Re: [PLUG] University city high speed internet

[Matt Ayres <matta@tektonic.net>]

darin strait wrote:
> Since the summer, the Verizon contractors spent about three months 
> tinkering with the fiber at my apartment complex in Lansdale, after 
> putting up flyers stating that it would only take a few weeks. They put 
> a junction box into the ground, right next to the creek that floods with 
> any half-decent rainstorm. The box has already been ripped out of the 
> ground once.
>
> This does not give me warm-and-fuzzy feelings when it comes to their 
> tech know-how or the survivability of their service. I still don't know 
> if the system is live or not, which puts their marketting into question 
> as well. I'm irked enough with Comcast (we use their digital cable and 
> broadband services) to dump them, but I'm not convinced that Verizon 
> will be any better.
>
> Has anyone heard anything definitive about Verizon's port restrictions? 
> I recall hearing that Verizon will block useful server ports, such as 
> http, https and ssh. I realize that I can get apache, ssh, etc. to use 
> other ports, but I don't want to have to play such a dumb game. Plus I 
> don't know what other ports I might want to use in the future (VPN?).

You live at Valley Stream don't you? ;)   I too have gotten all of the 
above. Apparently they ran the fiber to the box in the storage area, but 
I haven't ripped it apart to verify (yet).  You would think a notice 
would be sent out when it was ready, but I didn't receive one either so 
you didn't miss it. It was independent contractors who put in the 
conduits so I don't think that part can be blamed on Verizon. I noticed 
they installed a larg fiber termination box towards the entrance, I 
figured it would have been ready right after that.

I have FIOS at our office in Skippack for about 6 months now, no 
downtime or latency issues have been noted.  The Verizon-GNI network is 
actually very well connected primarily since the Verizon/MCI (UUNet) 
merger. I also notice routes going through Global Crossing so it's not 
dependent on MCI. All in all between Comcast at home and FIOS at work... 
FIOS hands down. It's difficult to pick the lesser of the two evils as 
both companies suck, but I'd pick the FIOS to suck less. The instant I 
get that notice at home I will on the phone with Verizon :)

I'm not sure on home connections, but business accounts are allowed 
servers (and 5 static IP's). I don't use it for servers though so I 
can't verify any information on if there are any hidden restrictions.

Thanks,
Matt
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