Verizon Oversubscribed DSLAM/CO, Congested 90% of the Time. They Refuse to Do Anything.
I live in a rural part of Pennsylvania. Years ago, PA taxpayers paid billions to Verizon for them to roll out a minimum of 1.544mbps (T1 equivalent) broadband to every resident in the state. This was known as the BFRR (Bona Fide Retail Request) program.
What Verizon instead did was take already existing infrastructure (T1 and Fiber) and tie it into outdated equipment (ADTRAN 1248s) to service 5 mile radiuses of the rural copper wireline network (which they purchased from various no-longer-existing companies - GTE, Bell, and so on.) At first this wasn't much of a problem - in the early 2000s, streaming video was not yet commonplace and 1.544mbps was overkill for much of the internet. Not only this, but the DSLAMs (those ADTRANS I mentioned) had few subscribers at the onset, and so were able to service every subscriber fairly.
However, as time has gone on, Verizon has seen fit to allow more people onto these DSLAMs than they can physically accomodate. In my case (and numerous others state wide) the ADTRAN1248 DSLAM is fed by 8 T1 lines (for a total throughput of 12mbps - less than most cable internet individual subscriptions) and this throughput is split between dozens of subscribers, resulting in actual throughput below the 1.0mbps minimum Verizon claims to provide in their "High Speed Enhanced Internet" package ($30-$100/mo, depending on who you are and what they decide to charge you...for 1.0-3.0mbps "claimed" throughput.)
During times of congestion - which is most of the time these days (2018) - ping times can go as high as 1,000+ and throughput can drop well below 0.8mbps. This doesn't even meet the PA standard for the "broadband" designation (1.544mbps) and certainly doesn't meet the FCC designation (25mbps.) This service is more expensive than most wireless cell phone plans, and certainly more expensive than FioS in populated areas. What throws fuel on the fire is the fact that Verizon didn't have to pay out of pocket to install the equipment - the PA taxpayers paid for it!
Now for most companies, when this sort of thing happens and the customers/subscribers complain, something gets done about it. In Verizon's case? No.
I have numerous copies of correspondence through their online forums which shows their negligience and complete disinterest in resolving the issue they've created by oversubscribing my DSLAM (and this fact should be condemning in the case of all the other oversubscribed DSLAMs elsewhere in the state, of which there are MANY.)
One of their techs responded to me (after I had made it clear that I speedtest, with the Verizon speed test tool, less than 1.0mbps during congested times) that I am currently receiving more than 1.0mbps and therefore they don't have to do anything about it.
Well, it's high time Verizon DID do something about it. This Ripoff Report is the warning shot. I will go to the Pennsylvania PUC and have others in the local area who will be more than willing to go with me. The PUC already ruled in favor of the CWA union regarding VZ needing to invest and maintain their copper wireline in PA. I'm sure they would be more than happy to make another ruling regarding Verizon providing what they promised to provide through the BFRR program 10 years ago - EVEN IF 1.544mbps is now outdated.
PA taxpayers didn't fork over billions for nothing, Verizon. Start acting like the profitable company you are and start reinvesting in the places that have dutifully paid you their subscription fees for years. Making your wireless home broadband (4G) more affordable for rural customers would be a good start - after all, our subscription fees probably helped you roll out FioS and 4G LTE to all of the urban areas first, didn't it?