FIOS Gigabit plan with 85/600 speeds.

[Verizoned2]

I have FIOS gigabit connection since almost two years ago. It was fine until some months ago, I was able to get speeds of 500+. In the past several months now, when I test its speed, fast.com, ookla, or own Verizon Fios speedtest, I get a consistent speed of around 85 Mpbs, i.e., 8.5% of what I was promised.

So after months of this problem, hoping it would fix for itself, as much as it started bad this way by itself, I decided to call Verizon support and ask them to fix it.

After a two-and-a-half-hour wait, two dropped phone calls, I was able to reach a technician that, after tests and more tests, told me the problem is my router, it is old and a replacement is REQUIRED if I want to have a higher speed (ActionTec MI424WR, the "red router"). 

It so happens that the problem only affects the DOWNLOAD speed, the upload speed that I get through those same tests is consistently around 600 Mbps. So I asked the technician why my system (router + cables + wired computer) is capable of such a high upload speed and still he blames my router, a router that WAS getting 500+ Mbps speeds in the first year at least of the plan?

The technician cannot explain and insists that the only solution is to replace my current router for a new router that costs $15 a month or $300 to buy.

Any ideas why I am getting 85 Mbps DL speed and 600+ Mbps UL consistently in my Gigabit FIOS plan?

[Cang_Household · Accepted solution]

Most network chipsets handle RX and TX on the same chip, so it is either your router or the ONT is problematic.

Physical connectors (ethernet cable, ports) can be ruled out because 802.3 requires both TX and RX to operate at the same protocol in order to link data.

You need to determine whether the ONT or the router is faulty. Assuming your ONT has an ethernet port, bring your laptop or a desktop with a gigabit ethernet port near the ONT. Then connect your device with the ONT via an ethernet cable. This procedure will expose your device to the public internet, so enable software firewalls on your device. If the speed test from there is fine, then probably your router is faulty. If the speeds are uneven too, probably you ONT is faulty.

[Verizoned2]

Thank you for your reply, Cang_H.

As I understood your suggestion, since I already have an Ethernet cable connecting the ONT to my router (WAN port), the test I should do is to connect my laptop/computer directly to such cable. I will do this later (cannot do it right now, internet is in use right now for online classes and work by family members) and report the result here.

[Cang_Household]

Yes, you should definitely try that. I typically configure home network past midnight, so nobody will come down to the basement and question me what am I doing. Today morning (past midnight) I installed Cisco RV260 in place of G1100.

[Verizoned2]

Dang, I had the unfortunate idea to update my last computer to Windows version 2004 and had to wait 2h+ for it to finish so only now I could do the test. Anyway, I connected the Ethernet cable that comes from the ONT directly to my laptop, ran fast.com and verizon/speedtest, got consistent 80+ Mbps download speed and 660+ Mpbs upload speed so it should be indeed some problem with the ONT, not my beloved router.

Now my problem will be to convince Verizon that my router is fine and their ONT is to blame. According to the two technicians that I talked to, "the system says I need to upgrade my router".

Thank you so much for your help, Cang_H.

[appDev]

while you might need to replace your router, you should be able to provide them the data from the ONT speed test as an indication something is not right with the ONT.

My suggestion would be for you to 'rent' the modem for a month - that way, they have to fix whatever the issues are. in the meantime, go find a router/mesh/whatever you need and simply stop the rental after you get it. That will prevent them from shifting blame onto your equipment.

[Verizoned2]

After spending more than one hour on the phone with a technician, he asked me to do the ONT test twice, and twice the speeds were around 85/700. and he was convinced that my router was fine. He then told me he was calling a network specialist to look into my case. After some time, they came with the solution, they had found the problem: misconfiguration in the server! Although I pay for a gigabit connection, I was told the system was HARDCODED to allow me only 75/75 and they also told me it was due to some previous orders in the past (which I do not remember and even do not agree but anyway, makes no difference). I then asked them that if the system was hardcoded to give me only 75/75, why was I getting consistently 85/700? No good answer. Then, with the problem found, I happily asked them to just fix it! Well, they told me they could not fix it because I should talk to billing first, make sure I am paying for a gigabit connection. I told them that when I access my account, I see that I am paying and have a gigabit connection! Anyway, I was then transferred to Billing Department, and guess what the Billing guy told me? That he could not fix my problem because in the system he sees me as already a gigabit customer, there is nothing wrong in my account from the billing point of view. And then the billing guy told me that I should talk again with the technician and ask THEM to fix the problem. In the meantime, I test my speed again and guess what I am getting now? 85/85!! So, the technician that I talked DID FIX the problem by sync'ing my UP speed to my DL speed! I do not have anymore 85/700, now I consistently have 85/85 (tested three times already). And now I am waiting again for the technician to call me back and explain to him for the n'th time my saga and see what the next chapter of it will be. I swear to god that if I did not know how bad customer care and service are for Comcast, I would drop Verizon and switch to it, but I know that no matter how badly Verizon treats me, and they ARE treating me badly, Comcast would be worse, in the long run.

[Verizoned2]

I am looking here at Comcast/Xfinity, they have gigabit connection for 80 dollars a month, does anyone know if I can keep using my ActionTec router with Xfinity?

[LawrenceC]

Hi Verizoned,

Your issue has been escalated to a Verizon agent. Please check your Private Messenger Inbox for a message from a Verizon Support agent. You can find your Inbox by clicking on your username at the top right corner of this page and then clicking the envelope icon that appears at the top of the menu. Response times may vary and may be delayed at this time. Please continue to check your Inbox for a reply from a Verizon agent. Please direct all correspondence concerning your issue to the agents who will be assisting you privately.

[Verizoned2]

I have no idea where this PMI is.