FIOS router upgrades, supported commercially-available devices, and IPv6 support
arrow2068
Enthusiast - Level 1
I confess that I am trying to be patient and to "understand" Verizon's approach with upgrades to the Actiontec routers for FIOS customers. Notably, we've been a FIOS customer for more than 5 years. In the IT world, 3-5 years is the average lifespan of network equipment, with the corresponding depreciation schedule. Presuming that our payments for FIOS services included some portion towards depreciation and replacement of equipment - including our Actiontec router - I admit to being a little irked that it appears that Verizon wants at least $99.00 to replace our current 802.11g unit with an 802.11n unit (not necessarily even current technology), rather than simply telling us that a replacement is "ready for us" and waiting for us to initiate the order to replace the existing, older unit. With announcements over the last 2 years of vulnerabilities in consumer routers, and - clearly - no further firmware upgrades for the older Actiontec routers, it appears that Verizon's strategy is to a) extract as much cash from customers as they'll tolerate, and b) ignore the risks, impacts, and potential liabilities in permitting older, end-of-life, unmaintainable devices to remain on its networks and connected to the Internet, potentially affecting its other customers, and other private and governmental entities with interests exposed to or leveraging the Internet. At least with Comcast/XFinity, I could - eventually - replace my cable modem with a later model, supported version, and then use whatever router I wanted to - owning the configuration, maintenance, and consequences. With Verizon FIOS it doesn't appear that I have that option. It seems that Verizon-owned and supported routers are required if one wants the requisite MOCA support, and connectivity to the FIOS network. a) Are there alternative, compatible routers that customers can purchase and use with their FIOS service? b) Is there somewhere on the Verizon site - someplace I may have missed - where it's possible to order replacements for older equipment (routers, DVRs) without having to pay replacement charges (since, at this point, it's all user-installable)? c) are there any proper upgrades to routers, and support for IPv6 coming in the near future? Andrew
Re: FIOS router upgrades, supported commercially-available devices, and IPv6 support
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

a)  Actiontec is the only current manufacturer of MOCA capable routers.  If you don't have FIOS-TV, then you can have your WAN connection provisioned over cat5 and use any router you wish.  If you have FIOS-TV, there are still ways you can run your own router, but you will still need the Actiontec or a MOCA bridge. What are the tradeoffs between the various router configurations

b) Not without an upgrade fee.  $99 for the latest router. $40 to upgrade from a 160GB to 500GB DVR.

c) IPv6 was supposed to be available in 4Q2012.  Supposedly, IPv6 is still in internal testing.  There is support for IPV6 in the rev. I Actiontec, but it is not currently enabled.

BTW, nice wall of text.  Ever hear of paragraph breaks?

Re: FIOS router upgrades, supported commercially-available devices, and IPv6 support
roaddogg1
Specialist - Level 1

If everyone (think of how many fios customers there are in the U.S.) were to get the new routers for free who do you think will end up paying for those upgrades? Everyone. Nothing is ever free.


In one way or another even with the other companies that upgrade new equipment the costs are always passed down to the consumer one way or another.

Is it a good business strategy for Verizon to charge for the router instead of rent them out? Only they will know that when their numbers roll in.

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Re: FIOS router upgrades, supported commercially-available devices, and IPv6 support
db909
Contributor - Level 3

@arrow2068 wrote:
Presuming that our payments for FIOS services included some portion towards depreciation and replacement of equipment - including our Actiontec router -
That is an unsubstantiated bad presumption.
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Re: FIOS router upgrades, supported commercially-available devices, and IPv6 support
tns2
Community Leader
Community Leader

Might be interesting when they launch general IPV6 residential support.  The older routers don't support it, and so will they offer a free upgrade?

ps; Lots of you don't appear to remember the days when no one offered free routers or modems.  You had to pay for both yourself.

Re: FIOS router upgrades, supported commercially-available devices, and IPv6 support
rlindabury
Enthusiast - Level 1

There is no such thing as a FREE router.

We all PAY for our routers through the montly fees, setup charges and more. You may be provided a "free" router because Verizon wanted to increase subscriptions. The cost of these are factored into their sales/marketing plan and long-term goals. If you think the cost of your router isn't factored into your subscription terms, you're living in a fantasy world.

With all the money Verizon (an other companies) are raking in via our subscriptions/fees, they should NOT be charging us extra for a router upgrade. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay $100.00 for a new one.

Worse comes to worse, my router will somehow no longer work and then Verizon can come out and provide me with a new one at their own expense if they want to keep me as a customer. As it is I have the Optimum Online Cablevision guys here just about every week trying to get me to switch providers.  

I have no loyalty to any of these companies especially when they're looking to kill net neutrality laws so that they can make us pay more for the content we want like Netflix or Hulu, etc.  That's just what we need. It's bad enough the cable companies are our ISP's.

So, I'll not be outlaying an extra $100 out of my pocket to use the service. Period.

Re: FIOS router upgrades, supported commercially-available devices, and IPv6 support
DallasFios
Newbie
Funny. I've had FIOs since it first became available in my community. I'm now on 75/75 thriple play and I'm with you. Obviously the other responders haven't compared existing to new customer prices nor have they any understanding of what other providers charge in other service areas of the country for same or betterspeeds. I have a home in Arizona and the 500/500 service with the same tv/phone options is half of what i pay in Texas.

Anyway, it's interesting that your Actiontec hasn't failed in all this time. I'm not sure of the current policy but mine has failed twice and each time I was shipped the newest rev. It would fail again if i thought i'd receive the latest Gateway router. Maybe you're being too gentle with yours.
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