Call 4 Action: Consumer Reports Ranks Cable, Phone Internet Companies

POSTED: 3:49 pm EST January 17, 2008

UPDATED: 4:09 pm EST January 17, 2008

Depending on where you live, some people might have four different options when it comes to cable providers.

Between the dish, the traditional cable company and the new fiber optic service, it can be hard to tell which one works best, but according to Consumer Reports, there is a clear-cut winner.

Any way you slice it, the findings are very good news for Verizon. Its new system appears to be well-liked by customers, and the ratings include more than just television service.

When it comes to delivering cable, Verizon's fiber optic service, or FiOS, is easily the infant of the industry.

But according to the latest issue of Consumer Reports, which evaluated the major cable providers, FiOS, already is the clear favorite among customers.

The publication ranked it first, with an overall satisfaction score of 84.

Satellite giant DirecTV finished third, just ahead of rival Dish Network but well ahead of the area's leading provider, Comcast, which ranked 12th.

The scores came from 45,000 customers and were based on value, reliability, performance and support.

"We've had a very positive response since we've launched FiOS, and it's helped us to give customers choice in their communities for cable TV service," said Verizon representative Lee Gierczynski.

Since its local debut in early November, Verizon said its FiOS TV network has expanded to 100,000 households in 49 communities, with plans to double that by 2009.

In the areas without FiOS, Consumer Reports called DirecTV the next best bet for TV service.

But the publication prefers companies offering multiple services, including Internet.

FiOS ranked first in that category, too, and in phone service.

But when it comes to bundling all of those services, Consumer Reports said Comcast did the best job explaining to customers what its prices would be once those special offers expire.

Verizon FiOS TV is now available in parts of the following southwestern Pennsylvania communities (as of Dec. 31, 2007):

Aleppo
Bell Acres
Bethel Park
Bridgeville
Carnegie
Chalfont
Churchill
Coraopolis
East McKeesport
Edgewood
Edgeworth
Etna
Findlay
Forest Hills
Fox Chapel
Franklin Park
Green Tree
Hampton
Indiana Township
Kilbuck
Leet
Leetsdale
McCandless
Monroeville
Moon
Mt. Lebanon
Neville
North Versailles
Nottingham
O'Hara
Ohio Township
Osborne
Penn Hills
Peters
Robinson
Ross
Rosslyn Farms
Sewickley
Sewickley Hills
Shaler
Sharpsburg
South Fayette
Swissvale
Turtle Creek
Upper St. Clair
West View
Wilkins
Wilkinsburg
Wilmerding

For more information on the article by Consumer Reports, visit www.ConsumerReports.org.

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