Verizon FiOS, sometimes simply FiOS (pronounced fie-ohss – fie as in Wi-Fi and ohss as in lactose), which stands for “Fiber Optic Service,” is an Internet, telephone, and television service currently offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon.
Verizon has garnered consumer and media attention in the area of broadband Internet access as the first major carrier in the US to offer such service (fiber to the home/premises). In its rapidly expanding coverage areas, FiOS provides telephone, Internet and digital video services to subscriber premises. Some areas have no service due to franchise agreements, and some may only receive Internet access, also due to franchises. Other service providers (eg, cable) have fiber optics, but they only have fiber from one station to another, not to the home/facility.
Verizon also offers analog service, or POTS (ie, plain old telephone service), through FiOS. This would mean that the last copper POTS connection is replaced by a digital signal. FiOS phone is not VoIP, it is still POTS. Copper phone lines at the location connect to the ONT, which provides dial tone, just like a copper connection. FiOS “connects” to phone lines, but does not require a VoIP adapter. Common model optical network terminals have 2 or 4 analog telephone jacks.
Power outages can affect reliability
Standard copper phone lines carry a low-voltage electrical charge that maintains phone service in the event of a power outage. Due to the nature of fiber optic technology, any voltage available on the phone line would have to be obtained at the customer’s premises. This means that if there is no electricity on the premises, telephone service will be interrupted.
This can be a problem for sites experiencing extended power outages that rely on analog phone lines for remote monitoring, alarm systems, and/or emergency calls. Verizon provides a free rechargeable battery backup unit with service installation. Older units allow 4 hours of power to the optical network terminal during a power outage, while newer units installed after 2008 allow 8 hours.
Verizon could monopolize copper after installing FiOS
Verizon claims not to do anything that could affect or disable the pre-existing copper lines that carried phone or DSL service, even though the company’s official policy is that customers cannot return to copper service without approval from one level management. superior.
However, there have in fact been reports in several markets that Verizon has physically uninstalled the copper lines (or network interface device, required for copper line phone service) at the time FiOS was installed, removing effectively any “retire route” to copper-based services. Verizon is required by law to share copper media with competing service providers, but there is no such requirement for fiber media.
Delays in making the switch to FiOS through POTS
When you make this type of change, copper lines must be disconnected 24 hours in some or all cases before the number can be transferred to FIOS. The purpose is to allow them to enter the numbers into the FIOS database and establish the FIOS team designation on site. Once this is done, they send a technician to connect the lines to the assigned ONT/s.