Verizon bringing 150 / 35Mbps internet to FiOS customers, enraging customers of all other ISPs
You know, we're pretty stoked for the folks who just so happen to reside within Verizon's relatively minuscule FiOS service footprint, but rather than hooking up those who've already been adequately hooked, why not spread that fiber cheer over to a few extra states? Alas, it looks as if the FiOS rollout is on an indefinite hold, but those lucky enough to have access will soon have the ability to upgrade their existing internet service to this: a 150/35Mbps option. That's 150Mbps down and 35Mbps up, and as far as consumer-grade services in America go, it's pretty much as good as it gets. Verizon is claiming that it'll be available to order by consumers at the end of this year, with small businesses seeing the option shortly thereafter. 'Course, no pricing details are mentioned, but it's not like it matters -- you'll cash in whatever Yuletide gifts you have to in order to get this, right?
Update, Verizon pinged us with a few points -- for starters new speed is available today to the majority of our FiOS customers in 12 states and the District of Columbia, with more and more to get it in due time. As for pricing? The 150/35 Mbps residential offer will be available to the majority of FiOS-eligible households, and sold as a stand-alone service starting at $194.99 a month when purchased with a one-year service agreement and Verizon wireline voice service. Not exactly a "bargain," but like we said, you're still finding a way to make this happen.
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New Verizon FiOS Internet 150/35 Mbps Offer Launches Consumers Into Broadband's Fastest Lane
Powerful Speed Tier Becomes Nation's Fastest Mass-Market Internet Service
NEW YORK, Nov. 22, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon is launching 150/35 megabits per second (Mbps) Internet service – the fastest mass-market broadband service in the nation – over the company's all-fiber-optic FiOS network. The company has begun to roll out the ultra-high-speed service to the majority of the more than 12.5 million homes that the FiOS network passes, and will make the service available to Verizon FiOS small-business customers by the end of the year.
Verizon's new Internet service surpasses competitors' offers by pumping three times the downstream speed previously available to FiOS customers.
(NOTE: To view a video about the fastest Internet speeds available to residential broadband customers by a major ISP to date, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQjIsaf3S2A.)
"By offering the fastest mass-market Internet service in the nation, we're supporting the immediate and future speed needs of bandwidth-hungry consumers," said Eric Bruno, Verizon vice president of product management. "The new 150/35 Mbps FiOS Internet offer establishes a new benchmark for high-speed Internet in America, and paves the way for a flurry of emerging bandwidth-intensive applications to reach mainstream status."
The Difference for Customers
With a downstream speed of 150 Mbps, consumers can download a two-hour, standard-definition movie (1.5 gigabytes) in less than 80 seconds, and a two-hour HD movie (5 GB) in less than four and a half minutes.
Downloading 20 high-resolution photographs (100 megabytes) would take less than five and a half seconds using the 150/35 Mbps service. With the 35 Mbps upstream speed, consumers can upload those same 20 high-resolution photos in less than 23 seconds.*
The 150/35 Mbps residential offer will be available to the majority of FiOS-eligible households, and sold as a stand-alone service starting at $194.99 a month when purchased with a one-year service agreement and Verizon wireline voice service.
Verizon will continue to offer on a stand-alone basis its next-fastest FiOS Internet speed of 50/20 Mbps, as well as its 25/25 and 15/5 speed tiers. FiOS Internet speeds of 35/35 Mbps, 25/25 Mbps and 15/5 Mbps will continue to be available in double-, triple- and quadruple-play bundles matched with FiOS TV, FiOS Digital Voice and Verizon Wireless service.
Bruno said the 150/35 Mbps tier takes advantage of Verizon's robust all-digital, all-fiber-optic network, which extends directly to consumers' homes and will ultimately serve 18 million households. The new speed tier will provide immediate value to consumers already using applications that require high downstream and upstream bandwidth.
"Our new 150/35 Mbps offer will also support burgeoning bandwidth-intensive applications such as Internet video to TV and PC, 3D TV and movie downloads, high-definition and real-time video conferencing, and online data backup," said Bruno.
Amy Lind, broadband research manager for the global technology market intelligence firm IDC, said: "This is about more than Verizon zooming to the top of the broadband speed chart. It's a reflection of Verizon's vision. Verizon understands that this kind of bandwidth will fuel new product and service development down the road and is poised to allow its customers to reap the benefits of those innovations in the future."
Introduction of the new 150/35 Mbps FiOS Internet service follows recent Verizon field trials that achieved connection speeds of nearly 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), both downstream and upstream. When a more advanced XG-PON2 technology was connected to the network several weeks later, connection speeds of 10 Gbps were reached on Verizon's fiber-optic network.
Once service is connected, Verizon FiOS Internet customers have access to the Verizon In-Home Agent, a free application that gives them valuable tools to set up services. In-Home Agent will help customers configure Wi-Fi links, set up and manage voice mail, auto-fix video problems, and trouble-shoot and correct Internet issues – all with the simple click of a mouse.
* Upload and download time estimates based on maximum connection speeds. Actual throughput speeds will vary.
