 Review by Rattler 
UPDATED: 1.6 years ago
member for 8.5 years, 1493 visits, last login: 1 days ago
 Havertown,Delaware,PA
 $34 per month
 about 7 days
 Verizon
 "Saves me $20/mo from previous DSL, speed 4X as fast"
 "Account registration was a little shaky but nothing really terrible"
 "Almost two years now with solid service"
| Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:
(ratings above consensus)
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Start review of 1/31/04====================
Provisioned at 1500/128, PPPoE, dynamic IP, Westell 2200/Linksys Ethernet card
I switched from Earthlink DSL to VOL. I ordered VOL service on 1/19/04, service ready date was 1/26/04. Received self install kit on 1/21/04. The order status web page was not correct until a couple of days AFTER the service was up and running (still missing tracking# for install kit).
The VOL sales person was very courteous and helpful, explained everything clearly. My EL DSL was provisioned thru Verizon and was capped at 768/128. The sales person said that while I was eligible for 1500/128 (~9000' from CO) I would probably be initially provisioned at the lower speed with VOL and would have to ask for an upgrade after a few days in the system.
My EL DSL service was accessible thru very late on 1/25/04. At 6:30 AM on 1/26/04, I had modem sync, but the EL login in my router was invalid. I figured that I'd been switched to VOL at that point so I called VOL tech support at about 7 AM and only had to wait about 3 - 5 minutes to be handled.
The tech support person gave me my user & pass in only a couple of minutes and stayed on the phone with me until I'd plugged them into my router and I was able to log on (did NOT install VOL software). The router logged in within seconds and I was on the account setup WEB page as soon as I typed in the URL. After I registered, I ran a speed test and found, much to my surprise, that I'd been provisioned at 1500/128 from the get-go and tested at 1482/134 from the server in NJ. I used the modem that I'd been using for my EL connection since it was a Westell Wirespeed B90 type with Bell Atlantic logos on it (my original modem from EL died after a couple of days and Westell replaced it with this one).
Account registration seemed to go smoothly but there was a glitch lurking in the shadows. I could not create any sub-accounts well into 1/27/04. It turned out that my registration info got lost in the system and I needed to re-register with a new permanent user & pass as well as select a new mnemonically friendly username. This all was completed by 2 or 3 in the afternoon on 1/27/04. A bit of a bummer, since I'd already notified a bunch of ppl about my new email address.
The tech support and billing people who handled the account glich problem were both courteous and had the problem straightened out in about 1/2 hour (mostly the tech person's hold time in trying to contact billing - poetic justice?). I jokingly said, "It's your turn in the barrel" to the tech gal and she busted up - very friendly. As soon as we finished, I was able to create sub-accounts with no difficulty.
Connection reliability and speed consistency have been solid since. Speed tests have been 1400+ down except during peak times when they've dropped to as low as 1200 - obviously WEB congestion. Usenet downloads from a premium news server always average in the 1450 - 1470 Kbps range as measured on download monitoring software. From the VOL server, they average more like 1420 Kbps and the rate is not as consistent.
All-in-all, I'd have to say that the changeover went very smoothly and my experience with VOL support staff, so far, has been positive.
End review of 1/31/04====================
Start update of 3/31/04===================
My two month anniversary has arrived. The service has been rock solid since the initial bugs were ironed out. I have been getting spikes to 3 Mbit D/L speeds for 30 seconds or so in the past week - they are NOT misreads, the data rates actually seem to be that fast, no matter how I measure them. I'm hoping that this is an inkling of what may be to come on the VOL front. Otherwise, speeds seem to have settled into the 1500-1550/128 area, consistently.
So far, I'm very satisfied with VOL's service (haven't had to call tech support since startup).
End update of 3/31/04====================
Start update of 12/02/04====================
Got upgraded, uneventfully, to 1500/384 last June and have still been solid with consistent speed test results of ~1450/370 and real life NG D/L's of 1500+ (from a premium news server, not VOL's) since.
Have not had to deal with VOL tech service, since I've had no problems. Took almost 3 months to get my Verizon "One Bill" discounts ironed out, but that was a problem with the parent Verizon's billing department.
I haven't tried to do any WEBpage stuff, so I can't comment on their WEB hosting services (yet).
End update of 12/02/04====================
Start update of 12/08/05====================
Upgraded to 3000/768 when it became available at the same price as 1500/384. It took approx 2 hours from the time I made the call until the speed increase. Aside from all the slowdown problems in the Philly area a few months ago, the service has been rock solid. Since then, my D/L speeds have been in the 2400-2900 range consistently at any time of the day.
Now I can't wait for FiOS to rear it's head in the near Philly 'burbs.
The only complaint I have is that VOL newsgroup speeds have gone down the tubes - probably because of all the FiOS subscriptions hitting the scene over the past several months and VOL hasn't upgraded the backbone into their servers.
End update of 12/08/05=====================
Update of 02/24/2008======================
As of 02/14/2008, I have moved to Verizon FiOS. DSL service from them was good from Jan, 2004 through FiOS install. Was beginning to get phone line noise problems but decided that since FiOS was coming, I would not open a repair ticket for line noise on the old Copper.
End update of 02/24/2008====================
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