Review by BB4Life Location: Bayonne, Hudson, NJ, USA Cost: $140 per month (month by month) Install: about 12 days Internet is great! TV is between good to great! Phone is just Phone. No clock on STB display. Seriously, that is a problem. No clock aside, FIOS is waaaaay more inexpensive than Optimum. Plus I get MORE for my dollar.

Pre Sales Information: Install Co-ordination: Connection reliability: Tech Support: Value for money: (ratings match consensus)

First of all, let me start off with the good. I ordered FIOS (Triple Play) a couple of weeks ago, because I wanted to make sure I was home. Verizon had done the standard follow-ups leading up to install date. I had ordered the Extreme HD package (which I believe is similar to Optimum's Silver Package) and got HBO, Showtime, Starz, Encore and apparently The Movie Channel (TMC.) The Internet package I got was 50/25. I was debating spending the extra $5 for 75/35, but I couldn't justify the need, other than it was FAST. In truth, 15/5 had done the job for so many years, and going with the FIOS Quantum package (50/25) I could justify that. The installer came and placed the ONT outside and wired the cables very satisfactorily. Job took about 3/4 of the day, but once he was done, I was off. I had to do some tweaking on the TV (make the images sharper than default, and turn off stretch on Standard Def; the black sides/rectangular box doesn't bother me. I prefer to have a correct, proportioned image than an incorrect one. I stick with HD channels anyway.)

Man, what a difference 50/25 makes though....I configured the supplied router. I even tried LAN-to-LAN with the Netgear Gigabit router I bought (the WNDR4500). I probably did something wrong, cause I was getting 9/4 according to Speedtest. It didn't take me that long to hook up my PC, PS3, fiancee's tablet, my smartphone, and Wireless Printer to the supplied Actiontec router/modem. (it was their latest one, the Rev. 1) Man, even with all that hooked up, I was still getting A+s. I saw that new Netflix series (Orange is the New Black) through the PS3...man, when I hit select to see how the quality was, I got HIGH/HD. With Optimum 15/5, the best I got was Medium/HD.

I will update this review, but my pretax price for TV, Internet, Phone is $134, which will jump up to $164 after the year. With optimum, I was paying $195 (post-promotional price.) I was not going to waste my time threatening to leave anymore...this time I was gonna jump on FIOS and it has only been a couple of days, but so far so good. The Picture Quality is very good! Internet is amazing. I even dusted off the Call of Duty Black OPS, and while I was very rusty, I got quite a number of kills in.

Ok, now for the bad. The really thing that is quite an annoyance with FIOS TV is the lack of a clock on the display on the STB (Motorola QIP 7100-P2). I'm not paying extra money to get a DVR just so that I can get a clock. When one has had a clock on a display of a STB for quite a number of decades, you get used to it. Now I have to get some cheap LED clock from Walmart until FIOS gives me a STB that has a clock display. Believe me, if this were a deal breaker, I would have cancelled service, but for now I will bide my time. Having said that, for the money, FIOS beats Optimum. I guess Optimum has new member pricing, but as I said, I wasn't going to go through all of that.....I don't see how Optimum can match what I got....almost every premium channel (except for Cinemax), 50/25 internet, oh and phone.

I do miss News12, but I got over it.

marc3565 join:2009-10-08 marc3565 Member 2013-Jul-16 1:49 pm Comment about the clock You don't mention the model of the STB but most do have clocks. There is an option in the settings to toggle between showing the channel or the time. On my 7232 it's MENU> SETTINGS> SET-TOP BOX > STANDBY FRONT DISPLAY > SHOW TIME 2013-Jul-16 1:49 pm: · hey mods ·
	BB4Life join:2013-07-16 BB4Life Member 2013-Jul-16 3:09 pm Re: Comment about the clock I just edited the review, but it is the Motorola QIP 7100-P2. I called Verizon and they told me to try to find a Verizon store that carried the Motorola QIP 7100-P1, which does have to clock. Long story short, I have to buy a crappy LED clock at Walmart. Trust me, I navigated to the STB settings, and that box does not have that setting. The only way (today) to get a STB with clock is to either downgrade the box OR upgrade to DVR service. I know the Cisco boxes are coming out soon. I will take my chances with those. The reason we won't get a DVR is because a lot of the shows we watch are on-demand. For the shows that aren't, they will replay them again a little later. Also, I know that people build HTPCs that have a recording component (I've been working in IT for over 20 years...I could buy/build a PC if I so-wished, but I don't...lol) 2013-Jul-16 3:09 pm: · hey mods ·
		VashTS @verizon.net VashTS Anon 2013-Jul-16 4:48 pm Re: Comment about the clock UR right about the 7100-P2, No time. The next gen boxs are going to have time on them. No idea when or where there going to come out first but they are coming. Personally I dont see a reason for time on it. Iv had a cell phone for years, but I can see how other ppl want it. 2013-Jul-16 4:48 pm: · hey mods ·
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