Fios in the Broadlands?

[Pictor Guy]

I don't know if this site is working or not but it lists my number as qualifying for Fios. Might be worth a look...

http://www22.verizon.com/ForYourHome/Fios/packagePrice.asp

This is the quote...

Great News! You do qualify for Verizon Fios Internet Service.

FiosSM Internet Service is a new Verizon Online offer, and the latest in broadband technology. We are currently in a trial phase and due to overwhelming demand, we have already reached our target for trial participants. However, our launch is currently scheduled for early fall, 2004.

Could it be? It sounds too good to be true.

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[Dan]

Up to 5 Mbps/2 Mbps* $39.95/mo

Up to 15 Mbps/2 Mbps* $49.95/mo

Up to 30 Mbps/5 Mbps* $199.95/m


Sign me up! Good-Bye Adelphia.

[boomertsfx]

yowsers. that would be good to get some more broadband competition in.

I ditched VZ, wonder if I need phone service to get FIOS

the phone number qualification seems to take any phone number and say you can get it...

[Dwarflord]

Ya, no kidding. Ive never heard of this service, no wonder dsl isnt available (aside from the copper issue). Ill take this over dsl :D, over cable :D and over verolan [B)]
[8D]

Im sure once they start rolling it out they will have growing pains, with billing, installation, service (it will probably suck at first, around 3000/1000), but its better than the weak 256k uploads we have now. I wonder if we can run servers off of this thing.....hmmmmmm. Probably not since uploads are capped. But this is great news indeed. Fall of 2004, just around the corner.

DwArFlOrD

[boomertsfx]

https://www22.verizon.com/ForYourHome/FTTPRepair/common/ONTBrochureCONS.pdf

some more interesting reading...and pictures of the equipment...

And another interesting site:

http://fios.3v3bizich.com/

"Confirmed" deployment in Fairfax County... no Loudoun on this site... :(

[neilz]

I'm wondering about something ... they're talking about an optical network terminator ... is this for fibre lines only ?? Also note, that the availability is based on location, not phone number. Makes me wonder ....

Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

[boomertsfx]

I don't see how they would run fiber to each house now... would be a horrible pain in the butt.... esp since we're all on buried lines.

[neilz]

quote:Originally posted by boomertsfx

I don't see how they would run fiber to each house now... would be a horrible pain in the butt.... esp since we're all on buried lines.


I know that all of Southern Walk has fibre, I'm not sure if they even laid normal phone or cable lines down there. I'm not sure if the northern part of Broadlands had fibre laid down along with the phone and cable, don't believe so. In that case, only Southern Walk would have an option to use this service, if Verizon could share the fibre 'transmitter' with Open Band.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

[Pictor Guy]

quote:Originally posted by boomertsfx

I don't see how they would run fiber to each house now... would be a horrible pain in the butt.... esp since we're all on buried lines.


I agree. I know we have fiber to the RT but I don't know if the copper to the NID is in conduit that would facilitate running fiber or not. I would think it would be cheaper to install a Remote DSLAM than running new buried fiber. But if they have plans to roll out FTTP/FTTH that may explain why they don't want to invest in a remote DSLAM for DSL? Maybe it's just wishful thinking.

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[gammonbabe]

Well I checked my phone number, and just like DSL I can't get it. Sigh ... stuck with adelphia.

M.

[boomertsfx]

what is your prefix? I'm 703-858 and it worked.... 703-726 worked as well.

[gammonbabe]

quote:Originally posted by boomertsfx

what is your prefix? I'm 703-858 and it worked.... 703-726 worked as well.



703-729 does not work.

M.

[Pictor Guy]

Hmmm... seems they may have changed the qualification since yesterday. On the 27th I qualified but today (28th) I don't.

So we're dead in the water again. :(

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[Mr. Linux]

I just checked the FAQ on their site for the FTTP deployment.

-------
Question #31: Can I host a Web or Gaming server on my connection at my house?

The Terms of Service (TOS) for the Fios service has not been released yet, so we do not know if you can "Legally" host web or gaming servers on your connection at your house. In the past, with DSL connections, you were allowed to host gaming servers, but not web servers although Verizon did not enforce this policy frequently (if at all). This question may have to be updated later at a future date.
----------

Looks like I wouldn't be able to use it to run my servers.... Another brick wall...


Mr. Linux
------------------------------------------------
Got Broadband?
Yea, REALLY SOON now!

[Pictor Guy]

I feel your pain, I'm still forking over $109/mo for a 128k pipe so I can run servers from my home.

There's no way to really tell yet if they'll let us run servers on Fios. And they may offer a Business option too. That is IF we get it in the Broadlands.

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[boomertsfx]

P2P clients effectively run servers on your computer... why couldn't you host your own server on some random port? I'm sure if they cared, they would warn you before shutting you down.

[Mr. Linux]

Pictor Guy: Sounds like we're both running an over priced IDSL line :)

Boomertsfx: I'm not running a game server here; I'm running actual email servers, web sites, etc. I can't just stick them on a 'random port'.

Mr. Linux
------------------------------------------------
Got Broadband?
Yea, REALLY SOON now!

[Pictor Guy]

Yep, IDSL for my mail and web servers. I would like to run an FTP server too but 128k is just too painful for that.

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[boomertsfx]

why not just get dedicated hosting for mail/web? Would that not be cheaper than IDSL? or do you work from home and need something more reliable than cable?

[Pictor Guy]

I may go the dedicated route in the future if I can find someone reliable. I like having the machines at home for controll reasons. :)

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[Dwarflord]

quote:Originally posted by boomertsfx

why not just get dedicated hosting for mail/web? Would that not be cheaper than IDSL? or do you work from home and need something more reliable than cable?


Thats exactly what I do. I pay $30/month for a DEDICATED server that I lease. I can do anything I want with it and is far cheaper than expensive dedicated lines and more reliable. I host, email, 3 webservers, dns, ftp, SQL, Proxy and 4 game servers.....:). All of this on a 100mb burstable pipe. From Va. I can ping it in 35ms, so Im happy with using this service. I dont understand why more people dont do things like this, maybe its easier to do it all from home, I dont know. I do it all remotely via web admin for linux. Maybe linux is the limiter for most people, but I know next to nothing about linux. There is so many forums out there to help, and webadmin is very intuitive.

DwArFlOrD

[Pictor Guy]

I'm no fan of Webmin and the like. But I have no problems working in config files with vi ;)

Who do you host with?

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[Dwarflord]

vi......ewwwwww, yukky.
Everytime I use that I destroy my configs, it may have something to do with not knowing how to use vi...:)
I currently host w/ serverpronto.
Ive looked into ait.com and managed.com, those 2 seem to have great values as well.
Ive been with serverpronto since december and have really only seen 2 or 3 glitches in their network (mostly routing and bgp update issues), but they are addressed in an acceptable timeframe. Ive had 0 problems with the hardware. So im happy overall. I would like to get more ram. I get 200gig / mo of transfer, but it seems the norm these days is 1 terabyte of data transfer, but for $30 I cant complain....:)
I like webmin because its customizable and you can add modules and custom modules and setup other users with virtual accounts. I hear cpanel is another option, but I do not think that software is free. I also like webmin cause I know almost nothing about linux and to use the cli via ssh, well, lets just say it would get ugly real quick and I would have lost interest....:)

DwArFlOrD

[boomertsfx]

vi is crap. I don't see why all these hard core unix geeks think it is so great... *sigh* =)

[Pictor Guy]

quote:Originally posted by boomertsfx

vi is crap. I don't see why all these hard core unix geeks think it is so great... *sigh* =)


Them's fightin' words. [:p]

vi is quick, very powerful, easy (once you know a few commands) and works on almost any enviroment (GUI, terminal, Linux, HP-UX, Solaris, Irix, etc.) But then I also like pine for a quick text mail reader. ;)

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[flynnibus]

quote:Originally posted by boomertsfx

vi is crap. I don't see why all these hard core unix geeks think it is so great... *sigh* =)


Because it has all the true text editor commands. If you want a word processor style, no it sucks. If you want a line editor style.. jumping to lines.. finds.. etc.. its fine.

Its universal and works what you need INSIDE a text environment. Its command mode vs edit mode just throws most people.

-Steve

[boomertsfx]

I bet you guys liked edlin too! =)

[Pictor Guy]

now edlin was crap. :)

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[hornerjo]

Where is the emacs crowd like myself jumping out of the woodwork in support? :)

---------------
Got Broadband?

[boomertsfx]

I used xemacs back in the day.. it rocked =) pico/mcedit for console, xemacs for X for me 8)

[Pictor Guy]

Hmmmm... first official mention of Fios for Loudoun County. This is starting to look better for us but still no word on where in Loudoun County. And the pre-qual is still showing me as not able to get Fios since the initiall release of the pre-qual page.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041021/nyth133_1.html


__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[Dwarflord]

I called them earlier this week about my phone bill and when we were done solving the problem, she asked if there was anything else she could do today for me. I told her, ya, get us some DSL out here. She said that I was in the area they are pushing FIOS into. She said they are making a "huge" push for this and doing it very quickly. She told me they are trying to get away from DSL.........take it for what its worth, we know how customer service and salesmen are with the info they have, but if she's right, we should be seeing FIOS offerings in the near future, the way it sounds.


DwArFlOrD

[Pictor Guy]

Since they don't have to share/resell the fiber connection the way they do with DSL I wouldn't doubt that we'll see it, but `soon' is relative. If Loudoun is getting FIOS in 2004 I just hope the Broadlands is in that part of Loudoun that gets it. But with the prequal form showing we (or I) still can't get it while I know people in Arlington that are pre-qualified, I can't get my hopes up to high unless someone here knows more.

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[christinaandrob]

DwArFlOrD, which part of Broadlands are you in, or do you think it's the entire area?

[boomertsfx]

15Mb down, 2Mb up for $50/month ... sign me up!

[Dwarflord]

quote:Originally posted by christinaandrob

DwArFlOrD, which part of Broadlands are you in, or do you think it's the entire area?


She made it sound like the entire area, at least the areas they service.

DwArFlOrD

[FL Native]

There was a mention about it either yesterday or day before in the Potomac Tech Wire. The news release that it linked to didn't add much to what we've all already seen, except that Leesburg was specifically mentioned as one of the areas. Again, with no tme frame indicated.

[neilz]

Again, alot depends on whether or not we have fibre to the house in Broadlands North. Southern Walk has fibre ... whether or not it can be shared with OpenBand is another issue, I havn't gone into the technical issues on that.

In the North, I'm not sure they included a fibre bundle when they laid cable, phone and power.

Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

[boomertsfx]

I doubt openband is going to allow their fiber to be used by the competition...

[Tech Head]

I think I have been told in the past that fiber runs to the curb, but not to the house in Broadlands North.

[Pictor Guy]

quote:Originally posted by Tech Head

I think I have been told in the past that fiber runs to the curb, but not to the house in Broadlands North.


I don't remember seeing any fiber run at any section other than Southern Walk. AFAIK, the only fiber for Verizon that we have terminates at the RT on Vestals and Claiborn. I don't think they put in any dark fiber to the curb. From what I understand, they would have to run fiber to the curb and then when someone placed an order for Fios they would run it to that home and install an ONT where the NID is.

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[hornerjo]

I'll have to look around and try and find my notes from before we had Adelphia when the Web Committee was shopping all over for Broadband solutions for us. I'm almost positive we found out that fiber ran all the way down Claiborne because it was required for the shopping strip center, and we also saw fiber lines up by the water towers and (I think) a run that went down Truro Parish.

I don't remember seeing anything about fiber being run along Broadlands Blvd. The zoned business (now hospital) up there would need it, but they would tap into the line already up there that is run along Belmont Ridge.

Although I don't know much about the easement restrictions, I don't think it would be too hard for Verizon to dig up the areas here to install more fiber run - especially if we are 'surrounded' by fiber right now.

One update. I emailed Wes (HOA general manager) and asked if they have been contacted by Verizon about digging up the streets/houses to run fiber. They have not been contacted at all.

---------------
Got Broadband?

[Pictor Guy]

quote:Originally posted by hornerjo

I emailed Wes (HOA general manager) and asked if they have been contacted by Verizon about digging up the streets/houses to run fiber. They have not been contacted at all.

---------------
Got Broadband?


That's a good idea. Please let us know what you find out.

FWIW, I don't think it would require trench digging. They can pull fiber with bore holes and minimal impact to the ground. Much in the same way Openband did this summer when they pulled more fiber along waxpool and claiborn.

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[hornerjo]

How would they get the lines to the houses though? Do they have pull lines in already in-place pipes?

Edit: I didn't word above about the email to Wes clearly I dont think. He emailed back saying that the HOA has not heard anything from Verizon. (Not that Verizon has to contact the HOA, however. I don't know if they do at all.)

---------------
Got Broadband?

[boomertsfx]

I don't understand why utilities don't spend a little bit more money to make big conduits (2' perhaps?) along right-of-ways so that it will be easy to replace/add cable in the future. I always see them boring when you know there is already tons of existingcable buried close to the new stuff... It would cost more up front, but adding new lines would be a cakewalk.

Anyone know more about this?

[boomertsfx]

Looks like FIOS is available in leesburg...

http://www.timescommunity.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=14334982&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=506040&rfi=6

please come to Broadloads/Ashburn soon, VZ!!!

[Dwarflord]

I saw their 2 page insert in "Leesburg Today" earlier this week, or was it last week...LOL. Anyways, I tried to see if it was available here......nope, its not. Id sure love to pay less and get more with this FIOS over Adelphia.

DwArFlOrD

[Pictor Guy]

Yep... I keep checking every week or two to see when it might be available. I have a feeling we'll see the trucks pulling the fiber before the online form gives us the okay. That's what's happening to a friend in Leesburg and what happened in Arlington. It also looks like Verizon is reselling Fios like it did with DSL. So you'll have more service options unlike Adelphia.

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[neilz]

quote:Originally posted by Pictor Guy

Yep... I keep checking every week or two to see when it might be available. I have a feeling we'll see the trucks pulling the fiber before the online form gives us the okay. That's what's happening to a friend in Leesburg and what happened in Arlington. It also looks like Verizon is reselling Fios like it did with DSL. So you'll have more service options unlike Adelphia.

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1


FWIW ... it'll be a while ... we can't even get DSL in this area ...



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

[Pictor Guy]

quote:[i]

FWIW ... it'll be a while ... we can't even get DSL in this area ...



I know... they're not really rolling out much in the way of DSL as far as I know. My friend in Leesburg can't get DSL either but he can already sign up for FIOS.

__________________________________________________ ________
Some software money can't buy. For everything else there's Micros~1

[boomertsfx]

I saw a FIOS store today in Falls Church... intersection of Rt7 and Mason dr I think... they had a FIOS H2 parked out front too.... Guess they are getting it there too :(

[neilz]

Typical Verizon ...

Let's bring something to people who already have access to DSL, which we can currently sell them with existing lines, and spend a few hundred thou installing fibre, without being sure of a return. And totally forget about those who are very tech savvy, have plenty of disposable income, and can't get DSL at all ...

Sheesh .. if I had this business model, I'd have been out of business long ago.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

[boomertsfx]

VZ fiber in ashburn/arcola:

http://www.timescommunity.com/site/tab1.cfm?newsid=14420283&BRD=2553&PAG=461&dept_id=506047&rfi=6

[WesGurney]

I wonder if that explains all the markings on the pavement.

[boomertsfx]

I sure hope so!

15Mbs/2Mbs... sign me up!!

[neilz]

quote:Originally posted by WesGurney

I wonder if that explains all the markings on the pavement.


Not really ... they denote areas of the road that need repair either before VDOT takes them over, or that VDOT is going to repair.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

[maharrin]

Broadlands is served by Verizon's Ashburn central office, looks promising for fiber here.

Full text is located on their website at the following link ...

http://newscenter.verizon.com/proactive/newsroom/release.vtml?id=90699&PROACTIVE_ID=cecdc9c6c8cbcfc7cac5cecfcfcfc5cecec7c fcecccdc9c9c6c5cf

News Release

Verizon’s New High-Fiber ‘Diet’ for Ashburn, Arcola Areas: Blazing-Fast Data, Crystal Clear Voice, Video Capability

Verizon to Build Industry-Leading Fiber Network Here; Transformational Technology to Benefit Customers, Boost Economic Development

April 21, 2005

Media contact:
Harry Mitchell, 804-772-1460


ASHBURN, Va. – Verizon will soon bring to parts of the Ashburn and Arcola areas one of the most significant advancements in telecommunications technology in the past 100 years.

The company today announced plans to build a fiber-optic network that will deliver faster data speeds and crystal-clear voice to residence and business customers here – and also has the capability to offer a full suite of future video services. The company will seek a franchise agreement from the local authority before offering cable service in a particular community. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime transformation of the communications network serving the Ashburn and Arcola areas,” said Robert W. Woltz Jr., president of Verizon Virginia.

Known as fiber-to-the-premises, or FTTP, the fiber-optic network uses hair-thin strands of fiber and optical electronics to directly link homes and businesses to Verizon’s network. The new network replaces the traditional copper-wire connections and will unleash a range of advanced communication services.

[neilz]

FWIW ... I've heard about complaints from homeowners when Verizon's contractors came in and dug up along the VDOT ROW, tearing up grass, sprinklers, etc.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999