Optimum Online's "Fiber Optic Network"

[AMCRambler]

Opt Online around here must be feeling the burn because I get junk mail from them every 3 days for their triple play package and I'm seeing more ads than ever on tv. The commercials crack me up because they're touting Optimum's "fiber optic network" as faster than the phone company's internet.

Pretty lame considering, 1. their network is not fiber optic unless you count fiber trunk lines. Pretty much all Optimum's network is coax for the last mile or several miles. 2. Phone company internet around here includes Fios which blows their crappy coax out of the water. If it was only DSL, then yeah, Optimum is faster. I'd say about half the Hudson Valley has Fios available now though.

So I just sit back and laugh as I surf my 20mbit connection and think about the marketing fools that bend the truth with these ads.

 

[Phokus]

Companies lie and tell half truths, shocking news at 11.

Does Comcast still advertise 'unlimited internet'? I remember they did for a while at least even though they had a cap.

 

[Crono]

I'm happy with the 16Mbit connection from Optimum, so their commercials don't bother me that much.
Yeah, they really are stretching with that "fiber optic" marketing claim, though.
They know they can't compete on speed with FiOS, so they compare themselves to DSL. And of course DSL commercials compare their service to dialup.

The marketing is targeted at people who don't understand the technology too well, but have heard buzz words that they associate with better quality. It's like when non-video products are marketed with "high definition" technology.

 

[spidey07]

Well they are correct. Most all cable companies are a hybrid fiber coax network (HFC) and docsis 3.0 competes or beats your 20 meg connection.

 

[James Bond]

Comcast does this too. It's funny how nobody advertised fiber until Verizon came out with Fios... now every other company is trying to blur the lines.

 

[dainthomas]

If there isn't a fiber line running up to my house, it's not a fiber network. Those marketing tools should be strangled with a piece of coax.

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Well they are correct. Most all cable companies are a hybrid fiber coax network (HFC) and docsis 3.0 competes or beats your 20 meg connection.

for burst maybe. not for sustained

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: dainthomas
If there isn't a fiber line running up to my house, it's not a fiber network. Those marketing tools should be strangled with a piece of coax.

I'd have to dig it up but I'm pretty sure Verizon sued Optimum claiming false advertising and LOST. It is a fiber optic network by every definition known and used.

 

[dainthomas]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: dainthomas
If there isn't a fiber line running up to my house, it's not a fiber network. Those marketing tools should be strangled with a piece of coax.

I'd have to dig it up but I'm pretty sure Verizon sued Optimum claiming false advertising and LOST. It is a fiber optic network by every definition known and used.

Except by the definition of having a dedicated fiber line running to your house. But hey, if slimy lawyers can convince a "tech-savvy" judge it's OK, then there must be no problem.

 

[ViviTheMage]

It's marketing.

I wish I had fiber to my front door

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: dainthomas
If there isn't a fiber line running up to my house, it's not a fiber network. Those marketing tools should be strangled with a piece of coax.

I'd have to dig it up but I'm pretty sure Verizon sued Optimum claiming false advertising and LOST. It is a fiber optic network by every definition known and used.

The only thing I could find so far: Cablevision Gets Wrist Slap For Misleading Ads

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Cablevision was nice enough to coax my terch un-savy mother into switching back to their service from Fios, and even offered to cover Verizon's early termination fee (~$200). Unfortunately, my mother never though to get that in writing, and now cablevision claims they never made us such an offer.

We'll be going back to Fios for their cheaper $90 package and $150 sign-up reward to pay off that previous termination fee.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Well they are correct. Most all cable companies are a hybrid fiber coax network (HFC) and docsis 3.0 competes or beats your 20 meg connection.

this.

does it matter if it's fiber or not if they offer same or more bandwidth for similar price?

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Well they are correct. Most all cable companies are a hybrid fiber coax network (HFC) and docsis 3.0 competes or beats your 20 meg connection.

By that logic, all DSL connections are also "Fiber Optic Networks". Its technically true, but I think its obvious the commercials are designed to mislead.

 

[mikej007]

Time Warner is far worse the OOL when it comes to this BS.

Even in the Hudson Valley...

When I had OOL, I saw Cablevision's TV ads every now and then... I moved, was forced to switch to TW, now I see their ads on TV probably every third commercial. And they all suck and make you want to kill, with all the half-truths and BS they spew.

 

[mrizvi66]

as long as i still get my cable phone and 30mb internet for 74 bucks thru optimum...i don't care what they call it...

 

[amdhunter]

Originally posted by: AMCRambler
Opt Online around here must be feeling the burn because I get junk mail from them every 3 days for their triple play package and I'm seeing more ads than ever on tv. The commercials crack me up because they're touting Optimum's "fiber optic network" as faster than the phone company's internet.

Pretty lame considering, 1. their network is not fiber optic unless you count fiber trunk lines. Pretty much all Optimum's network is coax for the last mile or several miles. 2. Phone company internet around here includes Fios which blows their crappy coax out of the water. If it was only DSL, then yeah, Optimum is faster. I'd say about half the Hudson Valley has Fios available now though.

So I just sit back and laugh as I surf my 20mbit connection and think about the marketing fools that bend the truth with these ads.

...and I sit here and laugh at you while I use my 30mbit+ (it's actually uncapped down here in The Bronx) which runs into a fiber trunk underground, just a few feet from the doors of my building.

 

[Gothgar]

Originally posted by: mrizvi66
as long as i still get my cable phone and 30mb internet for 74 bucks thru optimum...i don't care what they call it...

Yeah, through TW I am getting 30mb and TV for around the same