Verizon FiOS is a bundled communications , since October 2006. (Internet, telephone, and TV) service, operating over a fiber-optic communications network, that is presently offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon. Verizon has attracted consumer and media attention in the area of broadband Internet access as the first major U.S. carrier to offer fiber to the home/premises. Other service providers currently only use fiber optics deployment to the network backbone and use existing copper or coax infrastructure for the end user. The coverage area is still expanding, however some areas do not have service or cannot receive TV and phone service due to franchise agreements. the number of homes with FiOS access was 12.7 million, of which 2.5 million subscribe to the Internet service, and 2.04 million to FiOS TV.

"FiOS" stands for "Fiber Optic Service." As noted in Verizon's trademark, fios is a Gaelic word, translated into English as "knowledge." Verizon previously called the service FTTP ("Fiber To The Premises").

Internet access

Internet throughput speeds are highly variable depending upon service territory and are affected by such factors as customer location, cost, and the offerings of the competing broadband providers. Offered speeds in various areas have been changed with little notice, generally to raise throughput (but also prices in some cases). End customers usually have three or more choices for Internet bandwidth. The lowest bandwidth tier was originally 5 Mbit/s down and 2 Mbit/s up and is now 10 Mbit/s down and 2 Mbit/s up in most territories. Most customers may upgrade to an even higher download speed for a small additional fee (in most East Coast territories, ten dollars was typical as of late 2007). For example, customers in the new Baltimore service area may upgrade to 20 Mbit/s download / 5 Mbit/s upload for $10 per month (difference in stand-alone price over 10Mbit/s up / 2 Mbit/s down offering). A third (or higher) service tier, when available for residential service, tends to provide very considerable—nearly commercial—bandwidth, including substantial upload speed, in some territories reaching 30/15 or 50/20 Mbit/s download and upload. Again, depending on market conditions, the third and higher tiers may be offered for either modest per month price increases over the second tier, or for substantially more.

Current bandwidth tiers

Residential

• Fast
• Download up to 10 Mbit/s / Upload up to 2 Mbit/s
• Faster
• Download up to 20 Mbit/s / Upload up to 5 Mbit/s
• Faster Plus
• Download up to 20 Mbit/s / Upload up to 20 Mbit/s
• Fastest
• Download up to 50 Mbit/s / Upload up to 20 Mbit/s

The prices for the bundles vary based on bandwidth level and whether or not phone service is included. From the Verizon website, the prices range from $44.99/month (only with a one-year service contract, with home phone service, and 10Mbit/2Mbit internet service), to $165.95 (only on a month-to-month agreement, not including home phone service, and 50Mbit/20Mbit internet service