Told I Need a New ONT to Install a 3rd Additional Line
bluesman2211
Enthusiast - Level 2

Today FIOS tech said I needed a NEW ONT to install a 3rd additional line. I would have thought this could be done outside home. My ONT is inside home. I guess Veriaon does not think people need more than 2 lines in home. What if , as in my case, I have a home based business?  

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Re: Told I Need a New ONT to Install a 3rd Additional Line
jonjones1
Legend

@bluesman221 wrote:

Today FIOS tech said I needed a NEW ONT to install a 3rd additional line. I would have thought this could be done outside home. My ONT is inside home. I guess Veriaon does not think people need more than 2 lines in home. What if , as in my case, I have a home based business?  


The possibility could be a myriad of things. Service at first only required that router you have now. How was Verizon to know you wanted to expand in the future. Also when told of your desire to add lines the company is giving a newer ONT. 

Its true the ONT can be placed outside or inside. But if as you state the unit is inside that may be where the fiber is located so to just swap out your units.

You could also ask for it to be put outside. But why would you want to?

hopefully all will work out in the end.

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Re: Told I Need a New ONT to Install a 3rd Additional Line
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

Do you mean new or additional?

It would not surprise me that you would need an additional one.

FIOS is mainly a residential service.

And then number of people with 2 lines is probably very small, much less 3.

Plus if you look at the number of people that are dropping home service, need for a 3+ line ONT is minimal at best.

ONT has RJ11 jacks for each phone line and only comes with 2.

Maybe look into IP based phone services?

Re: Told I Need a New ONT to Install a 3rd Additional Line
jonjones1
Legend

@CRobGauth wrote:

Maybe look into IP based phone services?


That is a great idea. Getting lines from like http://www.voipo.com or other VoIP providers (stay away from Ooma the monthly charges are crazy, and don’t use NetTalk since they have zero customer service)

my provider (link above is $185 complete for two years, it also gives a secondary number for free and a virtual additional line is a few dollars more) however the savings by using this service is a plus on your suggestion to this poster.

There are others as well like callcentric etc which can be found via google search. And no additional ONT needed.

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Re: Told I Need a New ONT to Install a 3rd Additional Line
smith6612
Community Leader
Community Leader

It's standard in the Telephone industry to provide a single residence with two wire pairs. Your standard copper drop would typically only have two cable pairs. FiOS is the same deal in the sense that most ONTs support no more than two telephone lines, carryings on the tradition. Some ONTs can support two Internet connections, but the ones deployed to residential are generally limited to a single Internet connection. The same also applies to Cable Telephony - the eMTAs typically only support two lines, and a single Internet circuit.

Whether you have copper or Fiber, or Cable phone service, more than two lines always requires equipment upgrades, given it's not common for a home (or home business) to have that many lines. Cable companies have special eMTAs they give which support up to four lines. Beyond that, either special order hardware or an additional modem. With FiOS, I believe i've seen ONTs with up to four lines, possible eight lines of connectivity. On Copper, everything would require a new drop to be run, possibly a new NID and /or a new punch block to be installed for terminating the lines.

Verizon should upgrade the ONT for you if you're willing to pay for the third circuit. Otherwise, as others mentioned, you could go with VoIP.

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Re: Told I Need a New ONT to Install a 3rd Additional Line
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

If you have a tellabs 612 ont or Alcatel ont 211 then yes both only support 2 lines. So a 3 line would require changing equipment to tellabs 611 with 4 pots lines or Alcatel/nokia 821 which is capable of 8 pots lines

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Re: Told I Need a New ONT to Install a 3rd Additional Line
Edg1
Community Leader
Community Leader

Also if your existing is inside then it’s pretty obvious why they would need to get inside to upgrade it. 

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