'Proprietary' ISP lines

[Skum]

So this has been steaming in my brain for years now. My example will be between FiOS and Xfinity here. 

 

So far, every move I've done has involved Xfinity having to come out and cut the FiOS lines (or whatever they do) and replace them with Xfinity ones. Does anyone know why they have to do this? Why can we not have universal lines to allow a seamless switch between ISPs? 

 

It makes things way more complicated and inconvenient for everyone, plus Xfinity charges unknowing customers a $100 setup fee for doing this.

 

My first guess is that it has to be for profit. But I'd like to know if there are other reasons for it if anyone knows!

[pythonmegapixel]

There is no technical reason why you can't have a system like this; it's done in the UK.

[Skum]

1 minute ago, pythonmegapixel said:

There is no technical reason why you can't have a system like this; it's done in the UK.

The more I hear from people in Europe and Canada, the more I realize how much the U.S. could improve

[manikyath]

if one uses twisted pair, and the other uses coax.

 

or, if the nex ISP needs a higher quality line (coax with less losses) to guarantee the speeds they offer, a setup fee is easier to explain than an upgrade down the line.

 

also, you bet your rear end that ifcthey dont 'need' to send a tech out to swap a cable, that cable wont be swapped, and you get the fee anyways.

[TetraSky]

They CUT the existing line to replace it with their own?? Surely you mean... They disconnect it... right?

 

Up here in Canada, ISPs HAVE to rent out their wires to competitors (usually the small third party, while the big carriers run their own wires).

So if you have two type of cables coming in and you plug whichever one you need to use. Through the use of the modem or tv box, you get your service based on whichever company you signed up to.

While in the US... I've only ever heard of third party cellphone provider who rent out towers. Could be that it's only because that kind of info doesn't really reach us up here or because it's just not a thing in the US due to lack of government oversight. 

[BiotechBen]

7 minutes ago, TetraSky said:

They CUT the existing line to replace it with their own?? Surely you mean... They disconnect it... right?

 

Up here in Canada, ISPs HAVE to rent out their wires to competitors (usually the small third party, while the big carriers run their own wires).
While in the US... I've only ever heard of third party cellphone provider who rent out towers. Could be that it's only because that kind of info doesn't really reach us up here.

Verizon owns the telephone lines, everyone else rents space on them, each has their "special sauce" technology that is "so far superior" to their competition that you HAVE to have a special genius come out whenever there is a problem and tell you that it's your fault and there is nothing wrong, it is functioning EXACTLY the way it is supposed to. And then continue charging you equipment rental fees after the service has been cancelled and the equipment returned.

 

Can you tell I'm a little salty about Verizon....

[Donut417]

8 hours ago, Skum said:

So this has been steaming in my brain for years now. My example will be between FiOS and Xfinity here. 

 

So far, every move I've done has involved Xfinity having to come out and cut the FiOS lines (or whatever they do) and replace them with Xfinity ones. Does anyone know why they have to do this? Why can we not have universal lines to allow a seamless switch between ISPs? 

 

It makes things way more complicated and inconvenient for everyone, plus Xfinity charges unknowing customers a $100 setup fee for doing this.

 

My first guess is that it has to be for profit. But I'd like to know if there are other reasons for it if anyone knows!

Providers will NEVER use another providers lines. Also FIOS is Fiber so the install can be done a few ways. For example some time Verizon use Coax or they use Ethernet. Ethernet is used on speeds 100 Mbps or higher from what I have read. Ive never heard of them "Cutting" the lines however, generally they will just not use the Coax ran by another provider and just run new lines. 

[OhioYJ]

Does anyone else not tell the installers what you want done? It's my property? I've really never had a problem showing an installer a line to hook to, or saying this is the line I want active?

[Donut417]

1 minute ago, OhioYJ said:

Does anyone else not tell the installers what you want done? It's my property? I've really never had a problem showing an installer a line to hook to, or saying this is the line I want active?

In the US these installs are contracted out to a person who gets paid by the job not by the hour. They will do the laziest installs. Also, they wont fish wires through walls. When the cable company originally installed internet in the early 2000s the installer literally ran the cable around the outside of the house and drilled in to the side of the wall. They didnt even come in to check where electrical was. 

 

My ex brother in law got dish network installed once upon a time. He wanted the installer to drill thru the foundation and bring the cable in from the floor, but the installer said NO. He drilled thru the wall instead.