Is Verizon Fios available in my area?
To find out if Verizon Fios is available in your area, enter your address. You can also explore our coverage map to see where Fios is offered and what other services are available at your home.
We continue to expand the areas where Verizon Fios is available, and new locations will be added soon. Currently, Verizon's 100% fiber-optic network serves more than 15 million homes and businesses in the mid-Atlantic and New England, including Boston and New York City; the Washington, DC, area; Philadelphia and Pittsburgh; and many other cities.
When will Verizon Fios be available in my area?
Verizon is working to expand access to Fios, with new cities and regions added regularly. Check the coverage map to find out which service might already be available. If Fios is not currently offered at your address, you can sign up for updates to be notified when it becomes available.
How do I get fiber-optic internet?
Your home internet options will depend on what's available at your address and what best suits your needs.
If Verizon Fios is available at your location, select the plan that best meets your needs:
- 300 Mbps: More than enough bandwidth for the average household—you can easily stream (including 4K video), game and make video calls on multiple devices at once.
- 500 Mbps: Download full-length movies in minutes or immerse yourself in online virtual reality games.
- 1 Gig or 2 Gig: Enjoy even lower latency and less lag, with enough bandwidth for any activity and lots of connected devices.
Once you've chosen your plan, you can order online or visit a store. If you need help, you can use the customer service chat in the corner of your screen or call 800-837-4966.
Why is fiber-optic internet better than cable?
When it comes to fiber-optic internet vs. cable, fiber benefits from the tiny glass tubes it uses to carry data. Its 100% fiber-optic network means Verizon Fios is able to handle a range of services—like bundled internet, telephone and television—and its nearly symmetrically upload and download speeds make Fios great for gaming, streaming and data-heavy activities like virtual reality.
Fios also offers the bandwidth and power to support multiple devices and users, so you and your family can all get online at the same time without a lot of lag.
How is Verizon Fios different from other fiber optic internet providers such as AT&T or Cox?
Verizon Fios uses a 100% fiber-optic network, but many other service providers rely on a hybrid network of cable and fiber. Verizon also offers deals on services and entertainment with our partners.
With Verizon, you'll get the speed you need to connect the way you want, whether you're streaming your favorite movies or shows, gaming or just checking your email. Our multi-year price-lock guarantees mean you don't have to worry about unexpected rate increases, and with our all-in pricing, the price you see is the price you'll pay—there are no hidden fees or equipment charges.
Whether you're debating Verizon Fios vs. AT&T Fiber or another provider, it will all come down to what's available at your address. Plans and speeds will vary by location, so it's important to understand what's available to you as you weigh your options.
Can I get Wi-Fi and a router for fiber-optic internet?
Yes, Verizon Fios internet plans include a Wi-Fi router. Because your internet experience depends on your equipment, your router needs to be able to handle the highest internet speeds available. All plans include the best Wi-Fi router for Verizon Fios, featuring the latest Wi-Fi generation, Wi-Fi 6E, with more spectrum for increased speeds, better coverage, lower latency, built-in security, parental controls and more.
Your Wi-Fi router can transmit and distribute digital entertainment and information to multiple devices in your home with minimal lag or buffering and with an easy plug-and-play setup. And Verizon Whole-Home Wi-Fi, included with 1 Gig and 2 Gig plans at no additional cost, gives you an optional Wi-Fi extender to help you have a smooth connection and stronger signal in every room of the house—so the kids can game in the den while you finish a video conference in your home office.
What is a fiber-optic network?
Fiber-optic networks use thin strands of glass or plastic to transmit data. There are several different types of fiber-optic networks, but they all begin with fiber-optic cables running from the network hub to the curb near your home or straight into your home to provide an internet connection.
The fastest type of fiber network is called Fiber to the Home (FTTH) or Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) because it is a 100% fiber-optic connection. Those networks use optical fiber cables to directly connect terminals and houses, apartment buildings and businesses.
The other type of fiber-optic network is Fiber to the Curb, or FTTC. This is a partial fiber connection that runs optical cables near homes and businesses and then uses copper cables to carry the signal from the curb the rest of the way to your home. Similarly, Fiber to the Building, FTTB, runs fiber cables to a point on a shared property and other cabling connects the network to offices or other spaces.
Why fiber-optic internet?
Fiber is one of the fastest internet technologies available thanks to the tiny glass tubes that make up the fiber-optic network. That makes fiber ideal for sending data over long distances and at super-fast speeds.
Verizon Fios takes advantage of fiber-optic internet’s impressive abilities, offering the reliable bandwidth you need to game, stream and work:
- You can download an HD movie in less time than it takes to make the popcorn.
- The Fios 2 Gig connection delivers remarkable speeds—both upload and download.
- The next-generation Wi-Fi 6E router, included with Verizon Fios 1 Gig and 2 Gig plans, has some of the highest bandwidth so you can connect a large number of devices at once.
How does fiber work?
Verizon's 100% fiber-optic network uses tiny glass strands to carry data signals as pulses of light. It offers an outstanding broadband experience, with fast, reliable and nearly symmetrical upload and download speeds. Verizon Fios connects to your home using an optical network terminal (ONT), which converts the light signal from the fiber network into digital data, which your router then transmits to your devices.
What's the difference between 5G and Fios home internet?
Verizon Fios and Verizon 5G Home Internet both offer a reliable internet connection with low latency and the ability to connect multiple devices. The main difference between 5G and Fios home internet is that they use different technologies: Verizon 5G Home Internet is a wireless network that uses Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband cellular network to connect your home to the internet, while Verizon Fios uses a 100% fiber-optic network to transmit data to and from your home.
- Widely available in major cities and suburban areas in the mid-Atlantic and New England
- Uses a 100% fiber-optic network to transmit data over strands of glass, providing a fast connection
- Offers nearly matching upload and download speeds
- Ideal for gaming, streaming, and sharing large files or images
- Powered by Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network
- Available in more and more cities around the country
- Provides fast speeds with low lag*
- Includes easy plug-and-play installation**
Your home internet options and speeds will vary depending on your location. To check Verizon home internet service availability in your area, search our coverage map.
*5G Home/LTE Home Internet services provided through cellular network; speeds vary due to factors affecting cellular networks.
**Self setup not available in all areas
What is Mbps and what does it stand for?
Mbps stands for megabits per second, and it measures how fast data is transferred over a network. This is typically how we define the speed of an internet connection—higher Mbps speeds mean faster internet.
Knowing your file upload and download speeds can help you determine if your home internet is fast enough to meet your needs, whether you're doing everyday online activities like checking email and surfing the web or more data-heavy things like streaming high-definition movies, gaming or video calling. If you feel like your internet is slow, you can test your internet speed and then find out if faster services are available in your area.
How many Mbps do I need?
To determine what speed you need, think about how you use the internet: Do you stream a lot of movies or shows, or are you a big gamer? Will you and your family have a lot of devices connected at the same time? You may want to consider a plan with higher speeds and the capacity to handle many devices.
Mbps, or megabits per second, is also used as a measurement of how much traffic your internet can handle. You might not think you have a lot of devices connected to your home network, but you'd be surprised by how many devices are quietly using internet bandwidth in the background. Smart-home devices, laptops and PCs in sleep mode; your home security system; and even your sprinkler system can all be using your internet, which will affect your internet speed unless you have enough Mbps.
With the power of Verizon Fios fiber-optic internet—plans start at speeds of 300 Mbps and top out at a lightning-fast 2 Gig—you can:
- Upload and download files quickly
- Download a full-length 4K or HD movie in seconds
- Game, video chat or stream with limited buffering delays
- Connect a large number devices at once with minimal lag
What internet speed is best for gaming?
A good internet speed for gaming should be at least 3 Mbps download speed and 1 to 2 Mbps upload speed. Fios offers speed tiers with matching upload and download speeds that start at 300 Mbps, which ensure the low latency that's perfect for gaming.
Verizon Fios is ideal for gaming, with fast download speeds and low latency to help you level up. To experience the best internet for gaming, you need a fast, reliable connection that won't slow you down with a lot of lag or buffering.