New Service Question
islandr85
Newbie

I have just signed up for Verizon Fios Triple Play package and I have a question about the Verizon equipment.  Verizon installed Fios in our neighborhood last year and placed flat green panels in some yards and green towers in other yards.  When I told my husband I had signed up for Fios - he said I hope they aren't going to put one of those green towers in the yard!  The problem is where the tower would be located is a very narrow strip of yard between our house and the neighbors and we both are constantly backing in and out of the driveways with boats, etc and use this strip of grass when backing in and out.  I said I thought they could hook up the services from whatever is in the ground under that flat green panel, but my husband and neighbor think they have to install the green tower.  Does anyone happen to know the answer???

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1 Solution

Correct answers
Re: New Service Question
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

The flat panels are access locations where Verizon fed the fiber optic cable thru the neighborhood to reach the "green towers" where they connect customers to the FiOS network.   The "green towers" are much like the green towers you may have noticed for telephone or cable company connections and tend to be in a set location already established for other utilities in your neighborhood.

What will likely happen is if you don't already have fiber to your house is that  the various utility companies will show up and mark where their lines run around your property either with little colored flags or spray paint and then a contractor will show up with trenching and other equipment which will dig a narrow slit in the ground starting where your present phone service / cable enters your house and snaking it's way to where the "green tower" in your neighborhood sits -- this may include using special equipment which will bore under driveways, etc. of yours or your neighbors properties (this is all covered in the utility right-of-way information on yours and your neighbors property deeds).   There's some minor disruption of grass, etc. but it goes away in a few days.

They will mount a device called an ONT (a flat approximately 12x12 panel)  likely on the outside of your house near where your present telephone Dmark box is located and to which the fiber will then connect.  They will wire the ONT to a power outlet inside your house nearby  where they locate the ONT (this is why you need to have a power outlet nearby) which will have a battery backup unit mounted as part of the power unit (mine is in my garage directly inside the wall from the ONT).  

They will in turn move your phone and television cable over to the ONT and disconnect them from the existing boxes and then connect your inside wiring for phone and TV to the ONT as well.

At least, that's my and my neighbors experience.   Hope that helps.

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Re: New Service Question
Justin46
Legend

Without being able to see exactly what has been installed it is impossible to give you a 100% certain answer. However, The way FiOS is generally installed in a single family residential area is to either bury the fiber in the neighborhood or string it on poles much like cable frequently is. If it is buried, then there is a vault under the lid you see where the fiber from the central office is connected to the fiber to be run to the houses (from my experience Verizon does not put in the fiber from the vault to your house until you sign up for FiOS). There are usually multiple houses (5-10 I think, maybe more) connected to the same vault. So if the vaults already exist in your area, especially if there is one within 3 or 4 lots of yours, then all they will need to do is bury a small fiber cable from the vault to your house where they will install additional equipment, either inside and outside on a wall, or maybe all inside if you insist. (FWIW, I have a vault in the right-of-way adjacent to my lot, so I am familiar with this type of installation, buried fiber to the side of the house, could not find where it was buried the next day, and then what is called the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) mounted on the side of the house, usually near where your phone connection is, and then coax connections inside the house.)

As to the green boxes, I don't know. I thought Verizon either used buried vaults or boxes hanging from poles, I have never seen them use a green box. In general, boxes sitting on the ground are used by Verizon and  AT&T for old copper telephone service and U-Verse and by the cable companies.

On the other hand, just to be fair, if that narrow area is a right of way or an easement, then they may have the right to put something in there whether you like it or not.

I hope this helps, I really think you will not have any additional buried vaults or green boxes installed. You might want to call Verizon and ask, maybe they can tell you for sure.

__________________________________
Justin
Verizon FiOS TV, Internet, and phone
QIP6416-P1, IMG 1.7.1, Build 09.97
Keller, TX 76248

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Re: New Service Question
pixed
Enthusiast - Level 3

islandr85: Verizon will use/put a flat in ground box on your property close to the property line. If you neighbor has already installed FIOS and there is a box on his side of the line, they will probably use that. Hope this helps.

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Re: New Service Question
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

The flat panels are access locations where Verizon fed the fiber optic cable thru the neighborhood to reach the "green towers" where they connect customers to the FiOS network.   The "green towers" are much like the green towers you may have noticed for telephone or cable company connections and tend to be in a set location already established for other utilities in your neighborhood.

What will likely happen is if you don't already have fiber to your house is that  the various utility companies will show up and mark where their lines run around your property either with little colored flags or spray paint and then a contractor will show up with trenching and other equipment which will dig a narrow slit in the ground starting where your present phone service / cable enters your house and snaking it's way to where the "green tower" in your neighborhood sits -- this may include using special equipment which will bore under driveways, etc. of yours or your neighbors properties (this is all covered in the utility right-of-way information on yours and your neighbors property deeds).   There's some minor disruption of grass, etc. but it goes away in a few days.

They will mount a device called an ONT (a flat approximately 12x12 panel)  likely on the outside of your house near where your present telephone Dmark box is located and to which the fiber will then connect.  They will wire the ONT to a power outlet inside your house nearby  where they locate the ONT (this is why you need to have a power outlet nearby) which will have a battery backup unit mounted as part of the power unit (mine is in my garage directly inside the wall from the ONT).  

They will in turn move your phone and television cable over to the ONT and disconnect them from the existing boxes and then connect your inside wiring for phone and TV to the ONT as well.

At least, that's my and my neighbors experience.   Hope that helps.

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Re: New Service Question
GaryDoug
Specialist - Level 1

Just a suggestion, depending on your neighborhood security and restrictions....

Park your boats, trailers, RV's, etc... in the area you need for access until after  the "green box/tower" is installed. Bet they will just reset the location rather call anyone to move the vehicles. Devious aren't I?

My installation trench just went to a box in the ground at the corner of my property. The "green tower" for my block is nowhere to be seen from my house.

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Re: New Service Question
islandr85
Newbie

Thank you so much for your replies! It sounds like I don't need to worry about the "green tower" and I will be a new Fios customer very soon!! I've seen some negative comments about the customer service and I hope they are exceptions and not the norm - I'm looking forward to enjoying my new service! Thanks again for your help!

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