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