Verizon Fios facts for kids
Verizon Fios logo, 2015-2024
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | TV, Internet, & phone |
| Founded | September 22, 2005 Keller, Texas, U.S. |
| Headquarters |
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U.S.
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Area served
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United States |
| Parent | Verizon Communications |
| Divisions | JuniorNet |
Verizon Fios is a special service from Verizon Communications. It gives you three things all together: internet, phone, and TV. This service uses super-fast fiber optic cables to send information, like light, across the United States. It's like a superhighway for data!
Contents
How Fios Started
Early Ideas (1995–1996)
The idea for Fios began a long time ago. In 1995, a company called Bell Atlantic (which is now Verizon) was testing a video service. It was called "Stargazer." This was one of the first services where you could choose movies to watch whenever you wanted. It was tested in 1,000 homes in Northern Virginia.
During this time, people at Bell Atlantic started talking about using fiber optic cables. They thought these special cables could deliver even better services. In 1996, a company leader named Bob Townsend said that Stargazer would become part of a new fiber optic network.
Launching and Growing (2005–2010)
In September 2005, Verizon Communications officially launched its fiber optic TV service. It was called Fios TV. About 9,000 customers in Keller, Texas, were the first to try it. The goal was to replace old copper wires with new, super-fast fiber optic ones.
By August 2006, Fios TV was available in parts of seven different states. The service kept growing, bringing fast internet and clear TV to more and more homes.
Where Fios Is Today (2010–Present)
In March 2010, Verizon announced that it would slow down its Fios expansion. They decided to focus on finishing the network in areas that already had Fios. This meant they would not bring Fios to brand new cities. Some cities, like Baltimore and Boston, had not yet gotten Fios.
Some people felt that Verizon did not keep its promises. They believed Verizon had collected money to build new networks that were never finished. For example, in New Jersey, Verizon collected a lot of money. This was in exchange for promising fiber optic internet for the whole state.
However, in 2014, the New Jersey government changed the agreement. They allowed Verizon to use wireless internet instead. Critics said that wireless internet was not as fast or reliable as fiber optic.
Fios TV
Fios TV is one of the services you can get with Verizon Fios. It uses special technology to send TV signals through fiber optic cables. These cables bring the signal right to your home.
Once the signal arrives, a special box changes it. This box makes the signal ready for your home's TV cables. Then, it goes to your TV's set-top box, and you can watch your favorite shows!
Fios Internet
Fios Internet was the very first service offered by Verizon Fios. It launched in Keller, Texas, in 2004. This was a year before Fios TV became available.
This service provides super-fast internet using the same fiber optic network. It's great for streaming videos, playing online games, and doing homework quickly.
Fios Phone
Besides TV and internet, Fios also offers a phone service. It's called Fios Digital Voice. This service uses the fiber optic network for phone calls. It's like making calls over the internet.
Fios Digital Voice first launched in Virginia and Maryland in September 2008. It eventually replaced an older Verizon phone service called VoiceWing. Sometimes, when Fios was installed, Verizon would disconnect the old copper phone lines.
See also
In Spanish: Verizon FiOS para niños
- Fiber-optic communication
- List of multiple-system operators
