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Washington, DC - Verizon - Page 4

post #91 of 228
4/8/05 at 1:05pm
Thread Starter 
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by the programmimg... you mean the program guide? If that's what you're talking about I don't know the answer but I would be amazed if it wasn't included. TiVo can get away with something like that because their software is so sophisticated and can do so many tricks in comparison to the relatively crude DVRs offered by cable companies. So while I suppose it's possible that Verizon would charge extra for the program guide, I really seriously doubt that will happen... I have never heard of cable companies charging customers for the program guide.
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post #92 of 228
4/8/05 at 3:23pm
Let me clear that up. What I mean is that the "box rental" is going to be $10/month. Can we expect that the "HD package" is going to be another $30 on top of the "basic package" that is included in our HOA fees?
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post #93 of 228
4/8/05 at 3:26pm
Thread Starter 
Ah. I have no idea and have not seen/heard anything about pricing.
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post #94 of 228
6/6/05 at 6:27am
I will be moving into a Legacy Park home this month... any updates on the transition timeline? Thanks!
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post #95 of 228
6/6/05 at 9:50pm
Thread Starter 
Welcome to the neighborhood.

Nope, no updates... Legacy Park (which is where I live) is still scheduled to get Verizon for Internet service later this summer, with the switchover for video "sometime this fall" (which from what I understand could be all the way into December). Motorola HD DVRs (the models with the 120 GB HDDs) will be rolling out at the same time as Verizon Video service, and the DVRs will rent for $12.95 a month.
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post #96 of 228
6/9/05 at 4:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by weaz View Post

Let me clear that up. What I mean is that the "box rental" is going to be $10/month. Can we expect that the "HD package" is going to be another $30 on top of the "basic package" that is included in our HOA fees?

weaz - like Scott said we don't really know anything about pricing or packages, but I can tell you this...If they do charge another $30 on top of the already ridiculous prices we're paying now there will be a bloody revolution.

A neighbor of mine is hammering away on community intranet over why we have NVT and why we're paying so much, but his messages are being blocked by the powers that be.

BTW - In case you didn't already guess, 'nother Brambleton resident here...
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post #97 of 228
6/9/05 at 11:57am
Rob - welcome to the neighborhood, even if you are a Hokie It would be nice if we'd get some FiOS video service this fall in time to watch some college football in HD!

Jason - I saw those threads on the community intranet. What a mess. At least for the time being it looks like we're getting temporary $15 discounts (which seems rather arbitrary) and there will allegedly be a few months of free standard HBO.

The unrest on the intranet seems to have quieted, but I'd have to wonder whether that's a result of censorship or people being satisfied w/ the $15 pittance. It seems like we'd need to organize on an independent forum in order to come up with an alternative to resigning ourselves to the fact that our neighborhood is run by crooks.
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post #98 of 228
6/9/05 at 12:55pm
Thread Starter 
Management has always been very draconian when it comes to censoring posts on the so-called "community" bulletin board system. I have also noticed a troubling trend recently where the HOA on-site manager, Mark Walker, is not being very responsive to requests for information.

For example, last year the developers planted three dead trees--yes, you read that right, they planted THREE DEAD TREES--on my property (my house is at the corner of Vickery Park and Courtland Park Drives... go see for yourself). I have been trying for months now to get Mark to find out what is going to be done about these eyesores which dot my property and the easements of several of my neighbors, but he keeps saying he "hasn't had a chance to get to it yet". It's BS and I'm thinking of hiring an attorney to start doing my talking for me.
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post #99 of 228
6/10/05 at 7:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Gammans View Post

Management has always been very draconian when it comes to censoring posts on the so-called "community" bulletin board system. I have also noticed a troubling trend recently where the HOA on-site manager, Mark Walker, is not being very responsive to requests for information.

For example, last year the developers planted three dead trees--yes, you read that right, they planted THREE DEAD TREES--on my property (my house is at the corner of Vickery Park and Courtland Park Drives... go see for yourself). I have been trying for months now to get Mark to find out what is going to be done about these eyesores which dot my property and the easements of several of my neighbors, but he keeps saying he "hasn't had a chance to get to it yet". It's BS and I'm thinking of hiring an attorney to start doing my talking for me.

I feel your pain on the trees thing, we've emailed Mark a bunch of times about trees and a common area question and he hasn't responded to a single one. Mark used to be very responsive so either he's had it w/ the whole mess and is just cashing his check every two weeks or the developer is making his life a living hell. Don't know which.

I posted a question about people being silenced on the message board and its amazing how many people have had their comments blocked. Others are considering the alternate message board idea as well.

BTW - I had a dead tree cut down two weeks ago and replaced a few days later by the developer, through no prodding on our part (I was planning on burning the ugly thing). I'm surprised you haven't had the same.
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post #100 of 228
6/10/05 at 12:47pm
Thread Starter 
Believe me, I'm on the verge of burning/chopping those things down. Maybe I need to get my lawyer to send a nastygram. Sadly, that seems to be the only way to get the attention of these people these days.
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post #101 of 228
6/20/05 at 4:55am
Scott - although I've lurked on AVSForum a few times, I never registered until I, by coincidence, found the Brambleton forum you started. Furthermore, I was quite surprised to learn you are my next door neighbor! Well, technically you are still my next door neighbor. Physically, my wife, daughter and I are currently living overseas and renting out our house. In fact, I was home in April on business and knocked on your door to say "hello" but you were out.

In any case, I'm glad you started this forum and was hoping you might be able to give me a quick rundown on where things stand with regard to the whole Verizon/Gatehouse/HDTV/FIOS saga, which I have been trying to follow, but don't really have a great understanding of what's going on.

So, if you could give me an idea of what to expect when we return (from England) in the summer of 2007, I'd appreciate it.

I see you last posted on 10 June, so hopefully you'll see this post soon.

Thanks,

Scott (
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post #102 of 228
6/27/05 at 3:13pm
Thread Starter 
Hi Scott,

Just got back from a much-needed and well-enjoyed vacation in Hawaii, so I'm just now seeing your reply. You won't recognize the neighborhood by the time you get back... the shopping center down the street should be open by then (it had BETTER be open... LOL!) and hopefully Miller and Smith will have replaced the dead trees all over the place by then (I just got an e-mail the other day clarifying that (a) it's their responsibility and (b) they can't get their construction bond released until the trees are replaced).

There's really no change in status from my earlier e-mails. By the time you're back two years from now we will have (hopefully) been 18 months into the full Verizon regime, with one of the best systems in the country--5 Mbps internet access, at least two dozen HDTV channels including premium channels like HBO, Showtime, etc., HDTV DVRs available to rent for $15 a month, and best of all, no more Gatehouse!

btw, one interesting change that I suspect is semi-related to Gatehouse getting booted out on its ear: the censorship on the Brambleton community intranets has stopped in the past few weeks. There's a much more free flow of information on the various discussion boards, which can only be a good thing, so you might want to pop in now and then to check out the goings-on.

See you in two years! (p.s. I've met your renters and they seem like nice folks... and you'll be happy to know that they're very conscientious about taking good care of the lawn and plantings...)
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post #103 of 228
7/4/05 at 8:47pm
I'm going to be a new resident in a new TH across from Legacy Park when my TH is finished in Jan 06. Since I'm new - can someone get me up to date on what HD channels are offered here right now? I own an HDTV (Sony RP LCD 50") and currently have NBA, DISC, ABC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, INHD1, INHD2, PBS, and UNIHD thru Cox in Falls Church. It seems like Verizon hasn't rolled out as much yet? Or is it still Gatehouse. I love my HDTV right now and don't want to see it compromised when I move to Brambleton so I'd be happy to send emails, write letters, make phone calls whatever even though I won't be officially a resident until next year.

Any feedback would be hgely appreciated.

Thanks,
wahoo
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post #104 of 228
7/4/05 at 9:34pm
Thread Starter 
Hi wahoo.

Writing letters won't do a bit of good, trust me.

Right now the situation is unchanged from what you're reading above. Gatehouse is still the provider but will be gone by the end of the year, replaced with Verizon. HDTV channel selection has not been announced yet, but we have been informally told that we'll have all the local HDTV channels, all of the major national and premium channels (e.g., HBO, ShowTime, etc.), high def DVRs, etc., etc.

Along with the arrival of Verizon, our internet speeds will be boosted to 5 Mbps. I'm cautiously optimistic about the impending arrival of Verizon, but after over two years of broken promises I've learned to temper my enthusiasm and will believe all the hype when I see it coming out of my living room wall.

(p.s. Not that it matters since Gatehouse will be history by the time you arrive, but since you asked:

The current HDTV offerings are only four of the local HDTV channels--the local ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX afilliates. No national HD channels, no premium HD channels, no HD DVRs, not even any HD settop boxes (you have to have an HD-cable-ready TV to see the four HDTV channels).

Gatehouse sucks ass, as you can tell... a lot of my neighbors gave up a long time ago and you can see lots of satellite dishes on roofs across the community--scandalous, considering every home, townhome and condo is wired fiber-to-the-house. We should have the best video and internet services in the country, but until Verizon arrives we are stuck with one of the worst.)
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post #105 of 228
7/5/05 at 11:04am
Scott,

Wow - that's unfortunate that Gatehouse has really jacked this up.

Is Verizon cable or DSL? Or is fiber optic something completely different?

Also - what is the thruput ya'll get now with Gatehouse?
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post #106 of 228
7/5/05 at 11:40am
Thread Starter 
All homes in Brambleton are fiber-to-the-house , so it's "cable". Since fiber optic can handle magnitudes more traffic than copper cable, though, it's really not comparable. That's what really sucks about Gatehouse, our current video and internet provider... Brambleton's 100% fiber optic network could handle 20+ Mbps internet connection speeds, dozens of HDTV channels, and have bandwidth to spare, but the head-end provider can barely even get four HDTV locals to us and 1.5 Mbps internet service. (The digital cable we do have, by the way, sucks rocks... Gatehouse uses Echostar as the provider for all national and premium channels, and the picture/sound quality is pretty horrid.)

You can't get DSL in Brambleton, by the way, because that's copper wire technology. All phone, data and video connections are carried into your home on the one thin optical cable. You have a splitter in your basement which splits the incoming signal into its three component parts, and then your phone, video and TV connections are wired throughout your house from there.
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post #107 of 228
7/5/05 at 2:26pm
Scott,

Is it a lock that Gatehouse is being ousted by the end of this year? If not, I'll be happy to start petitioning whatever. Sounds like they messed things up pretty bad and I want them out by the time I move in (Jan 06).

Hopefully Verizon can do better.
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post #108 of 228
7/5/05 at 9:34pm
Thread Starter 
No need to petition; it's a done deal. The transition has already started, in fact. All of the single family homes in our area used to have ugly green telco boxes about four feet tall in their front yards, but over the past few months Verizon has been ripping the boxes out and installing unobtrusive buried boxes in anticipation of the switchover.

No need to petition. No need to worry. By the time you get here all the shouting should be over and done with.
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post #109 of 228
7/6/05 at 4:17am
Scott - I'm glad to hear those ugly green boxes have been removed. There's nothing worse than doing all you can to make your yard look nice and still having that eyesore.

BTW - wahoodude23, welcome to the N-hood...my house will be one of those with a VT Flag flying on gamedays when I return back to the States in '07 (my neighbor opposite Scott Gammons is also a Hao). My wife, daughter and I moved to Brambleton in early 2003 (then to England last Sept.) and despite some of the annoyances of a new planned community, we really enjoy the neighborhood and neighbors. We can't wait to see how Brambleton has changed when we get back.
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post #110 of 228
7/7/05 at 2:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Gammans View Post

The current HDTV offerings are only four of the local HDTV channels--the local ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX afilliates. No national HD channels, no premium HD channels, no HD DVRs, not even any HD settop boxes (you have to have an HD-cable-ready TV to see the four HDTV channels).

We also get a few PBS channels now... (I think they're on 16-1 through 16-4)
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post #111 of 228
7/7/05 at 2:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wahoodude23 View Post

Scott,

Is it a lock that Gatehouse is being ousted by the end of this year? If not, I'll be happy to start petitioning whatever. Sounds like they messed things up pretty bad and I want them out by the time I move in (Jan 06).

Hopefully Verizon can do better.


I think that the timeframe on the Verizon video rollout will be dictated by Loudoun County more than anything else. The country needs to grant them some sort of permit or what-have-you before they can peddle video services. I've seen this mentioned several times, and I know it hasn't happened yet.
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post #112 of 228
7/7/05 at 2:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottms View Post

Scott - I'm glad to hear those ugly green boxes have been removed. There's nothing worse than doing all you can to make your yard look nice and still having that eyesore.

BTW - wahoodude23, welcome to the N-hood...my house will be one of those with a VT Flag flying on gamedays when I return back to the States in '07 (my neighbor opposite Scott Gammons is also a Hao). My wife, daughter and I moved to Brambleton in early 2003 (then to England last Sept.) and despite some of the annoyances of a new planned community, we really enjoy the neighborhood and neighbors. We can't wait to see how Brambleton has changed when we get back.

When you return to the states in 2007, the Hoos will be a national powerhouse and will have defeated your Hokies 2 years in a row by then (wink, wink).
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post #113 of 228
7/8/05 at 2:01pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottms View Post

Scott - I'm glad to hear those ugly green boxes have been removed. There's nothing worse than doing all you can to make your yard look nice and still having that eyesore.

Yeah, it really makes a HUGE difference. Those green boxes were fugly. Now all we need to do is get Miller & Smith to replace all the damn dead trees in the neighborhood.

Quote:
Originally Posted by weaz View Post

We also get a few PBS channels now... (I think they're on 16-1 through 16-4)

Ooooh... fancy! Still not worth going out and buying a cable-compatible TV or set-top box, especially since I can get every local HDTV station crystal-clear with an indoor antenna. (Every station except WDCA, of course, whose signal is so feeble you'd need NASA's Deep Space Network to tune them in. WDCA sucks.)

Quote:
Originally Posted by weaz View Post

I think that the timeframe on the Verizon video rollout will be dictated by Loudoun County more than anything else. The country needs to grant them some sort of permit or what-have-you before they can peddle video services. I've seen this mentioned several times, and I know it hasn't happened yet.

True, but the ball is definitely already rolling and is unstoppable. There may or may not be a delay in the Verizon Video switchover, but it is inevitable.
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post #114 of 228
7/11/05 at 6:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Gammans View Post

True, but the ball is definitely already rolling and is unstoppable. There may or may not be a delay in the Verizon Video switchover, but it is inevitable.

That's what I keep telling myself to get through the day
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post #115 of 228
8/19/05 at 12:45pm
Any news on the conversion from Gatehouse to Verizon? I'm settling on my new home on Sky Meadows on 8/30 and was only given options of channel line up/set top boxes, etc. from the Gatehouse offerings (New England Broadband). Now all of the set up was through Verizon FiOS, but that seems to be the only difference.
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post #116 of 228
8/19/05 at 1:11pm
Thread Starter 
No change. The Verizon video service is still scheduled for late Q4, so you'll still be using Gatehouse until December or so.
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post #117 of 228
9/26/05 at 1:36pm
FYI - I moved into Sky Meadows this month and I'm having problems getting the HD channels over the SD STB that was provided to me. I tried to use my TV with an HD Tuner to pick up anything over the wire without the STB and found that there are 269 channel's being delivered, but all scrambled. When I spoke with the New England Broadband folks, they couldn't figure out why I couldn't get what should have been delivered over the wire. When I mentioned that all of the channels my TV picked up, he sounded a bit confused and told me to call Verizon because I'm a Phase 2 customer. Verizon Video Services says they can only fix a total outage type of problem and that New England Broadband is still providing the content, but over the Verizon fiber. Well, I'm having the New England Broadband folks out tomorrow... It seems that I'm in some kind of nether region - in between Verizon and the old folks (Gatehouse & New England Broadband). I have the pure Verizon FiOS service being delivered into the house (Verizon for the Internet access is how its been set up) and according to both Verizon and New England Broadband, both systems are supposed to be working in parallel. What a mess. We shall see tomorrow.
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post #118 of 228
9/26/05 at 8:55pm
Thread Starter 
Huh?! You shouldn't be getting anything from Verizon on video--Loudoun County has not approved Verizon's petition to offer video services yet. The hearing on Verizon's petition isn't even until November.

Please keep us informed of what happens--sounds like someone has jumped the gun and you're--as you say--stuck in some kind of nether region.
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post #119 of 228
10/7/05 at 1:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Gammans View Post

Huh?! You shouldn't be getting anything from Verizon on video--Loudoun County has not approved Verizon's petition to offer video services yet. The hearing on Verizon's petition isn't even until November.

Please keep us informed of what happens--sounds like someone has jumped the gun and you're--as you say--stuck in some kind of nether region.

Well, I have learned a few things over the past week. First, most of the Gatehouse/New England Broadband folks are pretty clueless when it comes to some of the finer points getting this service to work. Second, the service is not Verizon, but pure Gatehouse/New England Broadband - they are just riding the Verizon FiOS line into the house.

So, It turns out that my tuners (NTSC/ATSC) in my extremely new Samsung 1080p DLP are not as forgiving as some tuner combinations that show up in the Mitsubishi and Sony TVs. Since the HD channels are in the 91-94 channel range from Gatehouse, they are outside the frequency range of the UHF band and my Samsung ATSC tuner does not look for the HD signals beyond channel 69. It can see all of the digital channels in the higher frequencies, but they are scrambled, so I only get indications that there are channels there. Gatehouse/New England Broadband said that they will be modifying the channel line up to push the HD signals lower into the UHF band. That will supposedly make them available to all tuners that take the cable straight from the wall (no STB involved). However, even with a straight connection into the back to the TV with the cable, I'm not getting the same quality as the OTA signal.

So, I'm going to be using OTA signals instead.

I also asked about getting a cablecard, but they do not supply them. I didn't think they could do that, but what is a consumer going to do with a company that's getting booted out anyway?

I'll be anxious to see the new services from Verizon, when they show up.
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post #120 of 228
10/7/05 at 1:51pm
The change over to Verizon seems to be taking very long.
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