In a move to compete with Gigabit speeds, the Verizon 500MB tier was released by Verizon. While the Verizon 500MB plan does allow internet users the option to get incredibly high speeds, it’s not exactly ideal. For starters, the cost of the Verizon 500MB line is $299.99 a month, or $294.99 for those who sign a 2 year contract. Google fiber charges $70/month, Seattle-based Gigabit Squared charges $80/month, and Vermont based Vtel charges $35 a month, and all of those are twice the speed of Verizon. So essentially with Verizon you’re paying up to 9 times the cost for only half the speed.
Yet another drawback to the Verizion 500MB plan is the slower upload speeds than gigabit. The Verizon 500MB plan only offers 500MB down and 100MB upload speeds. Gigabit technology offers 1 gigabit up and 1 gigabit down. While upload speeds don’t mean much to many consumers, it can be a deal breaker for those up upload massive amounts of data.
So Why Buy the Verizon 500MB Line?
On a more positive note, Verizon has a larger reach than Vtel, Google, or Gigabit Squared. We will likely see the Verizon 500MB plan available to thousands, if not millions more than the other services. So if you have the $299.99 a month, and really need that 500MB line, Verizon can offer it. If you take into consideration that many consumers pay anywhere between $50 and $80 a month for a 3-5MB line, then the price isn’t so bad. It all comes down to how you look at it.
It’s plain to see that the Verizon 500MB plan isn’t the best deal on the market. However, given their larger territory, it brings additional options to many of us who may have never had that option before. The exact territory that the 500MB plan will be available in is still not known. Here in Dallas I currently only have the option to upgrade to the Verizion 300MB plan. Would I pay $299.99 a month for a 500MB line? Heck no, but if I know plenty of people in Dallas that would.
Verizon FiOS Quantum 500 Megabits Per Second – Official Release Video
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The price is way too steep, and imo, unjustifiable. The only people that would be able to afford that would be larger corporations. This definitely won’t be used by us normal folk. Even though I know it’ll probably be another 5 years google fiber is up and running int he DFW metroplex, I’ll just have to wait it out
I just think it’s one of those things the “rich” will have. I remember the days when I had dial-up and my friend had cable. Of course having a 50MB line over a 500MB line isn’t really going to make me any better at games now.
I don’t know, maybe you could use it to like…download tutorial-IDONTKNOW!!! IWANTINSTANTGRATIFICATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!