Monday, May 18, 2009

Second-Tier FiOS Providers Undercut Verizon, Are Verizon [FiOS]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/h-HdOwETaS0/second+tier-fios-providers-undercut-verizon-are-verizon

Verizon FiOS, which can pipe the internet into your home at 50mbps, is something like bliss. It's also hideously expensive. Luckily, smaller ISPs are offering the same service for less. The exact same service.

Midsize ISP DSLExtreme has announced that it will be offering a 50mbps service in 17 states at an introductory rate of $100/mo. This will climb to $105 after the first year, but still undercuts Verizon's standard price (in most markets) of $145/mo. The weird thing? DSLExtreme is beating Verizon's prices on Verizon's own service. The ISP has become a FiOS wholesaler, meaning that DSLExtreme's service operates on their fiber, through their network.

That makes it all the more odd that they can undercut a giant like Verizon, but they're doing it anyway. Voodoo! Economics! [Ars Technica]