US Telco Support > Verizon > Verizon Fiber Optics > FIOS scheduled for Bronx NY yet?

reply to blaqueknite

Re: FIOS scheduled for Bronx NY yet?

reply to blaqueknite
blaqueknite,

Do you think the Throgs Neck / Country Club area will be started in '06 or '07?

-- bigships

Installation of Fios in Cruger is a test in many ways. It is a test to see how well and fast the technicians can put the plant up and it is a test to see how many people are willing to purchase the service. The company has no official plans , but I think Tratman Central Office which covers Throgsneck, Country Club, Williamsbrigde and Castle Hill would be the logical choice in 2007. The technology is there to bring Fios to MDUs, but the logistics and equipment cost are probably too high for the company right now. My boss told the technicians that the company has no plan for the MDU situation right now. Yes I have heard how the company is putting fios in a MDUs in California and long Island, but that will not work in a 12 story building like Parkchester where I live. The company is losing a lot customers to Cablevision and they are worried about it. They would be ignoring a large customer base if they did not try to get into the MDUs. the company right now wants to put the service in areas where they can show a profit on the money they spent to install it. The company is very quiet on this issue for a number a reasons this just being my opinion. One reason being the possibility that they never intend to put Fios in MDUs. They may figure offering cheap copper Dsl service makes them more money. Hope this helps.

reply to Network Guy
Based on what you just said then, the future of FIOS then does not look good if the MDU issue isn't resolved. For FIOS to be successful, it cannot be just a "niche" product. It has to be a mass market product, ie, available to the masses. Millions on americans live in MDU's and Verizon can't just ignore them if they expect to be successful and make a profit. Verizon just offering only POTS for MDU residents is not going to cut it in the 21st century when cable offering discounts for triple play services and partnering with wireless carriers to also include cell phone service.

For example, a friend of mine lives in an MDU in NYC. He has Cablevisions 10 megabit service and is happy with it. He was excited when he heard about the possibility of FIOS and its 15 and 30 megabit services. Of course, his excited was a bit dashed when I told him about the problems FIOS was having with MDU and that it could be a couple of years before NYC gets wired.

He become even more excited with Cablevisions plans to offer 15,30 and 50 megabit service by sometime next year. He already gets a discount on his internet service by also subscribing to their TV service and he just recently dropped his Verizon POTS(at $52 a month) to go with Optimum voice paying $29.99 a month for unlimited service and he is right now a very happy camper.

If Verizon can't offer triple play to the masses, it will be hemorraging a lot of customers over the next couple of years and it knows that. In the past, cable companies were complacent. Not anymore. They realize that in order to "win" you have to be aggressive in the marketplace.

MDU's can be wired after the fact. A few years ago, Coop City in the Bronx had its own cable TV service. Eventually the owners of Coop City signed a agreement with Cablevision to wire the entire MDU complex of 50,000 plus residents from scratch in which they did. Some buildings were as high as 20 stories but they did it and they got access to 50,000 plus more residents they didn't have before and that was just one area in theBronx. They ran a lot of wire in the stairs/hallways etc, but they were neatly covered up.

Not knowing much more than what I have read here over the past year, these are the options I think Verizon has for huge MDU's.

Right now Cablevision has a hard time getting 10/1 service without pissing off customers due to caps or slowdowns. I can't imagine it will be any better when they roll out what is perceived as their response to FIOS. It has not been a temporary issue, it is something they've contended with for a while. There has been some indication that the issue is being worked on, but for the most standard response seems to be take it or leave it.

If you were to compare Verizon to Cablevision, it really is comparing apples to oranges. Folks are excited about the Triple Play, but when you consider the plethora of channels that could be had from DirecTV for similar pricing, it takes no genius to see that you're really pissing your money away. These same customers also don't realize their rise to service discount grace will expire, and given Cablevision's stance with regard to customer retention these days, their customer base will eventually erode.

Verizon DSL isn't perfect, but neither is either technology. There will be issues and limitations, and bottom line the consumer answers with their dollar in choosing which works best for them.

My personal stance... Cablevision used to work for me for years, and that stopped. I tried the worst of evils and found network access bliss. No bullshit, none of this waiting around hoping that they get it together. Since I'm not a speed junkie, 3/768 service is perfect for me, and I'm glad to pay my $33 for it.

reply to Network Guy
Just wondering if there's been any news in the past month. Any updates on MDU's? Any updates on deployment from the Tratman CO? Thanks in advance.

Havent been following Bronx for awhile, but it looks like NYC deployment is at a very slow pace in the Boroughs other than Staten Island. Verizon/MCI is almost done, one more state left for approval, Washington.

After the 2 companies integrate, I think you will start to see more things happening because of cost efficiencies, greater profit, and everything inbetween so deployment speed should accelerate somewhat I hope.

I had expected Queens like Bayside would have been done already and was wrong. Seems like it will be ready sometime in 2006.

Seems like there is room for 3 competitors for residential in some urban parts (Incumbent cable co either Time Warner or Cablevision), Verizon + RCN) while others will have 2. Later on if profitability outlook changes maybe others will enter but who knows. RCN is kinda funky and will be moving into Brooklyn. It just reversed its debt structure whereby it will owe a creditor more but for the 1st few years they actually OWE less. RCN is kinda like the energizer bunny which never makes a profit but just keeps reshuffling things internally so it keeps going and going and going.

reply to awk_boy
Waiting for FIOS on Tratman Avenue as well here You are in Westchester Sq. area I believe?
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.:: Sunny ::.

About a 5 min bus ride from Westchester Sq, in the Throgs Neck area. Still served from Tratman though.

reply to sunny8294
I'm right on Tratman Avenue
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.:: Sunny ::.

reply to blaqueknite
I am in the Woodlawn section of the North east Bronx (North side of woodlawn cemetery right below the Yonkers border with 90% Private Houses All on top of each other) We are about 2 miles North of Gun Hill road, I am wondering (and hoping) will we be included with the Cruger Area deployment???

* BUMP * No replies in Nearly 2 Months !!

A Friend of mine in massapequa Park was just offered the TV package...

Any word on the Gun Hill rd area, and My area Woodlawn actually getting FIOS???

The west part of Gun Hill Rd is serviced by the Cruger Ave. central office. If you live in a private house in that area why not give Verizon a call? You might be pleasantly surprised.
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"tick...tick...tick..." »www.jtf.org/

I just found out my area is a go in Queens for MDU Verizon do me a favor and make my fellow Bronx neighbors happy! FIOS for ALL in NYC, NO EXCEPTIONS! Can you dig it?

Cool!! Nice, you deserve it AJ. But then again, so do I.. lol, j/k. After long discussions with many members regardings FiOS, you'll be getting it. Hopefully, you will take LOTS of PICS to provide members of BBR. Shows us that awesome MDU equiptment and the set up..

PS: If some things dont make since, consider the time..
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Being Wise Is Not About Being Smart, Its About Making The Correct Choices That Will Affect One's Future.Making The Right Choice, Doesn't Always Mean, Its The Right One.

Nymostwanted: Well I just know what I have been told that they are working the Right of way issue now and contacting building owners. Will see what happens in the next few weeks. I see alot of orange line markings by Verizon manholes here. So far no Verizon work in the area however. We see Time Warner work around here on the other side of a 2 building MDU complex around us. I bet we are coaxial into that point since that would bring like maybe 600 feet or less from the building to coaxial to fiber and they are removing and replacing an amp box and there are 2 road markings for 2 sets of conduit systems, one was previously dug up, and the 2nd set I don't know what they are doing as its still not dug up. Don't know if it will or won't be. Seems like Verizon and Time Warner have to compete!

As for RCN, who knows what will happen. They cant compete since they are losing money while you have 2 cash secretive companies. Something has to change.

Maybe its Finally Coming to the Bronx....

Last week I saw 4 verizon trucks with huge spools of Black wire installing them on the poles on Baychester avenue, near 233rd st. (across from Cardnial Spellman high school)

Im assuming it was fiber, hopefully it was and the bronx is starting up. I only saw the trucks that day, and nothing since

Any news from anyone else ??

Just go over and ask them! They don't bite