dexman's Posts

Two questions to get the ball rolling: If you have any local friends or neighbors that subscribe to Fios, can they check to see if they are seeing the same problem that you do? 🤔 Can the error counters & channel stats be checked (while tuned to channel 576) to see if the STB is indicating that something is out of whack? 🤔

If this is the loss of a channel from a Fios cable package, Verizon has a Message Board where it lists channel changes and the packages affected: <Settings> Message Center. A notification about the channel being dropped might be there. 🤔 I'm in the Boston area so that particular channel is not available up here.

When the television screen freezes and goes black, is the STB rebooting? If it hasn't been tried, unplug the STB, wait a minute or two, plug it back in and see if that makes any difference. There is always the chance that the DVR is malfunctioning and in need of replacement. Other members might have more ideas to try. 🙂

RG6 is the industry standard for cable television applications. Compression connectors are the standard for termination. Now, the location of cut (near one end of the cable or somewhere along the way) will determine if the best solution. If the cut is near the end, a simple replacement of the connector might be the way to go. If the cut is in the middle, re-running the coaxial cable might be best. Sure, the option to put connectors on each end of the cut and use a coupler to join the two sections together is there, but sometimes simplicity is the way to go. 🙂 I would also suggest purchasing the tools designed to work with coaxial cable from a hardware store such as Home Depot or Lowes. While the tools may only be used once or twice before being put away, proper preparation and termination will ensure the best results. 🙂 The three tools needed are: cable cutters (rounded blades to help prevent the crushing of the dielectric around the center conductor), a preparation tool (to strip off the outer jacket and shielding at the proper lengths) and a compression tool (to compress the replacement connector(s) onto the coaxial cable). Last year, I submitted a video demonstrating the technique for prepping and terminating tri-shielded coaxial cable. I don't have the URL for the posted video, but it should be easy to find. 🙂

Having Fios already available in the town is a good first step. I found myself in a similar situation with my church. Fios was rolled out in my town back in 2008. I'm a early adopter here at the house and have been very pleased with the service overall. The church that I attend is about five blocks away from the house. Verizon opted not to bring Fios to the area around the church due to the utilities are underground and low residential density.  I would periodically check Verizon's website to see if there were any changes, but the answer was always "not available". I would also send repeated requests asking Verizon for notification if the situation changed. Then in 2022, Verizon, as a part of the ongoing legacy outside copper plant decommission and legacy central office switch retirement project, indicated that it would be bringing Fios to the area around the church. Due to foot-dragging by one of utilities, along with winter dig moratoriums, it took well over a year for all of the work to be completed. Fios finally arrived last November and the church and a daycare that leases space in the building migrated phone & Internet services over to Fios and both organizations are quite happy with the results. My suggestion is to keep checking the status of Fios in the town and if the ability to send inquiries to Verizon, do so. If neighbors are also interested in signing up with have them also reach out. The more "noise" generated the better. But ultimately any decision to expand Fios will be up to Verizon, the town and, if applicable, any homeowner associations.