Verizon's Top Home ISP Download Rate Hits 50 Mbps
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) on Tuesday raised the top download speed for its fiber-based Internet service in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, the areas where it competes with Cablevision Systems Corp. (CVC) for broadband customers.
New York customers of Verizon's FiOS paying $89.95 a month can now get download speeds of 50 megabits per second, up from 30 mbps.
The new speed appears to be the fastest offering from a major U.S. Internet service provider. At 50 mbps, users of Apple Computer Inc.'s (AAPL) iTunes Music Store could download a standard-length song — about 4 megabytes, or 50 megabits — in about a second.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Cablevision has a competing cable broadband service at 30 mbps, far faster than most cable companies.
Verizon spokeswoman Heather Wilner said the New York-based company is upgrading the speed because it's "always looking to give the best overall values," but acknowledged that competition was a factor.
In New Jersey and Connecticut, the service costs $139.95 per month. Wilner said consumer demand, competition and technological factors are behind the price differences.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
In New York, FiOS is mainly available in the Long Island suburbs, which are also Cablevision strongholds.
In the three-state area, Verizon offers cheaper FiOS plans with 10 mbps or 20 mbps download speeds. In other states where FiOS is available, the speed tiers available are 5 mbps, 15 mbps and 30 mbps.