rtfm
join:2005-07-09
Washington, DC | [connectivity] rumors/mentions of forced DSL->FIOS changes I'm seeing rumors that Verizontal is sending around letters with threats/arm-twists to "convert to FIOS because DSL will soon be dropped..."
Has anyone here seen such "threats"? |
|
 Smith6612Premium,MVM
join:2008-02-01
North Tonawanda, NY
kudos:22 | I think I recall hearing about something similar about forcing people from DSL to FiOS, though I know it's been in the TOS for 4 years now. |
|
| reply to rtfm
i have received this letter. I threw it away so i doing this out of memory and wont be 100% word to word but will be close. it said an upgrade is available. since you are a good customer and your account is in good standing we are offering an update. we are migrating DSL users to to our new FIOS network we spent billions on. you will get 15 megs down and 5 up. this upgrade is not automatic you must call. do not ignore this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------
nowhere in that letter did it say MANDATE or mandatory. 4 months ago i upped my DSL to the 1.5 / 3.0 meg tier and have a two year contract on it. They have pushing fios very strong in my area since they strung the fiber about 5 years ago. i am one who who wants to hold out on the copper as i prefer the reliable POTS plus i use an old legacy dial up device that will not work over digital phone of any kind. i know enough to NOT let the copper POTS or DSL go for ANY reason or i will loose any grandfathered service i have and then they can say copper no longer maintained at that location. |
|
| Re: [connectivity] rumors/mentions of forced DSL->FIOS changes thank you for the headz up. sending sales to the door to RAM this down my throat sounds like harassment . When i had my DSL line fixed during two visits during 2010 i had to call in. Before getting repair / tech i got sales and have REPEATEDLY told them i don't have an electrical outlet available for the such an install. to further make matters worse i remodeled in '08 and 'early '09 but did not provision for fiber. because i did not provision i can't put the FiOS router where the DSL is set up as i ran the copper inside an inside wall from where it enters the NID. to be honest i wish wireless was a viable alternative then i would not need ANY wired internet fiber or copper. |
|
srr2
join:2001-12-20
Bethlehem, PA | reply to norbert26
said by norbert26: i use an old legacy dial up device that will not work over digital phone of any kind. Yes it will. You need one of these: »www.dialgizmo.com/
You install it right at the modem or whatever they use to provide copper POTS to your residence. Your "legacy device" (in my case it was an ancient fire/burglar alarm pulse dialer with line seizure) will pulse the line as usual and the Dialgizmo converts it to tone, while signals from tone devices elsewhere on the line are simply passed through unaltered. Works like a champ.
--
From the beautiful Lehigh Valley (That's LV, not LHV, we're not French) Pennsylvania. |
|
| reply to rtfm
i posted this also in the Fiber Optics forum to a thread on this same issue i am posting it here too.
For what its worth i have here a copy of the letter. i have no way to scan it however i will type it out word for word:
at the upper right corner under the verizon logo it says: important notice. Verizon is upgrading its network. your upgrade is not automatic.
body of letter:
for service at 0 bla bla bla street
dear norbert bla bla bla ,
you are a subscriber in good standing with verizon high speed internet.
this notice is to inform you that verizon is currently migrating customers to our 100% fiber optic network verizon FiOS.
verizon has invested more then $25 billion in building the FiOS network to deliver superior service and some of the fastest internet speeds available today.
underlined---you must call and request this upgrade---end underlined---which will include :
-faster internet speeds. take advantage of the full multimedia capabilities of the internet : at the 15-5 Mbps speed tier you will be able to download 20 high resolution photos 100 mb in less than 60 seconds.
-crystal clear quality phone service with unlimited residential calling throughout the US and to canada.
upgrade now and you will receive a special guaranteed rate plan offered to subscribers in good standing with verizon high speed internet. your rate plan will be guaranteed at $49.99 a month for this first 6 months and then $59.99 a month for months 7-12 plus taxes and fees with underlined --with no term contract required -- end underline.
underlined--.This represents a substantial savings totaling $300 --end underline--off the FiOS monthly bundle price for the first year.
Further as a courtesy for your tenure with verizon we will waive the $49.99 activation fee.
Simply call 1-888-863-9844 (mon-sun,8am-12am ET
Hurry the clock is ticking on a complete verizon network upgrade. You must order FiOS if you wish to upgrade with us.
--in bold--Please do not ignore this notification. --end bold Call today
in big letters and bold near bottom:
call 1-888-863-9344 NOW (mon-sun, 8am-12am ET |
|
| reply to rtfm
I know the topic is a few months old, but Verizon is still sending these. And someone wanted to see what this particular deceptive marketing stunt looked like exactly, so ... here it is.
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/414/verizonc.jpg
People should be sending these to their state PUCs with big bowties on them, if you ask me. |
|
| What's deceptive about these letters? They are encouraging users to migrate so they don't need to maintain 2 networks. Maintaining two networks costs money which are passed along to customers.
said by onlyzuul:I know the topic is a few months old, but Verizon is still sending these. And someone wanted to see what this particular deceptive marketing stunt looked like exactly, so ... here it is.
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/414/verizonc.jpg
People should be sending these to their state PUCs with big bowties on them, if you ask me.
|
|
 batterupI Can Not Tell A Lie.Premium
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ | reply to rtfm
This is why I can't have nice things; the 30% take rate for FiOS from those that can get it.
This should be a sticky to educate the unknowing on this supposed forum that insist only a few grandmothers don't want FiOS and the US should spend a few trillion to FTTP the entire country. |
|
| said by batterup:This is why I can't have nice things; the 30% take rate for FiOS from those that can get it.
This should be a sticky to educate the unknowing on this supposed forum that insist only a few grandmothers don't want FiOS and the US should spend a few trillion to FTTP the entire country.
To be fair, FiOS is much more expensive and most people don't care much for extremely fast speeds. Maybe if things like netflix and digital distribution are more widely used and if ISP's don't start throttling specific sites (net neutrality), people would want a 15mbps / 5mbps connection. |
|
batterupI Can Not Tell A Lie.Premium
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ | said by game1611:FiOS is much more expensive and most people don't care much for extremely fast speeds.
"Much more expensive"; didn't I post the DSL pricing after the first year for you?
BTW to the unknowing; FiOS is NOT VoIP is it POTS so rotary telephones will work with no adapter. Threads like this make me wonder if there is an agenda, a lack of knowledge or just plane trolling. |
|
|
|
| reply to rtfm
Everything except the third column on your dsl pricing chart is quite a bit cheaper than FiOS. If someone is just gonna browse facebook or browse their email, chances are, they're gonna care even if it's just a small price different. |
|
batterupI Can Not Tell A Lie.Premium
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ | said by game1611:Everything except the third column on your dsl pricing chart is quite a bit cheaper than FiOS. If someone is just gonna browse facebook or browse their email, chances are, they're gonna care even if it's just a small price different.
You are correct. FiOS was a big mistake and at&t was right.
You should post in the "Buffalo Fights For FiOS" thread and tell Boston, Alexandria, Virginia, Baltimore, Maryland and Wilmington, Delaware they are fools because copper is all anyone will ever need; that is also all we get unless Verizon gets more than a 30% take rate. Whaaaa I can't use my black rotary phone; WRONG
»Buffalo Fights For FiOS |
|
| FiOS isn't a big mistake but it would take some time before demand goes up. Digital distribution would have to be more popular before people would actually need FiOS internet and it's obviously getting more popular.
Wouldn't 30% be normal? It'd be tough to get higher subscription percentages when there's so much competition and so many other services for internet. |
|
batterupI Can Not Tell A Lie.Premium
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ | said by game1611:Wouldn't 30% be normal?
Ivan obviously thought it would be much higher. The thing is Verizon cannot support a copper and glass network side by side. Even if a subscriber only got POTS is has to be on glass to make FiOS work.
This is why I get a kick out of many of the posters on this supposed forum that think FTTP is a right and want the government to spend trillions running it to every outhouse. They don't want to be confused by the facts ether. I used this thread as an example of people not wanting FiOS.
Sorry if I sound bitter but I'm beyond bitter; I can see it but can't get it and I know why.
I took this four years ago; I thought soon; wrong.
 |
|
| said by batterup:said by game1611:Wouldn't 30% be normal?
This is why I get a kick out of many of the posters on this supposed forum that think FTTP is a right and want the government to spend trillions running it to every outhouse. I'd say that if the gov't spends enough and regulates it enough, fiber optics would be more cheaper to the consumer. Take a look at other countries (»bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/1···e-fiber/)
I'm confused, why can't you get it? Verizon doesn't want to finish wiring up your neighborhood because they're worried that no one is gonna buy FiOS? |
|
batterupI Can Not Tell A Lie.Premium
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ
1 edit | said by game1611:I'm confused, why can't you get it? Verizon doesn't want to finish wiring up your neighborhood because they're worried that no one is gonna buy FiOS?
My CO was not on the original build out filed with the BPU, we have a state wide franchise. When, if ever, the second build out starts I'll be on it. Verizon is placing the glass when other work is done on the poles. They are not placing the PONs, splicing in the terminals or placing the equipment in the COs though.
FiOS is frozen until more people subscribe in the areas where it is available. As this thread shows it may not happen in my life time. If I was Czar of all the Verizons when FiOS was placed the copper would be sold for scrap. Copper wire with the plastic still on it is almost $4 a pound. How many pounds are hanging next to glass going to waste? No more mister nice guy.
Remember you can still use your black rotary dial phone with FiOS. I would go as far as giving subscribers lame 786/384 internet for $19.99. OK as for those with CLECs I will sell the copper to them for the scrap price. Good deal no? |
|
| Wouldn't it cost a lot to do that? I'm sure there's a reason why Verizon's slowest FiOS package is 15mbps/5mbps so FiOS upkeep/equipment for additional lines must be expensive. |
|
