My Fios Installation Take 1- One

This section is starting with my own installation experience. However I hope to get comments below from everyone. Please add� your own experiences in the comments section.

October 17th 2006 +-
Nice sunny Florida day. Laying in my couch watching a fuzzy Brighthouse Networks broadcast of a Local channel showing the previous weekends Florida Gators Football game. Thought to myself, "I wonder how this would look like broadcasting in HD via the New Fiber Service by Verizon."

One hour 27 minutes into the game, I loose my signal. This (in my humble opinion) was probably not Bright House Networks fault. However being the typical customer, cussed under my breadth and had a few choice words directed at my cable provider who had provided me with poor cable service for Oh may be.. 15 years now!

When I look back, I don't think my cable provider was at fault for my signal loss. I had several issues going on in my hood. The Lawn Company was installing a new Sprinkler system in our complex; the power company had about 4 big trucks down the road doing hell knows what and Oh.. We had a company (can't remember the name) with all kinds of equipment digging trenches and laying cable. Could have sunk its big teeth in the Cable companies Wires just to make the customers more angry there by more willing to switch!

I later learned the company was laying Fiber cable for Verizon Fios. Should have figured that out since we had this Van that kept showing up in the hood. It was an Isuzu I think, two passenger with nothing on the back except a big sign about Fios is here. I forgot to take a picture if someone sees it please snap a picture and send me a copy. You won't miss it believe me. It is a moving Fios billboard!

Gold**

I have got to tell you about this. This is Gold . File it under "Must read TV" Six months earlier, loooong before Verizon started digging up my neighborhood; I called up my Cable Company and told them Verizon had given me a better offer. I was expecting to haggle with several reps and eventually end up with a manager and may be get a discount. Funny the Verizon Buzz had already put pressure on these guys. The first rep I spoke with just asked me what package Fios had given me and gave me a $17.97 discount on my monthly bill!! I had both internet and TV with these guys so I was considered Prime defection Rib!. I had seen a story on Local TV where a lady got $21.00 off her monthly bill on live Television. The discount was only for Six months so I took it and ran! Disclaimer Don't try this at home, I am a Pro!

Anyway back to my point (you can tell my mind wonders a lot!) fidgeting with my Video collection to get a good DVD since I had a Gator Blackout, I thought to myself, "I am moving to my new house in November, I am never taking this old problem with me."

October 18th 2006 +-
I went online, went to the Verizon Fios Page and placed an order for FiOS TV - TV on Fiber and Fios Internet. Just ordered the basic package since I wanted to check this baby out. Installation was scheduled for Tuesday Oct. 31st. Perfect! New house, New TV Service, New Internet Service Provider. The moons must be lined up for me!

October 21st 2006 +-
I receive a call from the Power Company, "We are afraid we cannot process your order placed on the 17th of October 2006" I ask why???? Explanation., the power company can only allow 10 days between a disconnect and reconnect at a new address. Only way around it is if I created a completely new account at my new address. I think to myself, May be a good chance to create a new account in Wife's name and let her take the wrath if all doesn't go so well." Too bad little brat is looking over my shoulder. She's from India and has degrees in Math, Psychology, Frogs, Cheatery and whatever other crap you can come up with. Bummer!

So when can you do it? "Tuesday October 31st!" The Power company lady says. "What? I am having my ISP over to install service on that day!" " I am sorry sir, but unfortunately we can't have over 10 days lapse between a disconnect and a reconnect on the same account....." "Mmmm, sigh! Ok Tuesday 31st it is. " Well done sir, will do...."

Cut a long story short I got on the Phone called Fios and rescheduled the Install 7 days out (it was the closest schedule I could get). Didn't want to take a chance having both Fios and the Power Company on the same day. I had already bumbled the water turn on!

November 7th 2006 +-
Phone rings at exactly 8:00am. My installer Mike tells me he will be over in 15 minutes. No kidding, fios guy shows up exactly 13 minutes later. That is 2 minutes early! Damn, Ding Dong! "I will be right there! With a mouth full of muffins :-)

Mike comes in, we go over the installation and he says piece of cake, will be done in no time! Tell you the truth; I am not as confident as he is. First of all, from all the stories I had read, we had two or three Techs showing up. He was alone and he is saying "Done in no time?" Secondly, I had heard the three techs were taking 8-10 hours to complete the install. With that knowledge, and being a former Low Voltage wiring Technician, I had rewired my house the way I wanted to save some time. I would be following them around the house telling them what I didn't like anyway..."No you can't be wiring a cat 5 at a 90 degree angle! And no.you can't be running my Quad cables parallel to electrical lines. That will cause interference!" I can be a pain.

November 7th 2006 10:00am +-
At this time Mike has done all his outside drilling, installed the bare borne ONT, and has run an extra Coax cable to my attic. He is now installing the free Pure AV power Adaptor, Battery backup and the Actiontec Router on the inside. He asks me so what do you do for a living? I bore him with my stories about my IT profession. He laughs at the end and I ask him "Why are you smiling?" He says I know I don't have to setup your PC. "You are a Network Guru." I am not!

November 7th 2006 11:48am +-
He was right! Only thing he did was hook the Coax cable into the Actiontec Modem, connect the Cat 5 which I had already connected to my NIC and Voila! Fios Internet Baby! I didn't even have to renew the IP! First thing I did was tune into my Amateur Radio station SoukousRadio Code named SYI! Baby was alive and I was back in Business!

November 7th 2006 12:27pm +-
Mike was in the Living room showing me the Fios TV Ropes. Asked him why he waited till last minute to connect the TV. He told me he didn't want to disconnect my cable prematurely while I was enjoying my VOD. I told him I didn't even have cable at my new house. Had just moved in! I was watching "Saving Private Ryan DVD" He Laughed hysterically and wondered out loud why the cable was so clear at my house!

November 7th 2006 12:34pm +-
Fios TV baby! I must admit it does look better than cable on the same TV I watched cable on the previous week! You know (I thought to myself) sometimes you wash your car and go out for a drive and think "This car drives great today" You know that feeling when it is all in your head??? I thought about it for a moment but I know for sure that wasn't the case. Don't know how Fios does it, may be it is the Video Compression but it definitely is a better Picture than my previous cable.

November 7th 2006 12:47pm +-0
So this is how the other half lives? Some one get Trump on the line for me. Wow!