Verizon shelves plans for future FiOS rollouts, relocations to Massachusetts set to boom
By Darren Murph 
posted March 27th 2010 8:28AM
posted March 27th 2010 8:28AM
'Tis fun while it lasted, yeah? Verizon's FiOS has provided a much-wanted (or much-needed, some would argue) sliver of competition in markets that were previously offered just one or two ISP options, and the wicked fast speeds available through the fiber-based service were just one big stream of cherries-on-top. We've personally noticed that the company has slowed down the rate at which it blasts out releases trumpeting new FiOS and FiOS TV markets, and now we know why: an Associated Press report notes that the operator has canned all public plans about expanding its FTTH home network, though it will continue to build-out where it had previously announced service (Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia, namely). Of course, Verizon never stated that it would be making FiOS a nationwide service, but after hitting at least some sections of 18 states, we had high hopes that it would keep on keepin' on. Unfortunately, it looks like you'll be forced to move to FiOS-heavy Massachusetts, or simply gaze endlessly from your apartment window knowing that you'll never feel the warm glow of a FiOS wire. Sniffle.
If they at least kept their prices competitive they would be more successful but that isn't Verizon's style.
@Eternity I don't know where you're from but in North Texas they are pretty competitive.
@deusinvictus
In New York their higher speed Tiers can't compare to the competition's prices.
@Eternity $65 a month for 25 Mbps up and down in Portland, OR. Loving every second of it.
@Eternity
I'm in mass.... FIOS is fast but way way way to expensive. Comcast or Xfinity is plenty fast and much cheaper.
@Eternity
Im with you dude, I live in NYC and to switch to fios wouldve cost me an aditional $70/month if i kept the same channel packages and internet I get from TW now (yes TW, believe it or not they arent THAT bad). I do however LOVE the fios commercials... but will keep enjoying them via cable :)
@Eternity
These are Cablevision's pricing plans:
http://www.optimum.com/online/pricing.jsp
Basic is $30 for 15mbs Down 2mbs Up
+$15 or $10 depending on your package for 30mbs Down and 10mbs Up
$100 a month for 101mbs down and 15mbs up with an initial investment of some odd $335
No Contract! + Free iPod touch for new users...
Verizon doesn't compete with that:
http://www22.verizon.com/residential/fiosinternet/Plans/Plans.htm
@zipp
Where in Massachusetts are you? I've never once seen a pricing package from Comcast/Xfinity that could hold a candle to FiOS. Not to mention the awful compression of the HD channels on C/X.
@Eternity
Wow, I hate living in Mississippi. I pay $50 for 6mb down and 512kb up. That's through AT&T's "fastest connection available" and the cable service here is even slower than that. Pathetic.
@John52
That's the beauty of competition. Years ago the Telco's got paid a shitload of tax payer money to roll out fiber and it never happened so blame the government for being soft on those fuckers...
@John52
By any chance do you have "naked" DSL? Here in Arkansas, the 6.0 Mbps AT&T plan costs me only $35 per month, but would be $45 without phone service. (Measured speeds are 5.02Mbps down, 630Kbps up, BTW).
@WAldenIV
I'm in about 5 min north of the zakim... if your from out here you know where that is. Verizon may offer faster speeds than comcast/x but it was way to expensive after the contract was up. It went from the signing package of 70 a month.... to 150.00 a month.
My Neighbor ditched com/x and got fios... they came in wired the house and have him a BS flat screen tv. When the contract was up the price jumped so my nieghbor went back to com/x... lol and verizon then fought with him about returning the tv. I'm not saying com/x is great... they have lots of problems... but the web is fast and reliable and way cheaper than fios. Plus you dont have to deal with verizon.. which in my experience was bad after bad. Comcast TV is a different story... total garbage.
@zipp
If you threaten to switch from FiOS back to Com/X, FiOs should give you a package deal similar to your original one. I have yet to hear of anyone who didn't have success with this strategy.
@Eternity They would be more successful if they continued to roll out into new markets. But yay that they've stopped rolling out! Let's hear it for 10 more years of no choice in internet providers other than Comcast as they continue to raise prices!!!! (Just got my notice in the mail my internet is going up a few more bucks)
We don't need a national health care plan, what we need is a national internet plan. I commend the FCC on setting goals for the next 10 years, but what they need to do is allow the markets to actually compete and stop giving telcos money for infrastructure that never happens.
@Eternity
The bitch with FIOS in the city I live in is that I am on the extreme edge of the city. Per the contract with the city, they have until August 2013 to offer service in my area of the city.... IF they actually decide not to modify the contract with the city... so... yeah. Stuck with Crapcast and DirecTV.
@Eternity Daaaamn, that is more than twice as much internet for half the price I pay.
@cloud858rk
I forgot to mention it is UNCAPPED internet too and they don't practice traffic shaping. So anyone with Comcast can appreciate what healthy competition does for the consumer! All these "pro corporate" , "trickle down economy" leave the market alone and corporate welfare without oversight to make sure the money is being spent wisely "wild west economics" apologist politicians NEED TO GTFO.
@Eternity
I feel like crying ='[
@Eternity
I'm in LA are and FiOS Cable/Net is cheaper than other people around and faster. Plus no stupid caps.
Yay, Verizon continues their betrayal of taxpayers, who granted them billions of dollars to upgrade their networks and they never did it.
Jerkoffs.
@WAldenIV
I'm just wondering what would happen if they would actually .... just keep the same price after contract expires for all customers. Would they actually go out of business? I honestly don't know, but I really suspect they'd still be profitable, and have old faithful customer base who don't have to jump from provider to provider in order to get affordable internet/tv...
@Eternity
It costs a lot of money to roll out fiber. If people think that higher speeds aren't worth the higher costs, which is a legitimate view, then we won't get higher speeds. Unless the solution is to make people who don't care as much about the Internet as we geeks subsidize us through taxes and government spending.
Some people's definition of "net neutrality" means not charging higher prices for higher throughput tiers. Under such a policy, any company would be foolish to invest in faster service, since they couldn't recoup the money.
Is that MacGyver?!?!
@glamajamma That's Michael Bay, the idiot that makes those Transformers movies. You don't remember that FiOS commercial?
@MowDownJoe
No, I only see commercials on Hulu. I refuse to pay for cable.
I live in Massachusetts, and I
@NickAVV ...where'd the rest of my comment go?
anyways, I live in Massachusetts and I love my FiOS, best internet I've ever had.
@Atkins Haha, too slow. :P
@NickAVV Are you crying?
@Atkins Crap, that was supposed to appear b4 you fix your post.
Welp, guess I'm stuck with Comcast forever now.
No FiOS in the city of Boston. Everywhere else in MA though... Since Verizon pushes it as the first option it it's available most of the people I know that have it are like "Er yeah um I have FiOS I guess..." I'm so jealous when I do a speed test and see those foolish up/down speeds.
Verizon has been pimping FiOS at all the Bestbuys around and when I asked about Boston they just say they are expanding into the city soon blah blah blah...
@pvito Please, not all of MA has it. I live in Uxbridge, and it seems like just about every town around us has it. I could practically throw a rock from my house to the next town over that *does* have it, yet I cannot get it. SO frustrating.
@jetsaredim Sorry, SEEMS like everywhere else has it
@pvito I live in Worcester, and this hole doesn't have FiOS either. It seems like they only did it in the rural areas.
@pvito
Hudson MA has FiOS! Have been loving it since Feb. 2009.
From speedtest.net, 20ms from boston, 10.08mbps down and 3.09 up
@pvito
That sucks, I live in a town called Tyngsboro, never heard of it in your life, right? and even we have FiOS.
I get along just fine with Comcast, $100 a month for everything (phone, internet, TV) and we get 32 down and 4 up. We have had this deal for about 3 years now, its awesome.
@pvito I'm in Gardner, and we still don't have fios. However, a few weeks ago Comcast bumped my internet from 20down to 30down (only 10 up) with the xfinity rollout, so I'm satisfied for now. It's the compression on their cable that pisses me off sometimes, but other than that I have no real complaints.
@pvito Not in Somerville either, unfortunately. I'd love to switch away from Comcast.
We do have RCN here, but I've been told by friends that they're even worse.
@jetsaredim I live in Billerica and it used to be that way for me. Tewksbury, Bedford and Burlington all had it about two years ago. It just became available here and we switched because Comcast cut all of the Analog channels that
@jetsaredim I live in Billerica and it used to be that way for me. Tewksbury, Bedford and Burlington all had it about two years ago. It just became available here and we switched because Comcast cut all of the Analog channels except the broadcast channels and local access. The cost for a tripple play for both was about the same so I picked the one with the better technology. I just got it installed Wednesday and it is awesome. I'm glad we finally got it. :)
@pvito I'm also from Boston. Fios won't come to the city with Menino around. Chances are- the city may never see it.
@pvito
None in Watertown either. I understand places out west, such as Gardner and Worcester not having FIOS, but the goddamn freaking metro area?
COME TO CANADA PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll pay 200$ a month!!!! Fuck ROGERS AND BELL!!!!
Does this mean that FiOS isn't working out to be profitable for Verizon?
Much as I hate verizon on the wireless point of view I do appreciate their efforts to bring true HD television programming and super fast internet to the market....
I was hoping they'd bring it to NC at one point or the other....
@TheLondonExchange - I'm not sure it's profitable yet, but I have no doubt it will be in the future. The rollout thus far has been extremely costly though, so I'm not at all surprised to hear they're really slowing it down.
@TheLondonExchange It means the FCC unveiled their broadband plan and there's money available for network build out. Why chase private money when the government's cutting checks?
I would imagine that if the economy hadn't started sucking the tail-pipe the expansion might have continued.
That being said, I have FiOS and love it! They just added Caller ID on the TV and now, as Darth would say, The Circle is Now Complete!
@Maeztro
I agree, the caller ID on the TV is awesome. We don't use our landline that much (only got it as part of the bundle) but it is a cool feature, as are the remote DVR features.
@Maeztro caller ID on the TV?!?? How do I enable that?