Verizon Challenges Google Fiber With Near Gigabit Class Fios Internet Service For $70 Month

Verizon FiOS
If Google Fiber’s stalled rollout has got you down, Verizon has a new high-speed service offering available that could help boost your spirits — that is if you actually live in a Fios coverage area. Verizon today announced Fios Gigabit Connection, which despite what its name implies, doesn’t actually provide gigabit speeds — but it does get pretty close.

Fios Gigabit Connection provides download speeds of up to 940 Mbps and upload speeds that top out at an equally impressive 880 Mbps. Both of those figures are within striking distance of Google Fiber’s symmetrical 1 Gbps speeds.

On the all-important pricing front, Verizon is driving a hard bargain, putting the service at $69.99 per month, matching Google Fiber’s standalone internet service. Verizon previously offered Fios Instant Internet with symmetrical speeds of 750 Mbps. Those customers will automatically be upgraded to the faster Fios Gigabit Connection service. If you don’t want to pony up $70 for near gigabit speeds, Verizon also offers a 50 Mbps tier for $39.99 per month. But believe us, once you go gigabit, you’ll never want to go back…

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If you prefer to go the bundled route, Verizon will offer you a triple-play package with a Fios Gigabit Connection, TV and phone service for just $79.99 for the first year. After your initial year discount expires, the price goes up to a still palatable $84.99 per month.

“Everyone deserves the fastest Internet available,” said Ken Dixon, President of the consumer wireline business for Verizon. “No cable provider comes close to offering the speeds and power of Fios Gigabit connection on this kind of scale. And we’ve priced it so that millions can enjoy it.”

The only downside (that we can see) to Fios Gigabit Connection is its relative limited availability. The Fios Gigabit Connection is only available in the northeast region of the United States in major markets like New Jersey, Richmond, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Boston.