In this article I will explore the difference between DSL and FiOS. I will examine the speed, price and reliability of these services. First we must establish what DSL and FiOS are! DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. DSL works by sending information over existing copper phone lines. The down side to sending information over the phone lines is the further you get from the central office the slower your connection will be. (Assuming there is no repeater) The maximum speed you will get with DSL is 8.448 megabits per second under ideal conditions.
FiOS was created by Verizon. FiOS transmits data over a fiber optic-cable which is much faster than DSL. FiOS internet can reaches speeds of 30 megabits per second. The main drawback to FiOS is it’s availably. Verizon is the only company to offer this service and if you are not living in an area that they service you will not be able to get FiOS. After doing some research the only complaints I found were instillation issues. (The installer being late or taking a long time to setup)
Finally, I will examine the price difference between these two services. To utilize the full speed of FiOS internet (30 megabits per second) will cost $139.95 every month! (Verizon offers slower speeds of FiOS for a smaller cost) I examined what Verizon was charging for there DSL so we can compare “apples to apples.” I found Verizon is charging $29.99 for a speed of 3 megabits per second which is the maximum they speed they provide for DSL. Speed of connection is always a nice thing to have but for $139.99 it is a major disadvantage to most people. When choosing an internet service it comes down to the need for speed. If you are just going to check your e-mail and check sports scores then DSL will be a fine product for you. But, if you are a “hard core gamer” spending the extra bucks on the FiOS package will seem like no big deal!
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-fios.htm
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci213915,00.html
http://www22.verizon.com/content/consumerfios/packages+and+prices/packages+and+prices.htm
http://www22.verizon.com/content/consumerdsl/plans/all+plans/all+plans.htm
Kingsbury49's Weblog 
I have always used cable for my Internet connection. I have heard of DSL and FiOS, but I had little knowledge of their speeds or prices. From your report I think that when and if FiOS becomes available in my area I will look into using it for my Internet connection. Cable is good, but when the cable goes out so does my Internet connection. If I have FiOS then I would still be able to do my homework and other important things like World of Warcraft when the cable is down.
Great post. I had no idea that FiOS was so expensive! Is that price only for the Internet, or does that include phone and television?
FiOS is supposed to be coming to my neighborhood over the next few months. Now that I know the price, I am no longer as excited about it.
I am currently using Verizon’s slowest DSL package and it has suited me just fine. I can download music and watch videos with no problem. The best part is that it is only $17.99 a month. I am sure they will rapidly increase the DSL price to make people jump over to FiOS, though.
I guess I am like that turtle in those Comcast commercials, the one who wants to stay in the slow-lane. Oh well, turtles are cool.
Besides, if my Internet connection were too fast, I would probably stay on it even longer than I do now. It is good to have a slow connection every now and then, to frustrate you and make you rejoin the real world.