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Review by johnnylakis See Profile

  • Location: Brooklyn, Kings, NY, USA
  • Cost: $29 per month (24 month contract)
  • Install: about 20 days
  • Telco party Verizon
Cheaper than cable
Speed at night can be a problem; customer service
Cable is faster but costs alot more
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:

Update 1/17/13 - I got FIOS! Check out my review there!

Update 3/3/08- Here it is over 5 years later and I am happy with Verizon Online DSL. For a while I was getting night speeds less than 400kbps. I used the Verizon Direct forum here at dslreports. A tech came to my house and Verizon switched my router at the CO. Verizon DSL is still $29.95/mo if you commit to one year, but as soon as that one year is up they jack the price to $37.95.

Update 1/21/07- Here it is over 4 years later and I am happier with Verizon Online. I just called to upgrade from 1.5Mbps to 3.0Mbps. I wasn't able to before because there was no capacity at the CO. My neighbors still can't get Verizon DSL because of lack of capacity at the CO, but at least now they will put you on a wait list. Verizon DSL is still $29.95/mo because of my local telephone package, and there are no hidden fees anymore. I never need to call tech support because of connectivity issues.

Update 1/21/05- Here it is over 2 years later and I am disgusted with Verizon Online. On May 2003, I could download at 1.5Mbps. Now during peak hours I get 500 kbps down if I am lucky. Verizon DSL is now $29.95/mo when you subscribe to any local telephone package + 5.60 in hidden fees. I now call tech support once per week because of connectivity issues.

Original posting - Modem came after 3 days (self install - very easy). I was told 10 days to live, but it turned out to be 20. Signal was live on day 11, but Verizon said that it would be wise to wait until I receive confirmation as signal may go out after a day or so (and it did). According to tech support, there originally was a problem getting the DSL signal to my house. Looks like they are backlogged. I live 10,700 feet from CO. I ordered 768/128 for free first month, $29.95 for 2nd and 3rd month, $49.95 after that on a month to month subscription. The price drops to $39.95 per month with a one year commitment. I am getting speeds as fast as 730/100 late at night. I did have speeds of 200/90 at the beginning but I got Windows XP and that fixed that. Not static IP, so you are safer against hackers.

member for 21.4 years, 159 visits, last login: 10.9 years ago
updated 11.2 years ago


pswiss
No More Packet Loss
join:2001-08-10
Northampton, PA

pswiss

Member

Distance not a guarantee of service

Just being 9000 feet from the CO does not guarantee that you can get DSL. The line still has to "qualify"...has to be copper, no bridge taps, and a few other things I'm not well versed in...next time you talk to them ask them if there are any problems like that they're trying to work around.

johnnylakis
join:2002-10-30
Brooklyn, NY

johnnylakis

Member

Re: Distance not a guarantee of service

The tech did specifically state that they were trying to get the "right" signal to my house. What does that mean? My CO does provide DSL service to my exchange, they said that too. (718-XXX)

pswiss
No More Packet Loss
join:2001-08-10
Northampton, PA

pswiss

Member

Re: Distance not a guarantee of service

Well, in that case I'm not sure what they are referring to. Perhaps there was a mixup at the CO where they're doing the wiring. Might have some wires crossed. Or, they're having problems getting the DSL portion of the frequency to your house.

johnnylakis
join:2002-10-30
Brooklyn, NY

johnnylakis to pswiss

Member

to pswiss

I chose Qwest

, is Genuity better?

pswiss
No More Packet Loss
join:2001-08-10
Northampton, PA

pswiss

Member

Re: I chose Qwest

No idea. I think I picked Qwest solely because a friend of mine works for them. I had no other basis for that. If one doesn't work, you can always call VZ and have them switch you to the other. I think it takes a few days, but I don't think there is any charge for it.

johnnylakis
join:2002-10-30
Brooklyn, NY

johnnylakis to pswiss

Member

to pswiss

Re: Distance not a guarantee of service

Does DSL go out during conversion? Do you like Qwest?

pswiss
No More Packet Loss
join:2001-08-10
Northampton, PA

pswiss

Member

Re: Distance not a guarantee of service

I don't know what happens when you convert. Never done it myself. And I suppose Qwest is ok, but I have no point of comparison. I haven't had problems, so I don't worry about it.

Best bet is to call up VZ at this point and see if they can give you details on these two topics.

johnnylakis
join:2002-10-30
Brooklyn, NY

johnnylakis to pswiss

Member

to pswiss
Got my speeds up to 490/90 regularly, and 640/90 late at night!

Meteor Dive
MVM
join:2001-08-31
Silver Spring, MD

Meteor Dive

MVM

Signal?

said by johnnylakis:
I still havent gotten my DSL turned on, I was told Oct 22 then Oct 30 now Nov 7. According to tech support, there appears to be a problem getting the correct DSL signal to my house.
Signal? Or rather, are they referring to the varying frequencies on your line?
Interesting.

johnnylakis
join:2002-10-30
Brooklyn, NY

johnnylakis

Member

Re: Signal?

I think the tech (who had a heavy accent) meant getting the different frequencies on my line. I know of someone else around the corner who has Verizon DSL, so I think the wiring is good.

mikepd
Discovery
Premium Member
join:2000-10-26
New Port Richey, FL

mikepd

Premium Member

You can still have problems

You may have fiber somewhere along the way, in which case, they should never have qualified you. Distance is only one factor in getting DSL service. It is not like cable. The technologies are very different. I do not see how you can rate an ISP whose service you have not even had but that is your business.

I have had Verizon Online for one year with minimal problems not counting the *3* months it took me to get them to provision me to the 1.5/384 package I had ordered. The database said I was over 12,000' when I am really at 10,296'. I had to get Verizon (the telco), VADI, and VOL Technical Resolutions all on the same page. Took several people and a lot of effort on their part and mine but the job got done. I am in an ex-GTE area and they are handled differently than ex-BA areas like yours. Static ips are available, DHCP is used instead of PPPoE, Port 80 is not blocked, etc.

Try to get VOL Technical Resolutions (Presidential Appeals in your area) to tell you what exactly is wrong with your loop makeup. Something other than distance is causing the delay. Their phone number is, AFAIK, (800) 483-7988. Give them a call and see if they can expedite your installation.

johnnylakis
join:2002-10-30
Brooklyn, NY

johnnylakis

Member

Re: You can still have problems

I am rating the isp based on my neighbor's experience. We ran several tests (I dont know if I am allowed to post the web site name here). It either is great or bad.
johnnylakis

johnnylakis to mikepd

Member

to mikepd
When I call VOL Technical Resolutions what exactly do I say. I want to sound like I know what I am talking about so they dont BS me with some tech jargon. They never said distance was causing the delay

mikepd
Discovery
Premium Member
join:2000-10-26
New Port Richey, FL

1 recommendation

mikepd

Premium Member

Just ask what is up

Just call, explain your situation and if they can expedite the install, (don't talk about different DSL signals) ask if you can get info on your loop makeup-length, load coils, bridge taps, etc. Ask them to check with VADI (the part of Verizon that provides the DSL signal) for the info) VOL is the ISP and they do not have direct access to this info. By law, Verizon is required to keep the 3 entities separate in the name of competition. Another reason DSL is overly complicated compared to cable. Go to the Verizon forum here and look in the forum FAQ under Troubleshooting-Who to Call for an explanation of the repair/install process. The site also has a good explanation ofhow DSL works under DSL hurdles. Again, the telco, VADI, and VOL can only communicate via trouble tickets. Get to know how the system works and you can save yourself a lot of grief. Become very familiar with the Verizon forum troubleshooting FAQ and how DSL works. It'll save you a lot of aggravation.

Meteor Dive
MVM
join:2001-08-31
Silver Spring, MD

Meteor Dive

MVM

Re: Just ask what is up

Very true. Nice post there mikepd.

mikepd
Discovery
Premium Member
join:2000-10-26
New Port Richey, FL

mikepd

Premium Member

Thanks. I and another user her co-wrote the Troubleshooting-Who to Call part of the FAQ. It took me 3 months to get VOL to provision me to 1.5/384 that I had ordered. The problem was they had me as being as over 12,000' from the CO. In fact my wire run is 14,020' to the CO but I am served by an RT so my loop length is 10,296' It took that long to get the databases updated. Along the way, I became *very* familiar with how the system works in the ex-GTE area. The other user contributed information on how it works in ex-BA areas. The phone number for Presidential Appeals in ex-BA areas needs to be updated and I'll contact a mod to see if that can be done.
nl4jy
join:2002-05-02
Brooklyn, NY

nl4jy

Member

Ha. Good Luck.

Ha, good luck. I remember, when I tried signing up with VZ a few years back. Have all the equipment set up and everything. The date of activation just goes longer and longer. And if you stop calling for a while, they'll cancel your order. Now I'm just waiting for cable instead of trying to figure out why they can't get it to my home.

If I remember correctly, my problem with line sharing.
cvr2000
join:2001-12-02
Savannah, GA

cvr2000

Member

Re: Ha. Good Luck.

i believe line sharing refers to another DSL provider being on, or holding your line, or has DSL still on it. Verizon Online cannot submit a removal for another ISP. When Verizon Online submits the new order to be provisioned on a telephone number that already has another ISP's DSL signal, the order is canceled due to "line sharing."
nl4jy
join:2002-05-02
Brooklyn, NY

nl4jy

Member

I never had any DSL before ordering from VZ. I have this number way before DSL is materialized. 99% of the tech I spoken to doesn't know what they're doing (keep in mind this is 2-3 years ago, things might changed) I had so many different definition of line sharing. One was because my line was split somewhere outside, another like what you said about another ISP provider. But the end result is the same. They can't provide me with DSL, eventhough their database said they can.

Elector
join:2000-05-25
Albany, NY

Elector to nl4jy

Member

to nl4jy
Well lets see here is my story. Ordered it last year and the Modem and camera and everything showed up at my door super fast. I was given a date to turn the service on and it went on 10 days sooner than posted to me via the email notification. Everything is great there.

Set up was simple and the phone line filters went on with no trouble. And now the fun begins.

Install the software CD as instructed in directions and its installs Netscape on my system. That is funny I already have a great working browser and it was not a version so far down that it was a joke. Well no harm considering it was a bundled version and I don't use Netscape. After install error message comes up about some .dll so I call the customer service number wait on hold 25 minutes and get this nice young girl that states this is a simple fix. When the browser/setup software is installed the same .dll overwrites another one simply rename Verizon .dll to .old restart the computer and see if you can log in. Well I have her on the phone so we do this together. The set up menu comes on and we go through the setup process together. She tells me to change my password to something I can remember etc. and we do all the boxes together. She then say's "Your all set" and she hangs up. She tells me to restart my computer to make sure the setting are set. I do as instructed and then I get to the login box again and this time its telling me my password is not valid. Funny it was valid a moment ago. Well now we are back to the toll free number and this time on hold 55 minutes. I wonder why..?? This time a guy tells me that I have to wait 24 hours before the password is usable. Now this is strange so I ask for another tech.

This other tech tells me that the first guy is wrong and that she will give me a password to use to get on the system. She did give me another one and we try to log in. This time it logs on and she said not to hang up but try and see if we can get on again.
I restart the computer and try again. This time I can not get access again. She tells me that is strange and that a tech will call me back within 24 hours. I said that is not acceptable and she said that is all she can do.

Now lets remember this service was free for 30 days. Had been on line 11 minutes total and numerous problems getting to log in after first log on.

I cal, back the next day and the lady tells me a level two or three tech will be on the line shortly. I get disconnected 4 times when they try to send me to these people and as you can guess trying to get back to them where you left off is impossible, Told the story 6 different times and was sick of talking to them. I told the last guy to simply cancel the service and that I had called it a day. He tried to talk me out of leaving but told him the service had been a nightmare. Total of 11 hours and still cannot get a simple password to work to gain access to the service.

Now I have to wait on the telephone to get an RMA so they can have the equipment back. Well that took forever and after two days of trying I get a guy who gives me an RMA and be sure to place it on all sides of the carton etc.

I say thank god its over and I am back on cable. Well the free month is billed to my telephone , then another mont and then a third month. I have to call Verizon telephone and Verizon DSL and go through a story of oh you don't have DSL..? Why are you being billed for it. Getting a reference number to get the charges removed and then I finally had it on the fourth month and contacted the Public Service Commission in New York and they called and all of a sudden the charges are removed and the DSL nightmare is over. Oh wait no return label for the RMA so I got sick of waiting 3-4 months to return it so I sent it at my own expense. And to add laughter to all of this they send me ad's to my home and when talking to customer service for my home phone they want me to get DSL.

Verizon get real..! Your service is the worst in NYS.
cvr2000
join:2001-12-02
Savannah, GA

cvr2000

Member

39.95 Price

Verizon again offers the one year contrat at 39.95. You can change this at any time, but the one year starts when you make the call to change. 800 567 6789. Also, in NY, depending on your package with local Verizon, you may be eligiable for 5 dollars off the 39.95.
fastforward0
join:2002-11-21
Katy, TX

fastforward0

Member

.

verizon always mess up the lines and lies to their customers!why is many isps doing that?they just get the customers pissed.

Sisqo
World Champs. Babe Who?
Premium Member
join:2002-08-14
Methuen, MA

Sisqo

Premium Member

why mixed?

why u have a mixed review? this should be a smooth ride.