Verizon FIOS vs. Comcast Cable

[Halo]

Still dragging my feet on possibly converting from Comcast cable to Verizon FIOS.  What are the latest Aces High staff and member opinions of these two competitors, both for Aces High and for general all-around performance?

[Knite]

IMHO FIOS in general is better than cable for many reasons.

A) Latency (i.e. LAG). FIOS is much better in terms of lag overall between a home and a switching office. Cable signal degrades quicker and therefore needs more "hops" between point A and point B for the signal to be "repeated". This introduces some delay.

B) Consistancy / Bandwidth sharing. When using a Cable internet service, you're actually sharing a pipe with your neighbors. In a neighborhood like mine where most of the neighbors are really old and not high end users, you'll generally get a good clean, and fast signal. In my old apartment building, signal and lag would be affected as I was sharing the pipe with others in the building. FIOS is more of a "point to point" based transmission, where Cable is more like a "hub based" structure.

C) Upload. Typically FIOS offers greater upload speeds by default. While we've been conditioned to look at download speeds as ADSL and Cable provide better DL speeds than upload, FIOS can offer upload speeds much easier. Response in a video game (or even file transfers) is greatly improved just due to the sheer fact that you can transmit more signal faster back to the servers.

Overall, if FIOS was available in my area, I'd jump off my cable system almost immediately if the price was competitive.

[Chalenge]

FIOS is fast alright. In areas where the cable neighborhood is over-sold it might be great even but its far more than AH needs.

[OOZ662]

Aces High needs stability, not muscle. Some people actually play this game with 56k and have connections far superior to people on DSL/Cable just because it's reliable and constant. With Aces High's smoothing code, you don't actually really even need a low ping, but rather one that doesn't change much in either direction. Obviously, that only goes to a certain point, though. Recieving one packet every minute on the dot isn't so helpful.

[Halo]

Thanks, appreciate the inputs. I'll probably switch to Verizon FIOS sooner or later but meanwhile can't break away from the adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Comcast cable has been good enough for a long time. Certainly good to have the competition and a choice instead of a monopoly. 

[OOZ662]

Certainly good to have the competition and a choice instead of a monopoly. 

Lucky...

[Krusty]

If you seriously have an alternative to Comcast, TAKE IT!!!!!!

Comcast is "fast" sure. But they're also deceitful, lose packets like nobody's business, and are terrible for gaming. AH runs okay, but 90% of my online FPS gaming reeks because of hits not registering.

On top of that you may get "X" mbps speeds, but they actively clog their own bandwidth to keep folks from using more than "Comcast" wants them to. They actively send out signals that terminate many file-sharing files, legitimate or not (they don't want you using their bandwidth with the off chance you're pirating MP3s), and are currently being sued -- I think in a number of states -- for false advertising, bad business practices, and many other seedy underhanded doings.

Oh, and yes they're the company that gives you good service for 6 months then suddenly they flip the switch and you get crap the rest of your life. Many many reports of this kind of activity from Comcast.

For me it's the only option. It works but by god if I had reliable DSL at high speeds I'd probably use that.

[guncrasher]

lol I just happened to live on the only street in the city that doesnt yet have fios for some reason soon as it "gets here"  bye bye, att dsl.

semp

[bj229r]

Aces High needs stability, not muscle. Some people actually play this game with 56k and have connections far superior to people on DSL/Cable just because it's reliable and constant. With Aces High's smoothing code, you don't actually really even need a low ping, but rather one that doesn't change much in either direction. Obviously, that only goes to a certain point, though. Recieving one packet every minute on the dot isn't so helpful.

I usually connect at 38.6, game usually is fine.....get booted on climbout a lot due to surfing squashing bandwidth

[OOZ662]

There ya go.

[bravoa8]

Just watch the verizon comerical.