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Post by Skaggs on Jan 25, 2011 9:23:04 GMT -5
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Post by Chris Miller on Jan 25, 2011 9:47:55 GMT -5
Some interesting statistics: Verizon added 182,000 new FiOS TV subscriptions in Q4. They have already reached 28% penetration in markets where FiOS TV was available. Since they are the new guys, that meant they are picking off the competition. |
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Post by chenrikson on Jan 26, 2011 10:42:49 GMT -5
Yesterday I asked a VZ rep about the saving I might have by using a Tivo box with Fios TV. It appears that there is a $16/month discount for regular plans -- but NO discount if you have a bundle such as the $85 - $90/month offers being currently advertised by FIOS. Seems I will be dropping my Tivo???
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Post by Chris Miller on Jan 26, 2011 11:08:13 GMT -5
You are never going to be saving money if you have a TiVo. You are paying for the better user experience. If I switch to FiOS TV, I will deactivate my 2 Series TiVos and keep the TiVo HD active, as well as get the FiOS HD DVR.
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Post by barryg on Jan 30, 2011 7:14:42 GMT -5
Has anyone heard an actual date for installations to happen in Bethlehem? The Verizon site still shows FIOS TV as unavailable to this FIOS internet customer in Delmar.
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Post by Chris Miller on Jan 30, 2011 9:39:45 GMT -5
At the January town board meeting, the representatives from Verizon said that the actual start date would be pending, based on the approval of the franchise agreement by the PSC. Based on the PSC schedule, Verizon's plan was for a late Q1 startup. If you live in Bethlehem and have FiOS Internet now, you should be able to order FiOS TV sometime in March.
If you don't have access to FiOS Internet now, it will probably be some time before you can get FiOS TV. Verizon described a 5 year schedule to reach 100% coverage in the town of Bethlehem. They are currently at 65% coverage now.
With Verizon's FiOS TV rollouts in Buffalo, Syracuse, and downstate; you would hope that they have the deployment plan already worked out. The cable competition in Long Island is very competitive, with each cable co. offering all sorts of enticements to get people to sign a two year contract. I remember one of them offering a free HDTV if you signed a two year contract.
Someone at the meeting asked if Verizon could or would put out a specific timetable for FiOS deployment. They said that they would not because of the advantage it would provide the competition, in this case Time Warner. In other markets, the competition would target the area and try to sign customers to 2 year contracts.
If I managed resident service sales for TWC, I would be going through my records now and getting a list of TWC subscribers who had dropped RoadRunner. That will be the first wave of FiOS TV subscribers. I would do everything that I could get to get them to stay on TWC and sign back up for RR. I would also stick pins in the voodoo doll of the TWC executive who authorized the February rate increases. Between that and the two articles that the Times Union ran last week, Verizon could not have bought better publicity.
BTW, that town board meeting where the agreement Verizon was approved has been on the Public Access channel in Bethlehem. I don't know what the schedule is, I caught it by accident yesterday afternoon.
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Post by barryg on Jan 31, 2011 10:32:29 GMT -5
Thanks for a very complete answer Chris!
I'll be very curious to see what kind of promotions Verizon offers to get TV customers in this area.
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Post by Chris Miller on Jan 31, 2011 17:24:59 GMT -5
They will probably offer their "Triple Play" package of FiOS TV, FiOS Internet, and phone for $89.95. That's what they have on their national page. That rate is good for one year, then they will jack it up in the same manner that Time Warner does now. I currently have FiOS Internet 20/5, which is faster than the 15/5 that would be offered as part of the $89.95 Triple Play package. That would take me to the Tier 2 Triple Play. That would be $104.94 a month and has 25/25 for Internet and FiOS TV Extreme with multiroom DVR. As with Time Warner, when the discount period ends the price will go up. Verizon's rates should still be competitive with Time Warner though. You can't get the multiroom DVR from TWC unless you have their premium package. |
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Post by Chris Miller on Mar 2, 2011 11:05:06 GMT -5
Has anyone heard an actual date for installations to happen in Bethlehem? The Verizon site still shows FIOS TV as unavailable to this FIOS internet customer in Delmar. On Monday night, I took a call from Verizon where they said it would be available in two weeks. That puts us right smack in the middle of March. |
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Post by chenrikson on Mar 3, 2011 21:20:39 GMT -5
Gee Chris -- I got a call from VZ on Monday as well. I picked up the phone but there was nobody there! I hope this isn't a predictor of future support  |
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Post by Chris Miller on Mar 3, 2011 21:57:46 GMT -5
You got a robo-dialer. You didn't miss much. VZ is definitely trying to spread the word of FiOS around. I expect that they will contact people who registered for early notification. Then expect the door to door sales staff.
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Post by chenrikson on Mar 4, 2011 10:48:41 GMT -5
What early notification? When I tried to get on that list I was told that it (the list) didn't exist. (sigh)
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Post by Chris Miller on Mar 4, 2011 11:15:37 GMT -5
When they called me, they added my name to the notification list. I am curious to know if there will be any early adopter specials.
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Post by chenrikson on Mar 9, 2011 9:31:26 GMT -5
Not quite sure how I got there, but there is a spot on the VZ website where you can sign up to be notified when VZTV will be available.
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Post by Chris Miller on Mar 9, 2011 16:22:19 GMT -5
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