Re: [PLUG] Verizon FIOS..Any thoughts?

[Elizabeth Krumbach <lyz@princessleia.com>]

On Fri, Jul 21, 2006 at 10:58:37AM -0400, Daniel.G.Roberts@sanofi-aventis.com wrote:
> Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated..

Just to throw in my 2c.

Our network is all Linux, using our own router and Debian firewall, runs great.

We got the cheapest static IP business line installed at our house northwest of
Philly on Tuesday, as another poster said, they had no qualms about installing
a business line into our house.

The business line is more expensive than residential, compare prices:

http://biz.verizon.net/pands/fios/features.asp

http://www22.verizon.com/content/consumerfios/packages+and+prices/packages+and+prices.htm

But with business you get static IP(s), they don't offer static IPs with
residential accounts. And they don't block/filter ports, so running our
websites from home just like we did with DCA.net is no problem and within our
TOS. They let you set a PTR record too. Running mailservers would be physically
possible, but I have a feeling the big mail places will start blacklisting all
FiOS connections like they have Comcast ones.

The install takes about 4 hours, and they schedule it for "between 8AM and 5PM"
so you'd probably need to take a day off from work. They have to run the cable
from the FiOS box on the pole on the street (or have it installed underground),
and then mount some boxes in your basement:

http://princessleia.com/images/journalpics/fios_junction_box.jpg
http://princessleia.com/images/journalpics/fios_ups_and_stuff.jpg

The big junction box in the first picture also has connections for the upcoming
TV over fiber that they're planning on offering, and I believe a hookup for
some sort of digital phone service.

Then they run cat5(e?) to your office/place where computer/router will go. In
our case we already had cat5e running through the house so they just used that.
The techs even had a clue, my fiance was throwing questions at them the whole
time and they could answer them all - either just by knowing the answer or
knowing where to look to find it. Very impressive compared to the Comcast techs
we've dealt with.

Having it less than a week, I can't really comment on the stability, but the
thunderstorms over this week were pretty intense and our connection remained up
the whole time.

I'm very happy with our FiOS experience so far.

Lyz

-- 
Elizabeth A. Krumbach // Lyz@PrincessLeia.com
http://www.princessleia.com
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