Reading Time: 4 minutes

verizon-launches-new-fios

When it comes to cable TV, you won’t get any better than Verizon Fios. However, Verizon Fios isn’t for everyone, and it does have its advantages and disadvantages. Let’s weigh the pros and cons of Verizon Fios and determine for whom it is a great deal and who should go somewhere else.

Pros of Verizon Fios

The Verizon bundle lets you save money by combining your TV, internet and phone service with one provider. Look at the Fios custom tv packs to save even more over the extra channels you’re probably paying quite a bit for. This could let you drop the satellite connection and rely entirely on cable service for both internet and TV. For some people, the consolidated bill is a significant convenience. A consolidated, lower bill may reduce the telecom taxes and sales taxes you have to pay for internet, phone service and streaming media like video on demand. Verizon Fios is also very fast and gives you a DSL connection. Verizon and other cable companies have long term contracts with various channels, so there is no risk of being unable to watch your favorite channels on satellite because DirecTV and Viacom had a contract dispute. The fiber optic network that delivers Verizon Fios isn’t subject to weather disruptions like satellite dishes and has fewer disruptions compared to coaxial cable connections.

Verizon-Fios-Package

Cons of Verizon Fios

You have to use their router to enjoy the TV service. This is essential to access the program guide and pay per view options through Verizon. And you pay more in rental fees for the router over a two year contract than it would cost to buy your own router. Be careful of the actual final cost you’ll pay. A two year contract may come with discounts and enticements that expire after a few months, so you sign up based on the seventy dollars a month up front, but fail to read the fine print that causes it to cost a hundred dollars or more after the discounts expire. Verizon Fios simply isn’t available in many rural areas. For these people, satellite TV and even satellite internet may be a necessity to get speeds similar to those available on the fiber network.

Observations about Verizon Fios

The bandwidth available on Fios depends literally on local demand. If few of your neighbors have Verizon Fios, you’ll have more bandwidth than someone who lives in a neighborhood where half the residents have it. You need to commit to a one year contract for basic service, and you may be required to sign a two year contract for bundles with premium channels. If you don’t like the contract and quit, there’s usually a termination fee. You can use Fios for internet voice services, even if the bundle includes phone service. Note that you need a battery backup for the internet phone service, or else you cannot call for help when the power is down. In contrast, traditional landline phones work no matter what, and cell phones run as long as they are charged and the cell phone towers have power, whether from the grid or their own, long lasting batteries.

You may be able to save even more by moving your cell phone service over to Verizon, but this depends on your usage patterns and the type of contract you have.

Conclusion

The Verizon Fios bundle allows you to save quite a bit of money over buying TV, internet and phone bills separately while giving you access to a high speed network. It isn’t available everywhere, the speed you enjoy depends on local demand, and the company’s initial price may not be what you’ll pay in the latter half of the contract.  With this information, you should be able to decide whether it will meet your needs.

Carol

Info sourced by the author for luxuryactivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.