Verizon FIOS Install (Part 1)

OK, tomorrow it’s supposed to happen. The Verizon FIOS people are scheduled to show up in the morning and by afternoon my fiber optic Internet service should be installed.

Until a couple of years ago, all I could get was dial-up. DSL wasn’t available in our area. Someone actually came in and installed a wireless “high speed” system that involved putting a receiver on our roof and pointing it at a tower. This worked fine in the winter but those lush Western Pennsylvania leaves blocked it in the summer. Fortunately, by that time cable internet was available and I signed on with Comcast. I have to say that I have been very pleased with Comcast. Other than a few (very few) occasions, I’ve experienced almost no service interruptions and the times I’ve had to call customer service have involved minimal waiting. So I do have some concerns about making the change.

Why am I trying out Verizon FIOS? Price, I guess, with the promise of more speed. I can get the same download speed as currently get from Comcast for $10/month cheaper. Or I can basically triple my download speed (15 Mbps) for the same price I’m paying now. Plus, there’s no installation fee, I get a free router (always good to have another router for the next lightning strike - I've lost 2 so far), and I can cancel within 30 days with no further obligation. If I keep it, I have a 1-year commitment with a prorated $99 early termination fee.

Here’s my current speed on Comcast as calculated by Speakeasy:


Look for an update tomorrow.