is 2.7Mb/s. Runnin' slow tonight for one reason or another.

I run Snow Globe and have the bandwidth maxed at 5000Kb/s on the slider. In rare instances I've seen my bandwidth in SL go as high as 2200Kb/s when TPing to a new SIM but usually it maxes around 1400Kb/s. When downloading from torrents and news wires my bandwidth hits 2100Kb/s to 2600Kb/s for the whole download so I think that SL is the bottleneck.


Compare all your IP options before making a decision and remember that unless you're downloading a lot of large files from somewhere else that a connection over 15 Mb down isn't going to make a big difference in SL (for now.)

Must be nice to have a choice.

FiOS was great when I could get it. A long-time DSL user, I found FiOS to be a huge improvement in bandwidth, and a slight cost savings compared to what I was paying for voice+DSL+cable. Since then I've moved outside Verizon territory and here even DSL barely works, so I'm stuck on a cable modem. I never had a cable company as ISP before, and it really sucks. I very much miss FiOS.

Hmm..

I KNEW there was something I forgot to do when I payed my last bill...
Upgrade from the 10m package to the higher one

When we moved to our current home 12yrs ago it was all brand new sparkly with FO phone lines. Then we discovered we couldn't get BB. After a bit of hassle BT put us back to copper wire and all was well. After a couple of years they obviously got fed up with people asking for BB so they came and put all properties back to copper wire and ripped out the FO lines

Yes, bandwidth is crack!

I am quite happy with Cablevision. I like their Optimum TV package, especially, but their Internet service has always served me well also.. I don't use their telephone set up.

I recently went from DSL to FIOS. Two thumbs up, waaaay up.

/me gets 19.77/4.56 from speedtest.net.

I recently moved and now have FIOS.. I LOVE IT!!!! ok... I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY LOVE IT!!!

I had a shared T-1 connection before, and before that cable and DSL.. FIOS is sooo much better.. Not only for SL but for everything on the internet... Whenever I have to move again I want to be sure that the new place has FIOS too.

I have the 20/5 plan. It is cheaper than what I used to pay for Cable, but a bit more then the DSL. But it is sooo worth it. In SL everything just works better, things rez faster, and shopping is now fun again. Yea shopping being fun again!!

Lizzy

ps.. /me gets 19.98/4.87 from speedtest.

What a nifty site, speedtest, this is a great troubleshooting option.



I have heard of FIOS, and decided to wait to see how it settles out. As comcast for me anyway
has been reliable somewhere in the 90 something percentage range. Occasionally I'll get slow loading web pages but that is usually due to a the site or a bottleneck somewhere in between.
It is about time that someone finally brought FO all the way to the house though. Back in the early 90's there were grandiose plans for the "electronic superhighway" "they" were going to
build with completely out of FO. That was pre-mosaic, then they realized how incredibly expensive it would be to build a complete fiber network. Then Marc Andreesen came out with the Mosaic browser and suddenly the internet bacame a viable alternative.

Just did a little research and saw an interesting point. That you have to share your comcast connection with your neighbors while FIOS is your own dedicated line according to the quote I read.

And according to the verizon site FIOS is not yet available in my area. Which seems strange being in metro Seattle. We usually get lots of tech options sooner than many places.

Lindal, I switched from DSL to FIOS about a year ago, because the old copper lines in the neighborhood were not being very well maintained by Verizon, so I had a lot of static on the phone line, never mind what was happening online. I suspect their reticence to really work on the lines was because they were keen to have everyone switch to FIOS.

But when I did make the switch - wow, what a difference! Certainly the phone lines were clearer (clear), but I noticed my online speeds were much better. My PC's not the best, nor is its graphics capability that hot, but I did find that I connected more quickly to both to websites and SL.

Verizon is selling off 14 states, and part of 3 states (former ConTel) territory to Frontier, another CLEC, the transition to be completed next year. They had previously sold off part of New England to Fairpoint a few years ago, and I would be interested to hear from someone who went through that transition to see if their experience worsened or if they didn't notice a decline in service.

Unfortunately, (or maybe Fortunately...time will tell), WA is one of the states to be transitioned over to Frontier, and therefore Verizon put the kiebash on deploying FIOS in those areas. So don't hold your breath on it being deployed there, unless Frontier begins to push it, which is unknown. They will have their hands full managing some of these copper networks they are inheriting, including POTS, and DSL (HSI/High Speed Internet), in certain states, as each geographical area has it's own set of problems with every product with every company.

FIOS is screamingly fast, and better be as Verizon dumped nearly 18 Billion dollars into the product. The reason FIOS is so expensive is they must recoup some of this change to continue to fund Mr. Seidenberg's FIBER dreams, as they sell off a big chunk of their copper liabilities.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124221398580814777.html

This is what i got from that speedtest thingie, with cable. I have no idea what it means.

You are probably paying for a 15 Megabit download speed and 2 Meg upload. Its very common to get about 80% of the rated connection speed in real world application. It also means that most times you are downloading textures from SL as fast as SL will send them to you. Max out your bandwidth slider to make your textures pop up as quickly as possible.


I use Snow Globe and have the bandwidth set at 5000. I can interact with a new location almost instantly.

Everyone using SpeedTest.net might want to do their tests both with the closest sever to home and a test to the server in San Francisco. The Frisco test will give you a better idea of your connection to SL. Due to traffic you will see drop in your bandwidth.

I test using LA because it gives me a lot better idea of what I get from bit torrents. Lately I have noticed though that the torrents are maxing me out at 28.6Mb/s even though my connection is only rated @ 20Mb/s X 2 Mb/s.

My Frisco test is....

As I stated in an earlier post in this thread, my bandwidth in SL usualy maxes out at 1400Kb/s. That's real close to the Frisco test results I always get.

My LA test is

Well, we have a 3.0 Mb DSL line, and the results from SpeedTest confirm that...



I hear the Geek rooting around for the credit card now.

I should probably upgrade to the higher speed package. But to be honest I haven't found a reason to yet. But I would jump on Fiber if it was available here. I have heard good things about it.

Bear in mind, no ISP's guarantee consistent bandwidth speeds. You can run speedtests on various sites all day, and test results will vary. If you are within 30% (typically) of your PROVSIONED speed (the speed package you were sold), which is different that the ACTUAL (what the pipe is able to push at the time), which may be faster or slower depending on network condtions- then whatever speed you are getting is considered acceptable by the ISP. Any high speed connection provsioned at 7Meg and above is a fiber fed connection regardless whether provided by a TELCO or a cable provider.

DSL is typically copper to the Premises or to the NID (Network Interface Device- that box outside your house where telephone lines are run to). It isn't that the copper lines arent properly maintained neccessarily, but are more sensitive to conditions that could degrade the quality- for example a ground or open on the tip or ring on the pair (static on the phone line is often caused by this), or cable distance from one's Central Office.

Verizon is selling a 7meg Down /2Meg Up DSL package to residential customers now, which previously used to only be availble to business customers. However, your house must be no further than 10k away from the CO, (cable length, not as the crow flies) and also assuming there are no 26 guage cable issues or highcaps in the bundle that could affect bandwith during peak hours for it to work properly.

I know many people with a 3Meg (ADSL) package that have no trouble gaming, and of course a direct fed fiber connection is preferable, if it is available, but is not being offered in all areas.

good to have an expert on that matter at hand.

I was thinking the same thing and reflecting on that being why large forums are so very cool: any question you have, there is likely somebody on a large board who has in-depth knowledge of the topic.

Google this

My work results are 38.5 Mb/s Download 29.23 Mb/s Upload with ping 4 ms.
I guess it's time for an upgrade.