What is FiOS?
According to the TV spots you’ve probably seen, FiOS is “the most advanced fiber optic network straight to your home.” The Verizon tech, and the precocious little boy who mimics him, also spout something about “your 1310, your 1490 and the 1550,” “plus 20 dB hot,” and something that sounds like “true quam.” So…you got all that? What do you mean, not really? If you’re not one of the people who starts drooling at the mere mention of FiOS, or gnashing your teeth because you don’t have it already, it just might be because you haven’t gotten around to translating that TV spot with your Techie-English dictionary yet. Hey, I understand. (By the way, if you are drooling or gnashing your teeth, check out this article on what the holdup is.) Before hearing about FiOS, you may have figured fiber optics had something to do with long-distance phone service and/or those holiday trees that light up by themselves like magic. While fiber optics do have a variety of uses, from industrial and military
FiOS, according to its creator Verizon, is a Gaelic word that means “knowledge” in English. FiOS is a telecom service that is offered over fiber-optic lines. At the moment, Verizon is the only provider. Verizon is known primarily as a provider of mobile phone service. The company is now offering other kinds of phone service, including local and long distance, using traditional fiber-optic cables. Such cables can also carry Internet signals, and Verizon is planning to offer broadband access as well. With the mention of cables comes the thought of television, and Verizon is pursuing avenues in that realm as well. All of these new efforts are part of Verizon’s overall FiOS effort. One of the main benefits of FiOS is its speed. Verizon claims that speeds delivered over FiOS lines can reach 30 megabits a second. This is a huge improvement over current DSL lines, which deliver data at up to 1.5 megabits a second. The higher speeds achieved with FiOS lines can enable users to download full-le
‘Verizon Fios Internet Service will use fiber-optic cable and associated electronics – instead of copper wires – to directly link residential and business customers to the Verizon network. Fiber-optic systems have been used in telecommunication networks for years, but primarily for long distance networks or for large business applications. But now the Verizon FiOS Internet Service Program that [Verizon is] beginning, first in Keller, will extend the capacity, speed, and quality of fiber-optics right to customers’ homes and businesses.
