Bay area cable wars

New Port Richey, Florida - Verizon crews are sprawled out across New Port Richey, "We've done probably 1600 homes in the last month," said fiber splicer Dan Neary.

[AFPJ]

A story on how the optic fiber cable is installed and what happens to your old system would be an eye opener for individuals who choose to change cable companies. Also who approved Verizon to enter onto private property to install junction boxes between houses. A full disclosure of how to restore orginal service and costs would also highlight the differences between companies. There are some suprises in the deals.

[Joe]

Brighthouse will not stay in the drivers seat. Wanna know why. Thier basic connection for internet is 7MB/down, while fios has a basic speed of 20mb/down. And it is cheaper.

Sad thing is, FIOS is not available everywhere yet

[Carolyn]

I hope Verizon comes to Citrus County and soon! Give Bright House a run for the money, because their so-call discount bundle package is $130 a month, and all I have a basis cable: no movies channels or digital service, RoadRunner Light and Unlimited Florida. I think the competition would be great!

[FRED]

I JUST CANCELLED SERVICE WITH BRIGHTHOUSE. FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THEY RAISED MY RATES UNJUSTIFIBLY. WHEN I CALLED AND STATED MY DISAPPROVAL,THEY COULDN'T CARE LESS. THE PHONE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP, AS WELL AS THE COMPANY OVER ALL, EVEN WHEN I SENT AN 'EM'TO THEIR MAIN OFFICE. THEY HAD NO RESPONSE. SO, I UNHOOKED MY CABLEBOX AND BROUGHT BACK THEIR EQUIPMENT. NOW I SAVE $57.00 A MONTH. SO MUCH FOR COMPETETION!...BRIGHTHOUSE DOESN'T EVEN CARE ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!

[Shelia]

Good deal for Verizon! We were without cable or dish for 4 years because we refused to use brighthosue again.We had them for about 6 months and they were horrible! We used an antenna and only got local channels but better than putting up with the BH saga. We now have FIOS and love it! Even if they become hateful like BH we will just go back to an antenna before we switch to BH.

Maybe now with some competition, BH will get an attitude adjustment.

[John]

Verizon can't even run what they have as in the local phone service. What makes everyone think they can run cable services? Get real everyone. Verizon is larger than Brighthouse. Which means they care less fo customer service. I have had to deal with Verizon whether it be wireless or phone service. Every time I was disappointed. I have since cancelled my home phone and use AT&T for wireless. I also have Road Runner Light at my home and it works just fine. I have had little trouble and only needed to call Brighthouse once. They said they could send a tech with a replacement modem or I could go to Countryside and get a replacement. I got the replacement myself and was up and running in a very short time.

[Nicole]

I think digging up peoples yards to put new wireing down is rediculas concidering all the other ways this can be done.Problems can happen in the futor then what there going to have your yard dug up again.The whole thing does not make any scince.

[Carl]

Verizon's contractors, Advanced Communications, are awful. They keep tearing up our grass and sprinkler systems. They've done physical damage at least 4 times already now, and will be having to contact them again to fix another sprinkler pipe that their people just broke (and didn't bother fixing) when they put in a big box in the ground.

[Shay]

Hmmmm....we have had no problme with any of the Verizon folks. The tech who spent 8 hours at our home was very professional and took time to explain everything to us. Yep I have had some problems with Verizon a few years ago and some of their CS people are just plain nasty but hey that is EVERY WHERE these days. They did not tear up our yard, just made a small track and put the sod right back down, unlike when bright hosue came thru last year and dug up a huge trench in our freshly laid sod that they failed to fix.

I am glad bright house is not the only game in town anymore....actually.

[Nice van mister]

for those complaining about the yards being dug up the area that verizon as well as bright house and others dig to put in the main service (big boxes) is considered utility easment and they are given the right to dig by the county and home owners associations,and as far as going back to your old service if it were brighthouse just call and have them come out to reconnect your service, if you switch to fiber for your phone service from verizon you will most likely remain on fiber for phone even if you drop the internet and tv service,the whole point of the fiber network being installed is to get away from the OLD copper in the ground that has been there for many years and is more costly to maintain.

[Buyer Beware]

Verizon is notorious for overbilling and adding additional charges and fees. They prorate everything. Your bundled "discounted" deal ($99.00 a month) turns into hundreds. We've had them for 3 months and haven't gotten a bill under $150.00 yet. Service went out last Tuesday and they haven't come yet to fix. Switched to Brighthouse yesterday.

Verizon is all about getting you to sign. Beware of hidden fees and hidden contract obligations. Also beware of early termination fees. Don't just ask questions, those Verizon sales folks are highly trained to avoid telling you about the hidden fees.

Finally, Verizon bill comes in 15 pages. Brighthouse is one or two. Good luck trying to figure out what all the fees and charges are on your Verizon bill. Take my advice, if a Verizon person tries to get you to sign up for Verizon services----RUN!!!!

[HAPPY]

Buyer Beware wrote:

Verizon is notorious for overbilling and adding additional charges and fees. They prorate everything. Your bundled "discounted" deal ($99.00 a month) turns into hundreds. We've had them for 3 months and haven't gotten a bill under $150.00 yet. Service went out last Tuesday and they haven't come yet to fix. Switched to Brighthouse yesterday.
Verizon is all about getting you to sign. Beware of hidden fees and hidden contract obligations. Also beware of early termination fees. Don't just ask questions, those Verizon sales folks are highly trained to avoid telling you about the hidden fees.
Finally, Verizon bill comes in 15 pages. Brighthouse is one or two. Good luck trying to figure out what all the fees and charges are on your Verizon bill. Take my advice, if a Verizon person tries to get you to sign up for Verizon services----RUN!!!!

Funny my bill is only 3 to 5 pages and I was informed that the tv and data services are pro-rated, also yes the $99 deal will never be just $99, don't forget that Uncle Sam has to get his cut as well as the 911 service fees and other taxes,(that you also pay with brighthouse), the bottom line is you get what you pay for. My service has been excellent since it's install (over 1 yr ago). As far as them not showing up to repair your service Verizon is required to restore service within a certain time frame (i thnk 48 hours from time trouble is reported) by regulations with the Public Service Commission

[Jason]

I think Verizon's Service will beat out Bright House for customers!!!! You get what you pay for.

[Scott]

FIOS cable beats Brighthouse cable hands down. The picture quality is unmatched. If you own a plasma or LCD TV this is the cable for you. Don't much care for the Internet phone. If you want voice over IP go with Vonage. It will get you more phone coverage at almost 1/2 the price, I don't use the internet package, but talking with people who do it is very fast and reliable. The coupled package will run you 100 or so dollars a month and Brighthouse offers it at 99 dollars. when it's all said and done you have to make the choice.

[AFPJ]

Ask Verizon why they cut the orginal cooper based lines and pull them for installing of the fiber cable, what is the real cost of restoring orginal services if you are not satisfied with Verizon. $$$, as for as speed on the speed of te internet, it can also depend on the receiving capabilities(modem speed) of your computer, and ram size. What difference does a second or so in load speed really matter.

[Robert]

Beware of Bright House representatives masquerading as true "consumers." They've been caught numerous times by the news media making misleading claims about Verizon, it's service and it's costs. Check everything out.

[Shay]

Our Bright House Road Runner service goes down EVERY freaking day at the office. Their response is "re-set" your modem. What a crock.It is NOT our modem.

[tekie911]

I am so glad that someone gets it about Verizon. They are heavily regulated by the FCC as well as the PSC/PUC. So a lot of things that BrightHouse is able to get away Verizon can't. Let's try leveling the playing field and require that OutHouse go throught the same stipulations and requirements as Verizon and then which company prevails. You complain about your yards being dug up and so forth and so on but the minute Verizon doesn't upgrade their systems to give you more services then people will complain about that. Can't make everyone happy. Have been with Verizon before it was Verizon when it was GTE and let me tell you the service is still great. Why not go back to using asbestos in newer homes and see what you get!

Nice van mister wrote:

for those complaining about the yards being dug up the area that verizon as well as bright house and others dig to put in the main service (big boxes) is considered utility easment and they are given the right to dig by the county and home owners associations,and as far as going back to your old service if it were brighthouse just call and have them come out to reconnect your service, if you switch to fiber for your phone service from verizon you will most likely remain on fiber for phone even if you drop the internet and tv service,the whole point of the fiber network being installed is to get away from the OLD copper in the ground that has been there for many years and is more costly to maintain.

[tekie911]

What other ways can they put the new system in the ground then digging, HELLO its the ground for heaven sakes. Do you think they should just snap their fingers or chant some type of spell and magically the network will be installed. Get a grip on yourself and your life. I remember years ago people complained about the poles and the lines running aerial and how that needed to fixed and the minute they do the fixing everyone complains. They dug up my yard and hit one sprinkler I called the repair office they sent someone out and it was fixed asap. I if you have a cell phone its still analog! Anything that is worth upgrading is worth fixing and trust me in the long run you will find out something else to gripe about

Nicole wrote:

I think digging up peoples yards to put new wireing down is rediculas concidering all the other ways this can be done.Problems can happen in the futor then what there going to have your yard dug up again.The whole thing does not make any scince.

[Roxie]

Well Bright House has to dig the yard too, so what is the difference, or in my neighborhood anyway. Heck we just put new sod in a few weeks before and BH came thru and dug a big trench on the easement that we are actually reponsible for maintaining. Of course the sod did not lay back flat as it should have. Verizon dug a very small trench in my yard, no big deal.

Also for the guy fussing about a service call, Verizon has online tech support with LIVE chat. I have used it twice, one for a laptop and then for a "box" issue. Both techs were very helpful, had knowledge with the issues and it was fixed within 15-20 minutes both times. I would rather "chat" to a live tech person and try to resove the issue with their help rather than wait on a person to come out on their time frame. None of them are perfect, but some of us are happy to have FIOS!