Landline Providers

RareBreed

Throwing the deuces
We have pretty much had it with Verizon. It seems like once a month we lose our phone and internet. The outage typically lasts 3-5 days at a time. It's getting unacceptable. What other providers are there for Southern Calvert Co that won't break the bank? We want to keep DirecTV but need something else for phone and internet. We would also like to keep our same home number if possible. TIA.
 

Hannibal

Active Member
I don't have a recommendation but I am very curious about how/why you are losing service that long? I myself have Comcast (a basic Triple Play) but they may ultimately group Verizon as the phone carrier. I can't recall.

I just don't understand how an outage should last that long unless there is a physical break in the lines. Are you in a very remote area?
 

RareBreed

Throwing the deuces
I don't have a recommendation but I am very curious about how/why you are losing service that long? I myself have Comcast (a basic Triple Play) but they may ultimately group Verizon as the phone carrier. I can't recall.

I just don't understand how an outage should last that long unless there is a physical break in the lines. Are you in a very remote area?

We live in CRE. Usually the outage happens late in the week (Thursday or Friday) and Verizon says they can't get anyone out until the following Monday or Tuesday. We did have an appointment for last Friday but they never showed. When we called, they said nobody had been dispatched/picked up the ticket to be dispatched. The problem is always with the line and the technicians have never had to actually come to our house. Everyone around us has Comcast but they complain about how expensive it's gotten and keeps getting each year.
 

DoWhat

Deplorable
PREMO Member
We have pretty much had it with Verizon. It seems like once a month we lose our phone and internet. The outage typically lasts 3-5 days at a time. It's getting unacceptable. What other providers are there for Southern Calvert Co that won't break the bank? We want to keep DirecTV but need something else for phone and internet. We would also like to keep our same home number if possible. TIA.

I use Nettalk for phone, but you need internet,
https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2387769,00.asp
And you can keep your same number.
 

luvmygdaughters

Well-Known Member
We have pretty much had it with Verizon. It seems like once a month we lose our phone and internet. The outage typically lasts 3-5 days at a time. It's getting unacceptable. What other providers are there for Southern Calvert Co that won't break the bank? We want to keep DirecTV but need something else for phone and internet. We would also like to keep our same home number if possible. TIA.

We have Verizon also for phone and internet, and they SUCK!!!!
 

Goldenhawk

Well-Known Member
I gave up on Verizon a few years ago. I signed up with Ooma premiere, which uses my high-speed internet for "voice over internet protocol" (VOIP). Far less expensive per month ($100 hardware, plus $10/month compared to ~$40/month), no worse downtime than whatever you have with your internet service provider (for me, it's been no worse than a couple hours once or twice a year - I can live with that), and tons of cool features like free long distance, voicemail to my email inbox, automatic NoMoRoBo junk call blocking, much more. I love it and have been very satisfied.

https://www.ooma.com/telo/premier-home-phone-service/
 

RareBreed

Throwing the deuces
We finally got our phone and internet back. It had been out since Wednesday night/Thursday morning. The technician said something in the box on the street needed to be replaced. Apparently when the other technicians came out over the last few months, they just reset it and didn't replace it. Hopefully this takes care of the issue and we won't have any more monthly outages.
 

willie

Well-Known Member
I gave up on Verizon a few years ago. I signed up with Ooma premiere, which uses my high-speed internet for "voice over internet protocol" (VOIP). Far less expensive per month ($100 hardware, plus $10/month compared to ~$40/month), no worse downtime than whatever you have with your internet service provider (for me, it's been no worse than a couple hours once or twice a year - I can live with that), and tons of cool features like free long distance, voicemail to my email inbox, automatic NoMoRoBo junk call blocking, much more. I love it and have been very satisfied.

https://www.ooma.com/telo/premier-home-phone-service/

I have had Ooma for several years and quite satisfied. You pay only the taxes that have been between 3.46 to $5.50. The only problem has been Comcast. We lose internet way too often.
 

RareBreed

Throwing the deuces
I gave up on Verizon a few years ago. I signed up with Ooma premiere, which uses my high-speed internet for "voice over internet protocol" (VOIP). Far less expensive per month ($100 hardware, plus $10/month compared to ~$40/month), no worse downtime than whatever you have with your internet service provider (for me, it's been no worse than a couple hours once or twice a year - I can live with that), and tons of cool features like free long distance, voicemail to my email inbox, automatic NoMoRoBo junk call blocking, much more. I love it and have been very satisfied.

https://www.ooma.com/telo/premier-home-phone-service/

Right now, we have DSL so until we can get better internet, Ooma doesn't sound like an option for us.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
We finally got our phone and internet back. It had been out since Wednesday night/Thursday morning. The technician said something in the box on the street needed to be replaced. Apparently when the other technicians came out over the last few months, they just reset it and didn't replace it. Hopefully this takes care of the issue and we won't have any more monthly outages.

They had to replace a circuit board in the box on our building, at least on pair of conductors, and "something in the box on the street" a couple weeks ago to get our phone/internet back up too.

But we're so remote that there are no other options than Verizon, and even then, only a T1... ;-(
 

Restitution

New Member
The technician said something in the box on the street needed to be replaced. Apparently when the other technicians came out over the last few months, they just reset it and didn't replace it. Hopefully this takes care of the issue and we won't have any more monthly outages.

I've lost count of the number of phone and cable interconnect boxes I have seen that are exposed, covered with a trash bag, or just about toppled over due to damage.

The BandAid approach is going to collapse very soon!
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
Thanks we will look into that.

fi you are using Verizon for both phone and internet, switching to a new ISP isn't gong to solve your problem.
As long as you are using the same wires and switches you are going to have the same problem.

There is no other explanation than a hardware or wiring issue for such routine outages, not if they are as regular as you say.
Have you noticed if the weather is a factor (wet, windy, cold, hot)?
You need to address the route cause of your service outage. Just remember, Verizon only owns up to your house, you are responsible for the other pieces (inside the house).
Next time the technician DOES come out, ask them what they did to restore service. Get as much information out of them as possible.
The only difference between COMCAST and Verizon, is the wire and switches. The cable is most likely newer. Once it's decoded off the cable, it's routed through Verizon for voice.
 
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