Verizon FiOS → Consumer Reports: FiOS on Top!

Consumer Reports' February 2007 issue has Verizon FiOS as the only Internet service with the top rating for all 3 rated aspects: Speed, Reliability and Tech Support, according to a survey of 34,521 responses.

Actually, no other provider got a top rating for any of the 3 aspects rated.

Funny, I just read a report, actually a filed complaint to the FTC that claims all Americans have been ripped off to the amount of $2000 per household because Fiber deployment fees and tax breaks brought us nothing but DSL. This so called fiber deployment is about 10 years or more behind and the rate payer and taxpayer funds, estimated to be $200 billion have vanished.

The complaint claims we're 16th in the world for broadband. Japan and Korea have 100 mbit bi-directional.

If this filing is correct, then don't believe the current smoke and mirrors of fiber deployment or extreme bandwidth that these companies are hyping. It'll be another 15 years before fiber will enter half the homes and by then America will be way behind the rest of the world, well maybe not Somalia.

Hmmm. Japan has the land area of California, and South Korea has the land area of Indiana. Combined, those two countries are 5% the land area of the US. Do you think Japan and Korea would have 100mbps connections in every household if they were 20x larger and had the population sprawl that we have? Add to that, there are 34 million internet users in S.Korea, 83 million in Japan, and a whopping 205 million in the US. To be neck and neck with those countries is completely unrealistic.

Gotta love anon cable trolls.

I cant forgive the tax dollars that went poof, but crap like that happens daily, I aint losing sleep over it.

I agree with kyler13, comparing us to small countries in asia is asinine.

If fiber isnt the answer, Badinstaller, then WTF is cable doing to bring real broadband to the home? 768k max upload is real broadband? or shall we wait a few more years for docsis3, which will just become oversaturated anyways and end up a steaming pile just as it is today.

yet another reason to turn off anon posts.. sigh.

-j

Yes, and always strikes me as funny how, when the government gave tax incentives for fiber deployment, people hold Verizon responsible for that decision rather than the government. If you the government offered you a deduction on your taxes, would you refuse it? Plus, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't Verizon the only utility company that has delivered fiber to the home to millions of people in the northeast? Maybe those tax incentives did work (albeit slowly)?

It takes two parties to reach an agreement. The government offered and Verizon accepted agreements to take incentives in exchange for promised fiber. When the promised fiber was not delivered no one was held accountable. Verizon and the government share responsibility equally.

You analogy is a disingenuous. Here's a more appropriate one. If you claim a deduction for interest on a mortgage, but never actually buy a house or pay interest on a mortgage, is it the government's fault for offering mortgage deductions?

Bravo for FiOS!

It's tough to get high ratings from Consumer Reports. In my opinion, Verizon got those ratings the old fashioned way - they earned 'em. Here's a link to the article, if anyone wants to read it:
»www.consumerreports.org/ ··· ov_1.htm

JT,
Assuming you are talking about PA, and all of the teletruth allegations, Verizon never broke any promise. Verizon had some obligations, which they met, and some obligations, such as the delivery of fiber, that were unilaterally lifted by the PUC. They never claimed they delivered fiber when they hadn't.

What everyone seems to forget or not know is that the R&D that Verizon spent on fiber technology because of the tax incentives did not go to waste; we are seeing the results of it (finally!) in what is now known as FIOS.

Ah yes, I did forget that ugly little tid-bit about the powers that be in PA letting VZ off the hook, though it's hard to believe VZ didn't play an under-the-table role in that dirty deed. Nonetheless, it's a shame to see this topic get all muddied up with that mess.

Verizon deserves kudos for a job well done in rolling out FiOS, and it's really nice to see the public acknowledgement. I didn't realize until I read the article how lucky (was it really just luck???!?!?) we are to have the future faster - those of us who got lit, that is.

As FIOS gets closer and closer to my House.. I am around it by 3 area's parts of my Town Union Beach, and Hazlet. I am hoping my CO is next in line since Keyport CO is done. But yet Cable trolls still think its better, I was able to see FIOS TV in person in a house the other day and all I can say is that soon as it comes to my area....BYE BYE COMCAST!!!!!!!!!!!

In fairness also, I give Ivan Seidenberg huge kudos for having the stones to ignore the short-sightedness of wall street investors by pressing ahead with FIOS.

On top of that, Verizon has done an excellent job balancing Technology and cost. The current FiOS service offers very fast speeds with little or no change inside the home. I imagine that this was not an easy balance to achieve. There must have been many late night engineering and marketing meetings. My only hope is that FiOS infrastructure will last as long as the Telephone infrastructure it is replacing.

I have had FiOS since February 3, 2007. We have TV, Internet, and Phone. So far, it has been great.

Yes!! And FiOS is the best internet service I have ever used!

--Doug

I hope it lasts until.... someone figures out something faster. If/when someone can harness speeds faster than light, I hope Verizon rips this puny glass pipe right out of my 'hood brings whatever-it-is with as much gusto as when they rolled out fiber optics.

But I bet fiber optic networks will rule for a good long time.

I just got the flyer, and noticed in the SMALL print in the bottom that BroadBandReports.com was actually mentioned! (without a copyright)

It says: "* Please see Broadband Reports, »Consumer Reports: FiOS on Top! "

That is some strange advertising...especially knowing you guys/girls and how you act!

Does this mean that Verizon actually reads our rants?!

Begin Rant:

If so: ATTENTION VERIZON - Please stop all your secretive crap. We the people, who actually pay for your service would like to know what's coming up, and when. Not hard dates, just estimates. I for one am getting tired of all this guessing about when a patch is coming out, or when the new guide is coming out... What's wrong with a little interface with your techie customers?!

When a patch breaks something, admit it.
Then, just then tell us what your doing to fix it.

A few official posts on this blog (which you are reading) would prevent thousands of support calls. Hell, half of us just call Verizon support to see if we can fool some Support newbie into "throwing us an info bone" about something you should be explaining to us anyway!

God forbid you (Verizon) may actually learn something from your customers! We actually want FIOS service to be the best possible. I alone pay you over $2000.00 per year for your service. Can't you at least keep me informed?! Is it asking too much?!

End of Rant.

My comments are not copyrighted, so that's probably OK. Verizon employees staff the Verizon Direct forum, so a link to DSL reports is understandable. My experience with Verizon has been very positive, especially with the Verizon Direct forum. I understand that they actually listen to survey responses if you select "Love Your FiOS TV, share your inputs" at this URL: »www22.verizon.com/conten ··· s+tv.htm

I have a major rant with Consumer Reports, an organization that promotes itself. But it's way OT, and I don't want to flag the mods (difficult not to do with my opinions, so I'll stop here).

I was amazed to see that too. Maybe we have more influence than we think.