Internet Basics

The internet is a global network of billions of computers and devices that allows digital information to travel around the world in seconds. The information is translated into code and sent through a complex infrastructure of fiber-optic cables, servers, data centers, satellites, and cell towers.

Whether you are looking for an essential Wi-Fi internet experience to check emails or high-performance Internet for streaming and pro-level gaming, understanding the fundamentals of how you connect is the first step toward finding the right plan for your lifestyle.

There are several ways to bring an internet connection into your home. Each technology offers different benefits regarding speed, reliability, and essential broadband availability.

• Fiber Optic (Fios): Fiber-optic technology transmits data as pulses of light through strands of glass. It is widely considered the gold standard for home connectivity. Verizon Fios delivers some of the fastest speeds available, with high-bandwidth capabilities suitable for households with multiple power users.
• Fixed Wireless (5G Home & Verizon Home Internet Lite): This exciting technology provides a connection to your home using signals from nearby cell towers. Verizon 5G Home Internet is powered by our 5G Ultra Wideband network, offering a fast,* “plug-and-play” alternative to traditional wired connections. In some areas, Verizon Home Internet Lite provides a reliable fixed wireless solution to keep you connected.
• Cable Internet: This uses the same coaxial copper cables as cable TV. It often cannot match the symmetrical upload and download speeds found in fiber-optic networks.
• DSL and Satellite: DSL uses traditional telephone lines, while satellite service is often used in very remote areas where ground-based infrastructure—like fiber or cable—is not yet available.

Since fiber optics and cable lines are also ways to deliver phone lines and television signals, you can usually bundle internet, TV and home phone service from the same company. In fact, bundling services used to be the best way to save money.

With a customizable Verizon Fios internet plan, you don’t have to order 2 or 3 services together to get a great deal. You pay only for what you need. Learn what’s available in your area.

Take advantage of Mobile + Home benefits. By combining your Verizon mobile plan with a home internet plan, you can unlock exclusive special offers and benefits.

Additionally, Verizon plans allow you to customize your experience with streaming perks. Add services like Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ (With Ads) or Netflix & HBO Max (With Ads) to your Verizon Home Internet plans at a discounted rate, helping you only pay for the entertainment you actually watch.

You may be a cord-cutter who doesn’t need a home phone line or premium TV channels anymore. If so, Verizon offers a variety of internet-only service plans to choose from, with the flexibility to easily upgrade whenever you need more bandwidth to add more devices. So you pay for the speed you need—not the services you don’t.

With an internet-only plan, you’ll get the speed, reliability and bandwidth you need for your connected devices. So you can stream, game and share quickly—with no annual contract. Plus, you can add on exciting new entertainment services like YouTube TV whenever you choose an internet plan.

Ready to get started?

Check availability to see which Verizon product is available in your area and find the perfect connection for your home. If you have specific questions regarding setup or billing, you can contact Verizon customer service for dedicated support.

Discover today what Verizon is used for in your neighborhood and secure a reliable connection for your digital life.

*5G Home and Verizon Home Internet Lite services provided through cellular network; speeds vary due to factors affecting cellular networks.