CANCER!!

As a Comcast customer, I can tell you what's not better: having no choice.

very tough question. kinda like which sucked worse, the 3 legged chernobyl chicken or the glowing rotten egg?

Well lets weigh this out. Comcast hasn't set people's house on fire, but they do have the problem of never getting someone out to install their service. Both have horrible customer service, but Verizon at least pretends to have an inkling of care for their customers, where as Comcast enjoys cutting you with a very dull lemon juice covered knife to watch you really suffer.

Where's the choice for neither?

DirecTV until Veizon gets their channel lineup squared away. Right now its a little HD-lite.
I'd rather be circumcised without anaesthesia then switch to Comcast.

The question should read: which is less bad? Having used Comcast, I'll take the mystery box of crap that's labeled Verizon FiOX

It seems to be luck of the draw with your installer and your location. My bf's parents have FiOS (for cable/phone), and had no install problems. And the channels/interface/speed are much better than Comcast.

We don't have FiOS yet in our area, had a decent experience with Comcast triple play on our most recent move/install -- but I think that was completely due to the professionalism and ability of the installer. The channel selection isn't that great and the HD box sucks. And our monthly bill is obscene now that promotional pricing has ended.

We're about to move again, and I'm not thrilled about sticking with Comcast, but I'm nearly positive we don't want Dish or DirectTV... HD TiVo would be nice but still queasy about paying $700 for the box + lifetime.

I didn't vote because I don't have FiOS. However, I will have it in January and I can't wait to switch from Comcast.

Hmm... !@#$ installation or !$#$@ service? I'd go for !@#$# installation, cause at least Big Brother ain't going to mess with your bandwidth. Don't mess with my BT got it?!

"No matter who wins, we lose."

I hope to be able to answer this question for myself since Verizon wants to wire my condo complex with FIOS. Until then I have no choice but Comcast.

I switched to Verizon FiOS because it offered a 5/2 package (5 Mb download speed, 2 Mb upload speed). This is really important for the home office user, since I am often doing meetings via web conferencing, and with Comcast's 384 Kb upload bandwidth nobody could understand a word I was saying via my Vonage VoIP phone.

Oh, and it's 3 bucks less a month, to boot.

I have used comcast and fios for extended period of time and Fios is clearly better. fios bandwidth is not shared as it is with comcast due to network design. Comcast allocates bandwidth to an area for everyone to use which is why they kick people for using it to much since the the other customers in their area would have issues. Fios does not have these issues.

None of the above?

Speakeasy has awesome Internet, if a bit pricy, and relies on DSL availability. Dish Network has good prices and HD channel lineup (though I hear DirecTV's HD lineup has improved greatly).

@Mike_: "As a Comcast customer, I can tell you what's not better: having no choice."

and

@r4__: "No matter who wins, we lose."

TRUTH!!!

I choose FiOS though because at the end of the day when all the lame installs and locked markets, FiOS is just faster and better.

Unfortunately I'm in Mike_'s world and Comcrap is the only game in my area for speeds above 6Mb/s.

Did anyone else find it hilarious to see the line Comcast! without some sort of expletive before it?

Have had both, despite having an install problem with the line and just as crappy, scripted tech support as every other net provider i've ever had ("Yes, I did hit the reset button on the router. No, I won't do it again") Verizon's fios service is far, far better than any other net access I've ever had. It has been rock solid (since they fixed a staple their tech sent through the cat5), and is blazingly fast.

I've had DSL from multiple providers, cable through multiple providers, and dialup over the last 10 years, and fios is the best. It's not perfect, but it's better than the rest of the crap out there, mainly because it's just so f-ing fast.

@Mike_: Seconded, although I've been debating scaling down to DSL, it may be slower... but its not comcast.

@durkzilla: I switched to FiOS as soon as it was available for the same reasons and have been very happy with the speeds and reliability. FiOS has actually been more reliable for me than Concast was. I used to have to shutdown/reboot my Comcast router once every 2 mo. or so but haven't had any problems with FiOS.

And, you may have seen the issues with Comcast throttling BT users, this doesn't appear to happen on FiOS, though I'm definitly not a megaup/dloader.

I've heard tell (on Consumerist and from some friends) of Verizon install issues but I tend to think it's because there is so much demand for the service and they're overstretched. When I joined FiOS in 7/05 it was still in test in my area and not many people knew about it. The installers were great, very friendly and laid back. But I'm sure they're worn and haggard now that everyone that wants off Comcast is banging down their door.

So what if it takes 3 months to get FiOS? At least you'll have a new tv.

I hate Comcrap with a passion, but Verizon gets more hate. Add that to no CableCARD capabilities on FiOS for my TiVo S3 and I'm stuck having a Crapperific Time(TM).

I switched from comcast to verizon. Comcast would slow down at peak usage times.

I had Comcast cable and Internet for years -- from 2000 to 2006. It was expensive, but the Internet was great; cable, eh. I hated dealing with them.

I got FIOS in 2006 and, honestly, I've become an evangelist for them. I got the triple play and immediately started saving $30/month. The cable is awesome -- lots more channels -- and the Internet is the same. Phone is the same. I really like it.

I have probably gotten 25 Comcast postcards this trying to get me to come back. I laugh and laugh.

Choose between the 2 devils? I'd say it's a draw!

I would drop Comcast like a hot rock for Fios. The broadband speed and channel-resolution speed is enough for me to switch.

From Southpark:

Sometimes you have to choose between a Giant Douche and a Turd Sandwich...
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Although FIOS is available in my area, it's not available at my apartment building. Apparently, apartment buildings are expected to be the last to get FIOS service, because of the extra equipment required (routing/handling multiple connections, i suppose).

@Mike_: Amen to that...

As for the poll, lesser of the two evils: Verizon.

I voted FiOS. Never used it, but I hear the service is fairly decent (although the install isn't). And ANYTHING is better than Concast.

Does Comcast have 20/20?

I can't speak for Comcast, but I dropped RoadRunner for FiOS the day it was available in my neighborhood. The install took about 4 hours, but the installer pretty much did everything I asked in terms of wiring. The quality of the service is great, I consistently get a little more than 20 Mbs down/5 MBs up. I have had no down time in the 18 months that I have had it.

I've never had Verizon's FIOS. But I've had Comcast for four years, so I feel qualified to comment:

On the one hand, the Comcast service mostly works, and is very fast.

On the other hand, when it doesn't work, the Comcast system (of subcontracted field techs with no direct communication to customer service) is guaranteed to provide a disastrous experience much of the time. During my last outage, Comcast made, and failed to show up for, three all-day appointments in a row.

So I would switch to FIOS if I could.

I have the 15/2 package and it has always been great. In a year and a half of having it I have had it go down maybe twice, each time lasting no more than 3 hours. I would go a day or two without internet when I had Comcast. Also, Verizon is going to be doling out a flat 20/20 package soon and I cant wait to get my hands on that!

Would you rather lose a leg or an arm?

Comcast with for Customer service (Did I just say that?). Verizon wins for actual service...

@RevRagnarok: I suggest you head over to tivocommunity.com and read up on FiOS CableCARD support. There are plenty of people posting there about getting FiOS CableCARDs for their S3's.

A kick in the nuts?

I've had Comcast TV & Internet and now Fios Internet. Here's my list:

Comcast:
- Bad installer wouldn't give me cable box because I hadn't moved my TV in yet
- Bad DVR cable boxes... went through at least 4, all buggy and crashy
- Bad Internet - speeds varied widely, DNS went down for a full week
- Bad price
- Good OnDemand selection

FiOS
- Bad installer acted like I was a pompous ass for wanting the modem/router installed on the side of the room that my desk was on
- Bad phone support couldn't set up paper billing unless I got a phone line
- Good tech responded a week later when modem/router died, very helpful, gave me his cell if I had further issues
- Router's built in Wifi is spotty with Macs
- Good Internet service - incredibly fast and stable
- Colleagues tell me TV selection is better than Comcast for same price

Fios wins out in my opinion. And I'm saving $50+ per month on TV service by using iTunes and a Miro / tvrss.net combo. TV Shows download in under 10 minutes from iTunes via the 20Mbit Fios service.

@IphtashuFitz: Thanx for the info... If it ever comes to my old neighborhood, I'll look into it.

I got FiOS (phone and internet; TV was pending county approval) as soon as it was available. Installation was done and working when promised, although the first router he tried didn't work.

The router eventually got flaky in a way that they couldn't figure out. They were initially convinced the router was fine and _both_ my systems had lost their minds, but I was able to determine otherwise using my old router. They then swapped routers by mail (with RMA), no charge.

Otherwise, service has been quite reliable.

I have no experience with Comcast.

That's like a choice between a kick in the nuts and a stick in the eye.

That said, I have Comcast. No major complaints, no major service outages except for one point a couple of years ago when they added new servers and the interwebs were fubared off and on for a month while they worked out the bugs.

Also, dropped my cable/internet bill from $140/mo to $80/mo just because I called up and asked them to.

we can make this poll easy. Fios is about 3 times faster for the same $$$

Oh, and verizon provides unlimited downloading from usenet (7-10 day retention) whereas comcass gives you a stellar 1-2gigs.

Isn't this kinda like the "gun or the knife" question?

FiOS. Lesser of two evils. Or evil of two lessers.

My best friend is lucky enough to live where she can get FIOS. She dumped Comcast to get it. She did not have any issues with the FIOS installation.
She did have to wait like 10 days for an appointment, but considering the number of times Comcast had cancelled to fix her ongoing problems, 10 days didn't seem too long to wait.
Anyway: FIOS has never gone out on her & works really well. She hasn't had any customer service issues that she's ever mentioned.
The biggest drawback to FIOS, IMO, is that I can't get it where I live.
I'm seriously jealous.

@RevRagnarok: FiOS supports cablecards just fine for Tivo S3's.

I can't believe this question was even asked really. FiOS is so far superior to comcast anything that it's not even a contest.

I'm waiting for Verizon to offer Cable and Comcast to offer fiber before I buy either. Oh.. wait.. I've succumbed to Comcast because Qwest won't do naked DSL in my area, and the local FIOS (Utopia) won't install to "multi-resident dwellings" (meaning apartment complexes) but it apparently is for singles living alone, only.

Crummy ISP won't install in units with more than 7 apartments without the city's authorization and a contract with a management company. I'm in a six-plex, but the ISP/Installer said, "I don't care if you say there are only six apartments. This here excel spreadsheet says there are 20 or 30 apartments at your address." I invited the nice lady to drive by my apartment "complex" on the way home from work, but apparently it takes licensed, authorized contractor to count higher than 2.

The kicker, my neighbors both have it. $40/mo for 150 Mbps (yes, one-hundred fifty) up/down. Comcrap's is $62.93 for 6Mbps.

The caps comcast puts on the network in my area really make me wish fios was at my house(few freinds have it right down the road). That tied with the crappy upload speed(my sprint evdo card can upload faster)really ticks me off. Also I have clients that have comcast cable that get 20 megs down easy. I hit 5 tops. Drives me nuts.

For me, fios by a mile. Although i have a static ip and "business" service, which is a fair bit more expensive than the cheapo residential fios. After like 6 months, the actiontek router they give you died, i called up at about 5 pm from work, got to a tech after 5 minutes on hold, he noticed i was a business customer, transferred me to a different department. I explained the problem to that tech, he didn't even doubt me, didn't make me jump through all kinds of tests and things, he just asked for my mailing address. brand new router at the door 8am next morning. I've talked to them on the phone several times to make changes to phone or other services, haven't waited on the phone for long and i've gotten great service every time.

Oh, and related. When i had my fios install, i posted my experience/etc online at broadbandreports because before my install i had some serious issues with their scheduling groups being in sync, but the actual install went well, and the installer was a real pro. I got a call from him a few days later because his manager had found my review on broadband reports and he got a bonus or won a prize or something because of my comments in the internet. :)