Verizon internet review: Limited availability

Fiber Plans, Speed, and Data

There’s a reason Verizon Fios is consistently ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction. Its 100% fiber network, superior speeds, and flexible no-contract plans set it apart from other industry-leading fiber providers. 

Verizon offers three fully unlimited Fios internet plans: Fios 200, Fios 400, and Fios Gigabit.

The cheapest fiber plan, Fios 100, is great for households with two or three users looking to stream, game, and surf the web across several devices.

Although this is Verizon’s most basic fiber plan, the speed and price ($40) make this one of the most attractive fiber offerings on the market.  In comparison, AT&T fiber plans start around $50, and require a contract.

The middle-tier plan, Fios 400, is ideal for several users looking to do all of these same activities across eight or more devices. Often times, users living in a multi-person household believe they need the fastest plan available, but ultimately end up paying for speeds they don’t really need.  This makes the fastest plan, Fios Gigabit, a bit more challenging to recommend to the average user. 

Although this plan is advertised to larger families with 100-plus devices, we only recommend this plan to large households (six or more users) that stream and game heavily. If your family doesn’t fall into this category, we recommend sticking with Fios 400 as the Gigabit plan is tailored to a small minority of households.

DSL Internet Plans, Speed, and Data

In more rural areas where Fios is unavailable, Verizon offers High Speed Internet with speeds ranging from 500 Kbps – 15 Mbps. Even for DSL, these speeds are far below other big name DSL providers like CenturyLink and AT&T that offer broadband speeds up to 100 Mbps. 

If you’re looking for a basic internet connection to stream videos and surf the web, Verizon High Speed Internet should be more than sufficient; however, for households with multiple users, we recommend looking at other providers.

Unlike other providers that boast about a terabyte as virtually unlimited data, Verizon actually stays true to its word by not imposing a data cap. Granted, it’s extremely rare to actually hit a terabyte — according to Xfinity, you would have to stream over 15,000 hours of music or 600 hours of HD video in a month. But it’s certainly nice to know that you won’t be charged extra for heavy usage activities. 

Who is each Verizon plan best for?

• Verizon High-Speed Internet — Best for a single user with up to 5 devices
• Fios Internet 200 — Best for two users with up to 8 devices
• Fios Internet 400 — Best for four users with up to 12 devices
• Fios Gigabit — Best for 5+ users with up to 20 devices

How Fast is Verizon Internet?

One of the biggest advantages of having a fios connection over a cable connection is the reliable, consistent speed that comes along with it. Rather than dividing the connection between you and your neighbors, fiber provides a dedicated connection to your household that is stronger than shared cable connections. 

According to the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC’s) latest report, Verizon Fios surpassed all other fiber providers by delivering speeds in excess of 95% of the advertised speed to at least 90% of the panelists. In other words, with Verizon Fios, you’re actually getting the speed that you’re paying for.

Verizon’s DSL internet, on the other hand, is far more limiting. Offering a maximum download speed of 15 Mbps, Verizon High Speed Internet doesn’t offer much for households with two or more individuals. 

However, where Verizon falls short in speed offerings, it makes up in reliability and performance. Verizon led all other DSL providers in actual speeds, providing over 125% of it’s advertised speeds. This is very unusual in the DSL world as most providers rarely meet, let alone exceed, the speeds they advertise. 

Internet Availability

 At this time, Verizon’s internet availability is limited to nine states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Given the impressive reputation of the service, the limited availability is certainly a let down. 

Fortunately, the company is working to expand the network beyond the nine states it currently operates in. Use our zip tool to check if your address is serviceable.

Other Factors to Consider

Impressive equipment

Industry-leading equipment, with the ability to opt-out to use your own.

Verizon offers both professional and self-installation. Self-installation is a great option if you’re looking for a quicker installation turnaround, or if you’re simply wanting to save some extra cash. 

You can choose to either have Verizon mail you the equipment or you can pick it up at a Fios Location. Having the equipment mailed is more convenient, although picking up your equipment allows you to activate service sooner.

When it comes to professional installations, Verizon can get a little pricey. A standard installation can be upwards of $99.99, although Verizon will often waive this fee if you order online. For fiber plans, you should also expect to pay a monthly router fee ($15).  

If you’re looking to avoid the rental fee, Verizon does give its customers the option to use their own router. However, there are a few important things you’ll want to consider before making this decision. 

Verizon’s routers are optimized to support the fiber-optic connection and speed, something you don’t want to sacrifice by using a cheap router.  You’ll also want to make sure your equipment is compatible. 

Since Fios doesn’t use modems, you’ll need to configure your router to deliver internet over an ethernet cable rather than the traditional coaxial cable. Some routers are more challenging than others, so you may need to call Verizon to have this changed.

Contracts and Fees

Stand-alone Fios internet doesn’t require a contract. That’s good news: you can cancel at any time without having to pay an early termination fee. For those who prefer traditional contracts, Verizon also offers an attractive two-year plan. 

Rather than paying an extra $15 per month in year two, the contract route guarantees your sign-up price for 24 months. If you plan on staying put for a couple years, we recommend considering the contract option as you could save nearly $200 in the second year. 

Notable Fees

• Fios equipment lease fee: $15/mo.
• DSL equipment upfront cost: $29.99
• Professional installation: $99*
• Taxes (Depends on location)*

*Sometimes waived for certain packages or online orders.

Fios TV

As of January 2020, Verizon announced it would be eliminating all TV and internet bundle deals. Given the recent trend in cord cutting, Verizon is hoping to align itself with the current state of the cable industry — one that’s ditching traditional cable bundles.

The cable industry has experienced intense scrutiny for undisclosed price hikes, hidden fees, and locked in contracts. Verizon is hoping to eliminate these frustrations by individualizing its Fios TV service and giving power back to the consumer through complete transparency on all ends.

For some, this switch may be frustrating as there’s no longer a discount for adding multiple services; for others, this change is both timely and necessary as it provides far greater transparency than previous pricing models.

Customer service

Verizon has maintained a steady reputation over the years for having outstanding customer service. J.D. Power recently awarded the company with a near perfect score across several factors, including Overall Satisfaction and Customer Service. 

With customer service typically being one of the most complained about aspects in the broadband industry, it’s quite impressive to see Verizon consistently outperform all other providers. 

Fios internet deals for Verizon Wireless customers

With Mobile + Home Rewards, you can get the 100% fiber-optic network at home and Verizon’s network on your favorite devices.  You can sign up for Verizon Wireless Unlimited and Fios Home Internet for $89.99/mo. with Start Unlimited and 200/200 Mbps Internet, when you have AutoPay & Verizon Up, plus taxes, equipment charges and other fees that might apply.

Verizon vs. Other Providers

* With AutoPay, plus taxes and equipment charges.

*Prices for stand-alone internet service, current at time of publication. Prices may vary by location. Contract length may vary and it’s subject to the starting price presented above. 

Source: Networking - zdnet.com