The FiOS Revolution: Fiber Comes Home

For years, fiber-optic internet has been the holy grail of broadband — blazing speeds, symmetrical uploads and downloads, and future-proof capacity. But for most Americans, fiber has been something that existed only in the backbone of the internet, not in the last mile to your home. Verizon's FiOS service is changing that, and if you're lucky enough to live in its footprint, it represents a genuine leap forward in home internet.

What Is Fiber-Optic Internet?

Traditional broadband technologies — DSL and cable — use copper or coaxial cables to deliver internet to your home. These are the same cables originally designed for telephone calls and cable television. They work, but they have inherent bandwidth limitations.

Fiber-optic internet uses thin strands of glass that transmit data as pulses of light. The bandwidth capacity of a single fiber strand is almost incomprehensibly large — far beyond what any home user could consume. Where copper cables measure potential in megabits, fiber measures in gigabits and beyond.

Verizon's FiOS (Fiber Optic Service) is a FTTH — fiber to the home — service. That means the fiber-optic cable runs all the way from Verizon's network to a terminal mounted on the side of your house. From there, it connects to an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) that converts the light signal to electrical signals your router and devices can use.

FiOS Speed Tiers

As of mid-2009, Verizon FiOS offers several speed tiers for residential customers:

| Plan | Download | Upload | Monthly Price | |------|----------|--------|---------------| | FiOS Internet | 10 Mbps | 2 Mbps | $44.99 | | FiOS Internet | 20 Mbps | 5 Mbps | $54.99 | | FiOS Internet | 50 Mbps | 20 Mbps | $64.99 |

These speeds are significantly faster than what cable or DSL can offer, especially on the upload side. A 20 Mbps upload on FiOS's top tier is extraordinary — most cable connections offer 1 to 2 Mbps upload at best.

How Does FiOS Compare?

FiOS vs. Cable

Cable internet's top speeds in most markets currently max out at 16 to 20 Mbps download. FiOS's 50 Mbps tier blows past that. But the real advantage is consistency. Cable's shared bandwidth model means speeds can fluctuate during peak hours. FiOS, like DSL, provides a dedicated connection — but unlike DSL, the fiber medium doesn't degrade over distance.

Cable upload speeds are also far behind. If you work from home, upload photos or videos, or use backup services, the difference is dramatic.

FiOS vs. DSL

There's really no contest here on speed. The fastest DSL service widely available tops out at 6 to 7 Mbps, and many DSL subscribers get far less due to distance limitations. FiOS's slowest tier is faster than DSL's fastest, and the gap only widens from there.

DSL's advantage has always been price and availability. A basic DSL connection can be had for under $20 per month. FiOS starts at $44.99. And FiOS is only available where Verizon has built out the fiber network — which is a fraction of the country.

The Installation Experience

Getting FiOS installed is more involved than setting up DSL or cable. A technician needs to run fiber-optic cable from the nearest distribution point to your home and install the ONT box on your exterior wall. The ONT is roughly the size of a hardcover book and requires electrical power — which means your internet and phone will go down during power outages unless you have a battery backup.

The installation typically takes two to four hours. Verizon handles it at no charge for new subscribers, and the technician will connect your router and verify the connection is working before leaving.

One notable detail: when FiOS is installed, Verizon typically disconnects your existing copper phone line at the ONT. This is a one-way door — once you switch to FiOS, going back to DSL or copper-based phone service is complicated. Make sure you're committed before the installation.

Where Is FiOS Available?

This is the frustrating part. Despite being available since 2005, FiOS is still limited to portions of about 16 states, primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Major metro areas like the New York/New Jersey area, parts of the Washington D.C. suburbs, and sections of Texas, California, and Florida have FiOS availability — but coverage is spotty even within those states.

Verizon has invested roughly $23 billion in its FiOS buildout, but the company has signaled that it's slowing new construction. The economic downturn has made the massive capital investment harder to justify, and Verizon has shifted some attention to its wireless business.

If FiOS isn't available at your address today, it may never be. Verizon isn't likely to expand dramatically beyond its current footprint.

Is FiOS Worth It?

If FiOS is available at your address, the question is really whether the price premium over cable or DSL is justified for your usage. Here's our take:

FiOS is worth it if:

• You have multiple heavy internet users in your household
• You work from home and need reliable upload speeds
• You want the fastest available residential internet
• You're already paying $40+ per month for cable internet

Stick with cable or DSL if:

• You're a light internet user (email, web browsing)
• Budget is your primary concern
• Your current connection handles your needs without complaint

Fiber-optic internet represents the future of broadband. The speeds available today on FiOS are likely just the beginning — the fiber itself is capable of far more, and as demand grows, providers will unlock higher tiers. If you have the option to get fiber to your home, it's the smartest long-term investment you can make in your internet connection.

What About Other Fiber Providers?

Verizon isn't the only company building fiber networks, though it's the largest. AT&T has a fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) service called U-verse that brings fiber closer to homes but still uses copper for the last stretch. Several small telephone companies have also deployed fiber in their territories.

The fiber buildout across America is still in its early stages. For now, if you want true fiber-to-the-home, FiOS is the most realistic option for most consumers — assuming you're in the right zip code.