What is Speed Limit for FIOS MDU (Multi Dwelling Unit)? 20/5?
focus3
Newbie

Verizon's billing side has me set up with 25/25, but provisioning and technical support tell me that technically I am limited to 20/5 because in an MDU, there is a segment between the ONT and my unit which uses VDSL, and thus there's a limit to 20/5.

  1. Is this true that there is a 20/5 limit?
  2. Can any upgrades to the ONT or the VDSL modem raise this limit?
  3. Can anyone give me any advice on how to untangle Verizon's billing and technical support side.  (I have tried to get billing to tell me about this limit at 20/5, and technical support to give me the 25/25, but each side tells me to contact the other.)

Thanks!

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Re: What is Speed Limit for FIOS MDU (Multi Dwelling Unit)? 20/5?
VZ_Javier
Enthusiast - Level 3

Dear Focus3,

Sorry about the wait.  If the owner of the building allows for you to have your own ONT placed in your apt/unit.  Then you will get standard speeds. 

Question 1. The limit is 30/5. 

Question 2. Not using VDSL will allow for higher speeds.  If you are on an MDU it is probably because building management  (owner) requested it. 

Thanks

Re: What is Speed Limit for FIOS MDU (Multi Dwelling Unit)? 20/5?
VZ_Erik
Enthusiast - Level 3

There are many ways a MDU can be engineered – it can be engineered to use a SFU design or a common ONT design.

In a SFU design – the fiber is brought to each living unit and an ONT is mounted in the unit.  This design is Verizon’s preferred method in MDUs – and it allows the consumer to get the advertised speeds just as any other customer in a single family home.  The SFU design is more invasive to the current residents of the building – Verizon must enter each living unit before the service is available and event if the customer may never choose to order FiOS.

In a Common ONT design – the fiber is brought to a common area of the building and a common ONT(s) is mounted.  When a customer orders, Verizon rides the existing wiring from the common ONT to the consumers unit.  In this design, there can be limitations to the speed the consumer can get.  There are various common ONTs – some are vDSL1 and others are vDSL2.  There are speed variations based on which type of common ONT was placed.    The common ONT design is used mainly when an owner will not allow the SFU design, or where we have few options for our engineering design based on the architecture of the building. 

As it pertains to your questions:

 

1.   Is this true that there is a 20/5 limit?  You are probably in a building that has a common ONT w/ vDSL1 technology.  Therefore, the best speed will be 20/5

 

2.   Can any upgrades to the ONT or the VDSL modem raise this limit?  No, not with the current architecture.  The building would need to be redesigned by Verizon engineering & agreed to by the property owner.

Re: What is Speed Limit for FIOS MDU (Multi Dwelling Unit)? 20/5?
thereford
Newbie

I have just gone through the same process.  We were promised 25/25 if we changed our TV to Fios.  When we did so we were informed, only after hours on the phone, that our unit only supports 20/5.  This is clearly not a good business ethic for Verizon.  If they know this they should be able to give a warning in advance.  We OWN this property.  They should be able to give us a connection not bottle-necked by a VDSL connection.  I am starting to think I was given a cookie cutter answer. please advise.

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Re: What is Speed Limit for FIOS MDU (Multi Dwelling Unit)? 20/5?
Fiberguy
Enthusiast - Level 1

I have just gone through the same process.  We were promised 25/25 if we changed our TV to Fios.  When we did so we were informed, only after hours on the phone, that our unit only supports 20/5.  This is clearly not a good business ethic for Verizon.  If they know this they should be able to give a warning in advance.  We OWN this property.  They should be able to give us a connection not bottle-necked by a VDSL connection.  I am starting to think I was given a cookie cutter answer. please advise.


I don't think you're getting a cookie cutter answer, but I certainly understand your feeling that way. Let me try to explain as specifically as possible:

When an MDU is engineered for Fios, the preferred method is to bring an actual fiber optic connection to every individual living unit (LU). Now that usually takes the form of bringing the fiber in from the "street", installing it into a Fiber Distribution Hub (FDH) from which fibers feeds to each floor at a Fiber Distribution Terminal (FDT). From there individual fiber "drops" are run to each LU, usually through molding similar to what the cable companies have been using for years, though frankly, of better quality than theirs. Once the electronics are hooked up to the end of this fiber in the LU, the only real limitation becomes the service level the customer wants to pay for. But the problem with this method is that many real estate management companies or home owner associations don't want that much work being done on their properties regardless of what the individual LU owner might want, even if Verizon is willing to pick up the installation costs, which it usually is. So then Verizon has no choice but to use VDSL as the next best option, utilizing the pre-existing wiring at the property. Very often the LU owners aren't even made aware of these options or the decisions being made on their behalf by whoever manages the property! The good news is that the newer VDSL equipment will get you the speeds you want; the bad news is that there's no telling when they'll be available in your area or particualr address.