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Verizon Taking FTTP Installation Orders

ooglek writes "Verizon is now qualifying and accepting installations for FTTP (Fiber To the Premises)! $39.95 for 5MB/2MB, $49.95 for 15MB/2MB, and $199.95 for 30MB/5MB. No word yet on whether Verizon will block ports (25, 80, etc) for incoming or outgoing traffic; with 2MB upload, I hope to basically run a small data center in my basement. Both phone and Internet will come through the fiber, and there is an unofficial rumor of video services as well by the end of this year. Got Fiber? My install date is November 2nd in Falls Church, VA (near DC). Several people in Keller, Texas have posted pictures and reported 14,679 kbps download and 1,794 kbps download speeds." Update: 10/26 23:52 GMT by T : That second "download" ought probably read "upload."

94 of 624 comments (clear)

  1. Form doesn't work for me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    It takes me to the DSL order page, and tells me I already have it. Yes, I do, I never noticed. Thanks Verizon!

    1. Re:Form doesn't work for me by SilentChris · · Score: 5, Funny

      I just called, and the reason it doesn't work is because it's currently in a "test phase" in certain markets. Thanks Slashdot for getting my hopes up.

      Actual conversation with Verizon:

      Verizon: Yes, we're very excited about this service. What's your phone number.
      Me: *Give my phone number*
      Verizon *silence*: Let me speak with my manager. *comes back a little while later* Where did you hear about our FIOS service?
      Me: Uh, an internet site called "Slashdot". Lots of tech news.
      Verizon: We were wondering. I've been getting calls all day. We only have FIOS in test markets right now like Florida, Texas... rattles off a few more names.
      Me: Any idea when you're going to support the NY metropolitian area?
      Verizon: I'm sorry, I don't know at this time.

    2. Re:Form doesn't work for me by moosesocks · · Score: 4, Interesting

      FYI, Verizon has wired much of Northern NJ for FTTP, but NJ State legislation is preventing them from turning their network on. However, verizon has given the order to make the network 'ready to turn on with the flip of a switch' which is pretty cool IMO. Now just to wait for a new governor. The present one hasn't accomplished ANYTHING, and is unlikely that he will now.

      Sorta a pity how they are stifiling innovation in this state -- as I watch one of AT&T's former largest test centers be demolished piece by piece. (which managed to hold on for quite a while after the breakup, but is sadly no more...)

      --
      -- If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? - Uli's moose
    3. Re:Form doesn't work for me by thisissilly · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Curiousity makes me ask, as a fellow NJ resident, what legislation is preventing it, and who I should be writing to get things moving.

    4. Re:Form doesn't work for me by galbro · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Ah, another ASP.NET site /.'d to death.

    5. Re:Form doesn't work for me by synthparadox · · Score: 2, Informative
      Did a simple google search for news/press releases on the Fios fiber service.

      http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/Oct/1085658.htm

      A quote:

      At a news conference here today, the company plans to announce new fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) deployment to homes and businesses in Virginia as well as in parts of Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania -- bringing to nine the total number of states where work is under way. The company had previously announced FTTP deployment in California, Florida and Texas as part its plan to pass some 1 million homes and businesses with the new technology this year. Verizon plans to pass some 2 million additional homes and businesses with the new technology next year.
    6. Re:Form doesn't work for me by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Verizon has wired much of Northern NJ for FTTP, but NJ State legislation is preventing them from turning their network on.

      My understanding, based solely on reading the forums at dslreports.com is that Verizon wants monopoly rights to the fibre they are laying. As in no second source ISP like Covad or Earthlink would be able to lease bandwidth or connectivity on the fibre lines at (low) state-set rates, like they are able to today on the copper lines.

      Based on that, I think Verizon is in the wrong. They are dangling shiny trinkets of high-speed internet at a reasonable price in order to distract people from the inevitable long-term result of monopoly control over public works - erosion of price competitiveness and technological stagnation.

      Sure, 15MBps at $50 looks GREAT today, but will it be that great in 5 years? What if the price goes up to $100? Pay no attention to the details behind the curtain!

      Again, without knowing more than I've read at the forums, I think that if it were up to me, I'd be looking at a compromise. Verizon can have monopoly control over the fibre network with three caveats:

      1) A viable competitor exists in each segment (neighborhood, town, whatever) such as cable which is priced within say 20% for equivalent levels of performance.

      2) They agree to a more relaxed test for market collusion than what the FTC/DoJ uses in order to absolutely prevent Verizon and whoever their local competitor(s) are from abusing their certain oligopoly. Punishment for collusion being immediate and permanent loss of control of all the fibre in the area in which the collusion occurred plus enough of a geographical radius to cover enough more customers to equal 200% of the total affected. (The state would probably assume control and lease it back to Verizon and any other ISPs.)

      3) Yearly review of their performance with a regular 5-year major examination of their quality of service and evaluation of their technological currentness.

      These all assume that the details are worked out by Verizon and a team of negotiators for the state that are not biased by bribery of any sort (no cushy jobs at Verizon 6 months after the contracts are signed).

      I am a big believer in "free markets" - as long as care is taken to prevent monopolistic abuses that can naturally arise in a loosely regulated market. But, public utilities are a natural monopoly and so special care, much better care than is usually applied, must be taken to keep a check on the monopolistic business practices that inevitably settle in. To do otherwise would be the equivalent of giving Verizon a money pipeline into the community's bank accounts.

      --
      When information is power, privacy is freedom.
    7. Re:Form doesn't work for me by jlgolson · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Verizon wants monopoly rights to the fibre they are laying If they are laying it, it is their right to use it however they want. If Earthlink wants to run fibre, they can... If Verizon is spending millions of dollars to run fibre everywhere, don't you think they should be compensated fairly for it? You say you are a believer in free markets, but apparently not free enough.

    8. Re:Form doesn't work for me by raju1kabir · · Score: 5, Insightful
      If they are laying it, it is their right to use it however they want. If Earthlink wants to run fibre, they can... If Verizon is spending millions of dollars to run fibre everywhere, don't you think they should be compensated fairly for it?

      They are laying it on public land with forced easements. Very different from building something on land they own. The fiber is there because the public (i.e., the government) enabled it.

      --
      "Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it." -- GBS
  2. Pricing looks good by erick99 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The 5MB/2MB pricing is great for my area. I get about 4MB/256KB right now for around $29/month. The biggest advantage to the fiber would be the 2MB upload speed which would be great as I send a lot of photos to my dad for a genealogical project. I went to Verizons site and my phone number doesn't qualify yet, but, I'm sure it will be eventually....

    --
    http://www.busyweather.com/
    1. Re:Pricing looks good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      I thought you said "gynecological project."

    2. Re:Pricing looks good by garcia · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The 5MB/2MB pricing is great for my area. I get about 4MB/256KB right now for around $29/month. The biggest advantage to the fiber would be the 2MB upload speed which would be great as I send a lot of photos to my dad for a genealogical project. I went to Verizons site and my phone number doesn't qualify yet, but, I'm sure it will be eventually....

      Feel special. DSL here is 2048/256 for a bit under $60 here. Cable (with all its port blocking glory) is $39.99/mo for 3000/256.

      I would do ANYTHING for inexpensive high bandwith connections. I don't even care about the upstream. Just give me reasonable speeds downstream with reliable service. No random disconnects, hours and hours of downtime w/o anyone to fix the problem, and crappy DSL routers required.

    3. Re:Pricing looks good by Derling+Whirvish · · Score: 3, Informative
      Don't go by the web site. I kept going there as well after they finished in fiber lay down in my neighborhood. It kept saying "not available" but then I called the telephone number and I qualified (I'm in Keller). Call the number!

      I got the 15/2 service and it's great.

    4. Re:Pricing looks good by Monkelectric · · Score: 5, Funny
      I send a lot of photos to my dad for a genealogical project

      Allow me to translate this: "I download a lot of porn on Bit Torrent any my ratio is terrible"

      --

      Religion is a gateway psychosis. -- Dave Foley

    5. Re:Pricing looks good by zardoz342 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Yeah, I'm paying $49 for 512/256 DSL, best I can get here. The cable setups I've worked on locally have almost the same actual speed, and they are paying $70+ for supposed 1/512 which is no faster than my DSL. Argh

    6. Re:Pricing looks good by YU+Nicks+NE+Way · · Score: 3, Funny
      I send a lot of photos to my dad for a genealogical project

      Allow me to translate this: "I download a lot of porn on Bit Torrent any my ratio is terrible"
      I think you're confusing genealogical and gynecological.

      Then again, maybe the GP poster is the one confused.
    7. Re:Pricing looks good by blwtech · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I live in Sacramento and have Sure West's fiber service. It's 10MB/10MB and includes my phone and television service as well. We pay $120.00 a month for all three. I love the service.

    8. Re:Pricing looks good by Jaysyn · · Score: 5, Informative

      FYI I'm actually working on this project right now (my company is designing the Dorrs Corner & one other C.O. in Anne Arundel county) & I can tell you there will not be any competition for this as Verizon had to basically get a franchise for the municipality. This also means that they are having to run FTTP throughout the entire C.O. & not just in the more affluent areas.

      Jaysyn

      --
      There is a war going on for your mind.
    9. Re:Pricing looks good by ConceptJunkie · · Score: 4, Funny

      He's Al Gore, you insensitive clod.

      --
      You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
    10. Re:Pricing looks good by Emugamer · · Score: 5, Funny

      I was looking for a "+1 I hate you, you lucky bastard" mod but I couldn't find it... this reply will have to do

    11. Re:Pricing looks good by cheezedawg · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually, my speed tests have been about 9Mbps down/18Mbps up. Not sure why my upload is so big, but its still cool.

      --
      "The defense of freedom requires the advance of freedom" - George W Bush
    12. Re:Pricing looks good by gregmac · · Score: 2, Informative

      I would do ALMOST ANYTHING for a high bandwith connection.

      How about satellite?

      --
      Speak before you think
    13. Re:Pricing looks good by crasher35 · · Score: 2, Informative
      Wow... I feel really special because I'm only paying about $15 a month for Adelphia's Powerlink (3mbps down/?? mbps up). I don't remember exactly how much my upload speed is, but it's perfect for how much I upload. I think it might be at 512k... not sure. But that $15 a month ends in December... it was through a promotion that I got it that low and it was only for a year... still, it's been sweet while I've had it.

      I am excited about Verizon's Fiber service!

      --

      I don't like to sit. Sitting is for people who like to sit.

    14. Re:Pricing looks good by Gaijin42 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      From a technical perspective :

      Because (just like every other service) they are over selling.

      People who buy the 5/2 pipe will tend to not use it all the time. They can toss hundreds of people on and still get their speeds.

      People who buy the 30/5 pipe WILL tend to use it, because they are hosting, or running some sort of service where they can afford the extra cash. Therefore they cannot get shared pipe, and they pay for the full thing.

      It isn't a price inflation for the high-bandwidth option. It is a discount for the low bandwidth option.

      Or alternitavely from the economic perspective :

      Prices have nothing to do with actual costs. People who need the extra bandwitdh are likely willing to pay more, therefore they are charged more. The joy of elasticity of demand, and low competetion.

    15. Re:Pricing looks good by Combuchan · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Except latency sucks, and DirecWay's Fair Access Policy means that if you download more than 169 MB in some period of time (their website doesn't say), you get dropped to 47 kbps for 8 - 12 hours.

      The software for my roommate's digital camera was a 125 MB download from HP. Using this for anything like installing or upgrading a Linux box is out of the question. I've seen 50 MB government documents doled out like candy.

      Ergo, as long as the world keeps getting more byte-bloated, the technical limitations of satellite internet will plague it into highly rural markets, as even many small communities have some form of land-based broadband.

      I'd suggest DirecWay if you've got a cabin in the middle of nowhere, but that's about it.

      --
      "[T]he single essential element on which all discoveries will be dependent is human freedom." -- Barry Goldwater
    16. Re:Pricing looks good by Shaklee39 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Thanks for the really insightful comment! Fucking shiteating karma whore, go fuck yourself asshole. You and your dad are fags.

  3. Sustainable speed? by fembots · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Verizon has clearly stated that the "actual throughput speed will vary based on factors such as the condition of your wiring inside your location; computer configuration; network or Internet congestion; and the server speeds of Web sites you access, among other factors. Speed and uninterrupted use of the service are not guaranteed."

    So how long will the 15/2Mbps last, and is Verizon at least giving guarantee on a minimum sustainable speed?

    1. Re:Sustainable speed? by 77Punker · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Get real! Those factors affect every single connection between two computers in the entire world! They MUST have that disclaimer or else non-techie jurors will be awarding oppotunistic internet users money in civil suits all over the place.

    2. Re:Sustainable speed? by NerveGas · · Score: 2, Informative


      I've seen providers with bandwidth and latency guarantees before. But, keep in mind that:

      1. They only guarantee bandwidth within their own network, and under certain conditions
      2. They only guarantee latencies within their own network
      3. They only guarantee bandwidth and latency a certain percentage of the time, not 100%.
      4. They are usually very expensive
      5. Your recompense if they don't meet the guarantees are minimal.

      As far as items 1 and 2, you really just can't do anything else. Company A simply cannot stake financial risk on the performance of Companies C, D, E, and H through M.

      As for numbers three through five combined, if you wanted to guarantee bandwidth/latency 100% of the time, you end up having to pay horrendous amounts for the ability to do so. Remember, script-kiddies with $10/month dialups have brought people spending millions for connectivity to their knees without much trouble.

      When you're talking "9's", each 9 that you add drives the cost up exponentially. It doesn't take many 9's before the cost to actually provide the service level is much greater than most anyone is willing to pay for it.

      steve

      --
      Oh, you're not stuck, you're just unable to let go of the onion rings.
  4. Monthly costs? by fredistheking · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Are these going to be the monthly rates as well or are these just installation costs?

    1. Re:Monthly costs? by SlamMan · · Score: 2, Informative

      There is no installation costs. If you cancel the service in the first year, you have to give back to the router or or pay em another $50.

      --
      Mod point free since 2001
  5. That is wierd by Orgazmus · · Score: 3, Insightful

    As far as i got it, the ADSL lines had low upload because of technical limitations.
    But why would these lines come in 5Mb/2Mb and not just 5/5 ?

    --
    The system had the verbosity of HTML combined with all the readability of compiled assembly viewed as bitmap images
    1. Re:That is wierd by Realistic_Dragon · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Not only does upload cost more to peer at places like LINX but offering 15mb upload would significantly undercut their (much!) more expensive leased line options.

      Immagine that you were a business owner and you could buy three of these (cheap) and a pair of backup T1 lines (not that expensve) to replace your OC3 (very expensive). Bad news for their profits.

      I wonder what the transfer cap on these things is? Probably something rediculous like 1gb/day that allows you to operate your line at full speed for all of 550 seconds before you exceed your quota and get terminated.

      --
      Beep beep.
    2. Re:That is wierd by chewy_2000 · · Score: 2

      Peer to peer (emule, BT) relies on a fast upload for a fast download, because of an anti-leeching quota system. So anyone who uses P2P extensively (a bloody big market) care very much about upload. I know I do on my 256/64 for AU$40 a month.

    3. Re:That is wierd by digitalsushi · · Score: 2, Funny

      if you needed a 155 megabit oc3 and converted to a couple 30 megabit fiber connections, someone would probably have your head on a platter. a couple of very expensive T1 lines with IP on them (maybe 450 bucks each per port plus the distance run, which could be about 0 to double the cost again). fortunately, the 30 meg cap is assuredly an artificial limit, and they will be able to ramp that number up for quite a few years, whenever the competition starts getting their attention.

      capping it would be the ultimate frustration. i haven't gotten The Call from my current provider, comcast, yet. is it general slashdot knowlege that the magic number at which you get their attention is 90 gigabytes within a 30 day window? 3 gig a day is hard to chew up without stealing 4 movies every night. in 2004, that is :D

      if they block the mail port, or worse (and impossibly, at this stage of the game i think) the web port, they ugh... hell, i'd rather have the 3 meg service from comcast for a higher price.

      --
      slashdot: where everyone yells sarcastic metaphors to themselves to understand the issue
    4. Re:That is wierd by j1m+5n0w · · Score: 4, Insightful

      There are quite a few reasons to limit upload:

      • Most people pull stuff down more than they push stuff up, so download speed affects user's perception of the quality of the service more than upload.
      • Limiting upload puts a cap on the amount of traffic a single rooted box can generate, when participating in DOS and DDOS attacks.
      • Most people only spend a small fraction of the time downloading stuff, so the connection stays idle 99% of the time or so. Those who run file/web/p2p servers, though, can utilize their link more fully because their computers are "used" by a potentially large number of users on the rest of the Internet. If, for example, I hosted fedora ISOs from a web server on my home cable modem account, my upload bandwidth could easily dwarf what I could possibly download by surfing the web 24/7, even with my upload capped at about 10% of download.
      • The upload cap provides a disincentive from running potentially bandwidth hungry applications like videoconferencing, which require high throughput in both directions.
      • The upload cap provides a disincentive for people to try to use multicast trees and bit-torrent-like applications, by which a user can generate a disproportionally large quantity of traffic from a single connection, by utilizing other user's idle connections.

      -jim

    5. Re:That is wierd by sndtech · · Score: 3, Funny

      yeah i got "the call" it was because I transferred over 1 terabyte in 30 days and the neighbor hood was complaining that the speeds were really slow. i download and share about 200 movies through a direct connect hub and they got pissy.

    6. Re:That is wierd by Erwos · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The thinking is that businesses are the ones who need synchronous connections. Therefore, in order to help differentiate between the customers (you charge businesses a LOT more), you alter the features so that the customer gets a lot of what he needs (download) and businesses don't get as much of what they need (upload). This forces businesses to pay the higher prices they're "supposed to".

      Basic economics, in other words. Especially if you're a local phone monopoly.

      At $30 a month for 5/2, I'll be all over this in a second. ESPECIALLY if I can get a static IP.

      -Erwos

      --
      Plausible conjecture should not be misrepresented as proof positive.
    7. Re:That is wierd by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 3, Insightful

      All modern filesharing software allows you to set upload speed limits. Do it. No offense, but this is exactly the kind of crap that ruins it for everybody. I'd have been pissed if all the sudden my link slows down because my HTTP GET can't get through due to 40 people downloading Gigli and Catwoman.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
  6. /.'ed by OffTheLip · · Score: 3, Funny

    and my phone no longer works either. sigh.

  7. Host a Webpage by OctaneZ · · Score: 4, Informative
    They don't say if they will be blocking ports but FAQ 11, "Can I host a Web page?" is answered as follows:
    Yes, Verizon Fios Internet Service includes 10 MB of personal Web space.

    I wouldn't hold my breath.
    1. Re:Host a Webpage by treke · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Well I can't speak for this service specifically, but I have Verizon DSL and they don't block any ports that I've noticed. Ports 25 and 80 are both open to the world at this moment. This is the Ventura California area, in case it varies by region. To bad anything over 1.5mbit is unstable on the wiring in my apartment.

  8. But it's download only! by YetAnotherName · · Score: 5, Funny

    From the summary:

    ... and reported 14,679 kbps download and 1,794 kbps download speeds.

    Sorry Verizon, but if I can't upload those HTTP GET requests, I don't need any of your one-way fibre. Talk about asymmetric!

  9. Excellent work, Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    You broke it.

    Server Error in '/FiosForHome' Application.

    Runtime Error
    Description: An application error occurred on the server. The current custom error settings for this application prevent the details of the application error from being viewed remotely (for security reasons). It could, however, be viewed by browsers running on the local server machine.

    Details: To enable the details of this specific error message to be viewable on remote machines, please create a tag within a "web.config" configuration file located in the root directory of the current web application. This tag should then have its "mode" attribute set to "Off".

    Notes: The current error page you are seeing can be replaced by a custom error page by modifying the "defaultRedirect" attribute of the application's configuration tag to point to a custom error page URL.

  10. don't you mean.. by trybywrench · · Score: 5, Funny

    I hope to basically run a small data center in my basement.

    don't you mean your mom's basement?

    --
    I came to the datacenter drunk with a fake ID, don't you want to be just like me?
  11. hmm... by lingqi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I am getting fiber to the premisis installed this week, and it's 100Mbps up/down for ~25 bux / month.

    I was complaining because VSL limits that to ~55Mbps.

    Being in Japan just put things into a dirrerent perspective, I guess. So here is to consumers of America (of whom I will become one again all too soon) - DEMAND MORE!! it's kind of weird when the post get so excited even though it... erm... relly slow.

    --

    My life in the land of the rising sun.

  12. WTF!? by clambake · · Score: 3, Interesting

    $39.95 for 5MB/2MB, $49.95 for 15MB/2MB, and $199.95 for 30MB/5MB

    In Tokyo (my home nw) that's DSL rates! Fibre STARTS at 100MBps! WTF?

    1. Re:WTF!? by arbi · · Score: 2, Informative

      Same here in Hong Kong with DSL. We get symmetrical 10mbps/10mbps for about $20USD/month.

      http://www.hgc.com.hk/eng/res_net_bb_hgcbb.html
      (1 USD = 7.8 HKD)

    2. Re:WTF!? by womby · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Tokyo is only 25 to 30 percent more densely populated than New York City, so though cable cost might be orders of magnitude higher in Kellar, TX I am sure residents of NY would be happy to pay $30 instead of the $20 I pay (a whole 50% increase, let the profits roll)

      --
      **** lying is wrong even for sleeping dogs
  13. skeptical by vijayiyer · · Score: 5, Informative

    I live in Huntington Beach, one of the first places this is rolling out. That said, I'm going to be content with my 3Mb/768k DSL until I'm sure there aren't any ridiculous "for entertainment only" policies on Verizon's books. My current ISP (SurfCity DSL) doesn't block ports, sells me a static IP for a small fee, and even sells IP address blocks for reasonable (~$20/mo) fees. Having all the bandwidth in the world is practically useless with a dynamic IP and having the major ports blocked.

  14. 6 meg DSL by BrookHarty · · Score: 3, Funny

    I can't get Verizon to fix my 6 meg dsl, since DSL isn't supported, only voice lines are. Lucky Speakeasy isnt charging me the 99 dollars a month because I cant use the service.

    I'm close to the CO, but something is wrong with the burried wire, and Verizon wont help me locate the issue. They tested the house, Covad did testing, thought the DSLAM was bad because it was bouncing, tested my PID, but everything looks fine. Just 3-6 times a day, the line drops and reconnects, all freaking burried wire too.

    I'd kill for 5/2meg for 40 bux a month, 99 for 6/768 DSL that doesnt work is major suckage. Lucky comcast has 3/256, so im not bandwidth less, I just can't host any of my domains.

    Verizon has such bad policies on support on copper, fibre must be a god send to customers needing support... Could even switch to VoIP too.

    I'd even shut down my vanity domain Fuck Verizon if they fixed my DSL! Currently I have it re-directed to verizon eats poop...

  15. And the best part? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    MSN® Premium Internet Software

    Awww yeah!

  16. Re:I don't have a home phone. by adzoox · · Score: 4, Informative

    Your cell phone is still registered your residence - besides you can just give them a neighbor's phone #.

    --
    Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
  17. America's too big! by Orestesx · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Smaller countries such as Japan and Korea can more easily change their network infrastructure (see cell phones, broadband, etc.) We should compare America's network infrastructure to Russia or China or heck even Australia. Comparing it to a much smaller country (in both square footage and population) will not lead to any meaningful conclusions.

    1. Re:America's too big! by Norgus · · Score: 2, Informative
      Although this logic is great, the guys who make decisions in the UK must just not see it that way...

      I mean its about £30/month for a plain 1 Mbit cable connection. *curses*

    2. Re:America's too big! by aldoman · · Score: 2, Informative

      Don't worry. The UK has been focussing too much on getting DSL everywhere (99.5% of the country can get it at the last count). I'm sure now that BT have nearly finished using govt money for putting ADSL everywhere, they can get to start on fiber.

      Also, it doesn't help that BT's main rivals (NTL and Telewest) - or should that be only rivals -- have been in bankruptcy protection for the last 3-4 years...

    3. Re:America's too big! by womby · · Score: 5, Insightful

      What about breaking it down to areas that are of similar size.

      The most densely populated city in Japan is Tokyo. 8 million people in 630 square kilometres (13,000 per k2)

      The most densely populated city in the US is New York. 8 million people in 830 square kilometres (10,000 per k2)

      The most densely populated city in the world is Seoul. 10 million people in 615 square kilometres (17,000 per k2)

      In Tokyo we have 100% ADSL availability offering 40 mbits down
      there is also limited (~10%) FTTP availability offering 100 mbits

      Why is there not even one company attempting to offer something similar in New York, Korea has near 100% availability of dsl and cable yet they too are limited to US like services.

      The real reason we have insane connection bandwidth in Japan is because the telecoms monopoly is restricted from price gouging, they must lease there cables at a flat rate irrespective of the amount of data that flows over them.

      When I had an ADSL connection I would pay $20 a month to NTT for the ADSL connection, then my ISP could push as much or as little data over that connection as they wished.

      Now I have a Fibre connection, I pay $40 a month for the wire, I actually pay $70 a month to my ISP but I get a static IP range and national wireless coverage too over the AirH network.

      The reason Japan has stupid fast internet connections, and the second highest broadband penetration in the world? Competition, who would have thought of it.

      --
      **** lying is wrong even for sleeping dogs
  18. That's a widely disparate range of speeds... or by karmaflux · · Score: 2, Funny

    14,679 kbps download and 1,794 kbps download speeds.

    Since the editors don't edit, I hereby declare 1,794kbps download speed and 14,679 upstream!

    --

    REM Old programmers don't die. They just GOSUB without RETURN.

  19. Re:I don't have a home phone. by nuclear305 · · Score: 2, Informative

    " ok, here's a question:

    they need your phone number to determine if fttp is available in your area. I don't have a land line--only a cell phone... suggestions?"


    Use the # of a neighbor or nearby business. There isn't going to be much of a difference if you use a number from a building across the street or nearby location unless you happen to be on the edge of some kind of service area.

  20. Two things by Pan+T.+Hose · · Score: 2, Insightful

    No word yet on whether Verizon will block ports (25, 80, etc) for incoming or outgoing traffic; with 2MB upload, I hope to basically run a small data center in my basement.

    First of all you can use any service you want listening on any port you want. Data in your /etc/services file are only default ports, not mandatory ones. For example, you might run smtp server on port 80 and http on port 25 and they would complete the tcp three-way handshake just fine. If you have ever seen a web url in the form of proto://host:port then you know what am I talking about.

    Second of all, there are other important factors of Internet connection than only throughput. For certain tasks other factors may be in fact much more important, from which responsiveness, min/avg/max icmp round-trip, full duplex support, underlying protocol, mean time between failures, uptime and responsiveness are only a few.

    Generally, when you want a good data center you have to learn to look at other factors than raw throughput when choosing an Internet connection, just like you have to learn to look at other factors than clock speed when buying a server for said data center.

    Besides, what does the "2MB upload" mean? Two megabytes per second? Including or excluding data parity bits? Synch bits? Tcp headers? Data integrity checksum overhead? Networking is a difficult craft. There is a long way before you will "run a small data center in my basement" just as easily as you imagine, if it is ever possible at all.

    --
    Sincerely,
    Pan Tarhei Hosé, PhD.
    "Homo sum et cogito ergo odi profanum vulgus et libido."
    1. Re:Two things by lidocaineus · · Score: 4, Insightful

      For example, you might run smtp server on port 80 and http on port 25 and they would complete the tcp three-way handshake just fine.

      That would work if you ran a server destined to never offer serivces to even a small group of people, but for normal, practical usage, it's... well, useless. Sure, you can append port numbers to your protocol directives, but it'll never be an ubiquitous internet side in the least. You can't accept SMTP traffic unless it's been directly MX'd from a "normal" server, you can't even bounce port 80 requests to the proper port since presumbly, you moved it OFF port 80 to prevent random connections or avoid upstream blocks. Port shuffling is usually considered poor design and the worst example (if used in this fashion) of security/obscurity

  21. Verizon Video Services by ffejie · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I just submitted this story to /., I'm assuming it doesn't get listed.

    Verizon and Motorola announce deal

    Basically, they are using Motorola set top boxes to deliver video feeds off of their Fiber. I would expect it soon.

    --
    Disagreeing with me does not mean you get to mod me troll.
  22. Re:It's Mb, not MB by Carnildo · · Score: 2, Insightful

    That's still faster than the fastest cable available around here (3Mbps/256Kbps) and much faster than the fastest DSL (768Kbps/256Kbps). It's also about a third the cost of DSL and half the cost of cable.

    I just wish they were offering it here.

    --
    "They redundantly repeated themselves over and over again incessantly without end ad infinitum" -- ibid.
  23. From the terms of service by MerlynEmrys67 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Nope - no servers allowed... so basically Verizon is continuing to be a WSP, not an ISP. I really wish more providers would just let me do what the heck I wanted to do with my connection - why should they care - just throw a QoS penalty on any traffic over xbits/sec that they don't want me to really use

    --
    I have mod points and I am not afraid to use them
    1. Re:From the terms of service by gcaseye6677 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I've always wondered why the hell they would care about servers as long as you're not serving several gigs of data each day. If you have a personal FTP server to connect to from work or school, how does that harm their network? Between this policy and the PPPoE, that almost negates the benefit of a fiber connection. I think I'd just stick with cable modem, which is fast enough for what I need. Why bother have a blazing fast web browsing connection, which sounds like all that Verizon will be letting people do with it.

  24. Keller, Texas??? by fallenangel99 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Of all the places in the US (NYC, Boston, major cities, or even major suburbs) they choose KELLER, TEXAS??!?!?! Cows don't use Fiber!

  25. In Japan by achurch · · Score: 4, Informative
    you can get 100Mb/100Mb for around $60/month . . .

    Okay, I'll stop bragging now (:

  26. No Servers Allowed by MattW · · Score: 5, Informative
    From the terms and conditions:
    You may not use the Broadband Service to host any type of server personal or commercial in nature.

    I wonder how the TOS nazis plan to handle P2P apps like BT?
    1. Re:No Servers Allowed by wildchild07770 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The same stipulation exists in my cable contract but the guy installing (who pointed it out) made it quite clear that so long as i'm not running at peak capacity 24/7 or trying to host a high traffic web server they'll never bring it up. It's more of a "we reserve the right" clause than anything.

  27. In Soviet Russia by ebh · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh, never mind.

  28. The poor server.... by dj245 · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...isn't accepting inquieries. Perhaps it lacks a little Fiber to the Premises?

    --
    Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
  29. Re:FIOS loop qual for South Texas by ispland · · Score: 2, Informative

    Verizon is building an all new fiber optic cable plant for FIOS. Even the connection from the street to the premise will require installation of a new fiber optic drop cable and a new premise equipment box.

    If you are located in one of the three ex-GTE areas TX, CA or FL currently under build-out and Verizon has been installing new cable ducts using underground rodding equipment, you are likely in the service area. In my area, near Tampa, they installed the ducts down the street in early July. I have not been able to get a map of the service areas from Verizon, but I was able to get verbal confirmation that service will be installed in most of the county over a period of two years.

    I intentionally purchased a home in the FIOS service area this year. I've been following the progress of the project closely. I called and ordered FIOS about two weeks ago. A Verizon contractor installed a new fiber optic drop cable to my house last week. I'm slated for installaion of 5mb FIOS service tommorrow. Then all I have to do is get an ethernet cable out to the equipment box and I'll be in business.

    (Sidebar: Verizon sales told me that the installation tech is supposed to configure my router and PC, but there's no chance he'll get any chance to touch my systems.)

    --
    What would Groucho do?
  30. Fios customer service phone number by willith · · Score: 2, Informative

    Since the site appears to have been utterly destroyed and the locator is timing out, the customer service number for Verizon Fiber Solutions. is 888-553-1555. These guys can check your availability for you.

    I'm in Houston, TX, and they say no Fios for the forseeable future here.

  31. watch out for NATting restrictions!!! by SilveRo_kun · · Score: 2, Interesting

    In Italy we have FASTWEB, that gives us a 10mbit connection, half duplex, for 85 euros a month (unlimited national phone calls included). The problem, though, is that they NATTED our asses!!! We don't have public IPs, only private IPs (many users connect with one IP).
    This way, our connection is great for surfing/downloading, but we are in deep s#!t when it comes to setting up a web server, an ftp server, connecting to game servers.... this is because we cannot accept inbound connections.
    The only ways out:

    1) pay 50 euros extra a month for a public ip
    2) use ipv6 tunnel brokers
    3) create VPNs with boxes that have public IPs

  32. Called the 888 Number by da_Den_man · · Score: 5, Informative

    It is only a test project in Keller TX. They expect a rollout to other areas after the completion of the test. Until then...it is still a BIG-PIPE dream. They did say they will be sending out a notification and advertising campaign when it becomes available in other areas.

    --
    You keep going until you die..."Me".
  33. Re:One question.. by Sylver+Dragon · · Score: 3, Informative

    Generally speaking, no. Some ISP's will complain and threaten to cut you off if you use too much of your bandwidth, but some don't. For example, this month I've probably downloaded 100 gigs of data over my DSL line, plus uploads, and I haven't heard anything out of my ISP except them asking me to pay this months usual bill.

    --
    Necessity is the mother of invention.
    Laziness is the father.
  34. /. the call center by beanluc · · Score: 5, Funny

    > Verizon: We were wondering. I've been getting calls all day.

    Has a call center ever been slashdotted before?

    --
    Say it right: "Nuc-le-ah Powah".
    1. Re:/. the call center by Bimikrash · · Score: 5, Funny

      > Has a call center ever been slashdotted before?

      Actually, yes. http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/09/14/123125 4&tid=133

  35. slashdotted? by samantha · · Score: 2, Funny

    The app for checking landline number to determine eligibility is crashing. Very inspiring.

  36. Service with a Catch! by Merlinium · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You can get this "Fiber to the premises" only if you have Verizon phone line. (BTW it is only available in about 4 areas right now).
    So it would be $39.95, $49.95, Etc + $20-50 for the phone service whatever the cost may be.

    For those of us who no longer have a land line to the house because of either piss poor service, or just no need for a home land line (Cell phone cheaper and always with you) this is a really poor deal, the sales rep told me that you need a phone line, but could not explain sufficiently the reason why you would need a phone if you are having fiber run to your house for broadband service, other then "you must have a Verizon phone service specifically to get the Fiber Optics" so over all, the advertised price is not the true price.

    p.s. the reason I got rid of my qwest DSL/phone service, was because of extremely poor service, extremely rude customer reps, low bandwidth 640kbps/256kbps/cost $99.99(w/phone service required) vs. cable in my area 3Mbps/256kbps(min)/cost $49.99 (no other service required). Granted, Cable in some areas is extremely unreliable due to high user count on the node, my area though I am the only user on my node (lots of elderly who do not use broadband).

    --
    If firefighters fight fire and crime fighters fight crime, what do Freedom fighters fight?
  37. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 2, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  38. Fios Availability. by Deathlizard · · Score: 5, Informative

    Just got off the phone from Verizon. and the nice lady gave me some details of availibility.

    1) First off, the Number that the script tells you to call (the (888) 662-8275 one) is wrong according to the person that I got on that line. She directed me to (888) 991-4999. Whether or not that's the right number for overall rollout I dont know, but it had all the answers I got. Not that you'll need to call after reading this.

    2) From what she was seeing, it's still only available in the Texas area where it was deployed for it's Pilot Program. She wouldn't confirm where they were expanding the service, but she did confirm that it is going to expand in the coming months because it was very successful in the pilot program apparently.

    3) She said that availability will be announced in your Verizon bill (If you get one) as soon as it's available in your area (probably to cover the costs of the equipment). the web site also will tell you about availibility whenever it's updated, but for right now it's Texas only.

    1. Re:Fios Availability. by nofx_3 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Hmm, I think your sig is a little confused. You see, Mayor McCheese IS the mayor of McDonald land. This has nothing to do with "having it your way" which is the Burger King slogan. Unfotunately the whole idea is ass backwards, you can "have it your way" at Burger King becuase its a Monarchy run by guess who? Yep, the Burger King, and you can't vote him out even if you want. I for one, cast my vote for Grimace, and I would make the Hamburgler cheif of police, seeing as he has so much experiance in the crime field.

      -kaplanfx

      --
      Visualize Whirled Peas
  39. Passive optical networks are asymmetric by jdauerbach · · Score: 3, Informative

    Verizon's FIOS is a passive optical network, which uses shared bandwidth on the downstream side (every home's equipment sees all the traffic) and time-division multiplexing on the upstream side (homes send data one at a time). That approach allows Verizon to have only passive, non-powered optical splitters in the field, sharing one fiber among as many as 32 homes.
    Google passive optical network if you want to know more.

  40. This could be bad.... by doormat · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Image 100s of boxes on this service getting compromised and used in DDoS attacks... you think its bad now with 256-512kbit/s upstream, imagine 2Mbit/s upstream. Verizon needs to be on the lookout, watching for large spikes in upstream bandwidth, actively looking for DDoS activity.

    SECURE YOU BOXES!

    --
    The Doormat

    If you're not outraged, then you're not paying attention.
  41. I've had FIOS for several weeks now. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Let me start with the installation. I ordered the 15/2 MB package. The installation went pretty smooth. The techs were knowledgeable and polite. As the pictures show in previous comment they mount a box on the side of the house by the existing phone box. The box is also configured for a COAX connection into the premises. I have heard rumors that they already have a deal worked out with one of the dish companies. The only issue I had with the install was that the installation techs could not go into the attic of my house. (Already had several lawsuits due to techs falling through ceilings.) So they were going to run a CAT5E cable around the side and drill a hole through the side. I ended up running the CAT5 cable myself. They also need to install a UPS within 50' of the box mounted outside that does the fiber to copper conversion. They will also sell you a D-Link 624 Wireless access point/router or furnish another D-Link router for free. I had major trouble with it dropping the PPPoE (hate PPPoE) connection. I messed with it for 2 weeks and bought a Linksys. After I changed the default MTU the Linksys has been flawless. The change over for the phones was done onsite by the installation techs and took all of 10 seconds.
    Service - great so far. Download tests from a Verizon website run around 15 MB down and just under 1.8 MB up. Tests from websites to check the speed of your line report anywhere from 1.5 down to 4.5 down. For most viewing you will not notice any difference, although I have noticed traceroutes seem faster. I have also found that most websites limit download speeds to 500K. I was able to download the Fedora Core 3 Test 3 from a university the other night at just under 7.5 MB second. As for what ports are being blocked, I have my own mailserver setup and it is working. I can ssh back to my servers with no problems. HTTP seems to be blocked though, but I have not been able to confirm this with Verizon. Conclusion - So far I have been very satisfied with the service. It is as fast as they advertised and in 6 weeks has not gone down. The only drawbacks I have so far are the PPPoE connection, D-Link router, and having to run my own CAT5 cable.

  42. Re:But it's still not internet service... by NerveGas · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The internet IS P2P

    Funny, until a few years ago, nearly all Internet-based applications (and hence, traffic) was definitely server-client based. HTTP, SMTP, POP, DNS, all server-client. With the recent advent of P2P apps, that may have changed in terms of raw traffic, but just because one person downloads a single 4 GB ISO hardly out-weighs the fact that another 100,000 have sat down in that time frame and used distinctly client-server applications.

    If you don't have a "always on", syncronous connection with static ip where you can do what ever you want on any port, it is NOT an internet service.

    So, once you put up a firewall, you no longer have an Internet service?

    steve

    --
    Oh, you're not stuck, you're just unable to let go of the onion rings.
  43. Re:Pricing makes no sense. by cadence007 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    In this case, its a premium service, not a "buy in bulk, and get it cheaper"... that would be buying a gbit pipe. Small businesses will lap it up at those prices. T1's are several hundred more in most markets, for 1.55/1.55mbit.

  44. Re:Pricing makes no sense. by raju1kabir · · Score: 3, Funny
    Why pay 4x as much for around 2x as much bandwidth? Shouldn't buying in bulk actually give you a lower price?

    Ever fly business class? You pay 4 times as much for 50% more room.

    --
    "Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it." -- GBS
  45. Re:Wrong answer! by Rich0 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If Ma Bell were still in existence, the Feds could have easily required broadband access to every
    home.


    Uh, you do realize that back in the days of Ma Bell you weren't allowed to even plug a modem into a phone jack? Why do you think that people used acoustic couplers?

    Sure, you'd have high speed internet access. Oh, you would only be able to use it on a genuine Bell computer - buy your 1.2 GHz model for only $1500!

    The problem is that barriers to local phone competition need to be lifted. Sure, you won't see competition in the suburbs - at least not initially, but in major cities it would probably take off quickly since the per-capita cost of additional wiring isn't too bad. It would probably slowly spread out into the suburbs much as phone service did in the first place.

    We also trashed our airline industry
    all in the name of competition -- too bad that
    those really cheap airline tickets are being
    subsidized by the American taxpayer in the form
    of airline bankruptcy bailouts and fuel subsidies.


    Regardless about how you feel about phone service monopolies - airlines clearly are not a "natural monopoly" (perhaps airport management is, but certainly not flying the planes themselves). All the federal government needs to do is let some airlines fold, and let the industry consolidate to a reasonable number of players. Fares would rise, of course, but not to the levels they used to be at. Back before deregulation, airline fares were such that only the "jet set" could afford to fly at all. There were no sales - prices were imposed from on high. Even the food served was regulated, in order to prevent airlines from differentiating themselves. That is just crazy.

    Regardless of what you think about phone service, airlines should be in complete competition. Barriers to entry are fairly low, no real infrastructure is required (besides the planes and a few mechanics) - none of the usual arguments for natural monopolies really apply. If you're going to regulate airlines, we should be regulating the convenience stores down the street...

  46. Talked to a rep and confirmed availability by D4rkUnderlord · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I am building a house in a new community in Westfield, IN (Indianapolis basically) and confirmed I could get it installed asap if my house was built. This is probably due to a new community with all teh wiring brand new, including the CO in the back yard.

  47. +5 Informative!!!? by kuwan · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What the hell is wrong with the moderators?

    The fiber is there because the public (i.e., the government) enabled it.

    Who the hell cares if the government enabled it, Verizon is spending the millions of dollars and putting in the time to make this possible. They should have monopoly rights on their investment and hard work. The government also "enables" stadiums to be built, large office buildings to be built, etc. The government doesn't then force the owners of Madison Square Garden to rent it out at a government-regulated rate. The government doesn't force the owners of the Empire State Building to lease out office space at a government-regulated rate.

    The owners of these buildings (and other such properties or services) rent them out because it is in their financial interest to do so. The rate at which they are rented out is set by the fair market value. If it is in Verizon's interest to lease out their fiber lines then they will do so and the fair market value will determine the rate. We don't need the government stepping in to tell Verizon that XYZ is the rate that they can lease their fiber at and there's nothing they can do about it.

    What we need is less regulation, not more of it.

    1. Re:+5 Informative!!!? by raju1kabir · · Score: 4, Funny
      What the hell is wrong with the moderators?

      Maybe not all of them are Somali warlord-style libertarians?

      Who the hell cares if the government enabled it, Verizon is spending the millions of dollars and putting in the time to make this possible.

      I the hell care. It's largely public land. That's how it goes. I pay taxes for the maintenance of this land, and I don't want my tax money subsidizing Verizon if the result is not going to be advantageous to the public. If you don't like that, then invent a way for Verizon to roll out this product that doesn't depend on using my resources. I hear quantum computing is all the rage.

      The government doesn't force the owners of the Empire State Building to lease out office space at a government-regulated rate.

      Red herring. The Empire State Building doesn't have a monopoly on commercial real estate in Manhattan.

      --
      "Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it." -- GBS
  48. Do you understand what eminent domain is? by adb · · Score: 3, Informative

    Verizon is laying the fiber along other people's property. It has the right to do this by virtue of government action: easements (rights to use someone else's land in a particular way) granted by way of or under threat of eminent domain (government-imposed surrender of property rights). Verizon (or Bell, long ago) used a special relationship with the government to get what it has, and so does not have the right to use it in an unregulated fashion.

    Removing controls from large companies while letting them keep their special government-granted advantages does not create a free market. Free-market advocates who fail to understand this create broken economic systems when they succeed and give us all a bad name even if they don't. Please don't be one of them.