Verizon

Starting as Bell Atlantic, Verizon Fios launched in 2004 offering one of the first true fiber services for residential customers. Beginning testing in Keller, TX, they quickly expanded out into other markets and cities after the product was a clear success. Since then, they’ve become the largest fiber-optic internet service provider in the nation. Offering more than just fiber, they also offer DSL and wireless internet service through 3G and 4G LTE radio towers to 90% of the US population. This makes Verizon Fios available to areas that normally wouldn’t have access to the internet due to a lack of grounded lines running to their residence.

When Bell Atlantic started, it provided home telephone service to the Atlantic Northeast. After it merged with GTE in 2000, they changed their name to Verizon and quickly became the largest local telephone company in the country, managing over 63 million telephone lines in almost every state. In 2002, Verizon began offering limited internet service again expanding its internet offerings in 2004 with the launch of Verizon Fios. Through a number of acquisitions and mergers, Verizon continued to increase their coverage until ultimately settling into its position today as the nation’s most extensive network of fiber-optic lines. This growth is expected to continue as Verizon Fios keeps installing new fiber-optic lines as well as maintaining its current DSL and wireless coverage.

Currently, their focus is on expanding their fiber lines as demand increases, allowing customers to reach speeds that were once unattainable. Currently, its service can reach into the 200Mbps to 1000Mbps range. This allows those who use Verizon’s services to reach and surf the internet at near-instantaneous speeds. Even more impressive, Verizon Fios upgraded its service in 2014 to allow for synchronous connections meaning that your upload speeds are just as fast as your download speeds. To put it in simpler terms, if you’re receiving download speeds of 1000 Mbps through Verizon Fios, you’ll also have access to upload speeds of 1000 Mbps. This is great for those who not only stream video to sites like Twitch, but also those who work from home and are required to consistently and regularly upload large files. Verizon Fios is available in nine states, as well as the nation’s capital, and is capable of reaching over 30 million consumers.

Verizon Fios has primarily focused its fiber lines on urban and suburban populations with high density, such as cities like New York and Philadelphia. This is what allows them to offer fiber to so many customers. Its service can be found in most of the country though, leveraging their extensive mobile network to create mobile hotspots. This serves two types of customers. The first is users that need a reliable internet connection on the go, either for work or pleasure. The second is those users who cannot access a fiber, cable, or DSL connection, but still want to access everything the internet has to offer. Regardless of which group you fall into, Verizon Fios is one of the most popular and secure internet connections in the country.