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What is Fios

Article Number: 146 | Rating: 5/5 from 1 votes | Last Updated: Wed, Oct 6, 2010 9:42 PM

What is FiOS?

FiOS is a fiber to the premises (FTTP) telecommunications service offered in the United States by Verizon. According to Verizon’s Trademark, FiOS is a Gaelic word for “knowledge”. Also, FiOS is an abbreviation of Fiber Optic Service. Verizon has attracted consumer and media attention in the area of broadband Internet access, as the first major U.S. carrier to offer such a service. Verizon has also launched a television service FiOS TVwith its fiber optic lines, and is expected to become a major competition of local cable television companies over the next 10 years. It will compete with current Triple Play offers, where the local cable company offers broadband Internet access, digital cable, and VoIP telephone service.

Inception

FiOS started as a pilot program in Keller, Texas, but availability of the Internet service has expanded to Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, Florida, California, Oregon, Washington the list goes on….. The FiOS TV service has launched in some of these states and will continue to expand its reach over the coming months.

FiOS has set the stage for a major change in broadband services in the US. Although you only hear about Fios TV and Fios Internet, this Verizon venture will set in motion a change that is bound to bring the US consumer market up to par with its European and Asian counterparts. Did you know the US is rated about 13th over all in the developed world as pertains to this market? We call ourselves innovators yet we let Bureaucracy clip our wings.

Regulation

The Telecom industry has been heavily regulated for years. Since this sector tends to draw road maps for the next big Techno trend, the US market has become victim of its past successes. Our European and Asian counterparts have seized on this and in a few years have managed to gain the upper hand. Verizon with its FTTP (Fiber to the Premises) Network is poised to make some positive strides.

See……. Once upon a time, Uncle Sam heavily regulated Copper Wire thereby tying big Telecom’s hands. Verizon went around it by investing heavily (18 Billion to be exact in the next few years) in a new technology that is not wholly bound by copper regulations. Fiber Optics! I have become a big Ivan Seidenberg (Verizon CEO) fan for this move. This has made possible what has only been a dream for us Techno geeks for years! Speed, Power, Ability to Dream, Bragging rights….the whole enchilada!