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Review by fms See Profile

  • Location: Flushing, Queens, NY, USA
  • Cost: $29 per month (12 month contract)
  • Install: about 13 days
  • No Cap
  • Telco party Verizon
Cheap
Tech support, connection very unreliable
No longer viable unless you only want ~1.5/384
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Services:
Value for money:

I had recently moved in November and ordered DSL with the activation of my phone line. They weren't too bright because they had missed checking my apartment, even though I was home the whole day. They finally checked out the lines a week later, and it seemed fine. Another week had passed and no modem yet, even though the site said I was ready to get online (what the...?). I called up Tech Support and the first guy just didn't really know what was going on. I waited a few more days and called again. The lady told me I was too far to get DSL. 12,000 feet away, but I know I qualified, they even told me they'd continue my order before. Pissed, I called for another tech support op; he told me that my phone line (which had been working for 2 weeks now) wasn't even supposed to be on, and that I would get DSL sometime near Thanksgiving! He told me they will check up on everything and will start setting up and sending my modem as soon as the phone check clears. Fortunately, he told the truth and the modem came a few days later. I set up the equipment (I already know what to do, simple process anyways), and everything was fine on the service ready date. In the beginning, I got only 700/380kbps (advertised 1500/384@$29.95). Even though the speed tests said that, I still ran close to, and even above the advertised speed. Recently, there has been a severe problem on their side, but it has been fixed. This problem has fixed my speeds and in testing, I run at 1400/380kbps. I'm not as peeved as most users would be, probably because I have been on dialup for a hella long time now.

Update, Feb 24 2009: So I've been using VZ DSL for about 4 years now, and over the course of that time I've had some grievances with them. First off, you have to buy a 'warranty' for your modem, otherwise they won't replace it for you. I guess this is the new, cool thing to do, I dunno. I chose the monthly plan (like +2.99 a month) to replace my old, nearly dead Westell 327W. New one came quite quickly and worked just fine. About a year later I decided to replace it again, and they sent one of these newfangled branded models, a Westell 7500. I don't see much information around on it, but they work just like the old modems, just had to get used to some new menus and VZ's theme. Secondly, the connection has been a bit wonky lately. I go to sleep and sometimes wake up with some disconnections in my logs, and a reset IP. Powering down the modem doesn't really help either, seems like it's just my time or they're having a party at the CO.

It's not all bad news, as they did upgrade my connection to the 3/768 package over time. Unfortunately since I live so far away, it's a little more like 2.2/500. Can't complain I guess, as the cable around here is pretty unstable. All in all, decent ISP. Still hoping they'll dig up my block soon for some FiOS action.

Update, 2014 01 09: I have actually switched ISPs because near the end of the contract (about a year and a half ago), Verizon DSL had been absolutely terrible. Constant disconnects and poor speeds along with a gateway that would barely respond; by the time I left, speeds were more around 900Kbit/300K when I could get on. After much back and forth with Verizon's support and multiple times sending out a technician (including one that lectured me on how DSL worked!), I finally gave up and jumped on the cable monopoly of NYC. Verizon seems content with leaving DSL well enough alone and focusing on [getting money from, not building out] FiOS. It has stepped into some neighborhoods close by but I'm not holding my breath.

member for 19.2 years, 390 visits, last login: 99 days ago
updated 10.2 years ago


ITALIAN926
join:2003-08-16

ITALIAN926

Member

fios

Youre in NYC, you will eventually have access to FiOS. Good chance by the end of the year.