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 Review by tschmidt 
UPDATED: 151 days ago
member for 9 years, 5095 visits, last login: a few hours ago
 Milford,Hillsborough,NH
 $30 per month
 about 10 days
 Verizon
 "Service has been stable"
 "PPPoE - dynamic IP address"
 "Pleased with the service"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings match consensus)
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I lost my 512/512 SDSL service in early 2001. Initially none of my phone lines were qualified. Tried to get Verizon to swap one of the lines to unused SDSL line, no go. Even managed to talk to a person in the engineering department to find out why the lines were not qualified, still no go. Found out about Presidential appeals from BBR. Called morning of 6/27/01 by the afternoon all three lines were qualified. They even gave me the ranking. Distance was 11,800 feet. This agrees with the previous SDSL length of 10,500, since the SDSL ISP had ~ 1,000 feet of bridged tap removed.
Ordered 1500/384 package on the web for $79.95. I telecommute so upload speed is important. This was half the price I was paying for SDSL. Activation was scheduled for 8/7. In NH Verizon only offers PPPoE with dynamic address allocation.
I decided to use a POTS/DSL splitter rather then microfilters. Splitter minimizes effects of inside wiring. Ordered a splitter from a contact here at BBR. Installed splitter and secondary surge suppressors for added protection. Everything was ready for the big day.
7/27/01 Verizon requires use of MS PPTP VPN and a customized Netscape browser for initial configuration and WinPoet PPPoE, to simulate a dialup connection. I did not intend to use WinPoet as I have a router. I loaded the Verizon install CD on a spare PC, connected it to Westell B90 modem. Install was pretty uneventful. Transferred PPPoE setting to Multitech RouteFinder router. It logged on without a hitch. Setup Usenet and Verizon email account. I have a hosted domain and use my own SMTP server for outgoing mail rather then Verizon.
11/18/01 UPDATE: I downgraded from 1500/384 to 768/128 on 10/26 with an effective date of 11/16. Sure enough on 11/16 speed was reduced. Typical DSL Reports speed test is now 705/110Kbp/s.
4/14/2002 UPDATE: as other's reported upload speed has increased. Typical upload is now 130Kbps up from 110. Nice 20% increase.
7/26/2002 UPDATE: One-year anniversary with Verizon. DSL service has been extremely reliable with only a few short outages caused by internal routing or authentication problems never DSL circuit itself. Speed is consistent. They have resolved the outgoing mail issue but that does not affect me since I use my own domain. All in all I’m very happy with the service.
10/10/2002 UPDATE: Verizon offered new version of the 768/128 plan at $39.95 month with one-year contact. Converted account saving $10 month.
5/2/2003 UPDATE: DSL is now $34.95 for "basic" plan 1500/128 if 12,000 feet or less from the CO or 768/128 if not. Called Monday to sign up for new speed plan at lower cost. Friday line was upgraded getting 1400/130. Nice to get a speed enhancement and price reduction.
8/6/2003 UPDATE: Two-year anniversary with Verizon ADSL. Recently had an outage, modem would sync but not connect. After much troubleshooting by Verizon and myself turned out we had two corroded telephone receptacles causing a partial short between line 1 and 2 (DSL). Surprisingly this has no effect on voice quality. Lesson learned: always check inside wiring first. This would have saved being on dialup for several days and a service call from Verizon. Reliability and speed have been great. Occasional slowdowns during peak times but still very usable.
8/24/2004 UPDATE: This is my three-year anniversary with Verizon ADSL. Service has been very stable. The only problem has been occasional DNS slow downs.
I called Verizon to get the 1500/384 speed upgrade. That would bring me back to the same speed I had three years ago when I first signed up. Unfortunately I’m one of the many Verizon customers that have experienced significant line length growth. When I called I was told I did not qualify because my distance was 17,000 feet. New distance is 5,000 feet more then when I first signed up.
12/1/2004 UPDATE: DNS has been kind of an on again off again problem with Verizon. I opted to run my own DNS server on an always-on PC used as a network file server. That seems to have solved the DNS problem.
3/22/2005 UPDATE: “Basic” DSL service was increased to $37.95 without 1-year contract and $29.95 with.
7/14/2005 UPDATE: This is my four-year anniversary with Verizon ADSL service. Figured I would try for the speed upgrade again to get back to the same speed I had when I first signed up, 1500/384. Called Verizon and after the customary 20 minute hold time spoke to a rep. Told her I wanted to take advantage of the lower price, $29.95, by going on a 1-year contract but before I did that I wanted to get back to the same speed I had when I first signed up. Rep took the change order. I was skeptical but sure enough as of today I’m back to 1500/384.
7/13/2006 UPDATE. This is my five-year anniversary. 1500/384 service has been very stable, with occasional DNS hiccups.
Postings on VOL thread here at BBR indicated Verizon increased distance for given speed package. Called to see if I qualify for 3000/768 plan. Was told no because they show me at 17,495 feet. That is frustrating because in the five years I've had DSL wire distance varied from a minimum of 11,800 to maximum of 17,500. As far as I know neither my home nor the phone lines have changed over that period.
7/13/2007 UPDATE: This is my six-year anniversary. 1500/384 service has been very stable. In what is now an annual ritual when I renew my annual contract I ask if I qualify for higher speed plan, answer was again no. There was some confusion with billing. Had been billed in arrears now billing period is same a phone bill. I must have missed the notice. When I called rep apologized for the confusion and that while I did not qualify for higher speed she said as a long time DSL customer should could give me the six month introduction price of $19.99 going to $29.99 for rest of year.
Replaced Westell B90 modem with Netopia 3346 modem/router combo. The Netopia modem supports ADSL2/ADSL2+ that improves performance over long lines. Verizon is not advertising ADSL2 but assumed newer DSLAM support it. Unfortunately modem indicates I'm not on a newer DSLAM.
6/23/2008 UPDATE: This is my seven-year anniversary as a DSL customer. Verizon sold VT/NH/ME to FairPoint Communication.
»Review of Fairpoint Communications by tschmidt
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