Verizon FiOS HDTV - Page 509

If the CWA truly wants to garner some public good will then they should negotiate for all the missing HD channels to be added immediately.

Sorry, too hard to follow for me. I don't see what you mention. I'm looking for specific step by step instructions, a "...for Idiots" guide I guess.

The configuration steps are clearly laid out in this instruction set,

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r176...network-bridge

Thanks for trying to help, but this seems awfully complex and perhaps needless. Some quick looks at products to "extend my wireless range" on Amazon seemed much more plug and play. Last thing I can afford to do, in terms of time, is ***k up my Internet connection.

It's actually not that bad if you have a little time.. You would obviously wanna setup your primary router first then proceed to add the secondary.
A simple option is to just run a cat5 cable from LAN port on your main router to a LAN port on the secondary and you could use the secondary for say your G clients and the primary if you have any N clients. This method takes less than 10 minutes and a glass of wine.

OR you could buy one of these
http://www.amazon.com/Actiontec-Ethe...3881398&sr=8-1
and use the coax connection in any part of the home to connect a secondary router.

Edit: yes of time is of importance then the network bridges available on Amazon do similar. However, keep in mind they require some level of configuration and time as well. Most are not as plug and play as they sound.

I am using a netgear 3000 extender with an actiontec revision f. It works most of the time. When it does not, turning it off and on solves whatever issues there were.

It has been up 6 weeks now without issues

It requires reading the installation instructions to set up

You might check them out prior to purchase.

I am getting a moca for another part of my home.

benneyb - It is ridiculously easy to set up a second actiontec and use it as a moca device with or without wireless. Go buy one, then send me a private message and we can talk over the phone. It will take you no more than 5 minutes to configure and it wont mess up your system.

-Ken

Ken, many thanks for the kind offer. I'm probably missing something, but what I was hoping to do was add another device (router? bridge?) without running Coax or Cat5 cables through walls/ceilings, and have it "wirelessly" extend my wireless coverage in the house. Is this possible? This item makes it seem so:

http://www.amazon.com/Amped-Wireless...=1JZEJZYIWYX2S

Failing that, I do have an unused Coax branch off of a splitter that I could use, if that's all the "moca" aspect entails. The other branch is my live Fios feed to one of the TVs in the house.

Sorry once again for the lack of knowledge on the topic.

You can the unused Coax branch off of a splitter If you buy the actiontec adaptor you place the coax on this and the the cat5 either into a router/switch and presto.

Thanks for your input! Yes, it was helpful.

Don't forget you also need to turn off the DHCP server in the second actiontec and you have to manually assign it a different ip address so it doesn't conflict with the main actiontec. But like was said above this is all extremely easy and can be done in 5 - 10 minutes ! Presto !!!

-Ken

I'm in Keller, TX. I received an email recently about the upgrade to the new guide, etc. How long does it typically take from getting the email till the upgrade happens?

Thanks,

John

I received and email on a Friday and heard they were going to be rolling it out in the next few days. Then the strike happened. So since the strike is over I would guess in the next couple of days. Fingers Crossed.

By the way I am in Flower Mound, TX, so I would guess we will be getting the update about the same time.

The workers are back without a contract aren't they?

Operating under their old contract while negotiations are ongoing. If they were still on strike then there wouldn't be a widescale rollout at all.

I dont have much faith on negotiations being successful - but who am I. Current deal is 30 days, working under the old contract conditions. Union has to notify within 7 days of striking again, we are BAU until mid-September at which time frame there may be another strike. The only negotiations so far that have been successful was to decide WHERE the negotiations would take place...Its going to get interesting to say the least...

What's stopping Verizon from telling the union to take a walk, and then hiring non-union replacements? Seems to be working out OK on the VZW side, which also happens to account for the majority of Verizon's profits.

Oh yeah let's just fire 45,000 people and just go get some more right off the street!! That makes good sense!

They are working - re-working the 1.9 schedule now. The next strike may impact future roll-outs but it looks like they may try to get one DAC updated asap. Not 100% sure as of when or which DAC but led to believe at the moment that DAC 1 is still next.

Outside Plant/installation/Repair jobs, which are all union, do require skills and training. You can't just hire anyone off the street to do the job. Then again, as lousy as customer service has become, I doubt that would be any worse. I don't think that is all the worker's fault. IMHO, I believe VZ has historically skimped on proper training of these people and the systems to support them.

ESPN's Longhorn Network Corrals Verizon FiOS As First Announced Affiliate

Telco Will Launch University Of Texas Service Inside, Outside The State On Sept. 1

Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 8/25/2011 8:00:00 AM

With the service set to come out of the chute on Friday evening, ESPN has announced its first affiliation deal for the Longhorn Network.

Verizon FiOS, providing coverage both inside and outside the Lone Star State, will begin offering the University of Texas-centric service on Sept. 1.

The telco's national distribution agreement will enable FiOS TV Prime HD, Extreme HD and Ultimate HD subscribers in Texas to watch LHN on channels 79 (standard-definition) and 579 (high-definition). Elsewhere, FiOS TV Ultimate HD subscribers can watch Longhorn Network, which will present over 200 live events annually across 20 sports, studio shows, historical programming and academic and cultural happenings, on channel 320.

Longhorn Network logoAdditionally, the LonghornNetwork.com broadband companion to the TV network will offer extensive content, particularly live games not carried on the linear TV network due to scheduling conflicts.

In the near future, ESPN said Longhorn Network also will be available online, on tablets and on smartphones for fans with a Verizon FiOS TV plan, making UT athletics and other programming easily available anywhere, anytime.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but ESPN was said to be seeking a monthly subscriber fee of 40 cents within Texas and adjoining states.

Sources familiar with the negotiations say ESPN has also struck deals with smaller affiliates.

Whether any of those distributors will be on board for LHN's kickoff on Aug. 26 at 6 p.m. (CT) was unclear at presstime. With its main three-person anchor team on hand, LHN is scheduled to bow from the South Mall on the University of Texas campus with an assist from the Emmy Award-winning ESPN College GameDay crew -- Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard and Erin Andrews -- for previews of the Longhorns' upcoming football season and its home opener vs. Rice slated for Saturday, Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. Texas coaches, players and former student-athletes are also expected to be involved the two-hour special.

The 24-hour service is the result of a 20-year, $300 million agreement with the university, the programmer and multimedia rights-holder IMG College, which negotiated the deal for the school.

"The Longhorns have a huge presence in Texas, with a passionate fan base that extends across the country," said David Preschlack, executive vice president, Disney and ESPN Media Networks in announcing the agreement. "Verizon's early commitment to this network speaks to the university's popularity and the consumer demand for this content."
Noted Terry Denson, vice president of content strategy and acquisition for Verizon: "We know Texas Longhorn fans are among the most loyal and enthusiastic in college sports, so we're pleased to add the Longhorn Network to our already robust sports lineup on FiOS TV. The addition of this groundbreaking collegiate sports channel adds to Verizon's commitment to bring the best in sports and entertainment and overall video content to our customers."

LHN has run into some difficulties relative to the availability of a second UT football game, the uncertainty surrounding the future of the Big 12 Conference, and planned coverage of high school football contests, which the NCAA ruled against because of the potential for giving the school an edge with recruits.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/..._Affiliate.php

As many articles as I recall about FiOS rollout (in the first few years) being hampered by a lack of qualified technicians, who's to say these people exist? And if they do exist, why would they go work for Verizon with crappy pay, hours, and benefits rather than side with the union? All indications are it's a profession in high demand, despite the broader economic picture.

Verizon's pretending they shouldn't have to pay a premium for skilled workers even though they advertise FiOS as being "the most advanced fiber network," and the result is poor company morale and (even) lower quality customer service.

I'm not sure where you are getting your info from, but its hardly crappy pay, hours and benefits...It is right in line with what other companies are paying. I've worked for another major telco in a very similar position and I can say my benefits and pay with Vz is right on par with that place (some are better) and also the union jobs within VZ. So please don't knock VZ as a company that treats their "mgmt" employees like crap.

There is definitely a huge learning curve, you cant just kick these people to the curb and expect things to keep on rolling BAU. They represent almost 25% of VZ's entire work force.

At the same time, looking at the global economy many countries' economies are in the crapper, the US included. I know I wouldn't have the balls to walk out of my nicely paying job + benefits, especially with a family to support. With our new CEO Lowell McAdams coming from the VZW side, where most people are not union, whose to say he doesn't take a hard stance on some of these issues up for negotiation?

I disagree. My FIOS installer was knowledgable and efficient. I have no complaints about the install or the quality of service. The one thing that terrifies me is if I ever decide to change my service. I haven't had to deal with Customer Support for FIOS, but I hear it's very painful.

For the elsewheres its the Ultimate HD package but it doesnt include the HD channel.

Ultimate....you really cant make this stuff up.

No, you're saying what I'm saying. Why would non-union employees sign on with Verizon under the terms Verizon would like when that results in a benefits cut? They wouldn't. They'd just go elsewhere.


I don't disagree. I think the techs are great, especially compared to Customer Support. But in the wake of the strike truck rolls and service calls are being scheduled weeks out, so the quality of service is (or, prior to the union coming back, was) definitely suffering while Verizon tries to extract concessions.

I'm still confused...For reference, I'm a non-union employee working for Verizon. The terms Verizon is asking the union to agree to is no different than the terms I'm (and new "mgmt" hires) currently working for. They arent bad in relation to other companies/jobs. The fact that the union still pays ZERO for health care other than deductibles at the DR offices, I mean I lost that benefit with my last big telco employer back in early 2000s. And to have your raise tied to your actual performance? I mean does anyone REALLY see a problem with that?

Ah, I misunderstood then. Still, saying that the offer's "not bad" is hardly a ringing endorsement. The reason that unions exist is to bargain for better benefits, after all. And like I said before, we know, because it's been reported many times, that Verizon has a hard time filling these positions. I don't blame them for taking advantage of their superior bargaining position.

As far as performance reviews, I know lots of people that have problems with performance reviews. I'm a lawyer, for example. In my business, tying advancement to performance reviews is code for stealth layoffs and forced departures because frequently they are very arbitrary and highly unaccountable. They allow the tail (economic concerns) to wag the dog (the conclusion and recommendation of the review).

Merit pay is a good way to go. It does require training and competent supervisors. I think we are a bit off topic.