Brothers In Blog

Darren Rowse at Prologger has started a series of posts to help rediscover your blogging groove. As for the posts here at Brothers In Blog, I don’t think we’ve lost our groove — yet. Nevertheless Darren’s suggestion is a great way to generate some new content and perhaps a little extra traffic. Today’s topic is to right a review.

I’ve been interested in the FiOS service from Verizon since I first heard about it over a year ago. The new offering from Verizon brings fiber optic technology to your home with a trio of features to chose from: broadband Internet access, phone, and television. Verizon has bundled all 3 of these features into a very attractive introductory package of $99 a month with free installation. Based on this “surface” information I estimated my potential savings at nearly 50%; however, if you read the fine print, and try to compare apples to apples, the savings isn’t that great.

I had been meaning to call Verizon and discuss the FiOS package, but just never seemed to find the time to make the call. Lucky for me Verizon has taken a very proactive approach to selling their new package and came right to my door — and I didn’t have to call (not exactly sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing). A very pleasant Verizon representative spent approximately 1 hour discussing the package and scheduling the service installation. In the end I was sold and signed the agreement to have Verizon install the complete FiOS package: broadband Internet access, television, and phone. Unfortunately it wasn’t till after everything was signed and scheduled that I finally had a moment to compare the package to my current offering. Here’s the breakdown:

Verizon FiOS options selected and price:

• $42.99 - Premier TV Package
• $12.99 - 1 DVR/tuner set top box
• $19.99 - 1 Multi-room DVR/tuner set top box
• $9.99 - 1 Basic HD set top box
• $4.99 - 1 Standard definition set top box
• $45.99 - Broadband Internet access 20 Mbps download 5 Mbps upload (5Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload is the package included in the advertised $99 special)
• $44.99 - Unlimited local and long distance phone service
• $183.93 - Total service plan EXCLUDING taxes and fees (per month)

Okay, so far I’m $82.93 over the advertised $99 package. Also, since I’m over the FREE 3 room television installation I get charged a one time fee of $19.99 for the fourth television. There are other installation/configuration fees possible but none of them applied to my order.

For comparison I pulled out my current phone, cable, and broadband Internet access bill (Verizon for phone service and Comcast for cable and Internet), which breaks down as follows:

Current phone, television, and broadband Internet options selected and price:

• $60.10 - Unlimited local and long distance phone service (includes same options as new quoted plan)
• $135.41 - Cable televison, broadband Internet access (8 Mbps download and less than 1 Mbps upload along with 2 DVR HD set top boxes and 1 standard definition set top box)
• $195.51 - Service total INCLUDING taxes and fees (per month)

Switching to Verizon saves me $13.58 per month, however, the Verizon service total doesn’t include taxes and those annoying State and Federal “fees”. Once those extras get tacked on, the savings gets smaller. I should note that Verizon offers much faster Internet access; however, my current access speed tests higher than what Comcast advertises. For example, when I test my access speed with Speak Easy, and select New York or Washington DC as my destination, I get download speeds of 17 Mbps download and 1.9 Mbps upload. Still not what Verizon offers but certainly much closer. Also, the Verizon package gives me a multi room DVR box and an extra HD set top box. Right now I don’t have either of those extras with my current plan.

Why did I cancel my Verizon FiOS order?

One might imagine that with the small savings, but added features, I might as well make the switch. I thought that way for a few hours but in the end decided to pull the plug so I called Verizon and cancelled my order. Verizon obviously wanted a complete explanation for my change of heart. Here is how I layed it our for them:

• Risk not worth the savings: In my opinion, Verizon and its FiOS plan is an untested service. While they have experience with phone and high speed Internet access (with DSL), they are brand new to the realm of television. To save less than $13 per month, at the risk of disruptions in service I currently don’t experience, was not worth it for me.
• They want to replace my router: I have an extensive home network that installed myself. I have carefully selected and configured each component in my home network (router, wireless access point, ethernet switch, network attached storage device, etc). Again the small cost savings and speed gain isn’t worth the risk of disrupting my home network. I work exclusively from home and my Internet connection is critical to what I do. I’ve had Comcast for broadband access for several years. Excluding power outages, I can count on one hand the total number of times Comcast has left me without an Internet connection. It simple works. Aside from that, I’ve read articles on different blog sites that claim Verizon is pushing firmware updates to their router and adding backdoor access points for themselves. I’m not convinced these claims are true but it’s enough to make me concerned about what Verizon might do with a potential level of access that currently does not exist in my home network.
• Don’t want their “security package” installed on my computer: This point is very confusing. Talk to two different Verizon representatives and you’ll get two different stories about the need for this software package. One will claim the software is necessary for Internet connectivity while the next representative will claim it’s optional. Verizon needs to get their story straight on this topic and everyone that works on the FiOS offering needs to get in step with the true nature and requirement of this software package. Is it needed or not? I firmly believe it’s nothing more than Verizon branded Adware/Spyware/Clutterware and absolutely unnecessary for Internet connectivity.

Verizon’s response to my cancellation

The Verizon representative I spoke with on the phone was basically pleasant but did take issue with all of my reasons for cancellation. At one point in the call it turned somewhat argumentative. I disarmed the situation by reminding them that they “wanted” my feedback. I wasn’t interested in debating my issues, I was simply presenting my reasons as requested. They could take them into consideration as ideas for ways to improve their offering/service in the future, or ignore them (which I suspect they did). I should point out that the representative offered to wave certain fees and reduce the overall cost of specific items. Exactly what changes were never clearly spelled out by the representative but keep in mind that Verizon does want your business and when pushed seem willing to “deal” on certain prices.

Verizon does have an impressive offering of services, and $99 a month for a 2 year service contract which includes high speed Internet access (5 Mbps download and 2 Mbps download), digital television, and unlimited local and long distance phone service is a very good value. If, however, you have more than one TV, want the faster Internet access, want DVR capabilities and any of the other “extras” Verizon tries to up-sell you, then the $99 package quickly disappears. As for myself, the risk verses savings just wasn’t worth it in the end — “If it’s not broken, why fix it?”

Barry’s 2-Cents:

Good work on the ol’ abacus there bro! Like many other vendors selling “bundled” services, Verizon is hoping you will not take the time to break it down and compare. At least once a week if not more, there is a solicitation in my mailbox for the latest phone\internet\television package. There was a time that I was fuming with my cable provider after another rate increase and started considering switching to satellite. However, after adding in the post trial period fees for the DVR and additional receiver as well as local channel access, the cable company was not such a bad deal.

I am still waiting for wireless broadband internet access to be made available in my area. Once that happens, I will ditch my landline and go strictly wireless. YEAH, BABY!

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