There has been an acute rise in the need for higher data rate on the Internet ever since the beginning of streaming audio and video services. The increasing number of devices being connected to the Internet calls for faster access offerings. That is exactly what Verizon, the global broadband and telecommunication giant is introducing in its latest access plans.
Verizon announced that its FiOS subscribers will soon be able to choose from a number of new Internet access packages, with downloading rate as high as 300 Mbps and uploading rate 65 Mbps. While the entry-level 15/5 Mbps offering will remain the same, the middle-road offerings will all receive a speed boost. The new FiOS plans will go into effect starting in June. Prices for the new plans will also be announced in July.
Verizon explains that the 15/5 Mbps tier is suited for households with only "one or two Internet-connected users with several devices," while the 75/35 Mbps option is best for households who stream a lot of high-definition movies, play online games, or frequently download or upload "video files." Finally, the super-fast 150/65 and 300/65 Mbps options are only really necessary if your house has five or more people who regularly stream video or audio simultaneously.
Interestingly, Verizon specifically points out that, with a 300 Mbps connection, a user could download a two-hour, standard definition movie in just 40 seconds, or a two-hour, high-definition flick "in 2.2 minutes."
The latest rates are priced with a two-year contract (month-to-month plans cost $5 more), and if you don't have phone service there's an additional $5 surcharge above that. There's another fee hidden in there, too. If you are interested in getting the two top-speed plans, the documents say that most will need to pay $100 to have their equipment upgraded as part of a two to four hour service call. That fee won't apply if you sign a two-year commitment, if you're a new customer, or if you already have Verizon's current 150Mbps internet service.
And, that's not all: if you're in a building that uses VDSL - a system that uses existing copper wiring to deliver FiOS to apartments instead of new fiber optics - you'll be subject to the new prices but won't see a speed increase at all.
According to '2011 "State of the Internet" report' by Akamai Technologies, the average Internet access speed in the U.S. is 5.8 Mbps. So Mike Ritter, the chief marketing officer for Verizon's consumer and mass market business unit was quick to mention "Our top FiOS speed will be twice as fast as anything America has ever seen." Go Verizon !!!
