Well, aren't we lucky. We now have FIOS as well as Comcast.

[yy4me]

I've been getting calls from Verizon to switch. When I try and tell them I have no money to give them to change and I am already a Verizon phone customers, they do not offer any kind of consideration. You have to buy the whole package.

Both carriers offer Internet, TV and phone. Both do not give us, per specific town, a list of what we would receive if we used the service on any level. I should say Comcast gives us a list of station numbers but nothing else. Last July, I dropped to basic cable. Two reasons why. First, they dropped MSNBC from the extended offering and and the price for Cable and Internet was going over $100.00 a month. Too much for my pocketbook.

Now comes FIOS, No literature has come to me but if I go to their website, it seems that I have to get extended(or their equivalent) to get any decent programming. I understand they come to your house, put in their wires and take out the cable lines. What if you don't like FIOS it? Plus, I really don't want my phone, computer and TV all connected. Call me old fashioned.

I guess my main beef if that we still, even with competition, do not have a choice in programming.

A La Carte is still the only fair way to go. I would bet 100% of the public feels this way. I won't list the channels I get now, suffice it to day, I do not want evangelists, shopping, foreign language or most of the other stuff they feed us in the name of TV. 22 channels, I might check out 4 on a good day.

I watch only NECN,turn it on at 5 and off after Jim Broudy.

The lack of choice hurts the providers more than they know. Look at all the advertising I do not see!

BTW, no senior discount with Verizon FIOS. At least Comcast offers that. If I could get a telescoping antenna(like a car antenna, I think I would drop cable altogether and switch my Internet carrier to something else.

[JayMusgrove]

1. I used to have Comcast until they dropped C-Span2

With Verizon FIOS, I have C-Span 1, 2 +3~!!!! AND MSNBC, and 100 others, 3 good movie channels for basic price (AMC included)...lots of local channels, NH PBS Mass 2 PBS's RI PBS.

Phone is nationwide and Canada unlimited anytime.

Internet is fast enough for anything.

If you have Verizon phone now, you don't have to pay until the end of the month after free installation, and they are giving away a free mini laptop for the two year commitment at $120 a month.

[Kat45]

2. I don't want phone, computer and TV all connected either.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I'd be concerned that if something went wrong, I'd be left with nothing for as long as it took them to fix it. I got so sick of Comcast trying to get me to add phone to the rest of my package; I always refuse. I know a couple of people who have Comcast phone, and both have had a lot of trouble with it, things like a call just ending in the middle of a conversation. I don't know if their situations have improved, but I still don't want it.

[JayMusgrove]

3. I have had all 3 with Comcast, and now all 3 with FIOS

Comcast phone and internet went out once, (storm) and came back on shortly thereafter, TV did not go out.

As I said above I switched to Verizon about a year and a half ago.

Comcast TV picture quality was always less clear than FIOS is now.

Unless you use Dish TV or some other satellite system, chances are, even if you have ONLY two out of three services, OR one out of three services, chances are the same cable or fiber optic cable delivers all 3 services to your block, and splits it up to get into your house if you keep wanting to pay two or three separate bills.

The Verizon device for phone/internet/TV service is ONE BOX which has a 24 hour backup battery always in place to deal with power failures and continue your phone service, despite the local power failure due to any reason.

But I see what you mean....I also have healthy skepticism.
I also have a cell/mobile phone, just in case, because I don't want to be without phone service after 24 hours of power outage, and I like having a phone available all the time as I travel.

By combining all 3 into one bill saves me time, money and aggravation. My combination bill is $23 LESS than it was before I ever had either Comcast 3 or Verizon 3, back when I paid for all 3 as different services from different sources, all at this same address.

By the way, by signing up for Verizon for 2 years, they promised no price increase in 2 years and gave me a small flat screen TV for my bedroom or to use as a computer monitor.