[CALUG] Linux & FIOS

[mhartwx]

I remember some CALUG discussion a year or so ago when Verizon started wiring 
this part of Maryland for FIOS.  Have any CALUG members switched over to FIOS & 
how do they like it, now that it's been here for a while?  Did they rip out your 
copper phone lines & how has their battery system worked when the power went 
out?  That's been a big sticking point with me.  I'd like to dump my dial-up & 
am not a fan of COMCAST (& the dual TV-Internet Verizon packages look pretty 
good).  Are there any snags involved in using Linux with FIOS?  I'm using 
Mandriva 2007 (I got acquainted with Mandrake when I lived in OH - the LUG there 
were Mandrake fans) but could switch to Ubuntu or something else if necessary. 
I don't own a router & was thinking about using Verizon's - is there a different 
router I should consider?   Can the same router be bought somewhere else?  I 
plan to to some talking with Verizon before I order but it may be hard to get 
past the sales people to their techies for the real info.  One other thing I've 
been wondering about - my circa 1990 house has the standard phone & cable TV 
wiring, so is it worthwhile to install something like cat-5?  I'm looking toward 
the future which is always difficult where technology is concerned.
          ml hart