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Verizon Disavows DSL -- Sort Of
Purges references to digital subscriber line....
User B notes that Verizon is apparently trying their best to distance themselves from the sluggish speed of DSL by eliminating most references to DSL technology from their marketing material. While Verizon has been a trailblazer by investing $23 billion in next generation fiber to the home technology, there's still a significant number of markets that only have access to DSL at top speeds ranging from 1.5Mbps to 7Mbps. While they're selling a lot of these markets (for better or worse), there's still a lot of copper out there -- some of which isn't exactly kept in tip-top shape by Verizon. Apparently if Verizon stops mentioning the word "DSL," they can make their legacy broadband network magically disappear.
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cableties
Premium Member
join:2005-01-27

1 recommendation

cableties

Premium Member

DSL, What's that?

Rather long and pointless:

A client I deal with told me that he lost his DSL. Verizon tech #1 tells him, he is too far from CO to get a reliable signal (he is just under 3 miles). Verizon tech#2 finds issue with the copper on the pole and can't repair as the pole is at a bend in the road (rules state he needs a flagman...). Verizon tech #3 tells him he is too far and that DSL is no longer serviced in his area. Verizon tech #4 admits that there is a problem on the line, he is not too far from the CO to get negotiation, and that he could use another pair for his home.
He was told that FiOS is scheduled for deployment in his neighborhood, but are behind schedule (month or more).
He, regrettably, decided to go back to AOL dialup.
Screw Broadband for America... Dialup for all!
(ironically, one reason client couldn't get DSL working...and this kills me...he had his DSL line going through a crappy powerstrip...never told that to the Verizon Support...though I suspect the crappy powerstrip did it's job and prevented damaged to the PC at the sacrifice of some $2 part dying. I know this because I was called to fix his PC not seeing it's modem. Nothing wrong once I bypassed the powerstrip (and advised he get a new UPS with surgeprotection).

Kills me that 1 out of 4 techs is forthright. And that Verizon would nopt renew his DSL subscription. Copper infrastructure costs too much to support, move to Fios.
PDXPLT
join:2003-12-04
Banks, OR

2 edits

PDXPLT

Member

Re: DSL, What's that?

there's still a significant number of markets that only have access to DSL
And there's still a significant number of VZ markets that only have access to dial-up.
said by cableties:

Kills me that 1 out of 4 techs is forthright. And that Verizon would nopt renew his DSL subscription. Copper infrastructure costs too much to support, move to Fios.
Actually this has nothing to do with FIOS. Verizon's track record around here is that they'd rather discontinue selling the subscriber a service, than to roll a truck an fix the pair. 'same thing happened to me a few years ago. 'had problems on my line; they switched me to another pair that didn't support Caller ID. When I complained, they said 'tough', they just weren't gonna sell me Caller ID anymore. 'wasn't worth it to them to either fix the orginal pair, or swap a few pairs around to get it to me.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Re: DSL, What's that?

said by PDXPLT:

Actually this has nothing to do with FIOS. Verizon's track record around here is that they'd rather discontinue selling the subscriber a service, than to roll a truck an fix the pair. 'same thing happened to me a few years ago. 'had problems on my line; they switched me to another pair that didn't support Caller ID. When I complained, they said 'tough', they just weren't gonna sell me Caller ID anymore. 'wasn't worth it to them to either fix the orginal pair, or swap a few pairs around to get it to me.
PUC time, Caller ID is a tariffed service.

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY

1 recommendation

wifi4milez to cableties

Member

to cableties
said by cableties:

Rather long and pointless:
You could always try to purchase DSL from a local provider. They might have better luck getting Verizon to run the loop to your house. You would also then have a separate copper pair running into your place so that (if/when) you upgrade to FIOS you have the option of keeping both. Whether that is important to you is of course up for debate, however a lot of people (myself included) feel that leaving at least the phone line on copper is a good idea.
Bobcat79
Premium Member
join:2001-02-04

Bobcat79

Premium Member

Never believe marketing

Cablevision advertises that they're 5 times faster than "phone company high speed internet", without ever mentioning FIOS. Like I said, you can't believe any of them.
cyclone_z
join:2006-06-19
Ames, IA

cyclone_z

Member

Smells like Verizon

Ivan sez, "If you're not a high margin customer, you can go f*** yourself!"

"P.S. Have you considered our overpriced wireless services? They come with a generous 5 GB cap."
PDXPLT
join:2003-12-04
Banks, OR

PDXPLT

Member

Re: Smells like Verizon

said by cyclone_z:

Ivan sez, "If you're not a high margin customer, you can go f*** yourself!"

"P.S. Have you considered our overpriced wireless services? They come with a generous 5 GB cap."
That's pretty much the response I get when I enter my phone number in the "is Verizon broadband available?" page on their website.

birdfeedr
MVM
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI

birdfeedr

MVM

Re: Smells like Verizon

said by PDXPLT:

said by cyclone_z:

Ivan sez, "If you're not a high margin customer, you can go f*** yourself!"

"P.S. Have you considered our overpriced wireless services? They come with a generous 5 GB cap."
That's pretty much the response I get when I enter my phone number in the "is Verizon broadband available?" page on their website.
LOL! Try entering a landline phone number.

Well, I thought it was funny. Never mind.

Madness
Like a flea circus at a dog show
join:2000-01-05
Lynn, MA
·DSL EXTREME

Madness

Member

Re: Smells like Verizon

said by birdfeedr:
said by PDXPLT:
said by cyclone_z:

Ivan sez, "If you're not a high margin customer, you can go f*** yourself!"

"P.S. Have you considered our overpriced wireless services? They come with a generous 5 GB cap."
That's pretty much the response I get when I enter my phone number in the "is Verizon broadband available?" page on their website.
LOL! Try entering a landline phone number.

Well, I thought it was funny. Never mind.
It was quite funny when one could enter Verizon payphone numbers & be told that DSL was available on those!
DrMuga75
join:2007-09-07
Mount Pleasant, MI

DrMuga75

Member

DSL Future Under Frontier?

I'm in one of the areas (Central Mich.) where Frontier will be taking control of the Verizon land lines and DSL in the next year or so. I talked with a tech guy Friday who said that FIOS would never happen here. He didn't know if 7.1 was available here or not. It makes me wonder what speed tiers will be available under Frontier, what the prices will be, if they're bandwidth monitors, etc. He referred me to billing, I've never gotten any knowledge of the local area from them. I wonder if Frontier will be as focused on cellphone service as Verizon has been at the expense of their DSL technology. This is a university town of about 47,000 when school is in session and you really think there would be a market for something better than 3/768 and Wi-fi. Guess all will be revealed by this time next year...

cabana
Department of Adjustments
Mod
join:2000-07-07
New York, NY

2 recommendations

cabana

Mod

Re: DSL Future Under Frontier?

click three times...

dadkins
Can you do Blu?
MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA

2 recommendations

dadkins

MVM

Re: DSL Future Under Frontier?

said by cabana:

click three times...
There's no plate like chrome, there's no plate like chrome, there's no plate like chrome...
Bob61571
join:2008-08-08
Washington, IL

Bob61571 to DrMuga75

Member

to DrMuga75
DrMuga75,

In same boat here, with Verizon/Frontier concerns in Peoria/Bloomington area.
I remember CMU when they were in same athletic conference with Illinois State U in early 70's.

Had noticed that Verizon/Frontier will affect a number of University towns:
Illinois University towns with Verizon/Frontier include: -Normal/Bloomington(100,000 population with Illinois State U's 20,000 students and Ill Wesleyan U)
--Carbondale/Marion(50,000 metro w/Southern IL U's 21,000 students
--Macomb(20,000 city w/Western IL U's 11,000 students)
--DeKalb(40,000 city w/Northern IL U's 25,000 students)

My guess is that Frontier will just muddle along with POTS and DSL.
DrMuga75, afraid I'm pessimistic on this.

zoom314
join:2005-11-21
Yermo, CA

zoom314

Member

Re: DSL Future Under Frontier?

said by Bob61571:

DrMuga75,

In same boat here, with Verizon/Frontier concerns in Peoria/Bloomington area.
I remember CMU when they were in same athletic conference with Illinois State U in early 70's.

Had noticed that Verizon/Frontier will affect a number of University towns:
Illinois University towns with Verizon/Frontier include: -Normal/Bloomington(100,000 population with Illinois State U's 20,000 students and Ill Wesleyan U)
--Carbondale/Marion(50,000 metro w/Southern IL U's 21,000 students
--Macomb(20,000 city w/Western IL U's 11,000 students)
--DeKalb(40,000 city w/Northern IL U's 25,000 students)

My guess is that Frontier will just muddle along with POTS and DSL.
DrMuga75, afraid I'm pessimistic on this.
Yeah Me too and I've had DSL Problems lately, I've lost My IP Address 3 times in as many weeks with Verizon DSL. Here in Yermo, CA the Population is about 4200 and most may not be served with DSL as about half the population may be beyond the reach of the single CO here.

jtudor
MVM
join:2002-12-07
Morganton, NC

jtudor

MVM

Screwy DSL policies anyway.

Verizon has always been screwy with their DSL services and policies. My employer has one location in a Verizon area (Marion, NC). We use DSL for backup data in case one of our T-1 lines goes down.

When we installed the backup data lines, Verizon did not offer DSL in Marion, even though my research showed that the CO was DSL capable. We then wound up getting cable internet from Charter (UGH!).

A few years later they started offering the service, and we wanted to switch from the cable to DSL.

I ordered the service, the install kit arrived and I got everything running, except for one small problem, I had no Static IP Address as I had ordered. Because we use VPN Tunnels to our corporate office a static IP was necessary.

After more than a week of phone calls and emails I found that Verizon (though it had the capability) did not offer Static IP address in that CO. Nobody could tell me why, just that it was not offered. How screwy is that?

Anyway we are still on Charter Cable with it's constant up and downs. And Marion is on the list to be sold off to Frontier so who knows what DSL future is there??
axus
join:2001-06-18
Washington, DC

axus

Member

my DSL went out last month, and Verizon fixed it

When I came home one evening, the 'net didn't work, so I waited till the next day and it still didn't come back. Called them up and scheduled a morning appointment for the next day. Then they fixed it. It was the copper at the utility pole.

It would be nice if they offered FIOS everywhere, but it won't be around me for another 3 years.
VerizonHSI
join:2009-03-05
Everett, WA

VerizonHSI

Member

DSL v. HSI - How Broadband Has Changed

For several years now Verizon has referred to its DSL-enabled broadband as High Speed Internet. Verizon isn't the only company that uses high speed internet to reference its broadband product. Do a quick search and you'll see what returns show.

As is evident here, this forum is now called Broadband Reports - an effort to move past the intial form of broadband which still remains the most widely available and most affordable - DSL. The URL remains dsl.reports.com.

So in a similar fashion that DSL Reports has become Broadband Reports, DSL in its initial iteration ran fastest at under 1Mbps download speeds. Today, the fastest DSL-enabled speed offered by Verizon has increased to the point where - for millions of users - it is fair to say that what we once knew as DSL is now High Speed Internet.

In addition, the fastest speed offered by Verizon is comparable to what competitors offer for their similar speed broadband products today for a higher price, e.g. Verizon 7.1Mbps download speed at $39.99/mo. for a dedicated connection v. $52.95/mo+ stand alone ( most people bundle to get at cheaper price) for a shared download connection with speeds advertised by cable companies as between 5 and 16 Mbps depending on where you live.

I've lived through 1200 baud modems and dial-up-only Internet access so calling today's DSL High Speed Internet isn't an unreasonable stretch.
Corydon
Cultivant son jardin
Premium Member
join:2008-02-18
Denver, CO

Corydon

Premium Member

Re: DSL v. HSI - How Broadband Has Changed

I've lived through 1200 baud modems and dial-up-only Internet access so calling today's DSL High Speed Internet isn't an unreasonable stretch.
Then you ought to know that definitions are constantly changing. 10 years ago 1.5 Mbps DSL would have been fantastic. 20 years ago 9600 bps modems were top of the line.

DSL is getting tapped out. 1.5 Mbps is already moving into dial up territory, both in terms of price and performance. 7 Mbps is solid, but typical of what most people in cities might consider basic High Speed Internet.

With DOCSIS 3 and FTTH coming out (I just got a notice from Comcast about my speed upgrades), pretty soon even 7 Mbps won't look all that hot. I see ads for Qwest's ADSL2+ service, but they still don't seem capable of covering even the relatively more prosperous neighborhoods of Denver, their home town (7 Mbps is the most they offer me, and I'll believe in the VDSL2 fairy when I see it)

Scatcatpdx
Fur It Up
join:2007-06-22
Portland, OR

Scatcatpdx

Member

The Cure for Verizon is Comcast.

I live in a sea of FIOS but it seem Verizon has no desire to go back and install FIOS to MDUs in my area. They still send me junk mail about their "blazing fast DSL". Now I have more the reason to tell them to bug off.

mikedz4
join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV

mikedz4

Member

Re: The Cure for Verizon is Comcast.

unfortuantely I think that is where i will be going next year back to comcast for all 3 services since verizon is selling to frontier. Heck their employees are even jumping ship and retiring before the changeover because if they don't and wait to retire they lose health insurance that covers family members while they are retired.

Zen6
@rr.com

Zen6

Anon

Re: The Cure for Verizon is Comcast.

I would take the early out package too if it includes the lifetime health. The benefits are gold plated.

NickD
Premium Member
join:2000-11-17
Princeton Junction, NJ

NickD

Premium Member

Re: The Cure for Verizon is Comcast.

Would you rather have a tech who jerks off in your lawn, or blows up houses, kills kittens, falls asleep on the job, destroys computers, and more?
VerizonHSI
join:2009-03-05
Everett, WA

VerizonHSI to mikedz4

Member

to mikedz4
That's not completely accurate. Employees are looking at the lowest GATT interest rate seen - and the rate is starting to climb again - as part of the reason to leave. The lower the interest rate, the bigger the cash lump sum pension distribution is.

In addition, a relatively small number of older employees like myself, are guaranteed a certain percentage of their retiree medical benefits (monthly medical premiums) paid by Verizon for life. So it can be an issue depending on your particular financial situation.

Some employees are taking the opportunity to leave because they believe they will be employed by Frontier later. There is a specific requirement in the sale that Frontier is not able to hire anyone formerly with Verizon who has not been a Verizon employee for at least 6 months. So, if you leave now and Frontier needs people with your expertise after the transaction closes, well, now you've got your pension in hand AND a job - not a bad deal.

Let's be clear about the FiOS and copper network management going forward, too. Frontier is buying the copper and FiOS networks Verizon operates, including its video hub office and fiber-optic systems. So, regardless of what others say, it will be the same employees, same network providing you with service.

I got FiOS in January of this year and once you have it, there's no point in going back to cable unless the price point is too good to beat. It's the best network - period. The pure physics of glass carrying data streams all the way to your home beats copper/coax any day.

Good news is that consumers win and can play companies off against each other to get the best price for the network and services they want.
VerizonHSI

VerizonHSI

Member

Re: The Cure for Verizon is Comcast.

Re Verizon employees - I meant to say that you have to have been off Verizon's payroll for 6 mo. before Frontier can hire you.
PX Eliezer704
Premium Member
join:2008-08-09
Hutt River

PX Eliezer704 to VerizonHSI

Premium Member

to VerizonHSI
said by VerizonHSI:

Let's be clear about the FiOS and copper network management going forward, too. Frontier is buying the copper and FiOS networks Verizon operates, including its video hub office and fiber-optic systems. So, regardless of what others say, it will be the same employees, same network providing you with service.

What about the huge meltdown in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, after Verizon operations were taken over by Fairpoint?!

It was a disaster. No way to sugarcoat it.

CaptainRR
Premium Member
join:2006-04-21
Blue Rock, OH

1 edit

CaptainRR

Premium Member

Re: The Cure for Verizon is Comcast.

Don't forget about the mess in Hawaii now that Verizon has left there also.

bobgwen
join:2001-07-07
Bartow, FL

bobgwen to Scatcatpdx

Member

to Scatcatpdx
said by Scatcatpdx:

I live in a sea of FIOS but it seem Verizon has no desire to go back and install FIOS to MDUs in my area. They still send me junk mail about their "blazing fast DSL". Now I have more the reason to tell them to bug off.
lol you have described my area to a T. Only last year was DSL available here. The Verizon garage is about a mile away and reel after reel of inner-duct for the fiber, but not for this area. I am surprised they didn't sell this area to Frontier.

zoom314
join:2005-11-21
Yermo, CA

1 edit

zoom314

Member

Re: The Cure for Verizon is Comcast.

said by bobgwen:

said by Scatcatpdx:

I live in a sea of FIOS but it seem Verizon has no desire to go back and install FIOS to MDUs in my area. They still send me junk mail about their "blazing fast DSL". Now I have more the reason to tell them to bug off.
lol you have described my area to a T. Only last year was DSL available here. The Verizon garage is about a mile away and reel after reel of inner-duct for the fiber, but not for this area. I am surprised they didn't sell this area to Frontier.
Yeah We get the Verizon FiOS Ads in the mailbox all the time, Of course We're an area slated to become a part of the Frontier, Of what I don't know, But maybe the Verizon junk mail will at least go away as I'm sure the Postal Employees would love not having to throw out as much Junk Mail as they do now(Yermo has No Mail Carriers, Just a 2 person staff at the Post Office feeding the PO Boxes). If worse came to worse, There is always TWC for internet.
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray

Member

Not so evil

While I would prefer Verizon sold off their copper plant to a coop of linesharing entities, it ain't gonna happen. FCC granted Verizon a fiber franchise with the right to pull copper.

From Verizon's POV, it should be much more economical to maintain FIOS connections instead of aging copper, and it seems a no-brainer that they would offer the same DSL speeds, but on Fios, at the same price points, to convert everyone over. Verizon makes extra profit by shedding the copper and some, not all, of the union issues that accompany it.

There are resellers of Fios who undercut Verizon, so its not as if they're afraid of competition.