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Except that Verizon's phone service over fiber is priced and regulated in exactly the same way as their copper service. It is still effectively the same landlin

by NoPiece 12y ago

Except that Verizon's phone service over fiber is priced and regulated in exactly the same way as their copper service. It is still effectively the same landline service. Forcing Verizon to maintain copper means slower rollout of fiber and slower internet. It isn't reasonable for people (Ars) to want faster better internet service, and also to complain when copper is removed.

selectodude 12y ago
>Except that Verizon's phone service over fiber is priced Yes. >and regulated in exactly the same way as their copper service Sort of. It's required to support number portability and E911, but there's no uptime requirement. >It is still effectively the same landline service. Also, no. http://www.verizon.com/support/residential/phone/homephone/general+support/fios+voice+service/fvs/121150.htm http://www.verizon.com/support/residential/phone/homephone/g... "Call Restrictions: You cannot receive Collect or third Party Calls, and you cannot place 900 calls using FiOS Digital Voice" "Battery Back Up In case of a power outage, FiOS Digital Voice will operate on battery back up for approximately 8 hours if an active battery is inserted in the Battery Backup Unit" That is not the same quality of service that I expect from my copper POTS service.
doctorshady 12y ago
In theory, sure. You can get POTS service over fiber - and Verizon used to install it all the time, but now they try very aggressively to steer you towards their digital voice product. I'm not in Verizon territory, but I did try ordering the Verizon Freedom Package earlier today from their website (POTS + unlimited LD, an asston of features) just for the purposes of arguing in Manhattan, an area where FiOS service is offered. Nothing I tried would let me order that; I'd always, inevitably be redirected back to the digital voice order page.
JohnTHaller 12y ago
Verizon's POTS over fiber product is nearly impossible to get. It's unavailable online. Calling in they claim they've never heard of it according to multiple people who have tried. It doesn't matter if you force Verizon to maintain copper or not, Verizon cancelled all new FiOS rollouts back in 2010. Unless you're in an area already serviced by FiOS and under an agreement, you won't get fiber from Verizon. Note that they will finish the few bits of neighborhoods where they have an agreement and most of the fiber laid... eventually... unless they decide to renege on their promises, of course. Verizon agreed to set FiOS up for all of NYC by 2014 and has been trying to weasel out of that agreement for over 2 years. My neighborhood has no fiber service yet.
- NoPiece 12y ago
  It's hard to get except in the exact situation the original article is talking about. They will give you FIOS pots when they are just trying to get rid of copper. They stopped rolling out fiber because they needed to improve adoption in areas where they already deployed. Supporting copper is slowing the whole thing down.
  - JohnTHaller 12y ago
    They stopped the rollout in 2010 and laid the majority of the staff working on it off. Verizon has already stated they have no plan to ever roll out to the remaining areas not already under agreement.

by NoPiece 12y ago

selectodude 12y ago

>Except that Verizon's phone service over fiber is priced Yes. >and regulated in exactly the same way as their copper service Sort of. It's required to support number portability and E911, but there's no uptime requirement. >It is still effectively the same landline service. Also, no. http://www.verizon.com/support/residential/phone/homephone/general+support/fios+voice+service/fvs/121150.htm http://www.verizon.com/support/residential/phone/homephone/g... "Call Restrictions: You cannot receive Collect or third Party Calls, and you cannot place 900 calls using FiOS Digital Voice" "Battery Back Up In case of a power outage, FiOS Digital Voice will operate on battery back up for approximately 8 hours if an active battery is inserted in the Battery Backup Unit" That is not the same quality of service that I expect from my copper POTS service.

doctorshady 12y ago

In theory, sure. You can get POTS service over fiber - and Verizon used to install it all the time, but now they try very aggressively to steer you towards their digital voice product. I'm not in Verizon territory, but I did try ordering the Verizon Freedom Package earlier today from their website (POTS + unlimited LD, an asston of features) just for the purposes of arguing in Manhattan, an area where FiOS service is offered. Nothing I tried would let me order that; I'd always, inevitably be redirected back to the digital voice order page.

JohnTHaller 12y ago

Verizon's POTS over fiber product is nearly impossible to get. It's unavailable online. Calling in they claim they've never heard of it according to multiple people who have tried. It doesn't matter if you force Verizon to maintain copper or not, Verizon cancelled all new FiOS rollouts back in 2010. Unless you're in an area already serviced by FiOS and under an agreement, you won't get fiber from Verizon. Note that they will finish the few bits of neighborhoods where they have an agreement and most of the fiber laid... eventually... unless they decide to renege on their promises, of course. Verizon agreed to set FiOS up for all of NYC by 2014 and has been trying to weasel out of that agreement for over 2 years. My neighborhood has no fiber service yet.

NoPiece 12y ago
It's hard to get except in the exact situation the original article is talking about. They will give you FIOS pots when they are just trying to get rid of copper. They stopped rolling out fiber because they needed to improve adoption in areas where they already deployed. Supporting copper is slowing the whole thing down.
- JohnTHaller 12y ago
  They stopped the rollout in 2010 and laid the majority of the staff working on it off. Verizon has already stated they have no plan to ever roll out to the remaining areas not already under agreement.