Comcast vs Verizon FiOS?

[elwray]

Has anyone had experience with both Comcast and Verizon FiOS for TV/Internet (not really concerned about home phone since we don't use it that much)?

We've had Comcast service for years here in central NJ. But FiOS is now available at my house.

I'm getting a little fed up with Comcast service. Apparently we don't have a very strong signal at our house, and as they have compressed/changed their signals over the last few months, we have had to have technicians come out to our house several times to address pixelated picture, low image quality, and loss of entire channels - which usually resulted in nothing more than adding amplifier after amplifier to just barely remedy the problem. Not to mention it takes 20 minutes to call the customer service number to finally get to speak to a human being.

The price seems similar; we're paying just under $200/month for cable internet, full TV package (just about everything except CineMAX), and basic home phone service.

Last night was a particularly irritating experience when we experienced a total loss of cable (so no tv, internet, or phone) and after my mother called Comcast three times throughout the day, nobody could tell her anything except to wait for it to come back on . I got to her house around 8pm to check it out, and after being disconnected from their customer service several times and receiving "the best we can do is send a tech out on Friday between 9am and 1pm", I ended up complaining and escalating the call enough to get an "emergency tech" out this morning.

Granted, the problem ended up being construction work across the street severed our line, so I can not fault Comcast for that connectivity problem, but I do fault them for the customer service run around that she/I received. The problem has been fixed for the time being.

So I figured you all here on AndroidForums are tech-savvy, and would have some valuable input on the pros and cons of FiOS service.

For those with FiOS (or ideally, those that have switched to/from either), how happy are you with the service? Is there anything in particular you like better about one or the other service? Is there anything in particular you miss?

tl;dr:
How does Verizon FiOS service stack up against Comcast service for TV, Internet, and Home Phone?

Thanks for your input!

 

[EmoTonyB]

i live in central jersey also. my parents have Cablevision. the internet is SPECTACULAR the cable is tolerable and the phone is fine.

we (my wife and I) had comcast. internet outages, shit cable. phone was fine. best thign about comcast is all the free on demand.

we NOW have Fios. internet has given me NO problems as far as outages, tho sometimes is a little slow. (3mb down and .9mb up) as opposed to other times at 10 + and 3+. cable is great. HD pic wuality is beautiful. phone is fine as well.

compared to comcast, Fios is WAYYY better.

 

[elwray]

I do really, REALLY love all the Comcast On Demand choices - it practically makes a DVR unnecessary. My father has IO/Optimum TV and the On Demand is poor to say the least. Not to mention that navigating the channel guide is a painfully slow and tedious task.

I believe I may have just seen ads on TV for FiOS that said you can cancel within 30 days or something and not get penalty fees? Might be worth trying..

 

[EmoTonyB]

the FIOS HDdvr box we have is an extra $15 a month. it will allow you to record and then watch on any TV with a box in the house. using both, fios is a better experience. there is alot on fios on demand as well, i dont use it that much tho because we do ahve the DVR

 

[elwray]

That's another thing! Multiroom DVR - that's cool!

Overall the FiOS "boxes" system seems to be better.

Given that the days of plugging a TV into the wall are over, with Comcast we need:

-A digital box on every TV that we want to watch the premium channels that we already pay for.

-A basic "DTA" box on every TV that we want to watch basic cable on, with no premium channels.

With FiOS, as I understand it, their "basic" box WILL let you watch ALL the channels you pay for. You just won't have the channel guide, or On Demand features.

That's what REALLY gets me about Comcast. First, you have to pay for the 'privilege' of potentially watching premium channels. Then, even if you don't want the "extras" like Channel Guide or On Demand, you have to pay again (enter: digital box) to watch them.

I don't need on demand or channel guides in the garage, basement, or kitchen. But I would like to watch every channel I've already paid for without paying again!

 

[EmoTonyB]

they DO charge per box... but they have 3 or 5 to choose from depending on your need.

 

[elwray]

I understand they charge per-box, but what I'm saying is that their box systems are much better. The very basic box from FiOS will get every channel, whereas the basic box from Comcast gets 2-72, with a few of those weird 100+ channels that have the oddest stuff on.

 

[NYCHitman1]

FiOs offers good deals for decent prices at the start up (assuming you use their "triple play" package) for about a year then the prices all jack up and you're stuck in a contract with them for 2 years.

We have Cablevision in my house (Long Island, NY) and we're more than satisfied with all the features that come included with the "triple play" package as well as the pricing. Not to mention you can cancel your service with them at any time.

 

[Demache]

That's another thing! Multiroom DVR - that's cool!

Overall the FiOS "boxes" system seems to be better.

Given that the days of plugging a TV into the wall are over, with Comcast we need:

-A digital box on every TV that we want to watch the premium channels that we already pay for.

-A basic "DTA" box on every TV that we want to watch basic cable on, with no premium channels.

With FiOS, as I understand it, their "basic" box WILL let you watch ALL the channels you pay for. You just won't have the channel guide, or On Demand features.

That's what REALLY gets me about Comcast. First, you have to pay for the 'privilege' of potentially watching premium channels. Then, even if you don't want the "extras" like Channel Guide or On Demand, you have to pay again (enter: digital box) to watch them.

I don't need on demand or channel guides in the garage, basement, or kitchen. But I would like to watch every channel I've already paid for without paying again!

I'm assuming that they don't send an analog signal anymore? Our cable company (Midcontinent Communications) is currently transitioning to an all digital service. It probably won't be completely final for awhile though. Right now, they are in sort of a "hybrid" mode. They have digital versions of all their basic channels available, along with the local HD ones and some extra sub channels, and the normal analog signal for backward compatibility. As long as you have a digital TV, you can get the digital channels. I'm sure they will offer a box as soon as it becomes mandatory.

Although the digital cable box, for the premium channels, on our TV sucks. It crashes often and I think its suffering from case of bit rot. Or the CPU itself is dying. In any case, it goes horrendously slow when it does work (you can watch the onscreen graphics being rendered). It is an 8 years old Motorola box, so I wouldn't think any of these is incredibly far fetched.

 

[elwray]

I'm assuming that they don't send an analog signal anymore? Our cable company (Midcontinent Communications) is currently transitioning to an all digital service. It probably won't be completely final for awhile though. Right now, they are in sort of a "hybrid" mode. They have digital versions of all their basic channels available, along with the local HD ones and some extra sub channels, and the normal analog signal for backward compatibility. As long as you have a digital TV, you can get the digital channels. I'm sure they will offer a box as soon as it becomes mandatory.

Sort of ... if you plug in to the wall directly you can get Ch 2 - 7 (last I checked, ~6 months ago). But everything else is digital now.

They timed this transition along side the broadcast television signal digital transition ... I can't imagine how many phone calls they must have fielded from the countless retirement communities in my area trying to explain the options...

I watch mostly just USA to be honest (I'm a Burn Notice and NCIS rerun fanatic ) but I like having the box in the bedroom and living room for the channel guide and On Demand programming.

 

[NYCHitman1]

With FiOS, as I understand it, their "basic" box WILL let you watch ALL the channels you pay for. You just won't have the channel guide, or On Demand features.

That's what REALLY gets me about Comcast. First, you have to pay for the 'privilege' of potentially watching premium channels. Then, even if you don't want the "extras" like Channel Guide or On Demand, you have to pay again (enter: digital box) to watch them.

I don't need on demand or channel guides in the garage, basement, or kitchen. But I would like to watch every channel I've already paid for without paying again!

Damn, that's terrible. FiOs and Comcast rob you. Cablevision just makes you rent the settop box (basic, HD, DVR) and pay for your viewing package.

 

[elwray]

Damn, that's terrible. FiOs and Comcast rob you. Cablevision just makes you rent the settop box (basic, HD, DVR) and pay for your viewing package.

That seems to be the same as the FiOS setup, no?

 

[NYCHitman1]

That seems to be the same as the FiOS setup, no?

You have to sign a 2-year contract with Verizon. I don't have to sign any contracts and I get all the features with any level of the settops (basic/HD or DVR).

 

[elwray]

Oh, yes that is a huge difference.

 

[gvillager]

You have to sign a 2-year contract with Verizon. I don't have to sign any contracts and I get all the features with any level of the settops (basic/HD or DVR).

Verizon no longer requires contracts for FIOS.