Fiber Optic Internet Availability
As of the start of 2009, fiber optic Internet service is still a new technology that has only become commercially available over the past couple of years. The bad news for consumers wanting a blazing fast, fiber optic Internet connection RIGHT NOW is that the service is still only available in select areas (with Verizon currently providing the largest coverage area). The good news is that Verizon and AT&T are rapidly expanding their fiber optic networks to cover more and more communities in several additional states.
If you are currently using DSL or cable Internet service, you might be interested to know that fiber optic Internet access is much faster than either DSL or cable. The average DSL connection is around 1 to 1.5 Mbps, with 7.1 Mbps being the fastest, while cable Internet speeds average between 4 to 12 Mbps downstream with upload speeds typically limited to around 1 Mbps. However, the fastest fiber optic plans currently available from Verizon FiOS now reach 50 Mbps (megabits per second) downstream and 20 Mbps upstream. This makes fiber optics the best choice for consumers wanted to receive high speed Internet, IP-based broadband television service, and Voice Over IP phone service all through the same single high speed fiber optic connection.
So, is fiber optic Internet available in your area, and if not, when will it be? That is going to depend entirely on which phone company provides service in your area:
Verizon FiOS
If you are a Verizon customer, you have the best chance of getting their fiber optic Internet service (called FiOS) right now or in the near future. At the end of 2006, Verizon was the clear leader in fiber optic development within the United States, representing over 80% of the fiber optic Internet market. The company claims to have approximately "725,000 FiOS Internet customers, with service available for sale to 5 million premises." These customers are spread out in over 1,500 communities across the 16 states where Verizon is building its fiber optic network. These states include:
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So, as of January 2007, Verizon's FiOS Internet service is available to around 15% of Verizon customers. The company has plans to increase this availability to about 3 million additional residences each year over the next 3 years. By the end of 2010, approximately half of the homes served by Verizon will be able to sign up for their Verizon FiOS Internet plans.
AT&T's "U-Verse"
With the completion of the Bellsouth merger at the end of 2006, AT&T became the largest telco in the United States. Despite being the biggest, AT&T is still a good distance behind it's rival, Verizon, in the development of fiber optic networks. AT&T first offered commercial fiber optic service in San Antonio around June of 2006 after spending some time in closed market testing. Since that time, it has only spread to a few more markets in Indiana and in Connecticut. The current forecast given by AT&T for expansion of its AT&T U-Verse is an additional 30+ markets by the end of 2007.
AT&T does plan to cover more customers than Verizon plans to in a shorter period of time. The company intends to offer fiber optic Internet in "13 states in the U.S. by 2008" and it also claims that it's fiber optic network will cover "19 million customers by the end of 2008." However, since the Lightspeed initiative has seen many delays over the last year, market analysts are skeptical that AT&T will achieve those numbers. If you currently live within the service area of AT&T, you'll probably have to wait awhile for fiber optic Internet service.
Qwest Communications
For those consumers in Qwest's service area, fiber optics are still a long ways off. Qwest has only recently made plans for deployment of a fiber network that might be available as early as June 2007. Considering that is only an estimated timeframe, and that the service will only be ready in a few test markets at that time, consumers living in the service area of Qwest Communications shouldn't expect to see fiber optic Internet for some time.
How Fast Is Fiber & How Much Will It Cost?
Currently, Verizon's FiOS offer is the best measurement of fiber optic speeds and the prices involved. The company boasts 50 Mbps downstream / 20 Mbps upstream on its best plans, but the markets where those top speeds exist is relatively small. For those speeds, you will pay a large amount (around $140 / month). Fortunately, they also have a plan with up to 15 Mbps downstream speeds for only $50 per month.
Available speeds and prices are sure to change frequently over the next year. This will be due to cable companies increasing the speeds of their cable Internet plans in order to compete with emerging fiber optic networks. For example, Verizon began offering 50 Mbps for $90 per month in certain markets (mostly New York) after a broadband Internet competitor, Cablevision, started offering 50 Mbps cable Internet service for a similar price.
If you are wondering how fast fiber optic Internet plans can eventually get, the speeds that are available in Korea and Japan are a good indicator. In those countries, customers enjoy speeds of up to 100 Mbps for a price comparable to current U.S. cable and DSL service. It will be some time before U.S. fiber optic providers offer such speeds to the greater share of their customers.
Although the U.S. continues to lag behind other nations in the development of fiber optic networks, all major U.S. Internet Service Providers are working hard to get up to speed. Within the next two or three years, a large number of Americans will have a third option for high speed Internet service other than DSL or cable.