Frontier taking over Verizon internet Services

[azev]

What do you think is going to happen to FIOS when the migration to Frontier communication is complete ? I always think that FIOS is one of the best ISP out there because they allow FIOS traffic riding through their premium line & peering connections.
I have a server colo'ed in Seattle Data center, and I am able to download at Max speed advertised every time.
I have a feeling that when Frontier completed the migrations, they will forward all traffic to the cheapest Bandwidth provider they can find.

What do you guys think ?

 

[Nocturnal]

Are you talking about one particular state or city that is being transitioned to Frontier? I haven't heard anything about Verizon giving up on FIOS.

 

[her209]

Are you talking about one particular state or city that is being transitioned to Frontier? I haven't heard anything about Verizon giving up on FIOS.

http://www.multichannel.com/article...or_FiOS_DirecTV_Customers_For_9_12_Months.php

 

[azev]

http://www.multichannel.com/article...or_FiOS_DirecTV_Customers_For_9_12_Months.php

Sad news isn't it ???

 

[JackMDS]

Hmmm.... if you live in Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Start growing pigeons now you will need in the near future.

 

[MadScientist]

http://www.multichannel.com/article...or_FiOS_DirecTV_Customers_For_9_12_Months.php

That article is over a year old.

I got this email a few days ago.

Important Changes to Your Verizon Internet Service
Dear Verizon Online Member,
We are writing to let you know that starting July 1, 2010, your Internet service provider will change from Verizon to Frontier Communications, one of the nation’s largest independent providers of telecommunications services.
What will not change:
• You will not experience any disruption of service.
• Your service fee will stay the same.
• You will still have the same great high speed connection you do now!
What will change:
• Your Verizon.net email. Starting July 1, you’ll need to access your email at http://webmail-pn.ncnetwork.net. Frontier is planning to let you know when your email will transition over to Frontier. Please write down your verizon.net user name and password and keep them in a safe place, as you will need this information later in order to successfully access your email at Frontier.
• Your new Frontier home page. Starting July 1st, your new home page will be http://frontier.my.yahoo.com.
For more information, click on Frontier’s Frequently Asked Questions link below.

http://new.frontier.com/Welcome.aspx
Thank you for using Verizon Internet service. It has been our pleasure to serve you
Sincerely,
Verizon Online Member Service

I've had Verizon DSL for ~6 years with only 2 very short service interruptions. My original Westell 327W wireless DSL modem/router is still working. When Verizon raised the rate for my 3Mbps service last month I called them and asked for a better deal. They lowered it to $14.99/month for 2 years.

I'm not very optimistic about Frontier taking over. In WV they have a very bad track record.

 

[yinan]

Yay for me in VA. No change.

 

[azev]

Yay for me in VA. No change.

Interesting, I guess they only sold FIOS services in certain states, and not national wide.
I Thought those states mentioned are states where FIOS services is available.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Interesting ..... I wonder why Verizon is doing this?

 

[drebo]

They're not just selling FiOS...they're selling ALL of their wireline service. That means all of their analog voice, T1, DSL, everything.

My guess is they're doing it to raise money to invest in WiMAX or further their wireless goals. They probably make more from the wireless business in one state than they do from wireline in all 14 of these states combined. Maintaining all of that copper is insanely expensive, and their wireless subscriptions are probably high enough that they don't need loss-leaders any more.

 

[JackMDS]

You can rest assure that what is the Motive it involve the finance of Verizon and some time down the line the consumer would be the looser.

This type of selling is usually geared toward getting rid of better paid workforce and thus reduce the cost of the maintenance and thus enhance the profit. After a transition period the new owner can hire people for less pay and shift whatever does not need to be done in the US to the other side of the Globe.

In New York they are still in competition with Time Warner and push the FIOS hard.

Why? Cause it is a different market from a maintenance point of view, and it produces higher profit so it worth their worth their while to stay.

As a matter of fact in New York all the lines are owned by Verizon. ATT and others in the New York area use to lease lines from Verizon to offer DSL. They stop doing it and all the DSL in New York area is now Verizon.

 

[spidey07]

Interesting ..... I wonder why Verizon is doing this?

They were losing money on it. Too much capital expended to build the network and not enough subscribers or enough time to make a profit.

 

[azev]

imho, verizon knows what they are getting into; most infrastructure investment up always takes some time to recover, but it eventually will.
I always enjoy FIOS services because verizon have great Tier 1 peering to the internet, and their advertised speed are always what you get. Unfortunately when a no name ISP like frontier take over, I am not sure if they can have the capacity to provide the service that FIOS does.

 

[VirtualLarry]

When Verizon raised the rate for my 3Mbps service last month I called them and asked for a better deal. They lowered it to $14.99/month for 2 years.

You may have gotten that rate from VZ, but I think that they switched you to 1Mbit service. Their price for 3Mbit is not that low. (I pay $32/mo for 3Mbit)

 

[EricMartello]

Although this doesn't affect me it does suck...but when the guy was installing Fios at my place I just kept thinking to myself, for the price I'm paying they can't be making much money off this. FIOS was and still is the kind of service that really seems to be an excellent combination of quality and reasonable cost.

It's not like comcast where some latino ex-con looking dude in a beat up mazda pickup comes and throws some coax cable on your living room and punches a few holes in the drywall then calls it "installed". Ugh...

 

[MadScientist]

You may have gotten that rate from VZ, but I think that they switched you to 1Mbit service. Their price for 3Mbit is not that low. (I pay $32/mo for 3Mbit)

Just ran it from the Washington, D.C. location: http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/

Last Result:
Download Speed: 3032 kbps (379 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 647 kbps (80.9 KB/sec transfer rate)

You're getting ripped. Call them and tell them you're switching to cable unless they cut you a better rate. Their rates are not set in stone.

I also have Verizon local phone service, which reduces my internet price and is another bargaining tool.

 

[RedCOMET]

PA is not on the list, so I am good for the time being. I guess in my city, FIOS has been competing with Comcast and I think ATT.

 

[azev]

PA is not on the list, so I am good for the time being. I guess in my city, FIOS has been competing with Comcast and I think ATT.

Does that mean Verizon FIOS lost to their competitor in certain states, and decided to sell it to Frontier ?

 

[Fardringle]

Does that mean Verizon FIOS lost to their competitor in certain states, and decided to sell it to Frontier ?

Or there just weren't enough subscribers (or too many expenses) in those states.

 

[RedCOMET]

Does that mean Verizon FIOS lost to their competitor in certain states, and decided to sell it to Frontier ?

I have idea.

 

[azev]

It's surprising how FIOS lost to its competitor; As far as I know when FIOS is available in an area, everybody switched to FIOS. The only reason FIOS have less subscribers compared to Comcast or any other cable provider, is due to their lack of coverage area.
I guess the cost to built FIOS infrastructure must have cost them much more than what they original anticipated.

 

[Oceandevi]

Fios tv is barely profitable. VZ does not have the customer base to get a good deal on content. Frontier is known for going out of business and running things into the ground. They seem convinced they can make money off copper plant. Good luck.

 

[jbbrown]

For those of you that had Verizon DSL and now have Frontier, what do you think?

I have had so many problems with getting straight forward pricing for DSL. I had Verizon DSL for over 5 years until Frontier took it over. Ever since then, every time I call, I get totally different pricing. It is really frustrating. I wish Verizon was still around.

 

[MadScientist]

Here's Frontier's current DSL prices:
http://www.frontier.com/products/ProductOverview.aspx?type=1&p=2

Since they took over from Verizon my DSL service hasn't changed. They are still honoring my Verizon contract for $14.99/month for 3Mbps. It did take me 3 months to get my bill right, but understandable going from a very small internet company to a large one.