| I want my my Fiber Optic Interent!...Verizon has a | | | | upstream for $52.95 per month. |
| unique product and it is called FiOS. It is fiber direct to | | | | The cities selected for the initial upgrade also happen |
| the premises. You actually will get a true fiber optic | | | | to be those where Verizon Communications is |
| hand off to you where you can run your internet | | | | offering its fiber to the home service, called Fios. |
| connection and network over...WOW | | | | Verizon representatives said that Comcast's move to |
| FiOS is sending a shudder down the spines of current | | | | increase speeds is an attempt to match the Fios |
| cable companies becuase of the blazing speeds that | | | | service. |
| Fios is able to deliver for a fraction of the cost. | | | | "It's a reaction to Fios," said Bobbi Henson, a |
| But the real question is will Tucson AZ ever get | | | | spokeswoman for Verizon. "Comcast sees the |
| Verizon FiOS service? | | | | success we have been having, and they are trying to |
| It's doubtful that Tucson will ever see Verizon FiOS. | | | | catch up." |
| Mainly because Verizon is not the incumbent local | | | | Verizon's lowest tier of Fios service offers download |
| exchange carrier (ILEC), Qwest is. FiOS currently only | | | | speeds of up to 5mbps, with upload speeds of |
| appears to be availiable where Verzion has | | | | 2mbps for $39.95. For $49.95, consumers can get |
| significantly built out it's fiber network and is the ILEC. | | | | download speeds up to 15mbps with uploads of |
| And since it would be an illegal monopoly for Verizon | | | | 2mbps, and for $199.96, Business clients can get a |
| to attempt to purchase Qwest to become the ILEC | | | | dedicated 10Mbps symmetical for a fraction of the |
| here in Arizona it is doubtful that we will ever see | | | | cost of legacy copper wire solutions. |
| Verizon FiOS service. | | | | Comcast denies that it is raising speeds to compete |
| But don't fear the CLECs such as Comcast and Cox | | | | with Verizon's Fios service. Instead, the company said |
| communications are already increasing speeds just to | | | | it increased download speeds to test new |
| be competitive in the slight event that Verizon finds | | | | applications it plans to offer its broadband customers. |
| some loop hole or some other unanticipated | | | | "We chose to test this new high-speed service in |
| opportunity to build out it's fiber network here in | | | | markets that are competitive and where we know |
| Tucson and bring in FiOS. | | | | we have a high level of broadband penetration," said |
| Comcast is increasing the speed of its broadband | | | | Jeanne Russo, a company spokeswoman. "Reston, |
| service in what looks like an attempt to keep pace | | | | Va., was one of the first places where we offered |
| with Verizon Communications' Fios service. | | | | broadband service, and we have 70 percent market |
| On Tuesday, the nation's largest cable operator | | | | penetration there." |
| confirmed it has doubled download speeds of its | | | | Last year, other cable companies introduced |
| fastest broadband service in four cities: Reston, Va.; | | | | higher-speed services in Fios territory. Cox |
| Sarasota, Fla.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Howard County, | | | | Communications boosted speeds in its Northern |
| Md. | | | | Virginia territory to 15mbps, and Adelphia |
| Comcast is automatically upgrading customers of its | | | | Communications announced that it is raising speeds to |
| premiere broadband service to 16mbps (megabits per | | | | 16mbps to residents in Leesburg, Va. |
| second) for downloads and 1mbps for uploads at a | | | | It might become an all out price war in markets |
| cost of $52.95 per month. Previously, Comcast had | | | | where FiOS is availiable. Not only is Verizon able to |
| offered customers in these cities speeds of 8mbps | | | | offer very high-speed broadband, but it can offer a |
| downstream and 768kbps (kilobits per second) | | | | package that also includes TV service. |