Verizon at Home

[#1]

The recent release of the Federal Communication Commission’s report on broadband speed testing, really is as FCC chairman Julius Genachowski stated, “good news for consumers and our economy.”

We were particularly gratified for our customers because the FCC test results showed Internet providers that use fiber technology like our all fiber-optic FiOS network received the highest percentage of advertised sustained download speed during peak hours.

The FCC’s report “Measuring Broadband America July 2012” affirms the strategic decision we made years ago to deploy a fiber-optic network the likes of which no other company had introduced.

When we began engineering our all-fiber-optic broadband network, we anticipated the growing demand from consumers for more online speed.  In the past few years, the number of Internet connected devices used in a single household has more than doubled, and the popularity of video streaming that requires large amounts of bandwidth for optimal performance keeps soaring.

As bandwidth consuming applications continue to mature, we’ve sought to make sure our customers stay ahead of the high-speed Internet demand curve.  That’s why we recently introduced our FiOS Quantum fastest Internet speeds with the industry’s fastest upload speeds that are already proving quite popular with consumers.

The FCC’s test results for FiOS in particular were excellent:

• Fiber-to-the-home service meets 120 percent of advertised sustained download speeds.
• FiOS download speeds performed as well as, or better than, any other ISP participating in the test, and performed best in terms of latency.
• FiOS download speeds, as a percentage of the speed advertised, were the highest of all ISPs during the peak Internet usage hours of 7 to 11 p.m. local time.

The FCC report also revealed that collectively, cable companies improved in their overall performance from 2011.  Likewise, the report acknowledged the benefits of PowerBoost that certain cable companies offer, but indicated that the burst speed rate for download speeds as compared with a sustained speed rate is not an accurate measure of performance for longer, sustained data transfers.

Additionally all the cable companies showed some reduction in download sustained speed performance during the peak usage hours.  In fact, several dropped well below 100 percent of their advertised speed tier during the peak usage hours.

Some of you may remember entertainer Wayne Newton’s song, “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast.”  After reviewing the FCC results, I imagined some cable execs humming that tune during the past year as they tried feverishly to catch up from their dismal performance in the first FCC test in contrast to the positive performance that FiOS customers experienced.

And then, just as the FCC was wrapping up this year’s test, we slipped on our world record holder sprinter Usain Bolt spikes, and blazed ahead of the competition with the introduction of our FiOS Quantum speed tiers that we look forward to having tested in the FCC’s next test to be conducted in a few months.

FiOS Quantum delivers speeds of 50/25, 75/35, 150/65 and 300/65 megabits per second (Mbps) for eligible customers.  In recent days, Comcast announced plans to offer a 305 Mbps downstream service in a few selected markets in the Northeast for about $100 more than our 300/65 Mbps service.

We expect the majority of our customers to use the new 50/25 and 75/35 Mbps service, knowing the two highest tiers are going to be used by a group of customers more intensely focused on streaming that benefits the most from such high speeds.

As the FCC test revealed, and as customers know, saying it is one thing, but producing consistently excellent results for downstream and upstream speeds with reliability time after time, is another.

We expect more competitors to raise broadband speeds.  However, the unique nature of our all fiber-optic network will continue to help us deliver the best overall performance for consumers.

With the reliability of FiOS, we encourage our customers to whip out your multiple Internet-connected devices, hang that new Internet-enabled TV, beat all of your gaming partners to the punch and know that you will get the very best online experience with FiOS Quantum – hands down.

As a FiOS customer at home with my broadband loving family, I’m particularly interested in hearing about your personal FiOS Internet experiences.  What applications are you or family members using with your high speed Internet?  What gets you fired up more – faster downstream or upstream speed, or both?  And if you have already increased your Internet speed, how do you compare your online experience before and after using the faster FiOS Quantum service?

[#2]

Congratulations!

I love Quantum Speeds!

Started at 15/2 way back! Now at 75/35 Quantum, and pushing for 150/65. FiOS for me is like a big block engine with uncapped headers. Zoom! Zoom!

Faster Uploads. 65/65 would be good enough for me. But why not 150/65? Sending Video and large files to family members and friends. I just wish everyone I knew was on FiOS, so I would not run into bottle necks. Trying to send to a friend that has cable was at maximum pushing 7.5Mbps, when I know the issue was not on my end. A router issue somewhere, and I do not believe it was Verizon. I can send to other Verizon FiOS customers at rated speeds.

Nothing beats Verizon FiOS for quality and reliability of service.

Customer since August, 2005. When the response was fiber? You have fiber optics? Bravo!

[#3]

@prisaz I wish you were more excited about your FiOS Quantum. Heh. Your enthusiasm is contagious in a very good way.

The reponse to FiOS Quantum from consumers remains very positive.  The "sweet spot" or "new norm" -- as expected -- is proving to be the 50 and 75 Mbps tiers.

While at dinner last week after returning from vacation, I learned from a close neighbor friend that he had just started using his 150/65 Mbps connection and was very pleased. Then the owner of the restaurant where we were eating informed me that he was using our 150/65 Mbps FiOS Quantum service at both of his homes in Plano, Texas as he has his home, and then he has another home for his parents who help him operate our favorite Chinese restaurant in North Texas.

We'll begin our solicitation of FiOS Internet customers to participate in the next FCC, SamKnows broadband speed test within 30 days for the test scheduled to be conducted in September.

[#4]

Can't get 65 uploads! Stuck at 75/35 so the push is over for me.

[#5]

Just provide GPON for my C/O so I too can get 150/65!

[#6]

Just provide GPON for my C/O so I too can get 150/65!