OREANDA-NEWS. August 01, 2014. People are sharing content on the Internet more than ever, a trend that is expected to continue. Starting, existing and new Verizon FiOS residential customers will receive upload speeds that match their download speeds, making it easier and faster to share. This speed upgrade is free to current customers, and comes at a time when people are uploading more and more information to the cloud, sharing videos and photos, and video chatting. 

Customers sharing information with family members, friends and classmates will have a more consistent Internet experience, with solid service reliability at all hours for common sharing activities such as:

Uploading a video.

Video chatting on Skype or FaceTime.

Sharing files on Facebook and Twitter or with classmates and teachers.

Getting a jump on an eBay bid.

Online shopping with new ecommerce platforms like Rue La La.

Beating an online gaming opponent to the punch.

Sending big files or backing up files by uploading them to the cloud.

Providing even greater value to existing customers, Verizon will transition qualifying current residential customers to higher upload speeds for free throughout the coming months. Additionally, all FiOS Internet services will boast equal download and upload speeds at current prices. Later this year, existing and new FiOS small-business customers also will receive this upgrade.

“Faster upload speeds means better sharing experiences,” said Mike Ritter, Verizon’s chief marketing officer for consumer and mass business. “All Internet sharing – whether videos, large photo files or gaming – starts with uploading. FiOS all-fiber-optic technology offers a unique opportunity to enhance our customers’ Internet experience on a mass scale by increasing our upload speeds to equal to our industry-leading download speeds. As the Internet of Things becomes a reality, equal download and upload speeds will become essential.”

Based on its studies of digital consumers, the technology market research firm IDC says more than 20 percent of U.S. broadband households are Power Users that are frequently online, uploading nearly as much content (video and music) as they download. IDC estimates that the population of Power User households will experience 60 percent growth by 2017 and will continue to increase nationwide in the future.

“IDC believes that both the upload and download speed demands of today’s Power User will inevitably become the norm in the coming years,” said Matt Davis, program director of consumer multiplay and broadband services research for IDC. “Verizon’s decision to give every FiOS Internet customer upload speeds that mirror its industry-leading download speeds is a step forward for U.S. digital consumers – and unique among the major U.S. broadband Internet providers. Because the upgrade is free, it delivers tremendous value to FiOS subscribers and strongly positions Verizon to meet the growing demand for upstream Internet speed.”