Verizon FIOS

Started by JonD1 • 4 replies • 3057 views

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JonD1
Posts: 2,310

Posted:

Anyone have FIOS installed on your property? (Fiber optic t.v. programming,internet access, telephone service over new connection)

What was the installation period like?

Satisfaction with installation and service?

Thanks.

JM2
Posts: 428

Posted:

Hi Jon:

I managed a community a couple of years ago that had a Verizon FTTP (fiber to the premises) installation.

Verizon hires subcontractors to do the work. We got the lesser of the two in an area where the HOA provides front-yard maintenance including irrigation. The company punched holes repeatedly through the irrigation system, repairing most of them (we had some mysterious areas where the pipes had been broken and the ground had water coming up - sometimes under sidewalks & roadways). They didn't do a very good job repairing the irrigation system - lots of rocks/dirt in the system.

Unfortunately, is was in the spring and we had "unusual" weather that year; an unseasonably warm and dry winter, so our landscaper had charged the irrigation system - and used it for about a week - then we got deluged with cool spring rains, so they turned off the system, and right after that is when the project started...so they were creating leaks that only showed up when the rain slowed and the temperature warmed to the point that we needed the irrigation system again. We had lots of problems with rocks getting into the valves so that they stuck open, and also dirt getting into the sprinkler heads.

My recommendation: make sure that your landscaper charges the irrigation system and gets it running PERFECTLY, before the project starts. Keep the system charged (so any mainline breaks are immediately obvious) and make Verizon and your contractor pay your landscaper for the repairs (time & materials) so that you know it's done correctly.

West Tex was the really hard-to-deal-with subcontractor and they eventually got fired. Some of the other subcontractors have been better.

I left that MC shortly before the installation process was completed; they were scheduled to go into other Associations in the area that I had managed, but with different subcontractors. I'm not sure about people's satisfaction about the service, but it's supposed to be lightning-fast internet, crystal-clear phone, and digital tv service that's better than cable. The area where they did the installation was west of Portland, OR where there is a lot of high-tech business (Intel, etc.).

The best thing is to keep in touch with the Verizon person in charge of the process, rather than the subcontractor, and keep on them constantly about the project.

J. Patrick Moore, CMCA

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,734

Posted:

I don't have the Verizon FIOS in my area. However, we do have similar cable service. The experience has been much like the above poster. Subpar subcontractors that tear up everything and takes awhile to get repairs done. We have cable running down our street for almost 2 months before it got buried. That's because the cable company runs the cable but does NOT bury it. That's a subcontractor's job.
Before you go into this, you may need to find out if a MAJORITY vote is required to allow Verizon or other type companies to enter your HOA. The HOA property is owned by ALL the homeowners. That means ALL the homeowner's have an "interest" in the land the system may be installed in. The HOA board may need to go to the homeowner's for a vote with the homeowner's to agree for the work to be done. If the vote isn't passed, then the company can't come in. Ironically, once they are "in" they will be able to maintain the system but NOT until they are allowed in.
Many of these companies sell this idea to get "hooked up" but don't realize they have to deal with the entire group of homeowner's and NOT just one. So you may want and request the service, but without controlling interest in the land (IF it is COMMON PROPERTY) you may be out of luck.
Our HOA, many of the owners are elderly and don't own computers or care about cable. So when a vote was needed to upgrade to cable modem instead of dial-up, it was turned down flat. The people did NOT want their yards torn up to install something they won't use. Plus, the technology was NOT supported by the local equipment in the area. The rates would have to rise to cover the almost million dollar equipment that had to be installed FIRST.
This same condition also applied to some of the "wire-less" technology. There is still equipment to be installed that wasn't defined in the documents as "allowable". Satellite dishes are allowed now due to federal laws but the documents still state otherwise and have to be changed.
These are some issues you may have to look over before getting this service. They sound pretty small and idiotic but they are giant roadblocks! Believe me, living on dial-up modem for years is NOT pretty!

Former HOA President

Jadedone4
Posts: 462

Posted:

We are a new community, so I have been told that our Verizon FIOS lines were installed during construction. I have contacted Verizon to see what criteria/requirements exist to "turn-on" the service. I have been told that it (for my area) requires 100 owners to sign-up for service. That number seems excessive to me for a 500 home community.

JM2
Posts: 428

Posted:

Hi Jadedone:

You might be able to bargain with Verizon on the "100 out of 500" deal that they gave you...ask if only 95 signed up, would they do it anyway? Chances are, they would...then check on 90...and so on.

If it's already been installed, then it's a matter of economics for homeowners - do they want service at Verizon's prices, or what they've been getting?

Also, Verizon may be able to do it at a lower number of households, if their system is as good as they say, since those who switch would be telling friends and neighbors about how good it is... if it indeed is...

You're lucky it's already installed. Our local company is installing it to new subdivisions in the area, but not to existing homes (even though we are less than two blocks from their office, we cannot get fiber hooked up for us). But, we get a pretty good DSL signal so we don't care that much...

JM

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