For the last few weeks, I've noticed that my Fios Internet download speed slows down dramatically in the evenings. I live in downtown DC, and I suspect the issue is related to Fios capacity in the area.
Last night was a great example: at 6 p.m., my speeds were 82+ down and 93+ up (I pay for 75 in each direction). By 9 p.m., my download speed slowed to 12. The night before, during the Golden Globes, my download speed was 5 (upload speeds remain in the 90s; my AT&T LTE connection had a faster download speed, and they are notorius for bad service in the city). Speeds are the same for wired and wireless. This morning, all is back to normal, with 84 down and 93 up.
Finally decided to reach out to Fios support last night...very helpful representative had me do all of the standard troubleshooting, including installing and running the optimizer (guess he had to tell me to do that). Disconnected my entire home network, save for the computer attached to the VZ router...no changes in download speed at all. Had to disconnect the chat session to reboot following the optimizer, so I guess I get to continue things with a support rep tonight when my download speeds drop again.
Hoping another urban Fios user out there (maybe even in DC?) has had the same issue and can give me some direction. I'll give the next support rep the chat ID from last night, but I'm not going to do another hour of repeating the same troubleshooting steps to prove that the problem is not on my end. Is there a phrase I can use to get the support rep to escalate my issue to someone locally? I'm paying *a lot* of money for my entire Fios package, and at this point, I'm not getting what I pay for if the service reliably degrades each evening when I imagine everyone is using the service at once. If my AT&T cell phone is faster than my Fios, we have a problem.
Thanks!
TS in DC
Did they have you run a test to speedtest.Verizon.net? If not, try that. That tests your connection to Verizon network. If that does not provide contract speed, you should be able to use that to get it fixed.
Any other test leaves their network and they can't guarantee.
I was so glad to spot this message in my Google search of "Fios slow at night DC".
I live in the Logan Circle area of DC, right near the Verizon switching center buidling on 14th Street. I pay for 150mbps Internet but, for the past six months or so, Fios Internet slows to 5-30 mbps download between the hours of about 8:30 to 10:30 at night, almost every night. Speeds on the upload vary widely but I am often able to get 150 mbps up during those hours. This is true on my Ethernet-connected iMac desktop and my wireless devices, including my iPad, my MacBook and my iPhone. I also noticed the same slowdown during the day of the big late January snowstorm when everyone was home.
On the desktop, I use Verizon's speed test tool to test my speed, though I get similar results using speedtest.net and other tools and apps. And it's been consistent: 150 down and 150+ up at all times EXCEPT the evening hours referenced above, so it clearly can't be an issue on my end. I think it's fair to deduce that there's an overload issue in the area that Verizon is either not aware of or doesn't want to invest in an upgrade.
I've called a few times and customer service has been nice (light years ahead of Comcast) but follow up has been weak with things left open ended or the agent saying they'll call me back the next night with another tech person and they don't call.
I'm a fairly advanced user and really don't want to call again and start from square one. "Is the modem turned on?" Though I may try again when I have a free night.
Any thoughts about elevating this would be appreciate. If I don't get a resolution, it's back to Comcast. Ugh.
Hi SteveDC503,
Your issue has been escalated to a Verizon agent. Before the agent can begin assisting you, they will need to collect further information from you. Please go to your profile page for the forum and look at the top of the middle column where you will find an area titled "My Support Cases". You can reach your profile page by clicking on your name beside your post, or at the top left of this page underneath the title of the board.
Under "My Support Cases" you will find a link to the private board where you and the agent may exchange information. The title of your post is the link. This should be checked on a frequent basis, as the agent may be waiting for information from you before they can proceed with any actions. To ensure you know when they have responded to you, at the top of your support case there is a drop down menu for support case options. Open that and choose "subscribe". Please keep all correspondence regarding your issue in the private support portal.
Thanks for your response -- happy to trade notes about my experience thus far.
After several attempts to get resolution via Verizon tech support and threateninig to cancel my service, I had a chat session with a supervisor who sent me a replacement router -- the thinking was that the issue was in my router. New router came, no change in the problem -- speed slows to a crawl during the general hours of 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
I'm a fairly tech-advanced user, and I'm tried of doing the same troubleshooting steps when it's pretty clear that Fios doesn't have the resources to deliver the promised bandwidth during peak periods of demand. Will be curious if your private session with tech support helps, though I'm running hourly speed tests over the next two weeks to use in filing a complaint with the DC Public Service Commission, where I'll request relief for myself and other Fios users who are paying for service that they aren't receiving.
Please let me know how it goes...I'll update this post with details of my PSC complaint.
Sean
Is your issue with speed to speedtest.Verizon.net or another speed test site?
Verizon (and most other isps) only guarantee connection to their network. Anything outside their network, they have no control. That's why most adds say words like speeds up to X.
BTW, I am part of an ISP monitoring program that reports all types of performance parameters on my connection (unbeknownst to Verizon). My monthly reports always show that I meet or exceed subscribed speeds.
Maybe short times once or twice a month it may dip.
I'm having the speed issues during after work and on the weekends. i just did a speedtest and got the attached restults. And i am suppose to have 75Mbps download and upload.
Nothing shows attached.
If your test to speedtest.Verizon.net shows poor performance, you can use that to co tact support as that is within the Verizon network.
I am having the same issue in New Jersey. The support guys come and waste time and keep changing the equipments. The issue is widespread where they are unable to support the speeds they are promising. For me they just made me upgrade to a pricy plan saying I have more devices etc.
Verizon sucks with FIOS!!
@Tirthankar wrote:I am having the same issue in New Jersey. The support guys come and waste time and keep changing the equipments. The issue is widespread where they are unable to support the speeds they are promising. For me they just made me upgrade to a pricy plan saying I have more devices etc.
Verizon sucks with FIOS!!
I am going to say that maybe it's over booked in your area. You could always downgrade to 50/50 or 100/100 to save some money.
upselling you is not right. Don't fall for that you need higher speed to connect more devices. I used 15/1 on Time Warner with 24+ devices and it was fast for what my wife and I use it for. We have the same number of devices on Verizon Fios gigabyte plan, and we still have great speed for the same 24+ devices.
If you check the Verizon speed test from their servers it will tell you what Verizon Fios is functioning at. https://www.verizon.com/SpeedTest/instantinternet.aspx
You may also do a speed test which is real world at http://www.speedtest.net
but verizon will not do anything from results shown there.
Start a new topic or ask questions in the open forum.
