Huh, I guess FiOS has been a massive failure for Verizon

We've noted for some time that Verizon's FiOS expansion is over, with the exception of areas (mostly large cities) where they're still pursuing franchise build-out obligations. Given that this leaves not only millions of rural customers but major cities (Buffalo, Boston, Alexandria, Baltimore) only older DSL lines, the question has always remained whether expansion could be fired back up at a later date. With Verizon's new deal with the cable industry those questions have grown somewhat louder, with many wondering if the deal included under-the-table agreement by Verizon not to expand FiOS into any new cable territories.Testifying before Congress this week to defend the deal, Verizon's General Counsel Randal Milch made it rather clear that Verizon had never had any intention to expand FiOS further. As the webcast (around minutes 35 and 66) notes, Milch made it pretty clear that there's no plan for FiOS expansion -- adding that "Wall Street punished us for investing in FIOS."
Verizon's strategy has been to upgrade key markets with FioS, sell a large chunk of unwanted markets, then fill in what's left with either mobile or fixed LTE services that cost less to deploy and support for numerous reasons. There might be a day where Verizon singles out some areas where it just doesn't make sense to leave customers without upgrades -- like Boston -- but it's pretty clearly not happening anytime soon.
Wireless is Verizon's quarterly returns love affair now, since it's a sector where the company can enjoy non-unionized labor while charging users $10 per gigabyte in overages. Keep in mind they're also planning an over the top video partnership with Red Box to be launched later this year that will be layered on top of their fixed LTE service as Verizon pushes for nationwide branding.

Great, I'm always gonna be stuck with Time Warner, since they're the only company offering reasonable internet speeds in my area.(Mar Vista, Los Angeles)

@falcos_abortive_rainbow said:

Great, I'm always gonna be stuck with Time Warner, since they're the only company offering reasonable internet speeds in my area.(Mar Vista, Los Angeles)

Would you like it to be comcast?

Verizon is just as shitty as every other shitty cable/internet provider. So whatever I guess.

America's just too spread out for a nationwide quality connection, it's gonna be so long before the internet reaches ubiquity here compared to smaller countries.

@artgarcrunkle said:

Verizon is just as shitty as every other shitty cable/internet provider. So whatever I guess.

Business practice wise, I agree. In terms of service? It's not even close when it comes to FiOS. It's literally a night and day difference when I dropped Time Warner's sorry asses more than a year ago.

It really sucks that consumers are getting the short end of the stick here with cable companies shady bullshit franchise nonsense. It's honestly stifling any real potential of an all digital future.

@Shady said:

@artgarcrunkle said:

Verizon is just as shitty as every other shitty cable/internet provider. So whatever I guess.

Business practice wise, I agree. In terms of service? It's not even close when it comes to FiOS. It's literally a night and day difference when I dropped Time Warner's sorry asses more than a year ago.

It really sucks that consumers are getting the short end of the stick here with cable companies shady bullshit franchise nonsense. It's honestly stifling any real potential of an all digital future.

Yeah, I should have been clearer. Although there is a craaaaaaazy amount of delay when I'm scrolling through guide menus and trying to change channels and that sort of thing. I should drop cable TV altogether.

@Shady said:

@artgarcrunkle said:

Verizon is just as shitty as every other shitty cable/internet provider. So whatever I guess.

Business practice wise, I agree. In terms of service? It's not even close when it comes to FiOS. It's literally a night and day difference when I dropped Time Warner's sorry asses more than a year ago.

It really sucks that consumers are getting the short end of the stick here with cable companies shady bullshit franchise nonsense. It's honestly stifling any real potential of an all digital future.

How is it shady, they dont want to expand FIOS to cities, they dont have to expand FIOS to cities. Thats how business work.

@MikkaQ said:

America's just too spread out for a nationwide quality connection, it's gonna be so long before the internet reaches ubiquity here compared to smaller countries.

Now imagine countries like Canada and Australia that are just as big or larger, but have 10% as many potential customers. ISPs charge through the roof for what isn't even a very good connection.

@Dagbiker said:

@Shady said:

@artgarcrunkle said:

Verizon is just as shitty as every other shitty cable/internet provider. So whatever I guess.

Business practice wise, I agree. In terms of service? It's not even close when it comes to FiOS. It's literally a night and day difference when I dropped Time Warner's sorry asses more than a year ago.

It really sucks that consumers are getting the short end of the stick here with cable companies shady bullshit franchise nonsense. It's honestly stifling any real potential of an all digital future.

How is it shady, they dont want to expand FIOS to cities, they dont have to expand FIOS to cities. Thats how business work.

That's not why they decided to stop expanding. It has to do with how cable companies franchise districts and have a monopoly on how services are distributed in that area. Verizon can't just walk in and offer a similar service as it would violate the contract the district had agreed upon with said cable companies. It is seriously anti-competition and the definition of shady. Verizon not expanding and now deciding to possibly drop it all together has everything to do with awful business practices and not them thinking there isn't money to be made.

@BisonHero said:

@MikkaQ said:

America's just too spread out for a nationwide quality connection, it's gonna be so long before the internet reaches ubiquity here compared to smaller countries.

Now imagine countries like Canada and Australia that are just as big or larger, but have 10% as many potential customers. ISPs charge through the roof for what isn't even a very good connection.

Yeah I live in Canada, it sucks. I mean Toronto's speed is pretty good but the prices are terrible.

Verizon Communications is basically alive because Verizon Wireless is insanely profitable. If Wireless went public (which, no, it likely won't), Communications would be in a world of hurting. They haven't just stopped expanding, they've retreated from several states.